John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English radical, journalist, and politician … and a great defender of freedom of the press.
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, exasperated with Wilkes declared, “Sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox,”
Wilkes replied, “That depends, my lord, on whether I embrace your lordship’s principles or your mistress.”
He has inspired a typical bunch of modern British libertines to make a video …
bobmcgee 