The Case De Libellis Famosis, or of Scandalous Libels
| Jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Judgment Date | 01 January 1616 |
| Date | 01 January 1616 |
| Court | Court of the King's Bench |
English Reports Citation: 77 E.R. 250
King's Bench Division
[125 a] the came de libellis famosls, or of scandalous libels. Pasch. 3 Jac. 1". A libel is made either against a private person, or a magistrate, or public person ; and in either case is punishable, although the party libelled is dead at the time of making the libel. A libeller shall be punished either by indictment by common law, or by bill, or mi: tenus on his confession in the Star Chamber, and may be punished by fine, imprisonment, and by pillory and loss of ears. It is not material, whether the libel be true or false. A libel is either in scriptis or sine scripiis. A libel in scriptis is, when an epigram, rhyme, or other writing is composed or published, to the scandal or contumely of another. The publication may be, 1. Serbia nut cantilenix. 2. Tmditione. A libel sine scriptii may be, 1. Picturis. 2. Signis. If one find a libel against a private person, he may either burn it or deliver it to a () Or. Jac. 60. Or. El. 15. 127. (/) Lit. sect. 66. Co. Lit. 51. b. (g) Lit. sect. 459. Hetl. 81. Co. Lit. 46. b. 270. a. Lit. 108. b. Perk. sect. 603. 22 E. 4. 37. a. (b) This must be understood of a lease at common law, for where the lease is created by bargain and sale, under the Statute of Uses, there is no necessity of an actual entry to make the lessee capable of taking a release, helium v. Morris, Cro. Car. 110. Barker v. Keate, 2 Mod. 249. (a) Co. Lit. 315. b. Lit. sect. 567. Lit. 128. b. (C) Attornment unnecessary, 4 Ann. c. 16. (b) Cr. Car. 110. 400. Cr. Jac. 604. Godb. 451. 10 Co. 171. b. (c) Goldsb. 171, 172. Cr. Jac. 60, 61. Cart. 82. 2 Leon. 157. 1 Leon. 99. Eaym. 149. (d) Fid. Henning v. Brabasm, 0. Bridgm. Eep. 11. Willis v. Sharral, 1 Atk. 474. B CO. REP. 1Mb. DE LIBELLIS FAMOSIS 251 magistrate: but if it be against a public person, he ought to deliver it to a magistrate. In the case of L. P. in the Star-Chamber this term, against whom the Attorney-General proceeded we tenus on his own confession, for composing and publishing an infamous libel in verse, by which John Archbishop of Canterbury (who was a prelate of singular piety, gravity, and learning, now dead) by descriptions and circumlocutions, and not in express terms; and Richard Bishop of Canterbury who now is, were traduced and scandalized : in which these points were resolved : 1. Every libel (which is callod famosus libellus, sen infamatmia sariptura), is made either...
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Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto and Manning, (1995) 184 N.R. 1 (SCC)
...(1992), 9 B.C.A.C. 119; 19 W.A.C. 119; 88 D.L.R. (4th) 401 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 106]. Case De Libellis Famosis (1605), 5 Co. Rep. 125a; 77 E.R. 250, refd to. [para. King v. Lake (1667), Hard. 470; 145 E.R. 552, refd to. [para. 115]. Rosenblatt v. Baer (1966), 383 U.S. 75, refd to. [para.......
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Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto and Manning, (1995) 84 O.A.C. 1 (SCC)
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