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
to you in Laâ—iâ—e which was denyed in the Case of Sir Henry Vane And there is a later Case known to most persons here By the opinion of all the Judges of England a Copy of the Indictment was denyed to my Lord Russel Therefore arraign him upon the Indictment we must not spend our time in discourses to captivate the people Col. Sid. Is not this a good Law my Lord Holding out the Paper L. C. J. You have the rule of the Court. Mr. Just. Wythens Any thing the Law will allow you you shall have but I am sure if you did advise with your Counsel they must tell you the same thing So the Clerk of the Crown called the Jury and after several Challenges the names of the Jury were as follow The Jury Iohn Amger Richard White William Linn Lawrence Wood. Adam Andrews Emery Arguise Iosias Clerke George Glisby Nicholas Baxter William Reeves William Grove Iohn Burt. L. C. J. Look you Gentlemen of the Jury there are some Gentlemen at the Bar as we are informed are apt to whisper to the Jury 't is no part of their duty nay 't is against their duty and therefore Gentlemen if you hear any of them by you that offer to whisper or make Comments in this Cause as you are upon your Oaths and I doubt not but will do your duty between the King and the Prisoner so I expect if you hear the Counsel say any thing you will inform the Court. Let us have no Remarks but a fair Tryal in God's Name Cl. of Cr. You that are sworn look upon the Prisoner and hearken to his Cause He stands indicted by the Name of Algernon Sidney of c. as in the Indictment your Charge is to inquire c. Then Proclamation for Evidence was made Mr. Dolben May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen that are sworn This is an Indictment of High Treason preferred against Algernon Sidney the Prisoner at the Bar. The Indictment sets forth That he as a false Traitor against our most Illustrious Prince Charles the Second his natural Lord not having the fear of God in his heart and on the Thirtieth of June in the Thirty Fifth Year of the King and divers other days and times as well before as after in the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex traiterously with divers Traitors unknown did conspire the Death of the King and to levy War within this Kingdom And to complete these Traiterous Purposes did then and there maliciously advisedly and traiterously send one Aaron Smith into Scotland to excite some ill disposed persons of that Kingdom to come into this and to consult with the said Algernon Sidney and other Traitors of and upon assistance from the Kingdom of Scotland to carry on those Designs And the Indictment sets forth further that to perswade the people of England it was lawful to raise Rebellion the said Algernon Sidney did cause to be written a false Seditious Libel in which is contained these English Words The Power is originally in the People and that is delegated to the King The King is subject to the Law of God as a King as a man to the people that made him a King In as much as he is a King the Law sets a measure to that Objection c. put in the Indictment This is laid to be against the duty of his Allegiance against the peace of the King his Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided If we prove him guilty we doubt not but you will find it Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar stands indicted of the highest Crimes the conspiring the Death of the King and the Overthrow of the English Monarchy Gentlemen we shall use this Method in our Evidence We shall shew by many Witnesses that there was a design of raising and making a Rebellion within this Kingdom For Gentlemen you must take notice and I think there is no English Man but does believe that for several years last past a design was laid and for that purpose several secret Insinuations were made use of and publick Libels spread abroad to perswade the people that the King was introducing Arbitrary Power that he subverted all their Rights Liberties Properties and whatever was dear to them They indeavoured to make the world believe the King was a Papist And when Gentlemen by such Stratagems they had worked upon many incautelous persons when they thought they had gotten a sufficient party then there was a design of an open rising for they thought all things were ripened and that was to be in several parts of the Kingdom Some persons to effect this design were for a present Assassination of the King Others would do it in a more fair and gentile way They thought it below persons of that great Quality as the Prisoner is and therefore were for doing it by open Force When we have given that general Evidence we shall then come to shew you what share and part the Prisoner had in this Design For certainly he was looked upon as a very eminent person whose Education abroad and former practices at home had rendred him fit to advise and proceed in such Affairs We shall prove when these matters were ripe this Gentleman was of the Council of State of the Six that were to manage this matter of the Rising We shall shew the several Consultations they held one at Mr. Hambden's House another at the House of my Lord Russel There we shall acquaint you what Debates they had for they acted like very subtil Men and there they debated whether the Rising should be first in the Country or City or both together They came to a resolution it should be in both places at once Then when they had asserted that point they come to consider the time of Rising and upon that they thought fit to call in Aid of Scotland first and that was this Gentleman's particular Province For he being a man of great Secresie was to send an Emissary into that Kingdom and invite some persons over totreat with them about it We shall prove that an Emissary was sent and this Gentleman gave him a considerable Sum to bear his Charges We shall prove that several Scotch Gentlemen in pursuance of this Resolve came here to treat with this great Council of State about this Affair And shall make it appear to you that assoon as ever the least Discovery of this Plot was these persons concealed themselves and withdrew as the rest of the Plotters that have fled from Justice Gentlemen this was not enough for this Gentleman to consult on these several Passages but to demonstrate to the World that his Head and Heart was intire in this Service and that he might carry it on the more effectually he was at this very time when this Emissary was gone into Scotland preparing a most Seditious and Traiterous
Libel we instance in some particular Words of it But we shall shew you that the whole Design of this Treatise is to perswade the People of England that it is lawful may that they have a right to set aside their Prince in câ—se it appear to them that he hath broken the Trust laid upon him by the People Gentlemen he does use in that Treatise several Arguments drawn from the most Rebellious Times that ever were in England from the late Rebellion I must needs use that word notwithstanding the Act of Oblivion when a Gentleman shall now attempt to do those things for which he was pardoned then and from other Kingdoms where Rebellion hath been prosperous against Princes Then he falls to Reasoning and uses great Reason in the Case That all the Power of the Prince is originally in the People and applies that Discourse that the power of the King was derived from the People upon Trust and they had already declared the King had invaded their Rights and therefore he comes to argue they might assume that original power they had conferred And he tells the King that is no hard condition if he thinks it so he should lay down his Crown if not he threatens the condition would be exacted or otherwise should be revenged by those he had betrayed and who but this Gentleman and his Confederates that thought himself not only able to govern this Nation but many Monarchies should call him to account for it For he lays down this Principle That tho all the People do rise against their Prince it is no Rebellion The whole Book is an argument for the People to rise in Arms and vindicate their wrongs He lays it down That the King has no Authority to dissolve the Parliament but 't is apparent the King hath dissolved many therefore he hath broken his Trust and invaded our Rights And at last concludes with that passage laid in the Indictment We may therefore shake off our Yoke for 't is not a Yoke we submitted to but a Yoke by Tyranny that must be the meaning of it they have imposed on us Gentlemen if we prove all these matters to you I doubt not you will do right to the King and Kingdom and shew your abhorrence of those Republican Principles which if put in practice will not only destroy the King but the best Monarchy in the World Mr. Sol. Gen. Pray call Mr. West Who appeared Col. Sidney I pray one word my Lord before Mr. West be sworn I have heard my Lord Mr. West hath confessed many Treasons and I desire to know whether he is pardoned or no. L. C. J. I don't know that Col. Sid. My Lord how can he be a Witness then L. C. Just. Swear him for I know no Legal Objection against him He was a good Witness in my Lord Russel's Tryal Col. Sidney My Lord if another did not except against him 't is nothing to me Mr. North. Pray give an account to the Court of what you know of a general Insurrection intended in England Col. Sidney What he knows concerning me L. C. J. We will take care of that that no Evidence be given but what ought to be Col. Sid. Is it ordinary that he should say any thing unless it be to me and my Indictment L. C. J. Mr. Sidney you remember in all the Tryals about the late Popish Plot how there was first a general account given of the Plot in Coleman's Tryal and so in Plunket's and others I don't doubt but you remember it And Sir William Jones against whose Judgment I believe you won't object was Attorney at that time Mr. North. Mr. West What do you know of the general Insurrection lately designed Mr. West My Lord I have had the honor to know Collonel Sidney several years but I don't remember that I ever saw him from the time I came acquainted with any part of the Conspiracy till the Discovery that was at the Council Mr. North. Pray give an account of what you know of the Plot in general Mr. West My Lord in October last Captain Walcot came to me and told me that my Lord Shaftesbury had designed an Insurrection in November I used some Arguments to disswade him from it But a little afterwards he came and told me the thing was wholly disappointed and then it went off and my Lord Shaftesbury went for Holland Collonel Romsey afterwards about Christmass said there were some Lords and Gentlemen intended to make an Insurrection the persons were the Duke of Monmouth my Lord of Essex my Lord Howard my Lord Russel the Prisoner at the Bar and Mr. Hambden Junior After some time he told me they had altered their measures and were resolved not to venture upon an Insurrection in England till they had a concurrency in Scotland Afterwards I was not privy to any thing else but what I had the Report of from Mr. Nelthorp and Mr. Ferguson Mr. Nelthorp told me the Prisoner had said Col. Sidney My Lord I am very unwilling to interrupt the Gentleman Lord Chief Iustice. You must not interrupt the Witness Go on Sir Mr. West Mr. Nelthorp told me the Prisoner at the Bar had sent Aaron Smith into Scotland and given him a sum of mony to bear his Charges and sent Letters to some Scotch Gentlemen to invite them to Town The Letter bore a Cant of settling some business in Carolina but the business was coming up about the Insurrection After this Mr. Smith returned and some Scotch Gentlemen with him and soon after Mr. Ferguson gave an account of that Affair and said the Scotch proposed if they might have thirty thousand pounds in ready money they would undertake to make an Insurrection in Scotland without the concurrence of England He said this Proposal was agreed to and money would be soon ready and he said that Sheppard would return the money That the Arms were ready bought and my Lord of Argile would go into Scotland and head the Scots He told me when things were thus settled some difference arose about raising the money and at last he told me my Lord Gray did offer to raise ten thousand pounds out of his own Estate if the rest would pay their proportion Then the Scots came down to ' less but that would not be complyed with The places for the Rising were Bristoll Taunton York Chester Exeter London That there had been some Debates whether they should begin at London or the other places and at last it was resolved they should begin at London with the rest of the places My Lord this was the Account I had of the matter in general of Mr. Ferguson but he said they were disappointed Afterwards he told me the Prisoner at the Bar and Major Wildman were very instrumental in working of it off because they could not agree upon the Declaration to be made upon the Insurrection The English were for a Common wealth but the Scotch Gentlemen answered Fairly it might come to it in time but
carried on thus it had neither Officers nor Souldiers no place no time no Money for it That which he said last time which he forgotnow he talked of twenty five or thirty thousand pound but no man knew where it was to be had but last time he said it was spoken in jest Now this is a pretty Cabal that six men should meet about a business and they neglect every one of the points relating to the thing they met about make no step about the business and if any one did speak of it it was but in jest This is a very deep maintaining of the Plot. Then my Lord as to these Papers I do not think I am to give any account of them I would say nothing to the disparagement of Sir Philip Lloyd I never saw him till he cause to my House but yet I say he is the Kings Officer and when I am prosecuted at the Kings Smit I think he ought to be no Witness The Government of France is violent and absolute but yet a few years ago a Minister of State had his Papers taken from him and abundance of them had dangerous Plots against the King in them but because they were inventoried in his Officers presence or those reputed by him there was no use could be made of them it was an irreparable fault in the process and that saved him The similitude of hands is nothing we know that Hands will be counterfeited so that no man shall know his own hand A Gentleman that is now dead told me that my Lord Arlington about five years agoe desired him to write a Letter and seal it as well as he could he writ it with care and sealed it with a Wafer and Wax upon it and within a few days my Lord Arlington brought him five Letters and he did not know which was his own The Attorney shews these Papers to me I do not know whether they are my own or no but these very Papers such as they are do abhorr as much as any one can such a design Look upon them you see they are all old Ink. These Papers may be writ perhaps these twenty years the Ink is so old But my Lord it is a polemical Discourse it seems to be an Answer to Filmer which is not calculated for any particular Government in the World It goes only upon these general Principles That according to the universal Law of God and Nature there is but one Government in the World and that is Intire and Absolute and that the King can be bound by no Law by no Oath but he may make all Laws and abolish them as he pleases And this whether of Age or no a Man or a Child of Sense or out of his Sense Now my Lord what if any man in his Cabinet should have written this Book Then he has another Principle he says 'T is the same thing whether a King come in by Election by Donation by Inheritance or Usurpation or any other way than which I think never was a thing more desperately said Cromwell when one White a Priest wrote a Book wherein he undertook to prove That Possession was the only Right to Power tho' he was a Tyrant and a violent one you need not wonder I call him Tyrant I did so every day in his Life and acted against him too it would be so odious a Principle he would not endure it and he used him very slightly for it Now this Filmar that no man must write against is the man that does assert it That 't is no matter how they come by their Power and gives the same Power to the worst Usurpers as they that most rightly come to the Crown By the same Argument if the arrantest Rascal of Israel had killed Moses David c. and seized upon the Power he had been possessed of that Power and been Father of the People If this be Doctrine my Lord that is just and good then I confess it may be dangerous for any thing to be found in a man's House contrary to it but if a Commoner of England write his present thoughts and another man upon looking on his Book write his present thoughts of it what great hurt is there in it And I ask Mr. Attorney how many years ago that was written L. Ch. Iust. I don't know what the Book was in answer to We are not to speak of any Book that Sir Robert Filmar wrote but you are to make your Defence touching a Book that was found in your Study and spend not your time and the Courts time in that which serves to no other Purpose than to gratify a luxuriant way of Talking that you have We have nothing to do with his Book you had as good tell me again That there was a parcel of people rambling about pretending to my L. Russel's Ghost and so we may answer all the Comedies in England Answer to the matter you are indicted for Do you owne that Paper Col. Sidney No my Lord. L. Ch. Iust. Go on then it does not become us to be impatient to hear you but we ought to advertise you that you spend not your time to no purpose and do your self an Injury Col. Sidney I say first 'T is not proved upon me and secondly 'T is not a Crime if it be proved L. Ch. Iust. You began very materially in one thing it is material for you to apply your self to take off the Credibility of my Lord Howard that is a Witness call your Witnesses to that purpose or if you have any other point to take away the Credibility of any other Witness Col. Sidney My Lord I have seven or eight points of Law L. Ch. Iust. I hear not one yet Col. Sidney Why my Lord Conspiring to levy war is not Treason and I desire to have Counsel upon that L. J. Just. 'T is not a Question You had as good ask me whether the first Chapter in Littleton be Law Col. Sid. My Lord I have neither made war nor conspir'd to levy war L. C. Iust. You are still in a mistake you shall not think that we intend to dialogue with you to let you know how far the proof hath been given or not given but when we come to direct the Jury then we shall observe how far the Law requires there should be two witnesses But whether there be such a proof that must be left to the Jury Mr. Just. Wythens If you agree the Conspiracy I will tell you my mind of it I cannot give you my Opinion in Law till the Fact be stated L. Ch. Iust. The Law alwayes arises upon a point of Fact there can be no doubt in point of Law till there be a settlement in point of Fact Mr. Just. Holloway My Lord has put you in a right way The Conspiracy is proved but by one Witness if you have any thing to take off his Credibility t is to the purpose Col. Sidney Truly my Lord I do as little intend to mis-spend my
you too There was a Design for a general and publick Insurrection That he was present with the Good-enough's one and t'other and that they had taken upon them to divide and did divide the City into such and such districts And what was the business It was that there might be a general Insurrection might be an Insurrection not only to Destroy the King and the Duke but to Destroy all the Kings Loyal Subjects and in taking away their Lives to take away the Life of Monarchy it self and to Subvert the Religion Established by Law Then comes in Colonel Rumsey and he gives you an Account that he had heard of such things in Mr. West's Chamber and tells you he had received such Intelligence And all these give you an Account that there was such a Design to kill the King And this is the Substance of the general Evidence produced to prove the Conspiracy Then to make this Matter come home to the Prisoner at the Bar first my Lord Howard gives you an Account and does directly Swear That about the middle or latter end of January last he happened to meet with Colonel Sidney the Prisoner at the Bar and the Duke of Monmouth they were the Persons first began to have Discourse about this matter and how they met with a disappointment the thing had slept a great while and that it was fit it should be revived again and that Persons of Quality were mentioned who were to have an immediate care in the carrying on of the business and that it should not be divulged to too many accordingly there was my Lord Russel my Lord of Essex my Lord of Salisbury and Mr. Hambden named He tells you the Prisoner at the Bar undertook for my Lord of Essex and Mr. Hambden and he tells you the Duke of Monmouth undertook for my Lord Russel and the rest and that this was the Result of one Meeting He goes yet further That pursuant to this it was communicated to those persons so to be ingaged and the Place and Time was appointed the Place Mr. Hambden's House but is not so positive to the Time but onely to the Place and Persons He says all these Persons met and he gives you an Accompt That Mr. Hambden because it was necessary for some persons to break silence gave some short account of the design of their Meeting and made some reflections upon the mischiefs that attended the Government and what apprehensions many people upon the late Choice of Sheriffs and that there had been a Male Administration of Publick Justice That it was fit some means should be used to redress these Grievances He can't tell you positively what this man or that man said there but says that all did unanimously consent to what was then debated about an Insurrection and in order to it they discoursed about the time when it should be and that they thought fit it should be done suddenly while mens minds were wound up to that height as they then were and as the first Witness tells you There was a Consideration whether it should be at one place or at several places together He says then it was taken into consideration that this could not be carried on but there must be Arms and Ammunition provided The next step is about a necessary concern the concern of Money and therefore our Law calls Money The Sinews of War My Lord Howard tells you That the Duke of Monmouth proposed 25. or 30000 l. That my Lord Gray was to advance 10000 l. out of his own Estate but then they thought to make their Party more strong by the Assistance of a Discontented people in Scotland my Lord of Argyle and Sir John Cockram and several other people there to joyn with them That pursuant to this all they after met at my Lord Russels and the same Debate is Reassumed and among the rest this particular thing of conciliating a friendship with the Scotch the Cambels my Lord of Argyle and my Lord Melvin were particularly mentioned That Coll. Sidney took upon himself to find out a Messenger but it was my Lord Russel's part to Write the Letter One of the Messengers named to convey the fame was Aaron Smith he was known says my Lord Howard to some of us and then we all agreed that Aaron Smith was the most proper man Upon this they brake up that very time Afterwards comes my Lord Haward to Coll. Sidney at some distance of time and he comes to him and shews him Threescore Guineys and told him he was going into the City and that they were to be given to Aaron Smith He tells you after this That he had some other discourse about a fortnight or three weeks after with Coll. Sidney and that Coll. Sidney did take notice that he had sent him and that he had an account of him as far as Newcastle So that 't is very plain That it was not sudden and rash thoughts it is a little more than according to the language we meet with in some Pamphlets of late more than Heats and Stirs Gent. Then I must tell you here are Circumstances proved in pursuance of this Design for Sir Andrew Foster informs you how that Sir John Cockram and the Cambels and one Monro as I take it came to Town and that he had Discourse with some of them about their business of coming out of Scotland and he says they pretended it was about business of some Trade to Carolina which does still corroborate the Evidence He tells you likewise That there being a noise of discovering the Plot they begun to hide Sir John Cockram began to hide and sculk from place to place they came first with that Cant in their Mouths about Carolina The Messenger Atterbury tells you When they came to take these Men how they shuffled from place to place So Gent. I must tell you That if in case there be but One Witness to prove a direct Treason and another Witness to a Circumstance that contributes to that Treason that will make two Witnesses to prove the Treason Because I would explain my Mind Not long ago all the Judges of England were commanded to meet together and one that is the Senior of the Kings Councel was pleased to put this Case If I buy a Knife of I. S. to kill the King and it be proved by one Witness I bought a Knife for this purpose and another comes and proves I bought such a Knife of I. S. they are Two Witnesses sufficient to prove a man Guilty of High Treason and so it was held by all the Judges of England then present in the presence of all the Kings Councel And therefore Mr. Sidney is mightily mistaken in the Law For in case of any Treason except the Treason at the Bar or in Treason for Clipping and Coining one Witness is sufficient at this day Now Gent. Supposing all this should not be sufficient here is a Libel and it is a most Traiterous and Seditious Libel If you
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