Extract from National Archives File KB33/5/8
Material from this document was used in the 1777 trial of John Horne Hooke (John Horne in this document). And the printer of the libel Henry Sampson WOODFALL give evidence against John Horne TOOKE it is unclear at this point whether the case against WOODFALL reached trial/judgement.
The King against Henry S WOODFALL
Copy of Issue
London
To Wit Be it remembered that Edward THURLOW Attorney General of our present Sovereign Lord the King who for our own present sovereign Lord the King in this behalf prosecutes in his proper person cometh here into the Court of our said present sovereign Lord the King before the King himself at Westminster in the County of Middlesex on Friday next after the morrow of the Holy Trinity in this same term and for our said sovereign Lord the King giveth the Court here to understand and be informed that Henry Sampson WOODFALL late of London Printer being a wicked malicious seditious and ill-disposed person and being greatly disaffected to our own said present sovereign Lord the King and to his Administration of the Government of this kingdom and the dominions thereunto belonging and wickedly and seditiously intending devising and contriving to stir up and excite discount and seditions amongst his Majesty’s subjects and to alienate and withdraw the affection fidelity and allegiance of his said Majesty’s subjects from his said Majesty and to insinuate and cause it to be believed that diverse of his Majesty’s innocent and deserving subjects had been inhumanly murdered by his said Majesty’s Troops in the Province Colony or Planation of the Massachusetts Bay in new England in America belong to the drown of Great Britain and unlawfully and wickedly to seduce and encourage his Majesty’s subjects in the said province colony or plantation to resist and oppose his Majesty’s Government on the ninth day of June in the 15th year [1775?] of the reign of our present Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth with force and arms at London aforesaid to wit in the parish of Saint Mary Le Bow in the ward of Cheap wickedly maliciously and seditiously did print and publish and cause to be printed and published a certain wicked malicious scandalous libel entitled The Public Advertiser in which said Libel of and concerning his said Majesty’s Government and the employment of his troops are contained (amongst other things) diverse false scandalous malicious and seditious matters (that is to say) in one part thereof according to the tenor and effect following to wit
“King’s Arms Tavern Cornhill, June 7 at a special meeting this day of several members of the Constitutional Society during an adjournment a gentleman proposed that a subscription should be immediately entered into (~by such members present who might approve the purpose) for raising the sum of one hundred pounds “to be applied to the relief of the widows and orphans and aged parents of our beloved America fellows subjects who faithful to the character of Englishmen preferring death to [?] were, for that reason only, inhumanly murdered by the Kings (meaning his said Majesty’s Troops at or near Lexington and Concord in the Province of a Massachusetts (meaning the said Province Colony or Planation of the Massachusetts Bay in new England in America) on the 19th of last April” which sum being immediately collected it was there upon resolved that [..] do pay […] into the hands of Messrs Brownes and Collinson on the account of Doctor FRANKLIN the said sum of One Hundred Pounds and that Doctor Franklin be requested to apply the same to the above mentioned purpose. John HORNE in contempt of our said Lord the King in open violation of the laws of this Kingdom to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like case offending and against the peace of our own said Lord the King his crown and dignity. And the said Attorney General of our own said Lord the King for our own said lord the king giveth the Court here further to understand and be informed that the said Henry Sampson WOODFALL being such person as aforesaid and again unlawfully wickedly and seditiously intending devising
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And contriving as aforesaid afterwards to wit upon the said ninth day of June in the fifteen year aforesaid with force and arms at London aforesaid in the parish and ward aforesaid wickedly and maliciously seditiously did publish and
cause to be published and procure to be published a certain other false wicked malicious scandalous and seditious libel in which said last mentioned libel of and concerning his said Majesty’s Government and the employment of his troops are contained (amongst other things) diverse other false scandalous malicious and seditious matters (that is to say) in one part thereof according to the tenor and effect following to wit
“King’s Arms Tavern Cornhill, June 7 at a special meeting this day of several members of the Constitutional Society during an adjournment a gentleman proposed that a subscription should be immediately entered into (by such members present who might approve the purpose) for raising the sum of one hundred pounds“ to be applied to the relief of the widows and orphans and aged parents of our beloved America fellows subjects who faithful to the character of Englishmen preferring death to slavery were, for that reason only , inhumanly murdered by the King’s (again meaning his said Majesty’s Troops at or near Lexington and Concord in the Province of a Massachusetts (meaning the said Province Colony or Plantation of the Massachusetts Bay in new England in America) on the 19th of last April” which sum being immediately collected it was there upon resolved that Mr HORNE do pay tomorrow into the hands of Messrs Brownes and Collinson on the account of Doctor FRANKLIN the said sum of One Hundred Pounds and that Doctor FRANKLIN be requested to apply the same to the above mentioned purpose. John HORNE in contempt of our said Lord the King in open violation of the laws of this Kingdom to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like case offending and against the peace of our own said Lord the King his crown and dignity.
Whereupon the said Attorney General of our said present Sovereign Lord the King for our said Lord the King in this behalf prosecutes prayeth the consideration of the Court here the premises. And that due process of Law may be awarded against him the said Henry Sampson WOODFALL in this behalf to make him answer to our said present Sovereign Lord the King touching and concerning the premises aforesaid.
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