The whole proceedings upon an information exhibited ex officio by the King's Attorney-General against the Right Hon. Sackville Earl of Thanet, Robert Ferguson, esquire, and others : for a riot and other misdemeanours. Tried at the bar of the Court of King's Bench, April 25, 1799. Taken in short-hand by Wm. Ramsey. To which are added, some observations, by Robert Ferguson, on his own case, and on the points of law arising upon the information, ASSOCIATION COPY This copy came from the Library of Lord Kenyon of Gredington THIS COURT CASE BEING BEFORE LORD KENYON. First Edition 1799

WM Ramsey

Published by R Ogle, London, 1799

About this Item

Published in London in 1799 this is the First Edition of this record of the trial against Right Hon. Sackville Earl of Thanet, and other for rioting and other offences Sackville Tufton, 9th Earl of Thanet (30 June 1769 ? January 1825) In May 1798 he was present with Fox, Sheridan, Erskine, and other whig sympathisers at the trial of Arthur O'Connor at Maidstone. O'Connor was found not guilty, but was not discharged, since a warrant for his arrest for another offence was pending. Thanet and others were charged with having created a riot in the court and put out the lights in an attempt to rescue the prisoner, or at least to help his escape. The case was tried before Lord Kenyon at the king's bench on 25 April 1799. Sir John Scott prosecuted, and Erskine conducted the defence. Richard Brinsley Sheridan appeared to give evidence for the accused, and distinguished himself by parrying eight times, and finally evading, the question of Edward Law, counsel for the prosecution, ?Do you believe Lord Thanet meant to favour the escape of O'Connor? Having been found guilty of riot and assault at Maidstone, Thanet was brought up for judgment on 3 May, and committed to the king's bench prison, the bail offered by the Duke of Bedford being refused. On 10 June he was sentenced to a year's imprisonment in the Tower of London and a fine of £1,000, and on his release he was ordered to give security for his good behaviour for seven years to the amount of £20,000 , the book is rebound in later cloth with the title handwritten on the cover, The trial was presided over by Lord Kenyon, this copy coming from the Library of the Kenyon family of Gredington, with the bookplate of a later Lord Lloyd Kenyon and his inscription from the time he was at Magdalene College in Cambridge in 1936. the cloth binding has darkened with some marking and bumping, internally edge of front blank endpaper stained, some occasional foxing else contents in good general condition, the book calls for a plate of the layout of the court room, this does not appear to be present in this copy. Seller Inventory # 002965

Bibliographic Details

Title: The whole proceedings upon an information ...

Publisher: R Ogle, London

Publication Date: 1799

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Good

Edition: 1st Edition