CHARLES II.

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engage the least attention of the populace: Forsuch the whole nation were at this time become.The popisti plot passed for incontestable : Andhad not men soon expected with certainty thelegal punishment of these criminals, the catholicshad been exposed to the hazard of an universalmassacre. The torrent indeed of national prejudi-ces ran so high, that no one, without the mostimminent danger, durst venture openly to opposeit; nay, scarcely any one, without great forceof judgment, could even secretly entertain anopinion contrary to the prevailing sentiments.The loud and unanimous voice of a great nationhas mighty authority over weak minds ; andeven later historians are so swayed by the concur-ring judgment of such multitudes, that some ofthem have esteemed themselves sufficiently mode-rate, when they affirmed, that many circumstan-ces of the plot were true, though some wereadded , and others much magnified. But it is anobvious principle, that a witness, who perjureshimself in one circumstance, is credible in none:And the authority of the plot, even to the endof the prosecutions , stood entirely upon witnes-ses. Though the catholics had been suddenly andunexpectedly detected , at the very moment,when their conspiracy, it is said, was ripe forexecution ; no arms, no ammunition, no money,no commissions, no papers, no letters, after themost rigorous search, ever were discovered, toconfirm the evidence of Dates and Bedloe. Yetstill the nation, though often frustrated, went on

hap.

LXVil.

1678.