CHARLES II.

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reign’s confidence. While in this timorous, jealous chap.disposition , the cry of a plot all on a sudden struck lxvii.their ears : They were wakened from their isrs.slumber ; and like men affrightened and in thedark, took every figure for a spectre. The terrorof each man became the source of terror to another.

And an universal panic being diffused, reasonand argument and common sense and commonhumanity lost all influence over them. From thisdisposition of men’s minds we are to account forthe progress of the POPISH PLOT , and the credit The Popishgiven to it ; an event, which would otherwise P* ot -appear prodigious and altogether inexplicable.

On the 12th of August, oneKirby, a chemist,accosted the king, as he was walking in the park:

“ Sir,” said he, “keep within the company:

“ Your enemies have a design upon your life;

“ and you may be shot in this very walk.”

Being asked the reason of these strange speeches,he said , that two men, called Grove and Pic-kering , had engaged to shoot the king, and SirGeorge Wakeman, the queen’s physician, topoison him. This intelligence, he added, hadbeen communicated to him by doctor Tongue;whom , if permitted , he would introduce to hismajesty. Tongue was a divine of the church of Eng-land ; a man active, restless, full of projects, voidof understanding. He brought papers to the king,which contained information of a plot, and weredigested into forty-three articles. The king , nothaving leisure to peruse them , sent them to thetreasurer, Dauby, aud ordered the two informers

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