Act of
Conventicles. The Prince of Orange here is much made of. The King
owes him a great deal of mony. The Paper is full.--I am yours," etc.

The trial of William Penn and William Mead at the Old Bailey for a
tumultuous assembly, written by themselves, may be read in the _State
Trials_, vol. vi. The trial was the occasion of Penn's famous remark to
the Recorder of London, who, driven wellnigh distracted by Penn's
dialectics, exclaimed, "If I should suffer you to ask questions till
to-morrow morning you would never be the wiser." "That," replied Penn,
"would be according as the answers are."

_To William Ramsden, Esq._
(Undated.)

"DEAR WILL,--The Parliament are still proceeding, but not much
advanced on their eight hundred thousand pounds Bill on money at
interest, offices, and lands; and the Excise Bills valued at four
hundred thousand pounds a year. The first for the navy, which scarce
will be set out. The last to be for paying one million three hundred
thousand pounds, which the King owes at interest, and perhaps may be
given for four, five, or six years, as the House chances to be in
humour. But an accident happened which liked to have spoiled all:
Sir John Coventry having moved for an imposition on the playhouses,
Sir John Berkenhead, to excuse them, sayed they had been of great
service to the King. Upon which Sir John Coventry desired that
gentleman to explain whether he meant the men or the women players.
Hereupon it is imagined, that, the House adjourning from Tuesday
before till Thursday after Christmas-day, on the very Tuesday night
of the adjournment, twenty-five of the Duke of Monmouth's troop, and
some few foot, layed in wait from ten at night till two in the
morning, by Suffolk-street, and as he returned from the Cock, where
he supped, to his own house, they threw him down, and with a knife
cut off almost the end of his nose; but company coming made them
fearful to finish it, so they marched off. Sir Thomas Sands,
lieutenant of the troop, commanded the party; and O'Brian, the Earl
of Inchequin's son, was a principal actor. The Court hereupon
sometimes thought to carry it with a high hand, and question Sir
John for his words, and maintain the action. Sometimes they flagged
in their counsels. However, the King commanded Sir Thomas Clarges,
and Sir W. Pultney