Natural Lord the Fear of God in thy heart not having nor weighing the Duty of thy Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil the cordial Love and true due and natural obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our said Sovereign Lord the King towards him our said Soveraign Lord the King should and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and machinating and with all thy strength intending the Peace and common tranquillity of our said Soveraign Lord the King of this Kingdom of England to disturb and Sedition and Rebellion and War against our Sovereign Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to move stir up and procure and the Cordial Love and true and due Obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our said Soveraign Lord the King towards him our said Soveraign Lord the King should and of right ought to bear wholly to withdraw put out and extinguish and him our said Soveraign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the Tenth day of March in the Three and Thirtieth year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. at Oxford in the County of Oxford Falsly Maliciously Subtilly and Traiterously did Purpose Compass Imagine and Intend Sedition and Rebellion within this Kingdom of England to move stir up and procure and a Miserable Slaughter among the Subjects of our said Soveraign Lord the King to procure and cause and our said Soveraign Lord the King from his Regal State Title Power and Government of his Kingdom of England to deprive depose cast down and disinherit and him our said Soveraign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put and the Government of the said Kingdom at thy will and pleasure to change and alter and the State of all this Kingdom of England in all its parts well instituted and ordained wholly to Subvert and Destroy and War against our said Soveraign Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to levy and thy said most Wicked Treasons and Trayterous Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid to fulfil and perfect thou the said Stephen Colledge the said tenth day of March in the Three and Thirtieth year of the Reign of our said Soveraign Lord the King with force and Arms c. at Oxford aforesaid in the County of Oxford aforesaid Falsly Maliciously Subtilly Advisedly Devilishly and Traiterously did prepare Arms and Warlike offensive habiliments to wage War against our said Soveraign Lord the King And thy self in warlike manner for the purposes aforesaid then and there Falsly Maliciously Subtilly Advisedly Devilishly and Traiterously didst Arm and one Edward Turbervill and other Subjects of our said Soveraign Lord the King to Arm themselves to perfect thy Traiterous purposes aforesaid then and there Advisedly Maliciously and Trayterously didst incite and advise And further then and there Falsly Maliciously Subtilly Advisedly Devilishly and Traiterously didst say and declare That it was purposed and designed to seize the Person of our said Soveraign Lord the King at Oxford aforesaid in the County of Oxford aforesaid And that thou the said Stephen Colledge in prosecution of thy Traiterous purpose aforesaid wouldst be one of them who should seize our said Soveraign Lord the King at Oxford aforesaid in the County aforesaid And that thou the said Stephen Colledge thy said most wicked Treasons and traiterous Imaginations Compassings and Purposes aforesaid the sooner to fulfill and perfect and discords between our said Soveraign Lord the King and his People to move cause and procure then and diverse times and dayes as well before as after at Oxford aforesaid in the County of Oxford aforesaid in the presence and hearing of diverse Leige Subjects of our said Soveraign Lord the King then and there being present falsly maliciously subtilly advisedly devillishly and Traiterously didst say and declare That nothing of good was to be expected from our said Soveraign Lord the King that our said Soveraign Lord the King did mind nothing but beastliness and the Destruction of his People And that our said Soveraign Lord the King did endeavour to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery against the Duty of thy Allegiance against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statutes in this Case made and provided How say'st thou Stephen Colledge art thou Guilty of this High Treason whereof thou standest indicted and hast been now arraigned or Not Guilty Colledge My Lord I do desire if it please your Lordship to be heard a few words L. Ch. Just Look you Mr. Colledge the matter that hath been here read unto you is a plain matter and it hath been read to you in English that you may understand it 'T is an Indictment of High Treason now you must know that no Plea can be received to it but either Guilty or Not Guilty as to the Fact if you can assign any matter in Law do it Colledge Will you please to spare me that I may be heard a few words I have been kept close Prisoner in the Tower ever since I was taken I was all along unacquainted with what was charged upon me I knew not what was sworn against me nor the persons that did swear it against me and therefore I am wholly ignorant of the matter I do humbly desire I may have a Copy of the Indictment and a Copy of the Jury that is to pass upon me and that I may have Councel assigned me to advise me whether I have not something in Law pleadable in Bar of this Indictment L. Ch. Just These are the things you ask you would have a Copy of the Indictment you would have Councel assigned to you to advise you in matter of Law and a Copy of the Jury Colledge One word more my Lord I desire to know upon what Statute I am indicted L. Ch. Just I will tell you for that Is it not contra formam Statut. with an abbreviation Cl. of C. Yes L. Ch. Just That refers to all manner of Statutes that have any Relation to the thing in the Indictment that is High Treason For it may be meant contra formam Statut. which are all the several Statutes that are in force concerning High Treason Now for those things that you demand you cannot have them by Law No man can have a Copy of the Indictment by Law for Councel you cannot have it unless matter of Law arises and that must be propounded by you and then if it be a matter debatable the Court will assign you Councel but it must be upon a matter fit to be argued for I must tell you a defence in Case of High Treason ought not to be made by Artificial Cavils but by plain Fact If you propose any matter of Law the Court will consider of it and assign you Councel if it be reasonable For a Copy of
the Jury that you can't have neither for there is no such thing as yet there is no Issue joyned whereupon such a Jury should be impannelled When you have pleaded to Issue then we must award the Sheriff to impannel a Jury to try that Issue So as to what you say as to want of preparation for your Tryal we cannot enquire what Notice you have had and yet if you had never so little time there is no cause why you should not plead though you were but just now taken and brought to the Bar to answer it and never heard of any thing of it before So that I think you ought to plead presently Colledge My Lord I am wholly ignorant of the Law I may ruine my self by mistaking the Law I desire Councel not to delay my Tryal but only to advise me whether there is not something in Law proper for me to plead to this Indictment and those things I alledged were not at all to delay the Tryal but only that I may not be wanting to my self in what I may by Law have L. Ch. Just I tell you Councel cannot be assigned you till the Court be possessed of some matter to grant it upon Colledge I had some Papers my Lord that were taken from me which I desire may be restored to me I only plead that I may have my Birth right and that which the Law gives me If I may have Justice I desire no more Those Papers were taken from me in the House over the way since I was brought from the Prison they were Papers that concerned my defence some directions and instructions how to manage my self in that defence If you please to let me have those Papers I will not take up much of your time I desire to have but Common Justice and that which is my right by Law L. Ch. Just That which you demand Justice you shall have by the Grace of God to the best of our skill without any partiality in the World But you must trust the Publick Justice of the Kingdom We are to be of Councel for you so far as to see that all things proceed fairly on all sides And when things come before us that are fit for you to have Councel upon you shall have Councel assigned you for we are tender of the Life of a Man as well as of the Life of the King and of the Publick Justice of the Kingdom But this is no reason why you should not now plead For the Papers you speak of we will take an Examination of them afterwards If they were Papers that are necessary for your defence upon your Tryal in Gods Name you must have them restored to you but we know not which way you came by them nor what they are Colledge They were taken from me just now under the pretence of bringing them to your Lordship L. Ch. Just How comes any body to give you Papers No body can solicit for any one that is under an Accusation of High Treason unless he be assigned so to do by the Court. Colledge God have mercy upon any man that is so accused then for 't is not possible for him to make his defence if he cannot be at Liberty to look after it himself nor any of his friends permitted to do it for him L. Ch. Just You can say whether you are Guilty or Not Guilty without any Papers Colledge My Lord I know not but there may be something in Law for me to plead to this Indictment which I shall lose the benefit of if I plead I humbly conceive you are to be my Councel and as you are Judges are to proceed according to the Law You are upon your Oaths to do me right according to the Law Mr. Just Jones But till you have proposed a matter of Law fit for Councel to argue there is no Councel to be assigned you Colledge If I had those Papers I could tell what I should plead My Lord this is one thing I am a Free-man of London and I am not impleadable by the Charter of London any where out of the Liberties of the City in Pleas of the Crown L. Ch. Just You are indicted in Oxfordshire for High Treason committed here If there be not any thing of High Treason proved done in Oxfordshire you will be acquitted But a Free-man of London cannot have a Priviledge to commit Treason in Oxfordshire but must be tryed for it there Colledge Will you please to order me my Papers back that were taken from me Mr. Just Jones You ought first to plead You have a right to demand Councel in matters of Law but then it must be upon such matters of Law as you your self propose to the Court and the Court shall judge 〈◊〉 matters of Law fit to be debated Till then we cannot assign you Councel Colledge It was so in the Tryal of Lilburne and in the Tryal of my Lord Stafford there was Councel assigned to them Mr. Just Jones Not before they pleaded to the Indictment Colledge Did not your Lordships some of you that are Judges of the Kings-Bench say that it was the right of the Prisoner to have a Copy of the Pannel and of the Jury before the Tryal Mr. Just Jones No sure Here are two of us that are of the Court and we never heard of any such thing Colledge Pray my Lord do me right I am ignorant of the Law and through my Ignorance may mistake L. Ch. Just God forbid we should not do you right you may expect it from us we are upon our Oaths to do all the Kings Subjects right Colledge I am ignorant in the Law and 't is impossible for me to make my defence without the Assistance of my Papers L. Ch. Just Cannot you tell whether you be Guilty or Not Guilty of this Treason Colledge I can so but I know not what error I may run my self into if I should plead presently and lose the benefit that the Law may give me L. Ch. Just All matters of Law are saved to you after you have pleaded Colledge Pray my Lord let me have my Papers again that were taken from me Cl. of Cr. You must plead to the Court Guilty or Not Guilty Colledge Shall I not have my Papers after I have pleaded L. Ch. Just We will not capitulate with you Move what you will then but till you have pleaded we can enter into no other business Colledge I know not but I might plead some other thing to the Indictment Mr. Just Jones Propose what you will if it be a matter in Law fit to be argued you shall have Councel assigned you Colledge Pray my Lord let me have my Papers again If it were not my right to have them or to have Councel I would not ask it but if it be I would not lose what is my right L. Ch. Just You must plead first I know not but he may be criminal that brought you those Papers for we allow no Sollicitors in Cases of
kind to me as to help me in order to my Defence I hope you will not be against it Pray my Lord let me have my Papers L. C. J. You shall have them but they shall be put into such Hands as the Court may have command over they shall be in the Sheriffes Sons Hands and you shall have the immediate Use of them Colledge If there be any thing else in those Papers necessary for my Defence I pray I may have it L. C. J. The Speech is not fit for you what other Papers would you have Colledge Another Paper there is that is something of Law Mr. Just Jones Nothing but libellous and what is a Scandal to the Government Mr. Att. Gen. You are to have nothing of matter of Law but what you are to propose your self Colledge If you take away all my helps I cannot propose any thing Mr. Serj. Jefferies To allow you those papers is to allow you Counsel by a side Wind. L. C. J. Look you the papers of instructions shall be delivered to the Sheriff's Son who shall let you peruse it in this interval and make use of it in your Tryal but it must be in safe custody to be used upon further occasion as the Kings Attorney shall think fit Then the Court adjorn'd till 2 in the afternoon Post meridiem At 2 a clock the Court returned and Proclamation was made for attendance and for the Vnder-Sheriff to return his Jury Colledge My Lord ought not I to have a Copy of this Jury L. C. J. No they are to look upon you as they come to be sworn and then you are to challeng them Cl. of Cr. Stephen Colledge hold up thy Hand and hearken to the Court those good men that you shall hear called and personally appear are to pass c. Colledge Pray Sr. let the way be clear that I may see them Cl. of Cr. Ay Ay. Colledge Pray Sr. how many are there of the Jury that appear Mr. Att. Gen. There are enough Cl. of Cr. Make Proclamation for Information which was done Cl. of Cr. Henry Standard who was Sworn Richard Croke who was challenged by the Prisoner William Bigg challenged Mr. Just Jones Do you challenge him Peremptorily or with Cause L. C. J. If he do not shew Cause it must be supposed it is Peremptory Colledge I suppose he was upon the Grand-Jury L. C. J. That would be a Chalenge with Cause Mr. Bigg No I was not Colledge Then I do not challenge him I know him not he was Sworn Cl. of Cr. Thomas Marsh challenged Thomas Martin did not appear Gabriel Merry being almost a hundred years of Age was excused Robert Bird Sworn John Shorter Sworn William Windlow Sworne Edward Aryes Challenged William Ayres Challenged and Richard Ayres Challenged Charles Hobbs Sworn Roger Browne Sworn Timothy Doyley Sworn Richard Dutton Challenged Ralph Wallis Sworn John Nash Challenged John Benson Sworn John Peircy Sworn William Webb Challenged and John Lawrence Sworn Then they were counted and their Names in Order thus Henry Standard William Bigg Robert Bird. John Shorter William Windlow Charles Hobbs Roger Browne Timothy Doyley Ralph Wallis John Benson John Peircy John Lawrence L. C. J. Mr. Sheriffe there are a great many of the Jury that are not Sworn they are discharged let them go out of the Court and so you will make Room for the Witnesses Cl. of Cr. Gentlemen you of the Jury look upon the Prisoner and hearken to his Charge He stands Indicted by the Name of Stephen Colledge late of Oxford in the County of Oxford Carpenter for that he as a false Traytor c. Proved in the Indictment Mutatis Mutandis and upon this Indictment he hath been Arraigned c. Mr. North. May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen that are Sworn this is an Indictment against Stephen Colledge the Prisoner at the Bar for an Endeavour to raise a Rebellion within this Kingdom wherein he is accused and the Jury find that he as a false Traitor against the Kings Majesty contrary to the duty or his Allegiance on the 10 th of March in the 33 d. year of the Kings Reign at Oxon here did trayterously Conspire and Compass the Death of the King and the Subversion of the Government and to raise a Rebellion in the Kingdom and to slaughter his Majesties Subjects to put the King to Death to Levy War against him and to deprive him of his Royal State and Government and to alter the Government at his own Will and Pleasure and to accomplish this he did at Oxon here prepare Arms for the carrying on the War and excited one Edward Turbervile and others to arm themselves against the accomplishment of this Design and did declare his purpose was to Seize the Kings Person at Oxon and that he was one of those that was to do it and to bring the said Turbervile and other Subjects to his purpose did Falsly Malitiously and Trayterously declare in their Hearing that there was no good to be expected from the King that he minded nothing but the Destruction of his People and Arbitrary Government and to introduce Popery And this is laid to be against the Duty of his Allegiance against the Kings Peace and against the form of the Statutes in those Cases made and provided The Prisoner you hear upon his Arraignment hath pleaded Not Guilty which Issue you are to try and if the Evidence for the King which are ready to be produced prove that which is laid to his Charge you are to find it accordingly Mr. Att. Gen. May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen of the Jury The Prisoner at the Bar stands Indicted of a very high Crime no less then High Treason and that too of the deepest Dye it is for an Endeavour to destroy the King to subvert the Government to raise a Rebellion amongst the Kings Subjects And Gentlemen those Instances that we shall give you and produce our Evidence to for the Proof of that are these He laid his Design to Seize the King at Oxon and he did not want his Accomplices to do it but they were not Men Gentlemen that were Protestants but Men that were Rebels in the late War they were men of such a Kidney that he associated himself with and these were the Persons that were to assist in this Attempt In order to this he had prepared Arms in an extraordinary manner Arms of a great Value for one of his Condition who is by Trade a Joyner for if a true Estimate were taken of the Value of the Arms I believe they were worth twice his whole Estate he prepared a good Horse extraordinary Pistols a Carbine a Coat of Maile an Head Piece and so being armed Cap a-Pee with that Design he came hither to Oxon. And you will judge whether these be fit Tools for a Joyner Colledge I beseech you Sr. have you any body to prove this If you have not you do hurt to the Jury as well as me
Brooks as to this Discourse But I declare I did never hear it and Mr. Smith was the first man that ever I heard it from I never heard it before in my Life Colledge Would he have had you been an Evidence and swore it Mr. Bolron Yes he said he had given an Account of it to the King and if I did manage it rightly against my Lord Shaftesbury and Colledge he would make me for ever those two Persons were mentioned all along But I do declare it I did never hear them speak Treason against the King in my Life And he did further tell me that I must say so and so for if we did not agree it would signifie nothing But my Lord I know nothing of the matter I never heard any one speak of it but Mr. Smith My Lord this is true Mr. Mowbray was the man that was by when it was Discoursed Mr. Just Jones He would have had you sworn it would he Mr. Bolron I discovered it to my Lord Mayor Mr. Att. Gen. When did you discover it Mr. Bolron Soon after I came to Town Mr. Att. Gen. When was it Mr. Bolron Some time last week Mr. Att. Gen. Was it on Saturday last Mr. Bolron It was the beginning of the week Mr. Serg. Jefferies Thou art such a Discoverer Mr. Bolron My Lord 't is very true what I say If I had known any such thing I would have discovered it Mr. Serg. Jefferies Thou wouldest have discovered it before that time of my Conscience Colledge My Lord he hath been an Evidence against the Papists as well as Mr. Smith and therefore pray Sir George don't make your flourishes upon him Mr. Serg. Jefferies He was an Evidence but he had the misfortune never to be believed Mr. Att. Gen. Do you know any thing of any Pictures of Mr. Colledge's making Have you seen Raree Shew Mr. Bolron Never in my Life Mr. Att. Gen. Did you not shew it in Oxford Mr. Bolron No never in my Life Mr. Serg. Holloway Did you never declare to any Gentleman of Oxford that Colledge made this Picture Mr. Bolron I have seen the Character of a Popish Successor but I never saw Raree Shew Mr. Serg. Holloway Here is the very Gentleman my Lord that will make Oath of it Mr. Bolron He was supposed to make them I did not know that he did Mr. Serg. Jefferies I do only desire one thing I do not say that you ever had Raree Shew but did you ever tell any body that Colledge made any of these Pictures Mr. Bolron I have heard of such a Paper but I did never see it in my life Mr. Serg. Jefferies Do you know that Gentleman Mr. Bolron Mr. Bolron I know him not Mr. Serg. Jefferies I would ask you whether you ever had any Discourse with that Gentleman Mr. Bolron Never in my life Then the Gentleman was sworn being a Master of Arts. Mr. Serg. Jefferies What is the Gentlemans Name Mr. Serg. Holloway Mr. Charlett of Trinity Colledge Mr. Serg. Jefferies Pray Sir do you know that Person there Mr. Charlett My Lord in the new Coffee-House that was by the Schools that was set up in the Parliament-time there was a Gentleman that is in the Court I think one Mr. Dashwood and one Mr. Box were there together to drink a Dish of Coffee and hearing that some of the Evidence were there we desired their Company up and that Gentleman was one and among other Discourse they were speaking of some Pictures and they shewed us the Picture of the Tantivies Mr. S. Jeff. Did this man shew it you Mr. Char. This very man It was the Pictures of the Tantivies and the Towzer he told me they were made by Colledge he was a very ingenious man Mr. Bolr. I know nothing of it the Character of a Popish Successor I have seen but never the other I never shewed him any such thing Then the Pictures were shewn him Mr. Char. It was something like this but I cannot say for any of the other Mr. Bolr. The Character of a Popish Successor I say I have seen and Colledge himself hath told me he made the Character of a Popish Successor I do not deny that I have seen that L. C. J. Would you ask him any more Questions Mr. Bolr. My Lord I have something more to say concerning Mr. Brian Hains In January February and April last several times I was in his Company and I heard him say he knew nothing of a Popish Plot nor of a Presbyterian Plot neither but if he were to be an Evidence he did not care what he swore but would swear and say any thing to get money Mr. Just Jones Did he tell you so Mr. Bolr. Yes I did hear him say To day he would be a Papist to morrow a Presbyterian he did not care for Religion he would never die for Religion he would be of that Religion that had the strongest party My Lord he told me so at my own house in Fleetstreet Colledge He would say any thing for money pray my Lord take notice of that for so I find he does Mr. Bolron Then there is Dennis Macnamarra and John Macnamarra Mr. Ser. Jeff. We have nothing to say to them Colledge They have been Evidences against me though you do not now produce them they are all in a string but they are not now brought because my Witnesses are prepared to answer them L. C. J. Will you call your next Witness Colledge Mr. Mowbray Pray Sir do you know Narrative Smith as he calls himself Mr. Mowbray Yes my Lord. Colledge What do you know of it Mr. Mowbray I came up from York with him when I returned after I was commanded down upon the Kings account to give in Evidence against Sir Miles Stapleton he came to me the third of August and called at my house in Yorkshire and was very importunate for me to come up to London with him for he said he had a Letter come to him which commanded his presence at London very suddenly and he produced that Letter which he said came from a Gentleman of the Court or some Court dependent so he read the Letter in Mr. Balron's hearing We set forward on Sunday and upon our journey to London he told me he had something of importance to impart to me so upon the road he began to discourse of the Parliament and of the illegal proceedings and Arbitrary power of the 2 last Parliaments he said their proceedings were very Illegal and Arbitrary and he began to open some of the Votes as that which they voted that those that should lend the King money upon the Crown lands should be enemies to the King and Kingdom and those that Counselled the King to dissolve the Parliament and he repeated many Votes and said he these are signs of Arbitrary power and certainly they design to take off the King so he proceeded further to ask me what was the discourse of Sir John Brooks when we came up
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