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In 1702, just after the death of King William, Defoe published his
severely ironical pamphlet, _The Shortest Way with the Dissenters_.
Assuming the character of a High Churchman, he says: "'Tis vain to trifle
in the matter. The light, foolish handling of them by fines is their glory
and advantage. If the gallows instead of the compter, and the galleys
instead of the fines, were the reward of going to a conventicle, there
would not be so many sufferers." His irony was at first misunderstood: the
High Churchmen hailed him as a champion, and the Dissenters hated him as
an enemy. But when his true meaning became apparent, a reward of L50 was
offered by the government for his discovery. His so-called "scandalous and
seditious pamphlet" was burnt by the common hangman: he was tried, and
sentenced to pay two hundred marks, to stand three times in the pillory,
and to be imprisoned during the queen's pleasure. He bore his sentence
bravely, and during his two years' residence in prison he published a
periodical called _The Review_.


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