Page:Tryal of Richard Francklin.pdf/5

 Mr. Attorney-General ſpoke next on the Part of the King. That nothing was requir’d, nor deſir'd, but a fair Determination of this Matter, between his Majeſty and his Subjects; and that if they prov'd the Publication of the Country-Journal, or Craftſman, of the 2d of January laſt (in which was inſerted an Extract a pretended private Letter from the Hague) on Mr. Franklin; he hop'd that the Jury would conſider it, whether it was a Libel or not; as to its being a ſcandalous and ſeditious Letter, was evident in his Opinion, from its aſperſing the ſeveral Treaties of his Majeſty and his Allies, enter'd into by them to prevent the ill Conſequences of the Treaty of Vienna, concluded between the King of Spain, and the Emperor of Germany; ſuch in particular, as the Delivery of Gibraltar and Port-Mahou to the King of Spain, and a great Diminution of our Foreign Trade; that the ſaid pretended Extract of a Letter from the Hague, intimated, that the ſtrict Union between France and Spain, would ſoon prove a Miſconduct in ſome Miniſters; which he (in his Opinion ) believ'd could mean none other than the Miniſters of Great-Britain, whether of Sea or Land he could not tell, but it anſwer'd to the Information now againſt Mr.Franklin, as meaning ſome Miniſters.

Mr. Attorney General took Notice of an Act made in the Third Year of the Reign of Edward I. which provided for the Puniſhment of ſcandalous and ſeditious Libels; and the Publiſhers of falſe News. And of another Act made in the Reign of Hen. VII. Then he proceeded to Miſt's Journal of the 24th of Auguſt, 1728, which was allow'd as a Libel againſt his Majeſty, tho' he was not directly mention'd.

He then concluded with telling the Court and the Jury, that nothing was requir'd of them, but a fair Definition of the Matter in Diſpute, as they on their