" Exeter, Aug.3. This Day John Burridge, a Ship-Master of Topsham, was indicted and tried at the Assizes held here, for speaking very dangerous and opprobrious Words against the Government; and among other Things, for asserting That the Right of Electing the Kings and Queens of the Kingdom was in the People; That it would not be well with England, till the Government was as it is in Holland, In the Trial it did appear, he had said in publick Company, That Dr. Sacheverell was a Rascal and a Villain and that all who voted for him were also Rascals and Villains. Also he said That the present Parliament was chosen by the Mobb, and consequently were a Mobbish Parliament.
"The matter of Fact being clearly proved against him, and nothing appearing in his Vindication, he was found Guilty by the Jury, and Fin'd by the Court 100l. (one hundred pounds - a huge sum!) having been tried before Mr. Baron Price."
We are in the reign of Queen Anne. John Burridge, ship-master of Topsham, one might assume, was a Whig and a Dissenter. The Tory Party had, in the election of the year before, won a landslide victory. Henry Sacheverell was the most popular man in England and he had helped the Tories to power with his fiery, high-church sermons. The Exeter jury clearly had no doubt that there are limits to free speech. They, and the Tory judge, Baron Price, knew dangerous and opprobrious words when they heard them.
Source: Newcastle Courant, 27th August 1711.
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