Book excerpt: In 1678, against a backdrop of paranoiac fear of Catholicism, Titus Oates and his followers succeeded in convincing both Parliament and the public of a Jesuit and Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II and overthrow the Protestant establishment. As a result, hundreds of Catholics suffered imprisonment and 24 were executed. Here is the background of that plot, its development, and its long-term repercussions. "With the technical mastery of a seasoned professional...he retells in vivid detail an extraordinary tale of human credulity, knavery, and folly."--The Times.