CHARLES II.

2 97

money ; for they had been able to pilfer goodsfrom the fire to the amount of fourteen thousandpounds : The Jesuits had also raised another fireon St Margaret’s Hill, whence they hast stolen.godds to the value of two thousand pounds;Another at Southwark : And it was determinedin like manner to burn all the chief cities in Eng-land. A paper-model was already framed for thefiring of London ; the stations were regularlymarked out, where the several fires were to com-mence ; and the whole plan of operations was soconcerted , that precautions were taken by theJesuits to vary their measures, according to thevariation of the wind. Fire-balls were familiarlycalled among them Tewkfbury mustard-pills ; andwere said to contain a notable biting sauce. Inthe great fire, it had been determined to murderthe king ; but he had displayed such diligenceand humanity in extinguishing the flames, thateven the Jesuits relented , and spared his life.Besides these assassinations and sires; insurrections,rebellions, and massacres were projected by thatreligious order in all the three kingdoms. Therewere twenty thousand catholics in London , whowould rife in four - and - twenty hours or less;and Jennison, a Jesuit, said, that they mighteasily cut the throats of a hundred thousand pro-testants. Eight thousand catholics had agreed totake arms in Scotland. Ormond was to bemurdered by four Jesuits ; a general massacre ofthe Irish protestants was concerted ; and fortythousand black bills were already provided for

II A PI.XVII.1678 .