All London looked forward to the next day with painful forebodings.

The general feeling was in favour of the bill.

It was rumoured that the majority which had determined to stand by the amendments had been swollen by several prelates, by several of the illegitimate sons of Charles the Second, and by several needy and greedy courtiers.

The cry in all the public places of resort was that the nation would be ruined by the three B's, Bishops, Bastards, and Beggars.

On Wednesday the tenth, at length, the contest came to a decisive issue.