When Lord Strutt suddenly dies, Philip Baboon succeeds to his title through a forged will. Rival claimants, Esquire South, John Bull and Nicholas Frog launch a lawsuit, but despite the apparent success of their brilliant attorney, Humphrey Hocus, the court action seems to drag on and on, leading to bankruptcy and the exposure of further levels of deceit. Originally written as a satire on the Spanish War of Succession, "The History of John Bull" created a personification of the Kingdom of Great Britain which has been hugely influential in the national consciousness. This volume also includes Sister Peg, a satirical spin-off to Arbuthnot's work attributed to the famous Scottish philosopher and historian, David Hume.