One further instance may be noted. In 1675 a consultation of all the judges but two was held to decide a case which was submitted to them by the Attorney-General. A great riot had been made a month before by the weavers’ apprentices in various parts and suburbs of London by way of protest against the increased introduction of looms into their trade; the looms had been broken, a large amount of property destroyed, and several persons injured. The Attorney-General now wished to indict the rioters for high treason; but the judges were divided, five for, five against the opinion that treason had been committed, and in spite of the evident anxiety of the government to proceed against the apprentices on the graver issue, the Attorney-General had to be content with laying the indictments for a riot and obtaining convictions for the lesser offence.[501] When it is remembered that the London apprentices perpetually drew upon themselves the watchful eye of the government by their obnoxious politics, and that a trade riot was always suspected of being the forerunner of a sectarian revolt, it is evident that the decision of the judges meant considerable annoyance, if not an actual rebuff, to the government.[502] The general usefulness of the bench was not however impaired by such exceptions. The judges still formed one of the most important parts of the administrative machinery. They were consulted by the government, gave advice, and put into effect the results of their advice. They supplied the king during the long prorogation of 1675 with the pretext which he required for the suppression of the coffee-houses.[503] Before the trial of the regicides they had held a conference with the king’s counsel, Attorney, and Solicitor-General to resolve debatable points which were likely to arise in the course of the trials.[504] When the Licensing Act expired in 1679, the judges were ordered by the king to make a report concerning the control of the press. Their unanimous decision was “that his Majesty may, by law, prohibit the printing and publishing of all newsbooks and pamphlets of news whatsoever, not licensed by his Majesty’s authority, as manifestly tending to a breach of the peace and disturbance of the kingdom”;[505] and their preaching was put into practice before many months had elapsed at the trials of Harris[506] and Carr,[507] the former of whom was sentenced to the pillory and a fine of £500, and the latter to the suppression of the newspaper which he owned.