Every thing which occurred in England, or elsewhere, in fact, having any
reference to Popery, however remote, was sure to interest the Puritans,
and demand their attention; and, it would seem, was sometimes provocative
of poetry. So when the "happy discovery of a cursed plot against the
church of God, Great Britain and her King," was announced by the King, on
the 15th of February, 1743 (i.e., 1744), a large hand-bill was issued from
the Boston press, to which the printer did not put his name, headed, "Good
news from London, to the rejoicing of every christian heart." This was the
discovery of the plot "for bringing in a young Popish pretender." The news
was received by an arrival at Portsmouth, N.H., in twenty-six days from
England, and included the message of the King to Parliament. The hand-bill
contained the message in which the King declares that "having received
undoubted intelligence that the eldest son of the pretender to his crown
is arrived in France, and that preparations are making there to invade
this kingdom, in concert with disaffected persons here," &c., his Majesty
acquaints the House of the matter in order that measures may be taken, &c.