Date: 1678

"I left off to watch, and be sober; I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word, and the goodness of God."

— Bunyan, John (bap. 1628, d. 1688)

Date: 1678

"This conceit would loosen the reines of our lust, and tollerate us to live as we list."

— Bunyan, John (bap. 1628, d. 1688)

Date: 1691

"Wandring one Evening thro' a Cypress Grove--(I won't be positive, it might be Hazle, but t'other sounds better) revolving in my rambling Brain the Varietyes of Human Affairs, happen'd i' the Drove of Thoughts, that swarm'd up and down my Noddle to reflect on my own self (Sir, Your Humble Servant...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"This I say may be, and Graver folks than he have made a huge splutter with such a kind of business;--but I am apt to think (between Friends) if there be any thing in't, that most of the Lyoness Particles rambled somewhere else, to another Branch of the Family; and that more of the Sheep, the gen...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"Twice every day a thousand Fancies and Fegaries crowd into my Noddle so thick as if my Brain kept open-house for all the Maggots in nature."

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"But alas, I had not been sixty minutes Alphabetizing and sorting of Books before my old Rambling Maggot began to crawl and bite afresh; upon which I immediately grew as fickle and wavering as if I had drank Liquor distill'd from a Womans Brains; and nothing would satisfie me now till I saw the S...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"As for the Loves of these Villagers, the Intriegues of their Amours are not a little remarkable, they being very pretty Animals when disguis'd with that Passion: They are Tinder to such Flames, being quickly set on fire, even by the least spark, which when it hath catch'd the Match of their Soul...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1692

"In like manner he thought some Ribs of Grashoppers would be acceptable to many, whose Brains are full of those skipping Animals, to cause a Spring in their own Meadows."

— Gildon, Charles (1665-1724)

Date: 1693

"My Spanish Mistress, upon this very occasion, told me a Story of a Spartan Boy, who having stolen a young Fox, and hidden him under his Gown, rather than be discovered, kept him there till he tore out his Bowels: So it is with the English Ladies, if once Love enters into their Breasts, though, l...

— Anonymous

Date: 1693

'When my Cousin ordered me to tell you her greatest privacies, those of her Love; she did but give the Reins to that passion, which has alwaies been too strong for her, since first the Graces your Highness is master of, reduced her to the condition of a Lover; and I question not, but she has had ...

— Anonymous