Chapter Prince of Peace to Prisoner of Chillon of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(5) A prisoner condemned to death had his sentence commuted for seven years’ close confinement on a bed of nails. After the expiration of five years, he declared, if ever he were released, he should adopt from choice what habit had rendered so agreeable to him.

Prison Literature.

(1) Bacon (Roger), imprisoned in 1268, in France, by order of pope Nicholas IV., wrote during his confinement his treatise on The Means of Avoiding the Infirmities of Old Age.

(2) Bunyan wrote his Grace Abounding (1666), and Pt. i. of his Pilgrim’s Progress in Bedford Gaol (1660–1672).

(3) Cobbett carried on his Political Register in prison (1810-12).

(4) Combe (William) wrote his Journal of Dr. Syntax during his twenty years’ imprisonment in the King’s Bench (1743–1828).

(5) Cooper (Thomas) wrote in Stafford Gaol his Purgatory of Suicides and Wise Saws and Modern Instances.

(6) Defoe wrote in prison his Review (1704 and 1713).

(7) Dodd (Dr.) wrote in prison his Prison Thoughts (1815).

(8) Gray (Sir Thomas) wrote his fascinating Scalacronica when prisoner of war in Edinburgh Castle in 1355.

(9) Langley (Gilbert) wrote in Maidstone Gaol his Life and Adventures (1740).

(10) Lovelace (Richard) wrote some beautiful poems to “Divine Althea” (Lucy Sacheverel) while in prison for presenting to the Long Parliament a petition on behalf of Charles II.

(11) Montgomery (James), in 1794-5, wrote his Prison Amusements while confined in York Castle for publishing a ballad on the “Demolition of the Bastile.”

(12) Nugenius (Caius Libius) wrote an historical novel called The Oppressed Captive, in the Fleet (1787).

(13) O’Brien (William) wrote the main part of his novel, When we were Boys, while imprisoned for inciting to Irish rebellion. Published in 1890.

(14) Pain (Thomas) wrote the first part of his Age of Reason while imprisoned in Paris by command of Robespierre, in 1794-5.

(15) Penn (William) wrote his No Cross no Crown while imprisoned in the Tower at the instigation of the bishop of London (1644–1718), for publishing his book The Sandy Foundation Shaken.

(16) Raleigh (Sir Walter) wrote his History of the World (down to B.C. 170), and many other works, while imprisoned in the Tower by James I. on a most ridiculous charge (1552–1618).

(17) Smollett, while in prison (1759), wrote The Adventures of Launcelot Greaves.

(18) Taylor (Robert) composed his Devil’s Pulpit in Oakham Gaol.

(19) Thomas (F.), while confined in a dungeon in Morocco, composed his Sufferings of Christ (fifteenth century).

(20) Voltaire wrote two cantos of his Henriade in the Bastille, and revised his tragedy of Œdipe.