P. 525. Burnet, Home was convicted on the credit of one infamous evidence:—Applications were made to the Duke [of York] for saving his life: But he was not born under a pardoning planet.—Swift. Silly fop.
P. 526. Burnet All the Presbyterian party saw they were now disinherited of a main part of their birth-right.—Swift. As much of Papists as of Presbyterians.
P. 527. Burnet, speaking of the surrender of the charters in 1682:—It was said, that those who were in the government in corporations, and had their charters and seals trusted to their keeping, were not the proprietors nor masters of those rights. They could not extinguish those corporations, nor part with any of their privileges. Others said, that whatever might be objected to the reason and equity of the thing, yet, when the seal of a corporation was put to any deed, such a deed was good in law. The matter goes beyond my skill in law to determine it.—Swift. What does he think of the surrenders of the charters of abbeys?
P. 528. Burnet The Non-conformists were now persecuted with much eagerness. This was visibly set on by the Papists: And it was wisely done of them, for they knew how much the Non-conformists were set against them.—Swift. Not so much as they are against the Church.
P. 531. Burnet Lord Hyde was the person that disposed the Duke to it: Upon that Lord Halifax and he fell to be in ill terms; for he hated Lord Sunderland beyond expression, though he had married his sister.—Swift. Who married whose sister?
P. 536. Burnet The truth is, juries became at that time the shame of the nation, as well as a reproach to religion: For they were packed, and prepared to bring in verdicts as they were directed and not as matters appeared on the evidence.—Swift. So they are now.
P. 538. Burnet He [Algernon Sidney] was ambassador in Denmark at the time of the Restoration.—Swift. For Cromwell.
P. 543. Burnet, on Rumbold's proposal to shoot the King at Hodsdon, in his way to Newmarket, adds:—They [the conspirators] ran into much wicked talk about the way of executing that. But nothing was ever fixed on: All was but talk.—Swift. All plots begin with talk.
P. 548. Burnet. At the time of Lord Russell's plot, Baillie being asked by the King whether they had any design against his person? he frankly said not; but being asked:—if they had been in any consultations with lords or others in England, in order to an insurrection in Scotland? Baillie faltered at this. For his conscience restrained him from lying;—Swift. The author and his cousins could not tell lies, but they could plot.
P. 549. Burnet. Next morning he went with him to the Tower gate, the messenger being again fast asleep.—Swift. Is this a blunder?