I say this If I am not under the first Branch if not directly I can't be by Implication though I did make War I can't be said to Conspire the Death of the King because 't is a distinct Species of Treason and my Lord Coke says t is the overthrow of all Justice to confound Membra dividentia now if the making of War can't be understood to be a Conspiring the Death of the King then I am not guilty of this Indictment but heremy Lord is neither Conspiring the Death of the King nor making War nor Conspiring to make War Besides I say 't is not the best Mans Evidence here would be good in this Case because the Law requires two The next thing is the business of Aaron Smith which my Lord tells so imperfectly and so meerly conjectural that there is nothing in it but his Rhetorick in setting it out He tells you of a Letter sent with him but he does not tell you by whom writ what was in it or whether it was delivered or no So that I think we may lay that aside as the other as things nothing in them at all Then says Mr. Attorney These Scotch Gentlemen are come to Town I profess I never heard the Names of one of them till he named them to me in the Tower I have not sent my self nor writ a Letter into Scotland never since the Year 59 nor do I know one Man in Scotland to whom I can write or from whom I ever received one I returned into England in the Year 77 and since that time have not writ nor received a Letter from Scotland Then some Gentlemen came hither What is that to me I never saw one of the Cambells in my life nor Monro if any one can prove I have had Communication with them I will be glad to suffer Then here are Papers if any thing is to be made of them you must produce the whole for 't is impossible to make any thing of a part of them You ask me What other Passage I would have read I don't know a Passage in them I can't tell whether it be good or bad But if there are any Papers found 't is a great doubt whether they were found in my Study or no or whether they be not counterfeit but though that be admitted that they were found in my house the hand is such that it shews they have been writ very many years Then that which seems to be an account of the Sections and Chapters that is but a scrap and what if any body had my Lord either in my own hand or anothers found Papers that are not well justifiable Is this Treason Does this imagine the Death of the King Does this reach the Life of the King If any Man can say I ever printed a sheet in my life I will submit to any Punishment Many others my Lord they write and they write what comes into their heads I believe there is a Brother of mine here has forty Quire of Paper writtenby my Father and never one sheet of them was published but he writ his own mind to see what he could think of it another time and blot it out again may be And I my self I believe have burned more Papers of my own writing than a Horse can carry So that for these Papers I can't answer for them There is nothing in it and what Concatenation can this have with the other design that is in it self nothing with my Lords Select Counsel selected by no body to pursue the design of my Lord Shaftsbury And this Counsel that he pretends to be set up for so great a business was to be adjusted with so much fineness so as to bring things together What was this fineness to do taking it for granted which I don't This was nothing if he was a credible Witness but a few Men talking at large of what might be or not be what was like to fall out without any manner of intention or doing any thing They did not so much as inquire Whether there was Men in the Country Arms or Ammunition A War to be made by five or six Men not knowing one another not trusting one another What said Dr. Coxe in his evidence at my Lord Russel's Tryal of my Lord Russel's trusting my Lord Howard He might say the same of some others So that my Lord I say these Papers have no manner of coherence no dependance upon any such design You must go upon conjecture upon conjecture and after all you find nothing but only Papers never perfect only scraps written many years ago and that could not be calculated for the raising of the People Now pray what Imagination can be more vain than that and what Man can be safe if the King's Counsel may make such whimsical I won't say but groundless Constructions Mr. Attorney says the Plot was broken to the Scots God knows we were neither broken nor joined and that the Cambells came to Town about that time I was taken and in the mean time my Lord Howard the great Contriver of all this Plot who was most active and advised the business that consisted of so much fineness he goes there and agrees of nothing and then goes into Essex upon great important business greater then the War of England and Scotland to what purpose To look after a little pimping Mannour and what then Why then it must be laid aside and he must be idle five Weeks at the Bath and there is no inquiring after it Now I desire your Lordship to consider whether there be a possibility for any Men that have the sense of Porters and Grooms to do such things as he would put upon us I would only say this If Mr. Attorney be in the right there was a Combination with the Scotts and then this Paper was writ for those that say I did it say I was doing of it then and by the Notes there is work enough for four or five years to make out what is mentioned in those scraps of Paper and this must be to kill the King And I say this my Lord that under favour for all constructive Treasons you are to make none but to go according to plain proof and that these Constructive Treasons belong only to Parliament and by the immediate Proviso in that Act. Now my Lord I leave it to your Lordship to see whether there is in this any thing that you can say is an Overt Act of Treason mentioned in 25 E. 3. If it be not plainly under one of the two Branches That I have endeavoured to kill the King or Levyed War then 't is matter of Construction and that belongs to no Court but the Parliament Then my Lord this hath been adjudged already in Throgmorton's Case There is twenty Judgments of Parliament the Act of 13 Eliz. that says I should have some body to speak for me my Lord. L. C. Iust. We are of another Opinion Mr. Just. Wythins If you acknowledg the matter of
Fact you say well Col. Sidney I say there are several Judgments of Parliament that doe shew what ever is Constructive-Treason does not belong to any private Court that of 1 Mary 1 E. 6. 1 Eliz. 5 Eliz. 18. another 13 Car shew this Now my Lord I say that the business concerning the Papers 't is only a similitude of hands which is just nothing In my Lady Carrs Case it was resolved to extend to no criminal Cause if not to any then not to the greatest the most Capital So that I have only this to say That I think 't is impossible for the Jury to find this matter for the first point you proved by my Lord Howard that I think is no Body and the last concerning the Papers is only imagination from the similitude of hands If I had published it I must have answered for it or if the thing had been whole and mine I must have answered for it but for these scraps never shewed any Body That I think does not at all concern me And I say if the Jury should find it which is impossible they can I desire to have the Law reserved unto me Mr. Sol. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury The Evidence hath been long but I will endeavour to repeat it as faithfully as I can The Crime the Prisoner stands accused for is compassing and imagining the Death of the King That which we go about to prove that compassing and imagining by is by his meeting and consulting how to raise Arms against the King and by plain matter in writing under his own hand where he does affirm It is lawful to take away and destroy the King Gentlemen I will begin with the first part of it the Meeting and Consultation to raise Arms against the King The Prisoner Gentlemen hath endeavoured to avoid the whole force of this Evidence by saying that this in point of Law can't affect him if it were all proved for this does not amount to a proof of his compassing and imagining the death of the King and he is very long in interpreting the Act of Parliament to you of 25 E. 3. and dividing of it into several Members or Branches of Treason And does insist upon it that tho' this should be an offence within one Branch of that Statute yet that is not a proof of the other which is the Branch he is proceeded upon that is the first Clause against the compassing and imagining the Death of the King And sais he conspiring to Levy War is not so much as one Branch of that Statute but it must be War actually levyed This is a matter he is wholly mistaken in in point of Law It hath been adjudged over and over again That an Act which in one Branch of that Statute may be an overt Act to prove a man Guilty of another Branch of it As levying War is an overt Act to prove a man Guilty of Conspiring the Death of the King And this was adjudged in the Case of Sir Henry Vane so is meeting and consulting to raise to Arms. And reason does plainly speak it to be so for they that conspire to raise War against the King can't be presumed to stop any where till they have Dethron'd or Murdered the King Gentlemen I won't belong in citing Authoritys It hath been setled lately by all the Judges of England in the Case of my Lord Russel who hath suffered for this Conspiracy Therefore that point of Law will be very plain against the Prisoner He hath mentioned some other things as that there must be two Witnesses to every particular Fact and one Witness to one Fact and another to another is not sufficient it hath been very often objected and as often over-ruled It was over-ruled Solemnly in the Case of my Lord Stafford Therefore if we have one Witness to one overt Act and another to another they will be two Witnesses in Law to convict this Prisoner In the first part of our Evidence we give you an account of the general Design of an Insurrection that was to have been that this was contrived first when my Lord Shaftsbury was in England that after my Lord Shaftsbury was gone the business did not fall but they thought fit to revive it again and that they might carry it on the more steadily they did contrive a Counsel among themselves of six whereof the Prisoner at the Bar was one They were the Duke of Monmouth my Lord of Essex my Lord Howard my Lord Russel the Prisoner at the Bar and Mr. Hambden This Counsel they contrived to manage this affair and to carry on that designe that seemed to fall by the Death of my Lord of Shaftsbury and they met this we give you an account of first by Witnesses that gave you an account in general of it And tho' they were not privy to it yet they heard of this Counsel and that Col. Sidney was to be one of this Counsel This Gentlemen If it had stood alone by it self had been nothing to affect the Prisoner at all But this will shew you that this was discours'd among them that were in this Conspiracy Then my Lord Howard gives you an account that first the Duke of Monmouth and he and Col. Sidney met and it was agreed to be necessary to have a Counsel that should consist of six or seven and they were to carry it on That the Duke of Monmouth undertook to dispose my Lord Russel to it and Col. Sidney to dispose the Earl of Essex and Mr. Hambden that these Gentlemen did meet accordingly and the substance of their discourse was taking notice how the design had fallen upon the Death of my Lord Shaftsbury that it was fit to carry it on before mens Inclinations were cool for they found they were ready to it and had great reason to believe it because this being a business communicated to so many yet for all that it was kept very secret and no body had made any mention of it which they looked upon as a certaine argument that men were ready to ingage in it This incouraged them to go on in this Conspiracy Then when the Six met at Mr. Hambden's house they debated concerning the place of rising and the time the time they conceiv'd must be suddenly before Mens minds were cool for now they thought they were ready and very much disposed to it and for place they had in debate whether they should rise first in the Town or in the Country or both together And for the Persons they thought it absolutely necessary for them to have the United Counsels of Scotland to join with them and therefore they did refer this matter to be better considered of another time and they met afterwards at my Lord Russel's House in February and there they had Discourse to the same purpose But there they began to consider with themselves being they were to destroy this Government what they should set up in the room of it to what
THE ARRAIGNMENT OF Algernon Sidney Esquire November 7th 1683. ALgernon Sidney Esquire was by Habeas Corpus brought up to the Bar of the Court of King's-Bench and the Clerk of the Crown having read the Return Mr. Attorney General informed the Court there was an Indictment against the Prisoner and prayed he might be charged with it Clerk of the Crown Algernon Sidney hold up thy hand which he did Midd. ss THe Iurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath do present That Algernon Sidney late of the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields in the County of Middlesex Esquire as a false Traytor against the Most Illustrious Most Excellent Prince our Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland and his Natural Lord Not having the fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegiance but moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil utterly withdrawing the cordial Love and true due and natural Obedience which a true and faithful Subject of our said Lord the King should bear towards him the said Lord the King and of Right is bound to bear Contriving and with all his Strength intending to disturb the Peace and Common Tranquility of this Kingdom of England and to stir up and move War and Rebellion against the said Lord the King and to subvert the Government of the said Lord the King in this Kingdom of England and to Depose and Deprive the said Lord the King from the Title Honor and Regal Name of the Imperial Crown of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put the said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction the thirtieth Day of June in the Five and thirtieth Tear of the Reign of our Lord King Charles the Second new King of England c. and divers other Days and Times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex Maliciously and Trayterously with divers other Traytors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown did Conspire Compass Imagine and intend to Deprive and cast down the said Lord the King his Supreme natural Lord not only from the Regal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England but also to Kill and â—ring and put to Death the same Lord the King and to change alter and utterly Subvert the Ancient Government of this his Kingdom of England and to cause and procure a miserable Slaughter among the Subjects of the said Lord the King thorow his whole Kingdom of England and to move and stir up an Insurrection and Rebellion against the said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect those his most horrid wicked and diabolical Treasons and trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes the same Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor then and there and divers other Days and Times as well before as after Maliciously Trayterously and advisedly did Assemble himself meet and consult with the aforesaid other Traytors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown and with the same Traytors did Treat of and for those his Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes to be executed and fulfilled And that the aforesaid Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor maliciously trayterously and advisedly then and there and divers other Daies and Times as well before as after upon himself did assume and to the aforesaid other Traiters did promise That he would be Aiding and Assisting in the Execution of their Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid and to fulfil perfect and reduce to effect those their most horrid Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid the same Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor then and there Falsely Maliciously Advisedly and Trayterously did send one Aaron Smith into Scotland to invite procure and incite divers evil disposed Subjects of our said Lord the King of his Kingdom of Scotland to come into this Kingdom of England to advise and consult with the aforesaid Algernon Sidney and the aforesaid other unknown Traytors in this Kingdom of England of Aid and Assistance to be expected and supplied from the Kingdom of Scotland to fulfil perfect and reduce to effect those their most Wicked Horrid and Traiterous Treasons aforesaid And that the aforesaid Algernon Sidney to fulfil and perfect those most Wicked Horrid and Devilish Treasons and Traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid And to perswade the Subjects of the said Lord the King of this Kingdom of England That it is lawful to make and stir up on Insurrection and Rebellion against the said Lord the King that now is the said Thirtieth day of June in the Five and Thirtieth year of the Reign of the said Lord the King that now is at the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex falsely unlawfully wickedly seditiously and Traiterously did make compose and write and caused to be made composed and written a certain false Seditious and Traiterous Libell in which said False Seditious and Traiterous Libel among other things is contained as followeth in these English words viz. The Power Originally in the People of England is deligated unto the Parliament He the most Serene Lord Charles the Second now King of England meaning is subject unto the Law of God as He is a Man to the People that makes him a King inasmuch as He is a King the Law sets a measure unto that subjection and the Parliament Judges of the particular Cases thereupon arising He must be content to submit his interest unto theirs since He is no more then any one of them in any other respect then that He is by the consent of all raised above any other if He doth not like this Condition He may renounce the Crown but if he receive it upon that Condition as all Magistrates do the Power they receive and swear to perform it He must expect that the performance will be exacted or revenge taken by those that He hath betrayed And that in another place in the said false Seditious and Trayterous Libel among other things these False Seditious and Trayterous English Sentences are contained that is to say We may therefore change or take away Kings without breaking any Yoke or that is made a Yoke which ought not to be one the injury is therefore in making or imposing and there can be none in breaking it Against the Duty of his Allegiance against the Peace of the said now Lord the King His Crown and Dignity c. And against the Form of the Statutes in this Case made and provided c. How sayst thou art thou guilty of this High Treason whereof thou standest Indicted or not Guilty Col. Sidney My Lord I find here an heap of Crimes put together distinct in nature one from another and distinguished by Law and I do conceive My Lord That the Indictment it self is thereupon voyd and I cannot be Impeached upon it L. C. Iustice. We are not
the Noblemen there would not agree to it at present As to the Prisoner in particular I know nothing and did never speak with him till since the Discovery Mr. Att. Gen. Collonel Romsey Sworn Mr. North. Pray Sir will you give the Court an account of what you know of any Insurrection intended and how they designed to carry it on Col. Romsey My Lord the latter end of October or beginning of November I was desired by my Lord Shaftesbury to go to Mr. Sheppards to know of the Gentlemen that were met there what was done about the Rising intended at Taunton and I had their answer that Mr. Trenchard had fail'd them and that it must cease for that time That was all at that time Mr. Sol. Gen. What else do you know of any Insurrection afterwards Col. Romsey After that we had several meetings at Mr. West's Chamber where we had divided the City into twenty parts and seven parts Mr. Goodenough had brought an account of the other thirteen he said nothing of for he had not spoke with those that were to tell him how many men they would afford There was there Captain Walcot Mr. West the two Goodenoughs Mr. Borne Mr. Wade and my self L. C. J. What was the Result of those Debates Col. Romsey To see what number of men they could produce in the City for the Insurrection L. C. J. Was there a Rising designed Col. Romsey Yes L. C. J. And did these people meet Col. Romsey There was no time set Mr. Sol. Gen. When was the meeting Col. Romsey There were several meetings in March and April and May. Mr. Sol. Gen. After the meeting at Sheppards Col. Romsey Yes a great while It ceased I think six weeks or three months L. C. J. Who did you meet with at Mr. Sheppards Col. Romsey There was the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Gray my Lord Russel Sir Thomas Armstrong Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Sheppard Mr. Sol. Gen. Who did you expect should head this Army Col. Romsey That was never said any thing of Mr. Att. Gen. Who were to manage the Rising Col. Romsey We that met there Mr. Att. Gen. Had you no expectation of great men Col. Romsey Mr. West told me and Mr. Goodenough that there was a Council which were the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Essex my Lord Howard Collonel Sidney Mr. Hambden and my Lord Russel there was Six L. C. J. What did he tell you of them six Col. Romsey He told me they were managing a Business with Scotland Lord Chief Iustice. A Business pray speak plain tell all you know Col. Romsey For the Insurrection L. C. J. Say so then we know nothing of the Business you were about Col. Romsey My Lord Mr. West had that Discourse with my Lord Howard I never had he is more fit to speak to that than me L. C. J. Speak your own knowledge and no more Mr. Jones After the death of my Lord Shaftesbury who were the Managers and were to carry it on Col. Romsey I told you Mr. West and Mr. Goodenough did tell me the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Essex Mr. Att. Gen. He told you so before Do you know there was an Insurrection then intended Col. Romsey Yes because we met towards the management of it the company that met at Mr. West's Chamber and other places Mr. Att. Gen. What discourse had you with Mr. Ferguson about it Col. Romsey Not about those Gentlemen Mr. North. The next thing we shall shew shall be that the Scotch men came to Town Col. Sidney My Lord I must ever put you in mind whether it be ordinary to examine men upon Indictments of Treason concerning me that I never saw nor heard of in my life L. C. J. I tell you all this Evidence does not affect you and I tell the Jury so Col. Sidney But it prepossesses the Jury Mr. Keiling called and sworn Mr. Att. Gen. I ask you in general what you know of the Risign to have been last Spring Mr. Keiling My Lord It was some time last Summer Mr. Goodenough came to me and brought me three Papers numbred on the back-side I asked him to what end he delivered them me he told me One was for my self and I was to deliver the other Two to whom I could Trust in the two Divisions I asked him What was the Design he said To Raise Men sayes I Do you design a general Insurrection He said if he did not if the King was taken off this would do well for then People would know how to have recourse to a formidable Body And I have heard him say That Collonel Sidney whom I don't know had a considerable part in the management of that Affair Mr. Att. Gen. We Charge him with Conspiring and there must be Confederates in the Case Now then we come to the Prisoner We will call my Lord Howard that was one of the Persons that did Consult The Lord Howard Sworn Mr. Att. Gen. Pray acquaint my Lord and the Jury of your knowledge of what Transactions there have been with the Prisoner about this Affair of the general Rising Lord Howard Truely my Lord In the entring of the Evidence I am about to give I cannot but observe what a natural uniformity there is in Truth For the Gentleman that have been before have so exactly instanced in every particular with what I have to say that two Tallys could not more exactly fall into one another though I confess I had not seen their Faces till the Plot brake out for some Months before My Lord and Gentlemen of the Jury About the middle of January last it was considered by some of us that met together That it was very necessary and expedient to an Enterprise that had been long in hand and fallen flat then that it should be revived by some Consult or Caball that should be set up to give Life to it and Governance to the Motions of it The first for ought I know Movers of this were the Duke of Monmouth the Gentleman at the Bar and my Self And there we did agree That we should bethink our selves of some few we were willing it should not exceed Five at the most Seven This Agreement being at first between us Three I remember the Duke of Monmouth undertook to ingage my Lord Russel and my Lord Salisbury and this Gentleman Collonel Sidney for my Lord of Essex and Mr. Hambden and these being put together did presently constitute a little Caball of as great a Number as was intended This being setled among them it was within a few dayes after I can't certainly tell when but between the middle and latter end of January that I was told That the Persons had agreed to enter into this Conjunction of Counsels and in order to that they had appointed a Meeting at Mr. Hambden's House to which I was invited This in time was between the middle and latter end of January but I can't tell exactly When we came there there was all those Gentlemen
That I shall tell the Jury The point in Law you are to take from the Court Gentlemen Whether there be Fact sufficient that is your duty to consider Col. Sidney I say my Lord that since I am Indicted upon that Statute I am not to take notice of any other I am Indicted for Conspiring the Death of the King because such a Paper is found in my House Under favour I think that can be nothing at all to me For though Sir Philip Lloyd did ask me whether I would put my Seal to it he did not ask me till he had been in my Closer and I knew not what he had put in and so I told him I would not do it Then come these Gentlemen upon similitude of hands My Lord We know what similitude of hands is in this Age. One told me within these two days that one came to him and offered him to counterfeit any hand he should shew him in half an hour So then my Lord I have nothing to say to these Papers Then for point of Witness I cannot be Indicted much less Tried or Condemned on 25 E. 3. for by that Act there must be two Witnesses to that very branch unto which the Treason does relate which must be distinguished For the Levying of War and Conspiring the Death of the King are two distinct things distinct in nature and reason and so distinguished in the Statute And therefore the Conspiring the Death of the King is Treason and the other not 1 E. 6. 12. 5 E. 6. 11. does expresly say there must be two Witnesses to either of these Acts. Now here is my Lord Howard I have enough to say of him by and by 'T is he only who speaks of six men whom he calls a select Council and yet selected by no man in the world I desire to know who selected my Lord Howard Who selected me If they were selected by no body 't is a Bull to say they were a select Council If they were not selected but erected themselves into a Cabal then they have either confidence in one another or find they are near equally able to assist in the design Here is nothing of all this These six men were strangers to one another For my own part I never spake with the Duke of Monmouth above three times in my life and one time was when my Lord Howard brought him to my House and cozened us both He told the Duke I invited him and he told me the Duke invited himself and neither of them was true Now that such men as these are not hardly knowing one another should presently fall into a great and intimate friendship and trust and management of such businesses as these are is a thing utterly improbable unless they were mad Now I do find in my Lord Howards Deposition against my Lord Russel that they were in prosecution of my Lord Shaftsbury's design and yet he acknowledges the Duke of Monmouth said he was mad and he himself said so too Now that they should join with four more in the prosecution of the design of a madman they must be mad too Now whether my Lord Howard would have you think he was mad because a madman cannot be guilty of Treason I cannot tell My Lord Howard in his last Deposition at my Lord Russel's Trial fixes the two meetings one about the middle of January the other ten days after Now he fixes one to be the latter end of January the other the middle of February Then he makes it to be the prosecution of my Lord Shaftsbury's design I do not find that any one there had any thing to do with my Lord Shaftsbury for my part I had not I had not seen his face in two years Then my Lord that I go upon is whatever my Lord Howard is here is but one Witness The Law of God and the Law of man understood and taken by all men does require two Witnesses Moses says so so the Apostles the same after him and Christ says the same That every matter is to be established by two Witnesses There ought to be two Witnesses to the same thing Now for one to come and tell a Tale of a Tub of an imaginary Council and another of a Libel a Paper written no body knows when is such a thing you can never go over it But if the Law of God be that there must be two Witnesses to the same Fact there is an end of this matter And under the Judicial Law the penalty would be in this Case to put a man to death Now here there are but two things which if allowed of no body will be safe for Perjury The one is to suffer men to give their testimony one to one thing and another to another that the fraud cannot be discovered and the other is to take away the punishment Now the punishment is taken away in some measure and do but take away the other point whereby the fraud cannot be discovered and then there is no defence can be made That both witnesses should be to the same point see the Story of Susanna Two Elders testified they saw her in the Act of Adultery They were carrying of her to her death both of them said the same thing until they were taken asunder and examined the fraud was not discovered and then one said she was under a Tree of the right hand and the other under the Tree on the left and she escaped and they were punished But now if you apply it to several Facts my Lord Howard may say what he pleases and if another shall come with a supplemental proof no Justice can be had But my Lord I desire this If there be two Witnesses to prove the Conspiracy and in that there were those matters done that are Treason I must answer to it but if there be not I presume I need say nothing to it If you do not allow it me I desire Council to Argue it L. C. J. That is a point of Fact Whether there be two Witnesses I tell you beforehand one Witness is not sufficient Col. Sidney Why then there is my Lord Howard and never another L. C. J. Nay do not make those inferences I will tell the Jury if there be not two Witnesses as the Law requires in this Case they ought to acquit you Col. Sidney You confound me I cannot stir You talk of a Conspiracy What is a Conspiracy to kill the King Is there any more Witnesses than one for Levying of War L. C. J. 'Pray do not deceive your self You must not think the Court and you intend to enter into a Dialogue Answer to the Fact if there be not sufficient Fact the Jury will acquit you Make what Answer you can to it Col. Sidney Then I say There being but one Witness I am not to Answer to it at all L. C. J. If you rely upon that we will direct the Jury presently Col. Sidney Then for Levying War what does any one say My Lord
own Spirit and your Time as ever any man that came before you Now my Lord if you will make a Concatenation of one thing a Supposition upon Supposition I would take all this asunder and shew if none of these things are any thing in themselves there can be nothing joyned together L. Ch. Iust. Take your own Method Mr. Sidney but I say if you are a man of low Spirits and weak Body 't is a Duty incumbent upon the Court to exhort you not to spend your time upon things that are not material Col. Sidney My Lord I think 't is very material that a whimsical imagination of a Conspiracy should not pass for a real Conspiracy of the Death of the King besides if these Papers were found in my House 't is a Crime created since my Imprisonment and that cannot come in for they were found since My Lord if these Papers are right it mentions 200. and odd Sheets and these show neither Beginning nor Ending and will you my Lord indict a man for Treason for scraps of Paper found in his House relating to an ancient Paper intended as innocently as any thing in the world and piece and patch this to my Lord Howards Discourse to make this a Contrivance to kill the King Then my Lord I think 't is a Right of Mankind and 't is exercised by all studious men that they write in their own Closets what they please for their own Memory and no man can be answerable for it unless they publish it L. C. J. Pray don't go away with that right of mankind that it is lawful for me to write what I will in my own Closet unless I publish it I have been told Curse not the King not in thy thoughts not in thy Bed-Chamber the Birds of the air will carry it I took it to be the duty of mankind to observe that Col. Sidney I have lived under the Inquisition L. C. J. God be thanked we are governed by Law Col. Sidney I have lived under the Inquisition and there is no man in Spain can be tryed for Heresie Mr. Iust. Withins Draw no Presidents from the Inquisition here I beseech you Sir L. C. J. We must not endure men to talk that by the right of nature every man may contrive mischief in his own Chamber and he is not to be punished till he thinks fit to be called to it Col. Sidney My Lord if you will take Scripture by pieces you will make all the Penmen of the Scripture blasphemous you may accuse David of saying There is no God and accuse the Evangelists of saying Christ was a Blasphemer and a Seducer and the Apostles That they were drunk L. C. J. Look you Mr. Sidney if there be any part of it that explains the sense of it you shall have it read indeed we are trifled with a little 'T is true in Scripture 't is said there is no God and you must not take that alone but you must say the fool hath said in his heart there is no God Now here is a thing imputed to you in the Libel if you can say there is any part that is in excuse of it call for it As for the purpose whosoever does publish that the King may be put in chains or deposed is a Traytor but whosoever says that none but Traytors would put the King in Chains or depose him is an honest man therefore apply ad idem but don't let us make Excursions Col. Sidney If they will produce the whole my Lord then I can see whether one part contradicts another L. Ch. Iust. Well if you have any Witnesses call them Col. Sidney The Earl of Anglesey L. Ch. Iust. Ay in God's Name stay till to morrow in things that are pertinent Col. Sidney I desire to know of my Lord Anglesey what my Lord Howard said to him concerning the Plot that was broken out L. Anglesey Concerning this Plot you are now questioned for Col. Sidney The Plot for which my Lord Russel and I was in Prison L. Anglesey The Question I am asked is what my Lord Howard said before the Tryal of my Lord Russel concerning the Plot I suppose this goes as a branch of that he was accused for I was then in the Country when the Business was on foot and used to come to Town a day or two in the Week living near in Hertfordshire and I understanding the Affliction my Lord of Bedford was in I went to give my Lord a Visit we having been acquaintance of above fifty years standing and bred together in Maudlin Colledge in Oxford When I came to my Lord of Bedford and had administred that comfort that was fit for one Christian to give another in that distress I was ready to leave him and my Lord Howard came in It was upon the Friday before my Lord Howard was taken he was taken as I take it upon Sunday or Munday my Lord Howard fell into the same Christian Office that I had been just discharging to compassionate my Lords affliction to use Arguments to comfort and support him under it and told him he was not to be troubled for he had a discreet a wise and a vertuous Son and he could not be in any such Plot I think that was the word he used at first though he gave another name to it afterward and his Lordship might therefore well expect a good Issue of that business and he might believe his Son secure for he believed he was neither guilty nor so much as to be suspected My Lord proceeded further and did say that he knew of no such barbarous Design I think he called it so in the second place and could not charge my Lord Russel with it nor any body else This was the effect of what my Lord Howard said at that time and I have nothing to say of my own knowledge more than this but to observe that I was present when the Jury did put my Lord Howard particularly to it what have you to say to what my Lord Anglesey testifies against you My Lord I think did in three several places give a short account of himself and said it was very true and gave them some further account why he said it and said he should be very glad it might have been advantagious to my Lord Russel Col. Sidney My Lord of Clare I desire to know of my Lord of Clare what my Lord Howard said concerning this Plot and me Lord Clare My Lord a little after Colonel Sidney was taken speaking of the Times he said that if ever he was questioned again he would never plead the quickest dispatch was the best he was sure they would have his Life though he was never so innocent and discoursing of the late Primate of Armaghs Prophesie for my part says he I think the Persecution is begun and I believe it will be very sharp but I hope it will be short and I said I hoped so too Mr. At. Gen. What answer did your Lordship
not have his Pardon but he must first do this drudgery of swearing I need not say that his Son should say That he was sorry his Father could not get his Pardon unless he did swear against some others Col. Sidney Call Mr. Blake who appeared My Lord I desire he may be asked whether my Lord Howard did not tell him that he could not get his Pardon yet and he could ascribe it to nothing but that the drudgery of swearing must be over first Then my Lord Chief Iustice asked the Question Mr. Blake My Lord I am very sorry I should be called to give a publick account of a private Conversation how it comes about I don't know My Lord sent for me about six Weeks ago to come and see him I went and we talked of News I told him I heard no body had their Pardon but he that first discovered the Plot he told me no but he had his Warrant for it And says he I have their Word and Honour for it but says he I will do nothing in it till I have further order and says he I hear nothing of it and I can ascribe it to no other reason but I must not have my pardon till the drudgery of swearing is over These words my Lord said I believe my Lord won't deny it Then Mr. Sidney called Mr. Hunt and Burroughs but they did not appear Col Sidney 'T is a hard case they don't appear One of them was to prove that my Lord Howard said he could not have his Pardon till he had done some other Jobs L. C. Iust. I can't help it If you had come for assistance from the Court I would willingly have done what I could Then Col. Sidney mentioned the Duke of Buckingham but he was informed he was not subpaena'd Col. Sidney Call Grace Tracy and Elizabeth Penwick who appeared I ask you only what my Lord Howard said to you at my House concerning the Plot and my being in it Tracy Sir he said that he knew nothing of a Plot he protested and he was sure Col. Sidney knew nothing of it And he said If you knew any thing of it he mustneeds know of it for he knew as much of your concerns as any one in the World Col. Sidney Did he take God to Witness upon it Tracy yes Col. Sidney Did he desire my Plate at my House Tracy I can't tell that he said the Goods might be sent to his House Col. Sidney Penwick What did my Lord Howard say in your hearing concerning the pretended Plot or my Plate carrying away Penwick When he came he asked for your Honour and they said your Honour was taken away by a man to the Tower for the Plot and then he took God to Witness he knew nothing of it and believed your Honour did not neither He said he was in the Tower two years ago and your Honour he believed saved his Life Col. Sidney Did he desire the Plate Penwick Yes And said it should be sent to his House to be secured He said it was only Malice Mr. Wharton stood up Mr. Wharton 'T is only this I have to say That if your Lordship pleases to shew me any of these sheets of Paper I will undertake to imitate them in a little time that you shan't know which is which 'T is the easiest hand that ever I saw in my life Mr. Att. Gen. You did not write these Mr. Wharton Mr. Wharton No but I will do this in a very little time if you please L. C. Iust. Have you any more Witnesses Col. Sidney No my Lord. L. C. Iust. Then apply your self to the Jury Col. Sidney Then this is that I have to say Here is a huge Complication of Crimes laid to my Charge I did not know at first under what Statute they were now I find 't is the Statute of 25 of Ed. 3. This Statute hath two Branches one relating to War the other to the Person of the King That relating to the Person of the King makes the Conspiring Imagining and Compassing his Death criminal That concerning War is not unless it be Levyed Now my Lord I cannot imagine to which of these they refer my Crime and I did desire your Lordship to explain it For to say that a Man did meet to Conspire the King's Death and he that gives you the account of the business does not speak one word of it seems extravagant for Conspiracies have ever their Denomination from that point to which they tend as a Conspiracy to make false Coin infers Instruments and the like A Conspiracy to take away a Woman to kill or rob are all directed to that end So Conspiring to kill the King must immediately aim at killing the King The King hath two Capacities Natural and Politick that which is the Politick can't be within the Statute in that sense he never dies and 't is absur'd to say it should be a fault to kill the King that can't die So then it must be the natural sense it must be understood in which must be done by Sword by Pistol or any other way Now if there be not one word of this then that is utterly at an end though the Witness had been good The next point is concerning Levying of War Levying of War is made Treason there so it be proved by Overt Act but an Overt Act of that never was or can be pretended here If the War be not Levyed 't is not within the Act for Conspiring to Levy War is not in the Act. My Lord There is no Man that thinks that I would kill the King that knows me I am not a Man to have such a design perhaps I may say I have saved his Life once So that it must be by Implication that is It is first imagined that I intended to raise a War and then 't is imagined that War should tend to the Destruction of the King Now I know that may follow but that is not Natural or necessary and being not Natural or necessary it can't be so understood by the Law That it is not it plain for many Wars have been made and the Death of the King has not followed David made War upon Saul yet no body will say he sought his Death he had him under his power and did not kill him David made War upon Ishbosheth yet did not design his Death and so in England and France Kings have been taken Prisoners but they did not kill them King Stephen was taken Prisoner but they did not kill him So that 't is two distinct things to make War and to endeavour to kill the King Now as there is no manner of pretence that I should endeavour to kill the King directly so it can't be by inference because 't is Treason under another Species I confess I am not fit to argue these points I think I ought to have Counsel but if you won't allow it me I can't help it but these things are impossible to be jumbled up together Now
call it The Multitude therefore is never headless but they either find or create an head so that here is a plain and an avowed Principle of Rebellion Established upon the strongest reason he has to back it Gentlemen This with the other Evidence that has been given will be sufficient to prove his Compassing the Death of the King You see the Affirmations he makes when Kings do break their Trust they may be called to accompt by the people This is the Doctrine he Broaches and Argues for He says in his Book in another part that the Calling and Dissolving of Parliaments is not in the Kings Power Gentlemen You all know how many Parliaments the King hath Called and Dissolved if it be not in his Power he hath done that that was not in his Power and so contrary to his Trust. Gentlemen at the entrance into this Conspiracy they were under an apprehension that their Liberties were invaded as you hear in the Evidence from my Lord Howard that they were just making the Insurrection upon that Tumultuous opposition of Electing of Sheriffs in London They enter into a Consultation to raise Arms against the King and it is proved by my Lord Howard that the Prisoner at the Bar was one Gentlemen Words spoken upon a supposition will be High Treason as was held in King James's time in the Case of Collins in Rolls Reports The King being Excommunicate may be Deposed and Murdered without affirming he was Excommunicated and this was enough to Convict him of High Treason Now according to that Case to say the King having broken his Trust may be Deposed by his people would be High Treason but here he does as good as affirm the King had broke his Trust. When every one sees the King hath Dissolved Parliaments this reduces it to an Affirmation And though this Book be not brought to that Counsel to be perused and there debated yet it will be another and more than two Witnesses against the Prisoner For I would ask any man suppose a man was in a Room and there were two men and he talks with both apart and he comes to one and endeavours to persuade him that it is lawful to Rise in Arms against the King if so be he break his Trust and he should go to another man and tell him the King hath broken his Trust and we must seek some way to redress our selves and persuade the people to Rise these two Witnesses do so tack this Treason together that they will be two Witnesses to prove him Guilty of High Treason And you have heard one Witness prove it positively to you That he consulted to Rise in Arms against the King and here is his own Book says it is lawful for a man to Rise in Arms against the King if he break his Trust and in effect he hath said the King hath broken his Trust Therefore this will be a sufficient demonstration what the imagination of the Heart of this man was that it was nothing but the destruction of the King and the Government and indeed of all Governments There can be no such thing as Government if the people shall be Judg in the Case For what so uncertain as the heady and giddy Multitude Gentlemen I think this will be a sufficient Evidence of his Consulting the death of the King You have here the Prisoner at the Bar that is very deep in it Indeed some men may by Passion be transported into such an Offence and though the Offence be never the less what ever the motives are yet in some it is less dangerous for those that venture upon Passion to raise Commotions and Rebellion are not always so much upon their Guard but that they may make some false steps to intrap themselves But this Gentleman proceeds upon a surer Foundation it is his Reason it is his Primciple it is the Guide of all his Actions it is that by which he leads and directs the steady Course of his Life A man convinced of these Principles and that walks accordingly what won't he do to accomplish his designs How wary will he be in all his Actions Still reasoning with himself which way to bring it most securely about Gentlemen This is the more dangerous Conspiracy in this man by how much the more it is rooted in him and how deep it is you hear when a man shall write as his Principle that it is lawful for to depose Kings they breaking their Trust and that the Revolt of the whole Nation can not be called Rebellion It will be a very sad Case when people Act this according to their Consciences and do all this for the good of the people as they would have it thought but this is the Principle of this man Gentlemen We think we have plainly made it out to you and proved it sufficiently that it was the imagination of his Heart to destroy the King and made sufficient proof of High Treason Coll. Sidney Give me leave my Lord to say a very few words I desire Mr. Solicitor would not think it his Duty to take away mens lives any how First We have had a long story Lord Chief Iustice. Nay Mr. Sidney We must not have vying and revying I asked you before what you had to say the course of Evidence is after the Kings Counsel have concluded we never admit the Prisoner to say any thing Coll. Sidney My Lord It was a wise man said there never could be too much delay in the Life of a man I know the Kings Counsel may conclude if they please Mr. Solicitor I would not have him think that it is enough by one way on another to bring a man to death My Lord This matter of Sir Henry Vane is utterly misrepresented Lord Chief Iustice. I must tell you Gentlemen of the Jury that what the Prisoner says that is not proved and what the Kings Counsel have said of which there is no proof to make it out must not be taken into any consideration Coll. Sidney Then my Lord here is a place or two in Old Hales turning over my Lord Hales Book for the Overt Act of one Treason not being an Overt Act of another your Lordship knows Coke and Hales were both against it he Reads Compassing by bare words is not an Overt Act Conspiring to Levy War is no Overt Act. Mr. Solicitor General I desire but one word more for my own sake as well as the Prisoners and that is that if I have said any thing that is not Law or misrepeated or misapplied the Evidence which hath been given I do make it my humble Request to your Lordship to rectifie those mistakes as well in point of Fact as point of Law for God forbid the Prisoner should suffer by any mistake Lord Chief Iustice. Gentlemen The Evidence has been long and it is a Cause of great concernment and it is far from the thoughts of the King or from the thoughts or desire of any of his Judges here to be
this manner if he had not apprehensions of Guilt within himself This is the Testimony offered against my Lord Howard in disparagement of his Evidence Ay but further it s objected he is in expectation of a Pardon And he did say he thought he should not have the Kings Pardon till such time as the drudgery of Swearing was over Why Gentlemen I take notice before this Discourse happened he Swore the same thing at my Lord Russel's Tryal And I must tell you though it is the Duty of every Man to discover all Treasons yet I tell you for a Man to come and Swear himself over and over Guilty in the face of a Court of Justice may seem irksome and provoke a Man to give it such an Epithet 'T is therefore for his Credit that he is an unwilling Witness But Gentlemen consider if these things should have been allowed to take away the Credibility of a Witness what would have become of the Testimonies that have been given of late days What would become of the Evidence of all those that have been so profligate in their Lives Would you have the Kings Council to call none but men that were not concerned in this Plot to prove that they were Plotting Ay but Gentlemen it is further objected This Hand looks like an old Hand and it may not be the Prisoners Hand but be Counterfeited and for that there is a Gentleman who tells you what a dexterous Man he is He says he believes he could Counterfeit any Hand in half an hour 't is an ugly temptation but I hope he hath more Honour than to make use of that Art he so much glories in But what time could there be for the Counterfeiting of this Book Can you imagine that Sir Philip Lloyd through the Bag Sealed up did it Or who else can you imagine should or does the Prisoner pretend did write this Book So that as on one side God forbid but we should be careful of Mens Lives so on the other side God forbid that Flourishes and Varnish should come to indanger the Life of the King and the Destruction of the Government But Gentlemen We are not to anticipate you in point of Fact I have according to my Memory recapitulated the matters given in Evidence It remains purely in you now whether you do believe upon the whole matter that the Prisoner is Guilty of the High-Treason whereof he is Indicted Mr. Iust. Withins Gentlemen 'T is fit you should have our Opinions in all the points of Law we concur with my Lord Chief Justice Says Colonel Sidney here is a mighty Conspiracy but there is nothing comes of it who must we thank for that None but the Almighty Providence One of themselves was troubled in Conscience and comes and discovers it had not Keeling discovered it God knows whether we might have been alive at this day Then the Jury withdrew and in about half an hours time returned and brought the Prisoner in Guilty And the Lievtenant of the Tower took away his Prisoner Munday 26. Nov. 1683. Algernoon Sidney Esquire was brought up to the Bar of the Court of Kings bench to receive his Sentence L. Ch. Iust. Mr Attorney will you move any thing Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord the Prisoner at the Bar is convicted of High Treason I demand Judgment against him Cl. of Crown Algernoon Sidney Hold up thy hand which he did Thou hast been indicted of High Treason and thereupon arraigned and thereunto pleaded not Guilty and for thy Tryal put thy self upon God and the Country which Country has found thee Guilty What can'st thou say for thy self Why Judgment of death should not be given against thee and execution awarded according to Law Col. Sidney My Lord I humbly conceive I have had no Tryal I was to be tryed by my Country I do not find my Country in the Jury that did try me There were some of them that were not Freeholders I think my Lord There is neither Law nor President of any man that has been tryed by a Jury upon an Indictment lay'd in a County that were not Freeholders So I do humbly conceive That I have had no Tryal at all and if I have had no Tryal there can be no Judgment L. Ch. Just. Mr. Sidney you had the Opinion of the Court in that matter before We were unanimous in it for it was the Opinion of all the Judges of England in the Case next proceeding yours tho' that was a Case relating to Corporations but they were of Opinion that by the Statute of Queen Mary the Tryal of Treason was put as it was at Common Law and that there was no such Challenge of Common Law Col. Sidney Under favour my Lord I presume in such a Case as this of Life and for what I know concernes every man in England you will give me a day and Counsel to argue it L. Ch. Iust. T is not in the Power of the Court to do it Col. Sidney My Lord I desire the Indictment against me may be read L. Ch. Iust. To what purpose Col. Sidney I have somewhat to say to it L. Ch. Iust. Well read the Indictment Then the Clerk of the Crown read the Indictment Col. Sidney Pray Sir will you give me leave to see it if it please you L. Ch. Iust. No that we cannot do Col. Sidney My Lord there is one thing then that makes this absolutely voyd It deprives the King of his Title which is Treason by Law Defensor fidei There is no such thing there if I heard it Right L. Ch. Iust. In that you would deprive the King of his Life that is in very full I think Col. Sidney If no body would deprive the King no more then I he would be in no danger Under favour these are things not to be over-ruled in point of Life so easily L. Ch. Iust. Mr. Sidney We very well understand our duty we don't need to be told by you what our Duty is we tell you nothing but what is Law and if you make Objections that are immaterial we must overrule them Don't think that we overrule in your Case that we would not overrule in all mens Cases in your Condition The Treason is sufficiently lay'd Col. Sidney My Lord I conceive this too that those words that are said to be written in the Paper that there is nothing of Treason in them Besides that there was nothing at all proved of them only by similitude of hands which upon the Case I alledged to your Lordship was not to be admitted in a Criminal Case Now 't is easy to call a thing proditorie but yet let the nature of the thing be examined I put my self upon it that there is no Treason in it L. Ch. Iust. There is not a Line in the Book scarce but what is Treason Mr Just. Withins I believe you don 't believe it Treason L. Ch. Iust. That is the worst part of your Case When men are riveted in Opinion that Kings
Parliament or the Nobility and Gentry that composed it and when the Kings failed of their Duties by their own Authority called it The multitude therefore is not ever headless but doth either find or create heads unto it self as occasion doth requite and whether it be one man or a few or more for a short or a longer time we see nothing more regular than its motions But they may saith our Author shake off the Yoke and why may they not if it prove uneasie or hurtful unto them Why should not the Israelites shake off the Yoke of Pharaoh Jabin Sisera and others that oppressed them When pride had changed Nebuchadnezzar into a beast what should perswade the Assyrians not to drive him out amongst Beasts until God had restored unto him the Heart of a Man When Tarquin had turned the Legal Monarchy of Rome into a most abominable Tyranny why should they not abolish it And when the Protestants of the Low-Countries were so grievously oppressed by the power of Spain under the proud cruel and savage conduct of the Duke of Alva why should they not make use of all the means that God had put into their hands for their deliverance Let any Man who sees the present state of the Provinces that then united themselves judge whether it is better for them to be as they are or in the condition unto which his fury would have reduced them unless they had to please him renounced God and their Religion Our Author may say they ought to have suffered The King of Spain by their resistance lost those Countries and that they ought not to have been Judges in their own case To which I answer That by resisting they laid the foundation of many Churches that have produced multitudes of men eminent in gifts and Graces and established a most glorious and happy Commonwealth that hath been since its first beginning the strongest Pillar of the Protestant Cause now in the World and a place of refuge unto those who in all parts of Europe have been oppressed for the name of Christ Whereas they had slavishly and I think I may say wickedly as well as foolishly suffered themselves to be butchered if they had left those empty Provinces under the power of Anti Christ where the name of God is no otherwise known than to be blasphemed If the King of Spain desired to keep his Subjects he should have governed them with more justice and mercy when contrary unto all Laws both Humane and Divine he seeks to destroy those he ought to have preserved he can blame none but himself if they deliver themselves from his tyranny and when the matter is brought to that That He must not reign or they over whom he would reign must perish the matter is easily decided as if the question had been asked in the time of Nero or Domitian Whether they should be left at liberty to destroy the best part of the World as they endeavoured to do or it should be rescued by their destruction And as for the peoples being Judges in their own case it is plain they ought to be the only Judges because it is their own and only concerns themselves Mr. Att. Gen. The latter end the last sheet of all § 35. L. C. J. The argument runs through the book fixing the power in the people Cl. of the Cr. The general revolt of a Nation from its own Magistrates can never be called rebellion Mr. Att. Gen. § 37. Cl. of Cr. The power of calling and dissolving Parliaments is not in the King Mr. Att. Gen. So much we shall make use of if the Colonel please to have any other part read to explain it he may Then the Sheets were shewn to Col. Sidney Colonel Sidney I do not know what to make of it I can read it L. C. J. Ay no doubt of it better than any man here Fix on any part you have a mind to have read Colonel Sidney I do not know what to say to it to read it in pieces thus L. C. J. I perceive you have disposed them under certain heads To what heads will you have read Colonel Sidney My Lord let him give an account of it that did it Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord we will not delay Colonel Sidney from entring on his defence only we have this piece of Evidence to give further One of his Complices was my Lord Russel we will give in Evidence his Conviction We will only ask my Lord Howard Was your Lordship sworn as a Witness at the Tryal of my Lord Russel L. Howard Yes Mr. Att. Gen. Whether or no when you met were there in those debates any reflections upon the King that he had broken his duty L. Howard Not that I remember Mr. Att. Gen. Why would you rise L. Howard If you mean upon the misgovernment not personally upon the King Mr. Att. Gen. Ay. L. Howard Yes and principally and chiefly that which we thought was the general disgust of the Nation the imposing upon the City at that time Mr. Iust. Wythins That was complained of at that time L. Howard Yes my Lord We took it all along to be the chief grievance L. Ch. Iust. Have you any more Witnesses Mr. Att. Gen. Only the Record Mr. Sol. Gen. I know there is no time mispent to make things clear If the Jury have a mind to have the words read again L. Ch. Iust. If they have a mind let it Then Mr. Trinder was Sworn and testified it to be a true Copy of the Record and said he examined it at Fishmongers-Hall with Mr. Tanner Then the Record of the Conviction of the Lord Russel was read L. Ch. Iust. What will you go to next Mr. Attorney Mr. Sol. Gen. We have done unless the Jury desire to have the words of the Libel read again But they did not Col. Sidney My Lord I desire to know upon what Statute I am Indicted Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord I will give as plain an Answer You are Indicted upon the old Statute of 25 E. 3. Col. Sidney Then I desire to know upon what branch of that Statute Mr. Att. Gen. Why I will acquaint you 'T is upon the first branch of that Statute for Conspiring and Compassing the Death of the King Col. Sidney Then I conceive what does not come within that does not touch me Mr. Att. Gen. Make what Inferences you please Colonel we will answer you Col. Sidney I desire to know what the Witnesses have sworn against me upon that point Mr. Att. Gen. Go on You have heard the Witnesses as well as we L. Ch. Iust. He says You are Indicted upon the Statute of 25 E. 3. which Statute makes it High Treason to Conspire the Death of the King and the Overt Act is sufficiently set forth in the Indictment now the Question is whether 't is proved Col. Sidney They have proved a Paper found in my Study of Caligula and Nero that is Compassing the Death of the King is it L. C. J.