Index Expurgatorius Anglicanus / Or, a descriptive catalogue of the principal books printed or published in England, which have been suppressed, or burnt by the common hangman, or censured, or for which the authors, printers, or publishers have been prosecuted

by W. H. Hart

LorD haVe MerCIe Vpon Vs.
MDCLXVI.

On July 23rd, 1666, a warrant was issued by the Secretary of State to Lewis Dormay to apprehend George Wither, Henry Eversden, Sarah Anderton, Elizabeth Goslin, and Margaret Hicks for dispersing this "seditious pamphlet."[195] A copy of it is preserved in the British Museum Library.

234.

Nehushtan: or, a sober and peaceable discourse concerning the abolishing of things abused to Superstition and Idolatry; which may serve as one intire, and sufficient argument to evince that the Liturgy, Ceremonies, and other things used at this Day in the Church of England ought neither to be imposed, nor retained, but utterly extirpated and laid aside: and to vindicate the Nonconformists in their refusal to close with them. London. 1668.

This book was written by John Wilson, a Nonconformist, of Chester. Elizabeth Calvert was imprisoned for helping the author to print it, as appears from a petition presented by her to the Secretary of State wherein she states that she was wholly ignorant of the sedition contained therein, and she promised never to be concerned in such books for the future.[196]

235.

An appeal from the Country to the City for the preservation of his Majestie's Person, Liberty, Property, and the Protestant Religion. London. 1679.

This book was published by Benjamin Harris, Bookseller of Cornhill, and for so doing he was tried at the Guildhall, London, in 1680, and found guilty. He afterwards received sentence in the Court of King's Bench to pay a fine of £500; to stand on the Pillory an hour, and find sureties for his good behaviour for three years; and had it not been for Mr. Justice Pemberton, the Chief Justice would have added that he should be publicly whipped.[197] On December 21, 1680, the House of Commons ordered an address for the remission of this fine to be presented to the King. The indictment is as follows:—

London. Memorandum quod Creswell Levins miles attornatus domini regis nunc generalis qui pro eodem domino rege in hac parte sequitur in propria persona sua venit hic in curia dicti domini regis coram ipso rege apud Westmonasterium die Jovis proxima post tres septimanas Sancti Michaelis isto eodem termino et pro eodem domino rege dat curiæ hic intelligi et informari quod Benjaminus Harris de parochia Sancti Michaelis Cornehill London Bookeseller machinans et malitiose intendens dominum nostrum Carolum Secundum nunc regem Angliæ &c. et gubernationem suam hujus regni Angliæ scandalizare et in contemptum ducere vicesimo secundo die Octobris anno regni dicti domini regis nunc Angliæ &c. tricesimo primo apud parochiam Sancti Michaelis Cornehill London prædictam quoddam scandalosum et seditiosum librum intitulatum An Appeal from the Country to the City for the preservation of his Majestie's Person, Liberty, Property, and the Protestant Religion publicavit et venditioni exposuit in quoquidem libro inter alia continetur prout sequitur in hæc verba We in the Country have done our parts, in choosing for the generality good members to serve in Parliament; but if (as our two last Parliaments were) they must be dissolv'd or prorogu'd, when ever they come to redress the Grievances of the Subject, we may be pitied, but not blam'd. If the Plot takes effect, (as in all probability it will) our Parliaments are not then to be condemn'd, for that their not being suffer'd to sit occasion'd it. in magnum scandalum et contemptum dicti domini regis et gubernationis suæ hujus regni Angliæ in malum exemplum omnium aliorum in tali casu delinquentium ac contra pacem dicti domini regis nunc coronam et dignitatem suas &c.