The three trials of William Hone : for publishing three parodies; viz. The late John Wilke's catechism, The political litany, and The Sinecurist's creed; on three ex-officio informations, at Guildhall, London, during three successive days, December 18, 19, & 20, 1817; before three specialjuries, and Mr. Justice Abbott, on the first day, and Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough, on the last two days.
- Hone, William, 1780-1842.
- Date:
- 1818
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The three trials of William Hone : for publishing three parodies; viz. The late John Wilke's catechism, The political litany, and The Sinecurist's creed; on three ex-officio informations, at Guildhall, London, during three successive days, December 18, 19, & 20, 1817; before three specialjuries, and Mr. Justice Abbott, on the first day, and Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough, on the last two days. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![and inf:tMKliiig (o oxcile imj)iety and incligion, and to sea idalize and defame, and bring into contempt in the minds of the King’s subjects, that part of tlie public and «livine service called “ T/jc Litanyy or General Supplication, and to apply the style and form of expression there used to scandalous purposes, published the libel in question. It was not necessary to remind the jury that the Litany was a most solemn prayer to the Almighty, to the Redeemer of the world, and to the Holy Ghost, and had justly been considered the most sublime part of the public service of the Church ; and it was impossible to make the most distant approach to its style and form in a parody, without exciting in the most pious minds ideas that would never have otherwise entered it; and the taint of profaneness and ridicule, even of the most sacred subjects, was rapidly dissimi- nated. The Litany, after the supplication to God, ihe Redeemer, the Holy Ghost, and the Trinity, went on to pray deliverance in the hour of death and in the day of judgment. It was succeeded by a most devout and impressive reiteration : “Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us ! O Lamb of God, that lakest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us!” He would not proceed ; it seemed loo solemn even for the solemnity of a court of justice. Yet,—would the jury believe it ?—the defendant had turned it to ridicule by making an impious parody of it ! It began, “ O Prince, Ruler of the people, have mercy upon us miserable subjects. O House of Lords, hereditary Legislators, have mercy upon us, pension-paying subjects. O House of Commons, proceeding from corrupt borough-mongers, have mercy upon us, miserable subjects.” It was too disgusting to read the whole, but he would (urn to that part which was substituted for the devout reiteration at the end of the Litany of the Church ; instead of “ Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us,” &c., (he de- fendant had said, “Son of George, we beseech thee to hear us. O House of Lords, that takest away so many thousands of pounds in pensions, have mercy upon us!” [These parts of the parody produced an involuntary burst of laugh- ter from the auditory, which evidently proceeded, not from a wish to disturb the Court, but was really the irresistible impulse arising from the matter of the parody.] Lord Ellenborough.—Where are the Sheriffs? I desired their attendance, and they shall attend. The Under-Sheriff.—My Lord, I have sent for them ; but they live at a great distance from this, and they have not yet arrived. Lord Ellenborough.—Very well. Mr. Hone joined the Court in reprehending in strong terms this interruption of the order of the proceedings. The Attorney General resumed as follows:—Will any one now say that the dangerous, the impious, and profane publication before you, has not been the means of raising scoffing among the scoffers ? I will ask, if there can possibly be a stronger proofs^f its dangerous effects ? If the social bonds of society are to be burst asunder by the indecent conduct of a rabble, the Court may as well discontinue its proceeding.^. But, gentlemen, if any man supposes that an interruption of this description can have the efl’ect of intimi-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28406321_0059.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
