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LIFE OF TOLAND. 21as a second Goliath, who at the head of the Philistinesdefied the armies of Israel, in so much,that Mr. Hancock, the recorder of Dublin, in hiscongratulatory harangue to the lords justices ofthat kingdom, in the name of his corporation, beggedtheir lordships would protect the church fromall its adversaries; but particularly from the Toiandists.But to give the last and finishing stroke to Mr.Toland's book, it was brought before the parliament.Several persons eminent for their birth,good qualities, and fortune, opposed the wholeproceedings; but finding themselves over-ruled inthis,they urged, that the objectionable passagesshould be read: that Toland should be heardin his defence personally, or at least, by letter.All these propositions were rejected, and Mr. Toland,unheard and undefended, w as ordered to betaken into the custody of the serjeant at arms.Mr. Toland made hisescape, but his book wasburnt by the common hangman, on the 11th September,1697, before the gate of the parliamenthouse,and also in the open street, before thetown-house, the sheriffs and all the constables attending.Dr. South, in the preface to his third volume ofsermons, compliments the archbishop of Dublin,on his treatment of Toland, whom he calls a Ma-and particularly, that he madehometan Christian ;the kingdom too hot for him, without the help of