His recommendations were adopted by the House of Commons, but his unpopularity in South Africa was great, and in 1830 he was convicted of libelling a Cape official.
In 1639 he was again condemned by the Star Chamber for libelling Laud, a further heavy fine being imposed for this offence.
He had been committed to the king's bench prison on the ridiculous charge of libelling the Church in his Paraphrase on the New Testament, and was tried before Jeffreys on this accusation.
From this date he devoted increasing attention to political affairs, and in 1835 was prosecuted for libelling the magistrates of Halifax.
