you delivered to him in the Tower Colledge The three pieces joyned together that contains Directions how to Govern my self there is another of the same purpose which instructs me to demand a Copy of the Indictment and of the pannel of the Jury and those were Instructions to tell me what the Law allows me Mr. Att. Gen. Here is a Speech made for you that begins thus Before you Plead speak to this Purpose Pray my Lord I desire that may be Examined and Mr. Smith may be called to give an Account how he came to give the Prisoner those Papers for here are abundance of Niceties proposed for him to move and there will be a strange sort of Proceedings at this rate if men go about to espouse the Cause of Traytors Colledge I am noe Traytor Mr. Attorney Mr. Att. Gen. You stand indicted of High-Treason Colledge That is by a Grand Jury made up that Morning as I am Informed Mr. Att. Gen. Here is a List of the Names of several men of the Country returned to be of the Jury and particular marks set upon them who are good men and who bad men and who moderate men Colledge Ought I not to have that Paper my Lord Mr. Att. Gen. No I hope not L. C. J. Whether they are Material or not Material If we should judge them not Material for his defence yet it will look like an hard point upon the Prisoner and to deliver them into an hand that they may be carried away or stifled in Case there were a Crime in the delivering of them that would not do well on the other side Therefore I would have these Papers put into some safe hands that what may be for the Prisoners use he may not want and yet they may not be taken away if there be occasion to use them upon another Account Mr. Att. Gen. But if it please your Lordship I desire you would enter into the Examination of this Matter for I have an Account from London by a special Messenger that there are several Persons that go up and down to procure Witnesses against the Kings Evidence making it a publick Cause and here my Lord another Paper which is a List of men as Witnesses picked up together against the King's Witnesses L. C. J. He must have that deliver him that presently Mr. Att. Gen. But my Lord others have gone about and framed Witnesses for him L. C. J. You must give him the List of his Witnesses for I see not what use you can make of it Mr. Serj. Jefferies This no man will oppose sure if any thing that is delivered to him be fit to be delivered the Person that delivers it must come and own it but before any Person delivers any Papers to the Prisoner for him to make use of against the Kings Evidence we desire to know what those Papers mean and who gave them L. C. J. Look you Brother we will have nothing of heat till the Tryal be over when that is over if there be any thing that requires our Examination it will be Proper for us to enter into the Consideration of it But in the mean while what hurt is there If the Papers be put into some trusty hands that the Prisoner may make the best use of them he can and yet they remain ready to be produced upon occasion if a man be speaking for his Life tho he speak that which is not material or nothing to the purpose that will be no harm to permit that Mr. Serj. Jefferies With Submission my Lord that is assigning him Counsel with a Witness Mr. Att. Gen. If people are permitted to go up and down and ask Counsel of Persons and bring it in Papers to the Prisoner 't is the same thing as if Counsel came to him Here is a busie Solicitor and he gets advice from Counsel and then he delivers it to the Prisoner 't is the first of the kind certainly that ever was allowed and if this be not to assign him Counsel I know not what is L. C. J. What think you of our perusing the Papers Mr. Att. Gen. With all my heart my Lord. Colledge If you take away all helps from me you had as good Condemn me without a Tryal Mr. Att. Gen. You ought not to have helps to Plead dilatories College Not to help me to my right in Law Mr. Att. Gen. We are to go upon the Fact now And my Lord I pray your Judgment about them when you have perused them Then the Judges looked upon that Paper that was called the Speech L.C.J. We have read enough of this to suppress it and to examine it how this came to his hands Mr. Just Jones Where is Aaron Smith Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord here is another that is worse then that charging the Justice of the Nation Pray call Mr. Aaron Smith and Mr. Henry Starkey Mr. Smith appeared Mr. Att. Gen. Mr. Smith did you deliver these two Papers to the Prisoner Mr. Smith Doe's any body accuse me that I did Mr. Att. Gen. You are accused for it Mr. Smith I desire proof may be made against me Mr. Att. Gen. That will be done L. C. J. Look you we will not interrupt the Tryal with it Mr. Smith must be taken into safe Custody only to secure him till we can examine it not as charged with any Crime but only that he may be forth-Coming to be Examined Mr. Att. Gen. You do not make a direct Answer Mr. Smith in the Case it will be proved upon you Mr. Smith Mr Attorney I know not what Answer to make better then I have given our Law says no man is bound to accuse himself Mr. Att. Gen. But our Law says you shall be Examined Mr. Smith I come to give no Informations here Mr. Attorney If I did I should be then Examined Mr. Att. Gen. Here are Instructions given to the Prisoner they say you gave them Mr. Smith I desire to have it proved L. C. J. Mr Attorney you will take a Recognizance of Mr. Smith to be forth-Coming during this Sessions Mr. Smith I will not depart my Lord I assure you And I hope Mr. Attorney will take my word Mr. Att. Gen. Indeed I will not Mr. Smith because you have broken it with me already when I gave you Leave to go to the Prison I did not think you would have abused that Kindness to give him Papers L. C. J. Well take his Recognizance Mr. Smith 'T is high time to have a care when our Lives and Estates and all are beset here L. C. J. What do you mean by that Mr. Smith Mr. Smith I said it not meaning by it the Court for I declare I abhor that Expression to be so interpreted that I reflected upon the Court. L. C. J. Why do you use such loose Expressions then Mr. Smith Mr. Smith Because I have been threatned since I came to Town tho I have not spoke one Word in any publick Company since I came Mr. Just Jones It seems
you will reflect here in the Face of the Court and in the Face of the Country upon the Government upon the Justice of the Kingdom Mr. Smith No my Lord I have told you what I meant by it I neither reflected upon the Court nor upon the Government nor upon the Justice of the Kingdom L. C. J. You should have done well to have forborn such Expressions as those were Colledge Shall I not have the Use of the Papers my Lord Will you not please to deliver them back to me now you have perused them Mr. Just Jones One of them is a Speech and a most seditious libellous Speech to spit Venom upon the Government in the Face of the Country We cannot tell who made it but it seems to be beyond your Capacity And therefore we must enquire into it but we do not think fit to let you have the use of that Paper L. C. J. For that which contains the Names of the Witnesses that you have again For the other matters the Instructions in point of Law if they had been written in the first Person in your own Name that we might believe it was your Writing it would have been something but when it is written in the second Person you should do so and so by which it appears to be written by another Person it is an ill President to permit such things that were to give you Counsel in an indirect Way which the Law gives you not directly Colledge If I am ignorant what Questions to ask of the Witnesses shall not my Friends help me my Lord L. C. J. We will sift out the Truth as well as we can you need not fear it Colledge Some of those things I took out of the Books my self And if you are resolved to take away all my Helps I cannot help it I know not that Mr. Smith wrote one of those Papers Mr. Att. Gen. But Mr. Smith would have given four Guinneys it seems as a Bribe to the Goaler and he offered four more to let him have liberty to come to him Mr. Serj. Jefferies 'T is time indeed for Mr. Smith to have a Care Keeper It was Mr. Starkey that offered me the four Guinneys Mr. Att. Gen. Pray call Mr. Henry Starkey But he did not appear Then the Court took a Recognizance of 100 l. of Mr. Smith to attend the Court during the Session Colledge Pray my Lord let me have my Papers delivered to me I cannot make my Defence else L. C. J. We are your Counsel in matter of Fact and to give you your Papers were to assign you Counsel against Law they being not your own Papers but coming from a third hand Colledge Will you please to give me the Paper that has the Questions in it to ask the Witnesses L. C. J. There are no Papers with any particular Questions to any one Witness but only Instructions how to carry your self in this Case Colledge A great deal of it is my own my Lord. L. C. J. Mr. Attorney truly I think that that doe's not Contain matter of Scandal may be Transcribed and given to the Prisoner Colledge My Lord I desire I may have that that has in the Margent of it the Case of Lilburn and Stafford Mr. Just Jones You shall not have Instructions to Scandalize the Government all that is necessary for your defence you shall have L. C. J. If he had writ it himself I cannot well see how you could take it from him and truly as 't is I had rather let him have too much then too little Colledge My Lord I thought I might have had Counsel to have assisted me but if I may have Counsel neither before my Plea nor after I that am an Ignorant may be lost by it but can't help it L. C. J. If matter of Law arise you shall have Counsel it Colledge I know not but it might have admitted of an Argument that which if I had had my Papers I should have offered to you L. C. J. Mr. Colledge we shall not go any farther now I know not how many Witnesses will be produced either of one side or another but 't is too late to go on this Morning and because we attend here only upon this Occasion we shall go on with the Tryal at two a Clock in the Afternoon Colledge My Lord You will be pleased to order the Papers for me to Peruse in the mean time L. C. J. We have ordered that you shall have a Transcript of the Paper of Instructions leaving out that which is Scandalous Colledge I desire I may have a Copy of the whole Mr. Just Jones No we do not think fit to do that Colledge Pray let me know which you do except against L. C. J. Look you Mr. Attorney I think we may let him have a Copy of the whole Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord before you rise I desire you would please to take the Examination of Mr. Gregory about Mr. Starkey L. C. J. Swear him Which was done Mr. Att. Gen. What do you know concerning Mr. Starkey and what he did offer you Gregory When they came by your Lordships Permission to Mr. Colledge they brought some Papers which they delivered to him And afterwards Mr. Starkey took me aside and told me it was hard Usage that the Prisoner could not have his Counsel permitted to come to him Do him what Favour you can and I shall not be Ungrateful so he clapped four Guinneys in my hand but I immediately laid them down upon the Table and would not take them Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord I desire you would please to send for Mr. Starkey L. C. J. Let him be sent for Cl. of Cr. You must go and take up Mr Starkey Messenger Must I keep him in Custody I don't know him Cl. of Cr. No you must order him from the Court to attend here Mr. Just Jones These Papers Colledge shall not be debarr'd of for his Defence nor you Mr. Attorney from prosecuting upon them L. C. J. No we we will put them into such Hands as shall take Care about that Colledge Very few my Lord have appeared to do me any Kindness some have been frightned and Imprisoned others are now in Trouble for it L. C. J. Well you shall have the use of your Papers Colledge May I have any Friends come to see me in the mean time L. C. J. They must not come to you in the Prison to give you advice but I 'le tell you since you move it if my Brothers think it convenient whilst the Court does withdraw any body of your Friends may come to you in the Presence of your Keeper Mr. Just Jones Certainly you cannot think you can give a Priviledg to any Friend of yours to commit any Demeanor to offer Bribes to any Person Colledge I know not of any such thing Mr. Just Jones We do not charge you with it but Mr. Starkey did Colledge I have been kept a strict close Prisoner and if my Friends are so
to several People to buy Arms and Ammunition And I asked him to what purpose and he said it was to bring the King to submission to his People adding thereto That he wondred Old Rowley did not consider how easily his Fathers Head came to the Block which he doubted not would be the end of Rowley at the last After this Discourse the Alderman came in we dined and every one went his own way about his own Business Mr. Colledge then told me if I would go with him to his own House I should see how he was prepared with Arms and Provision Soon after I met with him and he desired me to go along and dine with him and I did so and there he did shew me his Pistols his Blunderbuss his great Sword and he shewed me his Armour Back and Breast and he shewed me his Head-piece which if I am not mistaken was covered over with Chamlet it was a very fine thing and said he These are the things which will destroy the pittiful Guards of Rowley that are kept up contrary to Law and Justice to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery Colledge What did I say Sir about my Armour Mr. Smith Thus you said It was to destroy Rowley's Guards those were your words that were kept up contrary to Law and Justice to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery After I had dined with him I parted with him A little before the Parliament was to meet at Oxford I met him again and we were discoursing of several things what preparations the City were making how they were provided with Powder and Bullets and for his part he would go down to Oxford for he expected a little sport there upon the Divisions that were like to be between the King and Parliament Then said I to him Why what is the matter there Why said he we expect that the King will seize upon some of the Members and we are as ready as he And says he for my part I will be there and be one that shall seize Him if he secure any of the Members and I believe he did go down says he you know how the City is provided I told him No not so well as he but he told me all was very well After he came up again I met him another time and he told me He went down in expectation of some sport but Old Rowley was afraid like his Grand-father Jamy and so ran away like to beshit himself Mr. Serj. Jefferies Did he say If he had not ran away he would have seized him Mr. Smith He said nothing of that but before he said He would be one of them should seize him if he seized any of the Members After this he told me that Fitz Gerald and he had had a quarrel at the Parliament-Door of the House of Lords at Oxford that Fitz-Gerald had called him Rogue and said he Fitz-Gerald made my Nose bleed but before long I hope to see a great deal more Blood shed for the Cause After this again when there was a discourse of disarming the City that my Lord Feversham was to come to do it he told me he was well provided and if Feversham or any man nay Rowley himself should attempt any such thing he would be the death of him before any man should seize upon his Arms. Mr. Serj. Jeff. Did he discourse any thing to you about Arms to provide your self Mr. Smith Yes he did I had an Armour from him Mr. Serj. Jefferies What did he say to you about it Mr. Smith He did desire me to get me Arms for I did not know how soon I might make use of them I had an Armour from him upon trial he said it cost him 30 or 40 s. I had it upon trial but it was too big for me so I gave it him back and bought a new one Mr. Attor Gen. Did he tell you to what purpose you should Arm your self Mr. Smith No he did not name any purpose but he told me I did not know how soon I might make use of it Mr. Attor Gen. What did he say to you about any one's seizing the King Mr. Smith He told me the Parliament were agreed to secure the King and that in order to it all Parliament-men came very well Armed and accompanied with Arms and Men and he told me of a great Man that had notice from all the Gentlemen of England how well they came armed Mr. Jones What did he say of himself Mr. Smith He would be one that should secure the King if he seized any of the Members Mr. Jones When he had been there what did he say Mr. Smith If they had had any work he was ready provided for them Mr. Attor Gen. But pray tell us again what he said of the King 's running away Mr. Smith He said Rowley was afraid like his Grand-father Jamy and ran away ready to beshit himself L. Ch. J. If you have done with him Mr. Attorney let the Prisoner ask him what Questions he will Colledge Mr. Smith Where was this Discourse I had with you Mr. Smith Which do you mean the former part or the latter Colledge The first discourse you talk of what I told you going to Mr. Wilcox's to dinner and when it was Mr. Smith You know best when it was I can't exactly remember the time but you know 't is true Colledge Where was it Mr. Smith As we went along thither we had the first part of it and when we came thither you and I talked till Alderman Wilcox came in and you and I were alone together and several Persons that were there were drawn into Cabals two by two Colledge Where Mr. Smith In the Room where we dined and you know there was a little Room by where some were drinking a Glass of Wine Colledge You say by two and two the Company were drawn into Cabals Mr. Smith I tell you most of them were in Cabals two and two together only those 2 Gentlemen that belonged to the Alderman went up down and gave Wine Colledge What Religion are you of Mr. Smith Is it for this Man to ask me my Lord such a Question L. Ch. J. Yes answer him Mr. Smith I am a Protestant Colledge You were a Priest Mr. Smith Yes what then and I am in Orders now Colledge That was from the Church of Rome Mr. Smith Yes and that is a good Ordination I came in voluntarily to discover the Popish Plot and was no Pentioner nor received any Sallary from the King I have spent several Pounds several scores of Pounds but received no Recompence And I was the Darling at one time all over the City when I did adhere to what they would have me to do Mr. Serj. Jefferies Did not you swear against my Lord Stafford Mr. Attor Gen. Were not you a Witness Mr. Smith at my Lord Stafford's Tryal Mr. Smith In that Case I did give a general account of the Design of the Papists they did not then question my
Witnesses say true it is proved Colledge They do not produce that they do but say it L. Chief Justice Mr. Dugdale Swears That at Oxford here you shew'd him the Picture you sung the Song here and expounded it at my Lord Lovelace's and a great many of them are found in your Custody Then that you prepared Armes that you shew'd Smith the Arms in your House and having those Arms you said You would go to Oxford and if there should be a disturbance there you would secure the King And you did come to Oxford where you hear what is said for I Observe Stephen Dugdale and Edward Turbervile speak of what was done at Oxford John Smith and Bryan Haynes speak of what you said at London before you went to Oxford and after you came from Oxford Now I say If these Witnesses speak true 't is a strong Evidence against you both upon the Statute of the 25 Edw. the 3 d. and that of this King too For my Brother Holloway told you true That whereas the Imagining the Death of the King is High Treason by the 25 of Edw. the 3 d. so a Seizing of the King and an endeavor to do that is a constructive Intention of the Death of the King for Kings are never Prisoners but in order to their Death And therefore it hath been held in all times that by the Statute of Edw. 3 d. that was Treason but then the Statute of this King in the 13 Year of his Reign is more strong for there it says If any man shall by any words or malitious speaking shew the Imagination of his Heart that he hath any such Intention that is Treason too Colledge My Lord the Foundation of this Indictment is said to be laid here in Oxford as I suppose pray my Lord here is only Mr. Dugdale and Turbervile that Swear against me for what I should say in Oxon all the rest speak to things said and done at London Now my Lord I desire to know whether they have proved any Treasonable Practices Conspiracy or Design in me against the Government I would feign know that whether there be matter here to ground an Indictment upon for the one says in one place the other in the other which may be distinct matters and none of them Swear Facts against me but only Words Mr. Justice Jones Yes providing Arms for your self and offering others Arms. Colledge That I shall make this Answer to I had only a Case of Pistols and a Sword which every Footman and Horseman had that came from London I think But further my Lord I would ask your Lordship whether there ought not to be two Witnesses distinct to Swear words at one and the same time Mr. Justice Jones No No the Resolution of the Judges in my Lord Stafford's Case is contrary L. Chief Justice Look you It hath been often Resolved That if there be one Witness that proves one Fact which is an Evidence of Treason and another proves another Fact that is an Evidence of the same Treason tho' they be but single Witnesses to several Facts yet they are two Witnesses to an Indictment of Treason that hath been often publickly Resolved particularly in the Case of my Lord Stafford mentioned by my Brother And I 'le tell you my Opinion further If there be one Witness that proves here what you said at Oxford and another that proves what was said in London if they be in order to the same Treason it is sufficient for if you do Conspire to commit such a Treason in London and you come with such an Imagination in your Heart to Oxford to compleat this Treason tho' your design was not first formed there I think 't is enough to maintain an Indictment of Treason and they are two good Witnesses tho' but one speak to what was done at Oxford but I must tell you in your Case there are two full Witnesses to that which was done at Oxford besides Sir William Jennings Colledge That which Sir William Jennings speaks of I told you before what it was I said It was the first Blood that was shed for the Parliament Mr. Just Jones The Parliament was Dissolved before that which Sir William Jennings speaks of therefore you could not say it was to defend the Parliament Colledge Mr. Dugdale did say that I spake such and such words in the Barber's Shop in the Angel Inne there I was indeed at the time that he does speak of and the Barber was by I do think indeed it were convenient to have him here but I knew not where he would charge me or what it was he would charge me with because I never said any thing in my Life that was like Treason Lord Ch. Just Mr. Colledge call any Witnesses you will Colledge But my Lord pray let me ask you one Question more You take these words distinct from any matter of fact don't you L. Ch. Just. No complicated with the Fact which was the Overt-Act the coming to Oxon. with Pistols to make one if there had been any disturbance and to Seize the King Colledge Then my Lord I would ask you Whether any Act of Treason done at London shall be given in Evidence to prove the Treason for which I am now Indicted and which was given in Evidence before the Grand Jury upon which the Tryal was there grounded Lord Ch. Just. Any Act of Treason that is of the same kind And I 'le tell you That was Resolved in Sir Vane's Case those that gave you that Paper understand it But I speak now to your Capacity and to satisfie your Question He was Indicted for Levying Warr against the King he Conspired in Westminster the War was Levyed in another County the Conspiracy upon the Tryal was proved in the County of Middlesex and the Warr in another place and yet it was held sufficient to maintain the Indictment in the County of Middlesex Colledge There was a Warr really Levyed but God be thanked here is only bare words Mr. Just Jones Yes Actions too Colledge What Actions my Lord Mr. Just Jones Arming your self and coming to Oxford Lord Ch. Just Well I have told you my Opinion My Brothers will speak theirs if they think otherwise Mr. Just Jones That is not your Case neither tho I am of the same Opinion with my Lord for here are two Witnesses have proved plain matter of Fact at Oxford the providing Arms your self and encouraging others to take Arms Colledge They name no Persons Mr. Just Jones You will have my Opinion and yet you will give me no leave to speak I had patience to hear you You are told there are two Witnesses Turbervile and Dugdale that prove your providing and having of Arms at Oxon. and perswading others to take Arms particularly Turbervile He told you he had no Arms or but a Case of Pistols and he had no Horse but you told him you would provide him an Horse And then there are two other Witnesses Smith and Bryan Haynes
to contradict what they have said to prove that this was done for Money and that there hath been Confessions from every man of them that they were hired to do it that they did it for a Livelyhood and one of them said It was a good Trade dam him he would do any thing for Money And I hope then you will consider the improbability that I should speak to an Irish man who I had never seen before in my life and that I should at the first dash utter all that Treason that he gives in Evidence I think it cannot consist with any man's understanding to believe me so mad or so weak Mr. Justice Levinz That is as to Haynes only Colledge As to Smith now I suppose it does not come within the reach of the Statute for the Dinner that was made by Alderman Wilcox was made before last July was twelve-month all the Witnesses do say it was before Christmas and Dr. Oates says it was in the Summer I know it by a very good observation because I went to Astrop Waters after that and I saw Sir Creswell Levinz at the Wells Now Sir you were there before this time twelvemonth So then whatever he says I said to him there I cannot be charged withal by the Statute more or less if I had never a Witness against him but I have Witnesses that have contradicted him sufficiently that he is forsworn in that and if so he is not to be believed in any thing else for he says he and I went to the Coffee-house together and we discoursed such and such things which is not above half a Bows shoot and he made it I say a quarter of a miles discourse if I had had all the talk the discourse could not be so long tho' he had said never a word So you see what a kind of Witness he is And Dr. Oates's Brother did say That I did go along with Dr. Oates and offered to be one of his Guard and I did say so and went along with them but Mr. Smith he came after And as to what he says he is sufficiently confuted that is about the going into Cabals after Dinner for it is proved That I fell asleep behind the Table and Dr. Oates was discoursing with Mr. Savage upon points of Divinity but I took no notice of it neither did I see Smith any more but he went away and so did the rest of the Company But my Lord when Haynes was taken Smith comes to me that day to my House at the Ditch-side and sends in a man for me his man I was writing in my Parlour and drawing the Design for Wainscotting Alhallows Church a Platform for it his man told me His Master would speak with me and Haynes was taken that morning But as I understand since it was by agreement and his own consent tho' he hath pretended otherwise You hear says he Haynes is taken Yes says I I do he hath been ever since 9 a Clock before the Secretary upon Examination and he was till 5 a Clock at night examining said he I believe he confesses a great deal said I Of what said he Of some design of the Protestants said I What against the Government I do not know what they may affright him into he is a great Rogue if it be true all that he hath said of himself He says He was concerned in the Fire of London and knew of a Design to destroy the Protestants then of a Rebellion that was to be in Ireland of Plunket's being made Primate and a great many of those things So that if he speaks truth he hath been a great Rogue and as he hath pretended also he was a great Coward So then I believe he may say any thing to excuse himself says Mr. Smith I wish you are safe This was the very night before I was taken Mr. Just Jones Have you proved any thing of this Colledge My Lord Pray give me leave to tell you what is proof Mr. Just Jones You are not to repeat this unless you prove it Sir Colledge He spake cautiously to me as if he would have intimated to me he would have had me run away Said he I believe you are not safe I would have you take care of your self for you were concerned with him Now my Lord if I had been a guilty person I had time enough to get away and to prove this I can only say this was betwixt him and I. But my Lord you hear Dr. Oates says that this very Smith did swear he would have my Bloud and that was upon this occasion of my vindicating Sampson whom he had struck and abused and I asked Why he did it Said he I value no man's Life if he affront me if 't is any man in England I value him not My Lord upon this occasision the words rise between us and when he came out of doors and was going away Dr. Oates said He swore he would have my Bloud and that was the occasion of his speaking that Blasphemy Lord Ch. Just Dr. Oates did say so Mr. Just Levinz Well you are right now if you will go on in that way Colledge My Lord This is for Smith and Haynes that Haynes should say it was a good trade and dam him he would swear any thing for money and that Smith should swear dam him he would have my blood I cannot sum up the rest of them for I have not them here Mr. Just Jones There is Turbervile and Dugdale and Smith we will help you as to the persons Mr. Just Levinz Pray keep to the business and do not run out Colledge Pray my Lord I have one thing to say about Smith he sayes I shewd him my Arms which I have had for any time almost these 3 years ever since the Plot brake out I have been Armed ready to oppose the Papists and I did my duty in the City in person in the Trained bands but Smith says these Arms were to destroy the Kings Guards but he does not prove that I was Confederate with any other person but instead of that there were other persons that say with his own mouth that he did not believe there was any Protestant Plot nay he did believe I said it only in wantonness This is all then how probable was it that I my self should seize the King or destroy his Guards Mr. Just Jones You remember Captain Brown Captain Chuton and Don Lewes Mr. Colledge Colledge Did he swear they were all in my company at Oxon Mr. Just Jones Yes Dugdale did Colledge My Lord Captain Brown and Lewes were friends to my Lord Howard with whom and other Company I came down to Oxon and they lay with me at the Chequer and they were in my Company because they were Guests in the House and we came along together but he does not say they were either of them Armed more than my self nor was he ever in company with us how then does he know we were in a
Conspiracy Mr. Just Jones Because you told him at London first that they were such persons Colledge I never saw Lewes in may days till I saw him that morning I came down from Oxon and Brown I was not acquainted with a fortnight before This is a truth but however they have sworn a Plot upon me at Oxon and then come and prove I declared these were the men and spoke such and such words at London I desire your Lordships Judgment in this matter of Law whether what be done at London can be sufficient matter of proof in Law to maintain an Indictment against me at Oxon And if not they do not prove legally that I have spoken such words Besides I conceive 't is not a good proof because there is but one Witness L. Ch. Justice Yes look you there are two Witnesses Dugdale and Turbervile as to what you said at Oxon and two Witnesses as to what you said at London Haynes and Smith who testifie what you said you would do at Oxon. Now in case you came to Oxon with any such intention that coming to Oxford is an overt-Act and the witnesses that speak what you said in London is Evidence to maintain the Indictment here and to prove what your intention was Colledge Does that become an overt-Act if I go to Oxon upon an honest occasion any other occasion tho' I had said those words before L. Ch. Justice If you came with that intent to joyn with others and with a real purpose to seize the King that is the Overt-Act and the words before prove the intention Mr. Just Jones He declared it himself by his words Colledge Smith says that about a week after Wilcox's dinner I disoursed with him at the Ditch side that comes not within the compass of the Statutes Then there is twice of the 3 times he speaks of the last day I do not remember when it was L. Ch. Justice All was in London that Smith speaks of you Colledge How comes that to be proof here then nothing he says is to go for any thing Mr. Just Jones Nothing will serve your turn we have declared our Opinions once already that if the Witnesses swear true here are two witnesses nay if one were of what was done at London and the other of what was done at Oxon if they be to the same Treason they are two Witnesses in Law Colledge My Lord I observe one thing upon Turbervile's Evidence he swears there was a discourse in the Room when Brown was upon the Bed but afterwards if your Lordship minds it he says I discoursed with him as he and I lay upon the Bed Before he said when Brown lay upon the Bed and in the Room and afterwards when we lay upon the Bed Mr. Just Jones Both the one and the other Colledge But he said said first one way and then the other Mr. Just Jones Whilst Brown lay upon the Bed and when he was gone whilst you both lay upon the Bed L. Ch. Justice We will do you no wrong therefore if you will Turbervile shall stand up and clear it Colledge My Lord I believe those that have taken the passages can prove he contradicted himself in that L. Ch. Just He said both But the Jury have taken notes of the Evidence and will take notice of it Colledge As to Mr. Masters the Evidence he gives was he says that he and I should discourse of the Parliament in 40. Mr. Just Jones And the justifiableness of the late King's death that they had done nothing but what they had just cause to do Colledge He swears that I did say to him that the late Parliament did not cut off the Kings head Mr. Just Jones And you said the last Parliament that sate at Westminster was of the same opinion with that in 40. Colledge I dare appeal to Esq Charlton in whose shop the discourse was I did not know that Mr. Masters was to be an Evidence against me and truly they have taken that course with me by which any man may be destroyed with half this Evidence were they of good Credit let his Innocence be what it will I have been used so barbarously in the Tower kept from all Conversation and so in an utter ignorance of what was sworn against me for else I could easily have disproved Mr. Masters if I had been in London and had liberty to provide for my defence but they have taken a course to prevent that and brought me hither because 't is impossible I should here defend my self L. Ch. Just You have not offered at any Witness to Impeach Mr. Masters Credit Colledge Mr. Masters discourse he speaks of was in Mr. Charlton's shop I durst have appealed to him about it for I know if he were here he would do me right Mr. Masters did say the Parliament cut off the late Kings Head We held a dispute upon that which I was not willing to enter into I said they did not and we did then dispute whether they began the War against his Majesty I said they did not that I knew of neither were they the persons but the Papists that began that War and that broke off the Treaty at Vxbridge and that the Papists carryed it on to that sad issue and put it upon the Protestants that they had the odium of it but it was another sort of men that carryed it on I said that I did always understand that Parliament to be an honest Parliament that minded the true Interest of the Nation and much of the same opinion with the Parliament that fate last at Westminster But before I said this I said they were persons altogether innocent of the Kings murder and raising the War against the King I did always understand that so the Parliament in 40 were L. Ch. Just But they were guilty of a Rebellion and are declared so by Act of Parliament since His Majesty came in Colledge My Lord I am unacquainted with the Law I speak only my sense of it And my Lord I did excuse them as to the Murder of the King and the beginning of the War that according to my understanding they were not Guilty of it and from thence I did maintain they were an honest good Parliament and much of opinion with the Parliament that sat last at Westminster which was for the true Interest of the Nation L. Ch. Just And was that the true Interest of the Nation to cut off the King's Head Colledge I did argue that with him some time and I did tell him that it was the Papists that did all the Mischief Mr. Just Jones But he sayes no upon his Oath that when he had said the Parliament begun the Rebellion and the Parliament did cut off the King's Head you said the Parliament did nothing but what they had just Cause for and the Parliament that sat last at Westminster was of the same mind L. Ch. Just Those were his words Colledge Pray let him be called again L. Ch. Just
tell what they were or know what he meant by them Colledge Then always they are to be taken in the best sence L. Ch. Justice For the other Witnesses Stephen Dugdale John Smith Bryan Haynes and Edward Turbervile they are all of them taking what they say to be true very full Witnesses The Prisoner hath objected as to two of them because they speak to nothing that was done in Oxfordshire but Turbervile and Dugdale they speak to what was said in Oxfordshire Now for that I must tell you If you believe any one of these Witnesses as to what was said in Oxford and any of them as to what was said in London relating to the same Fact of Treason they will be two good Witnesses to maintain the Indictment though the one is in the one County and the other in another for if a Treason be committed in two Counties it is in the Kings Election where he will Exhibit the Indictment and the Evidence from both Counties is good Evidence that I take for Law and these four Witnesses with that consideration that they are true as I think are full Witnesses to maintain this Indictment Why then the next Head is concerning the truth of this Evidence of which you are to be Judges and you are the proper Judges whether the Witnesses speak true or no therefore you must have your own Consciences to direct you in that case and what I shall say about them shall be only for your Assistance Gentlemen I shall not take upon me to repeat the Evidence to you it has been long and for me to speak out of Memory I had rather you should recur to your own Memories and your own Notes Only I shall say something in general to contract your Consideration of it And as I told you at first you must mind nothing of what the Kings Counsel said for nothing must have Impression upon you but what they proved So you are not to consider any thing of the Facts the Prisoner spake of that are not proved neither For common Justice is concerned in it and no Justice can be done at that rate if the Prisoners own Affirmations or Purgation should be taken No man ever can be accused but he will be ready to say he is innocent and say as flour is hung and popular things as ever he can for himself And therefore these things must not weigh with you further then as what is said argues upon the Proofs you have had And you are to consider upon the Proofs what the Prisoner has produced not what he says on the other side for the Proofs you have heard a great many Witnesses in general produced by him that say he was bred a Protestant and has been an honest Man that they knew no ill by him that will be of little weight in a case of this Consideration for unless he were a Man that had committed Treason to the knowledge of all the World there is no Man but can produce Witnesses that know no ill of him nor any Treason nor Harm in him therefore the Question will lye upon the credit of the Witnesses produced for the King barely and that will be the Consideration you are only to have and you are to weigh them in the Ballance against the Witnesses produced against them Now Gentlemen for these Witnesses I shall not repeat them to you but only this I shall observe in general that Dugdale and Turbervile that are the two most material Witnesses relating to what was spoken in Oxford-shire have the least said against them I do not remember I profess to you I do not but your own notes must guide you that there was any very material thing said against them except what is said against them by Dr. Oates and Dr. Oates does say against Smith that he came out of the Coffee-house and swore damm him he would have Colledges Blood and when he reproved him and said it was not fit for a Minister of the Gospel to use such Expressions he said God damn the Gospel if that be true 't is a great Reflection upon the Credit of Smith He says as to Dugdale that when he was expostulating with him about his Evidence he excused himself that he was in want of money and was pressed to it and being asked did say he was pressed to swear against his Conscience he said yes and much of the same kind he says as to Turbervile that he said he was disserted and would not starve Now all these three Witnesses being called upon their Oaths deny that which Dr. Oates Testifies Now if it were in an indifferent and probable matter to have three Men condemned and set aside by the Testimony of one is not equal unless the Man were of mighty extraordinary Credit and his Testimony of more than ordinary weight But then I must tell you this matter is very probable that after Witnesses had sworn a thing they should voluntarily acknowledg themselves to be forsworn and that without any Provocation they should at several times come to this one Man and declare themselves Rogues and Villaines but if it were probable here are three Mens Oaths against one Mans affirmation this I say as to what concerns Dugdale and Turbervile I do not see any thing material against them besides now if you believe them they are two Witnesses to the full Matter of the Indictment and two Witnesses to what was done in Oxford-shire and that satisfies all the Considerations of Law As to the rest of the Witnesses Bryan Haynes and John Smith you have had many Witnesses produced against them I shall not undertake to repeat the Evidence 't is your place and duty to weigh their Testimony and I shall leave it to your Consideration Mr. Just Jones I shall add nothing to what my Lord hath said nor indeed can Colledge My Lord I wish you would look upon your Notes you would then find there was much more Evidence that you have not repeated against Turbervile and Dugdale besides what you Lordship urged L. Ch. Just If there be I refer it to the Memory of the Jury I can remember no more Colledge I desire nothing but Justice and true Justice L. Ch. Justice I am sure I design nothing else you are a stranger to me I believe I have seen your Face but I never knew you by name till now Look you if the Jury be like to stay they may take something to refresh themselves at the Bar before they go Colledge My Lord I did see when the Bill was brought against my Lord Howard Mr. Attorny General and Mr. Solicitor were an hour and half with the Grand Jury Mr. Serj. Jefferies You must say nothing now my Lord has given the Charge Colledge Let me have Justice done my Lord that 's all I crave that no Body may be with the Jury L. Ch. Justice Look you Mr. Colledge they might be with the Grand Jury but as to the Petty Jury there shall be a Bayliff sworn
and neither Mr. Attorny nor Mr. Solicitor nor no Body else shall come to them till they be agreed of their Verdict Mr. Just Jones If that be the thing you ask you shall have it according to the Law Colledge And any Friend of mine may be by L. Ch. Justice There shall be an Officer sworn to keep them Then the Court called for two Bottles of Sack which the Jury divided among themselves at the Bar for their Refreshment in the presence of the Prisoner After which a Bailiff was sworn and the Jury withdrawing to consider of their Verdict the Court adjourned for half an hour and when they returned Proclamation being made for attendance the Court sent to see whether the Jury were agreed who immediately came in to Court Cl. of Cr. Gentlemen are you agreed of your Verdict Om. Yes Cl. of Cr. Who shall say for you Om. Foreman Cl. of Cr. Stephen Colledge Hold up thy hand look upon him you of the Jury How say you is he Guilty of the High Treason whereof he stands Indicted or not Guilty Foreman Guilty Cl. of Cr. Look to him Goaler he is found Guilty of High Treason what Goods c. At which there was a great shout given at which the Court being offended one Person who was observed by the Cryer to be particularly concerned in the shout was Committed to Goal for that Night but the next Morning having received a publick reproof was discharged without Fees Then it being about 3 a Clock in the morning the Court adjourned to 10. At which hour the Court being sate and first Mr. Aaron Smith having entred into a Recognizance of 500 l. to appear the first day of the next Term at the Court of Kings-Bench L. Ch. Justice Where is the Prisoner Stephen Colledge Cl. of Cr. Set up Stephen Colledge Then the Prisoner was brought to the Bar. Cl. of Cr. Hearken to the Court and hold up thy hand Thou hast been Indicted and Arraigned of High Treason and for thy Tryal hast put thy self upon thy Country and they have found thee Guilty what canst thou say for thy self why the Court should not give Judgment on thee to dye according to the Law Colledge My Lord I have nothing more to offer but only that I am innocent of what is laid to my charge I think it was severe against me now contrary to what was sworn at London They swear now I was to seize the King at Oxon. In London they swore I would pluck the King out of Whitehall but 't is altered since and now 't is to seize the King at Oxon but be it either one or to'ther for the one is as true as the other I am wholly innocent of either I never had such a thought in my Life God forgive them that have sworn against me I have no more to say my Lord. L. Ch. Justice Look you Mr. Colledge it is too late to profess your innocence you have been tryed and found Guilty but because you say it now 't is necessary for me to say something in vindication of the Verdict which I think the Court were all very well satisfied with There were sufficient proofs to warrant it and the Jury did according to Justice and right I thought it was a Case that as you made your own defence small proof would serve the turn to make any one believe you Guilty For as you would defend your self by pretending to be a Protestant It is wonder I must confess when you called so many Witnesses to your Religion and Reputation that none of them gave an account that they saw you receive the Sacrament within these many years or any of them particularly had seen you at Church in many years or what kind of Protestant you were If we look to your Words and Actions it is true they did prove this that you were mighty violent and zealous in crying out against Popery and the Papists but if we look to your Actions they favoured rather to promote the Papists ends For I must tell you the Papists are best extirpated and suppressed by a steady Prosecution of the Laws against them not by violent cryings out and putting the People into fervent heats and confusions for that is the thing the Papists aim at they have no hopes any other way to creep into the Kingdome but by Confusion and after the Church is destroyed that is under God the best Bulwark against them But you that cryed so loud against the Papists it was proved here who you called Papists You had the boldness to say that the King was a Papist the Bishops were Papists and the the Church of England were Papists If these be the Papists you cry out against what a kind of Protestant you are I know not I am sure you can be no good one But truly I thought you would have made better proof of that thing when you called so many witnesses to that purpose and then if we look to your Politicks what Opinion you had of the King it was proved by your discourse and by witnesses that you could have no Exception to their Testimony that you did justify the late horrid Rebellion and the Consequents of that was the murder of the best King in the World that you should go to justify the proceedings of that Parliament and affirm that they did nothing but what they had just cause to do I say he that will justify such a thing if there were the same Circumstances would do the same thing again Then if we look upon another part of your defence as to your Arms it was objected you went armed to Oxon and that was made the Evidence of the Overt Act when you said by words your intentions what you would do that you would make one to seize the King that you did go armed you did confess I expected you should have said you only wore those things for your own defence upon the Road as a Gentleman travelling or went with your Friends to accompany them out of Town and defend them from Robbery but you said you went to Guard the Parliament I did not understand what you meant by it I do not believe the Parliament sent for any Guard or intended to have any Guard I do not believe that any of them in their Hearts thought they needed a Guard for I believe there was not a man that had any thing that looked like that or any thing of that nature For we saw that when the King by the necessity of his Affairs when the two Houses differed so much was pleased to dismiss them they all departed quietly not a man was seen to be disturbed there was no appearance of any such thing and how it should come into your head that were but a private man to go to guard the Parliament I much wonder Suppose all men of your condition should have gon to have guarded the Parliament what an Assembly had there been what a bustle might they have made and what confusion might have been on a sudden And though you say you are no man of quality nor likely to be able to do any thing upon the Kings guards or the Kings Person yet if all of your quality had gon upon the same design that you did what ill Consequences might have been of it we see what has been done by Massianello a mean Man in another Country what by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw in this Kingdom I confess I know not what you meant by it but very ill things might have happened upon it So that these things when I look upon them and consider the complexion of your defence it makes an easie proof have credit But I think there was a full Proof in your case yet I say if there had been a great deal less proof the Jury might with Justice have found you Guilty And because you now declare your self innocent of all you are charged with I think my self bound to declare here in Vindication of the Country and in vindication of the Justice of the Court that it was a Verdict well given and to the satisfaction of the Court and I did not find my brothers did dislike it This I say to you out of Charity that you may incline your mind to a submission to the Justice that has overtaken you and that you may enter into Charity with all men and prepare your self for another Life There is nothing now remaining but to pronounce the Sentence which the Law provides for such an Offence which is this and the Court does award That you Stephen Colledge shall be carried from hence to the Place from whence you came and from thence you shall be drawn on an Hurdle to the Place of Execution where you shall be hanged up by the Neck and be cut down alive your Privy Members shall be cut off and your Bowels taken out and burnt before your Face your Head shall be cut off from your Body your Body be divided into four Quarters which are to be at the Kings dispose and the Lord have Mercy upon your Soul Colledge Amen My Lord I would know what time your Lordship is pleased to appoint for my Preparation L. Ch. Justice That will depend upon the Kings pleasure we do not use in these cases of high Treason to precipitate the Execution but we will leave such Order with the Sheriff to receive the Kings pleasure and obey it He will not do it so sudden but that you shall have Notice to prepare your self but it depends upon the Kings pleasure for your Body is to be at his dispose Then the Court adjourned And on Wednesday 31. of Aug. 1681. Being the Day appointed by His Majesty for his Execution he was according to Sentence Executed over against the Gate of the Castle at Oxford FINIS