piled. He was chaplain to Dr. Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and was the head of the Clergy of the Nonjuring persuasion at that time. A man of infinite knowledge and reading: but of a weak, prejudiced, and bigoted judgment."[1] The Book was considered as setting aside the succession of the House of Hanover: consequently the Hanoverian minister made a complaint to the government. The evidence against Bedford was, that he had given the copy to the Printer. Calamy says, that the book was greatly dispersed, and that many copies were presented to men in power.[2] The mercy that was extended to Bedford, says a contemporary, "served to improve the suspicion, that the man and the Book and the Cause had some interest at court."[3]
In an anonymous work of the last century, it is stated, that the book was actually presented to her Majesty. "A book in folio, concerning the Hereditary Right to the Crown, wrote by one Nonjuring Clergyman and fathered by another, was presented to the Queen, and well received by her: though it was so plain against the Revolution settlement, that it made a very great noise, and the ministry could not prevent the law taking place against Bedford, the supposed author, who was fined and imprisoned, and sentenced to stand in the pillory. But being a clergyman great interest was made with the Queen to have the ignominious part of the sentence remitted, which was procured."[4]
