Caught up in the anti-Catholic hysteria which resulted from this alleged plot, he was confined in severe conditions at the King's Bench Prison, where his fragile health took a turn for the worse. He is quoted by the historian John Philipps Kenyon as having described the effects of the situation—in which over 20 Jesuits died—on the Society of Jesus, writing: "The name of the Jesuit is hated above all else, even by priests both secular and regular, and by the Catholic laity as well, because it is said that the Jesuits have caused this raging storm, which is likely to overthrow the whole Catholic religion".
Due to anti-Catholic sentiment stemming from a supposed plot, he was imprisoned in harsh conditions at King's Bench Prison, where his health declined. Historian John Philipps Kenyon quotes him as describing the impact of the situation—which resulted in over 20 Jesuit deaths—on the Society of Jesus, stating: "The name of the Jesuit is hated above all else, even by priests and laity alike, because it is believed that the Jesuits are responsible for this widespread unrest that threatens to dismantle Catholicism".