An account of the proceedings against Nathaniel Thomson, upon his tryal at the Kings Bench-Bar Westminster who was tryed, and found guilty on Wednesday the 26th of November 1684. for printing a dangerous and seditious libel, intitled the Prodigal return'd home, asserting the Popes supremacy in ecclesiastical affaires, &c. Thompson, Nathaniel, d. 1687. 1684 Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 2 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A25656 Wing A349 ESTC R209740 99825427 99825427 29809 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A25656) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 29809) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2184:02) An account of the proceedings against Nathaniel Thomson, upon his tryal at the Kings Bench-Bar Westminster who was tryed, and found guilty on Wednesday the 26th of November 1684. for printing a dangerous and seditious libel, intitled the Prodigal return'd home, asserting the Popes supremacy in ecclesiastical affaires, &c. Thompson, Nathaniel, d. 1687. England and Wales. Court of King's Bench. 1 sheet ([2] p.) printed for A. Banks, London : 1684. "The prodigal return'd home" is attributed to E. Lydeott. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng E. L. -- (E. Lydeott). -- Prodigal return'd home -- Early works to 1800. Trials (Seditious libel) -- England -- Early works to 1800. 2006-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-03 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-05 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2006-05 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST Nathaniel Thomson , UPON HIS TRYAL AT THE KINGS Bench-Bar Westminster , Who was Tryed , and found Guilty on Wednesday the 26th of November 1684. For Printing a Dangerous and Seditious LIBEL , Intitled the PRODIGAL RETURN'D HOME , asserting the POPES Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affaires , &c. THE House of Nathaniel Thompson the Printer , upon Information , that divers Seditious Books or Papers , were Printed by him : And especially , a Book Intituled the Prodigal returned home ; asserting the Popes Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs being searched , &c. A considerable quantity of those Books , were found and seized by Mr. Stephens Messenger to the Press ; as likewise , a Book known by the name of Doleman about Succession , whereupon Mr. Thomson by virtue of a Warrant , being taken into Custody , after some Examination was Committed to Newgate , Bail not being accepted , in a case of such a dangerous consequence ; notwithstanding , he moved by his Counsel at the Kings-Bench Bar , for a Habeas Corpus , which after some difficulty he obtained , and was thereupon removed Corpus cum Causa , to the Kings-Bench , and charged with an Indictment of Trespass and Misdemeanours , for Printing the said Seditious and dangerous Libel ; upon which , the Tryal come on upon Nisi prius , on the 26 th of November 1684. when as the Council for the King , after the Juries being Impanell'd , and sworn , opened the Case , Informing the Jurors that Nathaniel Thomson the Defendant , stood Indicted , for Printing a Seditious and dangerous Book or Libel , asserting the Pope's Supremacy above the Kings , in order to withdraw His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance , and to bring a scandal upon the E●●●●lished Government &c. and that divers of the said Books , Intitled the Pr 〈…〉 ed home , had been found in his House , that he had been noted for a Pe 〈…〉 had accustomed himself to Print and disperse Libells &c. which accordingly ●pear to them upon Evidence to this effect the I 〈…〉 that being Informed by one Alexander Banks , not long before in Service with Mr. Thomson , that several ill Books seditious and dangerous to the Government , had been Printed by his Master , and that many had been dispos'd of , and that himself had help'd to Compose part of a Book , called the Prodigal returned home , and that he doubted not , if search was speedily made , some part of them might be found in the House , he on the 21 th of October last , taking to his assistance one Mr. Clinch a Constable , and suddenly entring the House , found several of those Books in Quires , and that he found another seditious Book , in the hands of Mr. Thomsons Maid servant , which she had taken from her Mistriss , further urging , that he had formerly Printed and Published the Appeal , and the Libellous Pamphlet Intitled the Noble Peers Speech , &c. and that Mr. Thomson since his confinement , had confessed he had Printed Three Hundred of the Books , for which he was brought upon his Tryal , but that he had done them for a gentle Man , that was to carry them beyond the Seas , not designing to disperse them in England , and that he had named the Author , but his name he could not well remember : The Evidence having proceeded thus far against the Prisoner , Alexander Banks was Examined , and demanded whether he had not Composed part of the Book in question , who with many abrupt stammerings , endeavoured to deny it , although he had formerly sworn it , and his Examination taken by Mr. Recorder , produced , for which willfull Retraction , being sharply reproved , Mr. Clinch the Constable was Examined , who confirmed all that Mr. Stephens had sworn , in relation to the finding the Books in the House of Mr. Thomson , adding , that meeting with Mrs. Thomson , and perceiving her to hold something slyly behind her , he demanded what it was , to which she replied nothing , but he pressing her to see it , her Maid took it out of her hand , and went about to escape with it , but was taken , and the Book seized , which imported matter of very evil consequence . Notwithstanding , the Evidence being thus full , that the Jurors might the better understand the malicious design of the Libel , divers Paragraphs on which the Prosecution was grounded , were Read , Importing , that the Proselites of the Reformed Churches , by reason of the Heresie they embraced , were not capable of Salvation , and that St. Peter being once appointed Head of the Church , the Pope as his Successor , derived this Power from him , and that all Ecclesiastical dignities must of necessity hold of him and the Bishops &c. ought to be of his Constituting , Insinuating how Gregory the Great , had the whole Power of Ecclesiastical Affaires in his hands , and that Christian Princes intermedled not therein , when he sent St. Augustine and his Monks into this Nation , who Established the Romish Religion , and subjected the Ecclesiasticks to the Sea of Rome , In fine , it altogether appeared to justifie the Romish Religion , and plead for the Popes Supremacy , magnifying the Pontifical Prelates , and justifying them in their Usurpation , and unlawful claime . To this the Prisoners Council made reply , that he hoped what had been proved , would not extend to make his Client guilty of publishing the Books ( which he could not deny were ill and not justifiable ) for as much as it did not appear , he had exposed any of them to sail , to which it was replied , that he had confessed he had Printed them , and it could not be Imagined he designed them for wast Paper , or to dispose of to any other end , than to disperse them , or that they might be dispersed , and that such things were of ill consequence , nor had this been the first Libel the Prisoner had Printed , as had appeared upon Evidence , when little or no other defence being made , the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice , gave the Charge , fully summing up the Evidence , and minding them especially , of what the Prisoner had voluntarily confessed , laying open the dangerous effects such Libells might produce ; declaring , that upon the Evident proof they had before them , and the confession of the Prisoner which had been sworn , they could no less then find him Guilty , whereupon laying their Heads together , without going from the Bar , they gave in their Verdict , that Nathaniel Thomson was Guilty of the Trespass , &c. And he continued in order , to receive the Judgment of the Court.