Introduction to the Trials for the Popish Plot : Burnet's Account of the Popish Plot : Oates's Narrative : Samuel Atkins's Examination : Examination of Captain William Bedlow : Lord Keeper North's Manuscript : The Trial of William Stayley. A Series of Original Reports from Cobbett's State Trials, 1809, part of the great 19th-century archive of courtroom history.

THE POPISH PLOT TRIALS: CONSPIRACY, CREDULITY, AND THE MACHINERY OF PERSECUTION, 1678-1680

Published by Cobbett's State Trials, London, 1810

About this Item

The Popish Plot trials, beginning in 1678, represent one of the most fevered episodes of anti-Catholic paranoia in English legal history. Sparked by Titus Oates's fabricated claims of a Jesuit conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II and subvert Protestant rule, the ensuing investigations and prosecutions swept through courtrooms, pulpits, and Parliament with devastating force. This series of original reports from Cobbett's State Trials captures the unfolding drama in vivid detail : Burnet's reflective account offers historical context; Oates's own narrative reveals the mechanics of invention and manipulation; the examinations of Samuel Atkins and Captain William Bedlow show how rumour was elevated to evidence; and Lord Keeper North's manuscript provides insight into judicial unease. The trial of William Stayley, a Catholic goldsmith, marks the first execution under the Plot's shadow, a chilling precedent for the wave of prosecutions that followed. Together, these documents form a forensic archive of hysteria, credulity, and the perilous intersection of religion and state. 54 pages, printed in double columns. Printed between 1809 and 1826, these historic documents are vivid extracts from Cobbett's State Trials; pages from the courtroom record that preserve the voices, arguments, and verdicts which helped shape the course of British justice and still echo through its constitutional legacy. Over two centuries old, each leaf is a tangible fragment of legal history, compelling, original, and rarely encountered outside institutional collections. These are not reprints or replicas, but authentic 19th-century printings that are rich in drama, and steeped in history. This particular trial report has been removed from a volume of Cobbett's State Trials and is now preserved in a modern card cover for practicality - an unassuming but serviceable presentation that favours function over finery. Size: 15 x 25 cms. Category: State Trials; State Trials::Octavo; Cosmo Books : 28 years selling on ABE; 28 years of taking care of customers on ABE; A seller you can rely on.

Seller Inventory # 373783

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Introduction to the Trials for the Popish Plot : Burnet's Account of the Popish Plot : Oates's Narrative : Samuel Atkins's Examination : Examination of Captain William Bedlow : Lord Keeper North's Manuscript : The Trial of William Stayley. A Series of Original Reports from Cobbett's State Trials, 1809, part of the great 19th-century archive of courtroom history.
• Publisher: Cobbett's State Trials, London
• Publication Date: 1810
• Binding: Booklet - Unbound Pages
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • State Trials