For publishing this newspaper, a copy of which is preserved in the British Museum Library, a prosecution was instituted against James Astwood, of the parish of St. Christopher, London, printer.
The information charges that the defendant, being a pernicious person, and contriving and maliciously intending to incite and move discord and scandal between the king and his people and the magnates of this kingdom, did on the thirtieth day of March, in the thirty-second year of the reign of King Charles the Second, at the parish of St. Christopher, London, print and cause to be printed, a certain false, scandalous, and malicious libel intituled Mercurius Civicus: or, a True Account of affairs both foreign and Domestick, containing (among other things) as follows:—It is advised from the several places where the Lord Chief Justice North has been in circuit, that his Lordship hath been pleased to declare that the Act of Parliament for the Conviction of Popish Recusants ought to be put in force against none but Papists. And though several Protestants had been indicted hereon, he gave it as his Opinion. That the intention of that Act was purely to suppress Popery, and so directed the Jury not to find the Bill against Protestants as Popish Recusants but as Protestant Dissenters, which hath given a great deal of satisfaction to people, several protestants having been severely dealt withall by reason of that Act, which point the Parliament were in great consultation about rectifying.[243]
291.
A Faithful relation of the most remarkable transactions which have happened at Tangier: since the Moors have lately made their attacques upon the Forts and Fortifications of that Famous Garrison, likewise the strength and good posture of defence it remains now in. With an account of the Trenches, Lines and Works they have already drawn in order to their besieging several of the said forts strongly guarded by the English, and the advantageous success the English have obtained over those infidels, in a late fight between them; burning and demolishing their works, beating them out of their trenches, killing them, and pursuing them even to their Camp.
A pamphlet of four pages; a copy of which is preserved in the British Museum Library. For its publication David Mallett, of the parish of St. Martin, Ludgate, printer, was prosecuted.
The information charges that the defendant published the same with the intent to create discord and scandal between the king and his people and the magnates of this kingdom; but it does not set out any of the alleged objectionable passages as is usually done.
292.
The Speech of the late Lord Russel to the Sheriffs; together with the paper deliver'd by him to them, at the Place of Execution, on July 21, 1683. London. Printed by John Darby, by direction of the Lady Russel. 1683.
A copy of this speech is preserved in the Library of the British Museum. It is in folio and contains four pages.