The collection was published in two volumes in 1772 by Henry Sampson Woodfall, the owner and editor of a London newspaper, the Public Advertiser.
Woodfall was tried in 1770 before Lord Mansfield for printing the Letters; the contention of the Attorney-General, de Grey, was that it constituted seditious libel.
Woodfall was defended by Serjeant Glynn and Mr. Lee; the Solicitor-General was Thurlow.
[3] John Almon, a bookseller,[4] and John Miller, a printer of the London Evening Post,[5] were tried at the same time, only for Miller to be found not guilty; Almon was convicted, but seems to have had no punishment.
Miller was then in turn prosecuted for this offence, but the Lord Mayor of London, Brass Crosby, dismissed the charges, following the lead of Wilkes.