It was presently reported, to the blind terror and indignation of the zealous, that in certain houses lately erected Catholics had opened schools, and had attracted many pupils and numbers of people, their parents and relations. It was therefore enacted that those persons who, having licences for keeping houses of entertainment, did not attend church and, instead, attended any kind of conventicle, should lose their licence, and—a very serious blow against Catholics and Nonconformists—money should not be given to the poor unless they attended church. The Privy Council, having a list of Catholic tradesmen in St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, St. Giles’s, and St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, set an example to the City by ordering the Justices of the Peace to proceed against them according to law. The history of Nonconformity in London has been treated in the book of the Eighteenth Century. The following, however, is a list of conventicles and preachers in the year 1680:— “Holborn, Short’s Gardens, Case, Presbyterian Minister. Chequer Yard, Dowgate Hill, Watson, Presbyterian, 300. Cutler’s Hall, Cole, Presbyterian, 400. Hand Alley, Bishopsgate Street, Vincent the Elder, 800. Glovers’ Hall, Beech Lane, Cripplegate, Fifth Monarchy Meeting. Devonshire House, Bishopsgate, Harcostell, Anabaptist. New Street, Fetter Lane, Cross. Gracechurch Street, Gibson. Devonshire House, Haward, drysalter. Barking, Benj. Antrobus. The Golden Harrow, Bishopsgate Without, linen-draper. Plaistow, Clement Plumstead, ironmonger. Three Cranes, Thames Street, R. Haward, coal merchant. Barking, T. Bagley, Lothbury, clockmaker. Little Eastcheap, R. Whitepace, butcher. Cornhill, W. Mead, draper. Leadenhall Street, S. Loveday, Anabaptist. Star Alley, East Smithfield, Isaac Lamb, shoemaker.” The example of religious discussion and the examination of doctrine penetrated, as has been set forth, to the lower classes. A case in point is that of Oliver Cromwell’s porter. This man, whose Christian name was Daniel, learned in Cromwell’s service much of the cant that prevailed at that time. He was a great plodder in books of divinity, especially in those of the mystical kind, which are supposed to have turned his brain. He was many years in Bedlam, where his library was, after some time, allowed him, as there was not the least probability of his cure. The most conspicuous of his books was a large Bible given him by Nell Gwynne. He frequently preached and sometimes prophesied, and was said to have foretold several remarkable events, particularly the Fire of London. One would think that Butler had this frantic enthusiast in view when he says:— “Had lights where better eyes were blind, As pigs are said to see the wind; Fill’d Bedlam with predestination.” (_Hudibras_).