John, a late humorous writer, was bred to the law, and practised in Ireland with great success. He was there elected a member of the house of commons, but was expelled for writing a treatise on the possibility of avoiding death; and being afterwards chosen a member for the borough of Bromber in Sussex, he was also on the same account expelled the parliament of England. After this, he continued 30 years a prisoner in the Mint, Fleet, and King's-bench; during which time he published a multitude of small political pamphlets, several of which were in defence of the Hanoverian succession, and against the pretender. He died in the rules of the King's-bench, in the year 1738, when he was upwards of fourscore.