An idiot[mentally retarded], Barnaby is swept up into mob action of protestants against catholics. Is caught and sentenced to hang, but in the end his many friends save him. Sidestories of an innkeepers son and a smith's daughter. A catholic landholders niece and a protestant lord"'s son. Barnaby's father, who supposedly died many years ago. The protestant "lord"'s illegitimate son and his rabble rousing companions. Overall, it was a fictional account of a non-fictional incident [the riots of "something or other" or 1786 or whatever]. Dickens never writes just one story, but about 4-6 interweaving stories that are all tangentially connected. Good stuff!" ( )