Henry Fielding

“ His Highness goes to the house of commons at 12 at night, places himself in the speaker's chair, and introduces the French ambassador. His excellency makes a long speech, setting forth the many services which his master had done this nation, and the great goodwill he had always borne towards them, and concluding with many haughty menaces, in case they should prove ungrateful for all his favours. ”

“ THOUGH I live on a small fortune, in great obscurity, yet I cannot but be interested in our present troubles. My thoughts sometimes lead me to meditate, what we are likely to expect, should success attend the present ravagers of our country. ”

“ Rumours of a plot. More heretics committed. The judges declare the power of the crown to suspend laws. Father Mac-dagger made president of Magdalen college in Oxford.
Feb. 21. Four lords and two commoners taken into custody for the plot, all English, and two of them Roman Catholics. The deanery of Christ Church given to Father Poignardini, and the bishoprics of Winchester and Ely, to the general of the Jesuits' order, resident in Italy.
Feb. 28. Six more heretics burnt in Smithfield. A fresh motion made to restore the abbey lands — carried in the lords' house, but rejected by the commons. ”