THE TRYAL OF THE LORD RUSSEL July 13. 1683. My Lord Russel was set to the Bar within the Bar. Clerk of the Crown William Russel hold up thy hand which he did Then this Indictment was read which is as followeth THe Jurors of our Sovereign Lord the King upon their Oaths present That William Russel late of London Esq together with other false Traitors as a false Traitor against the most Illustrious and Excellent Prince our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King his natural Lord not having the Fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil and the true Duty and natural Obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our Sovereign Lord the King towards him our said Lord the King do bear and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and with his whole Strength intending the Peace and Common Tranquility of this Kingdom of England to disturb and War and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up and the Government of our said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to subvert and our said Lord the King from his Title Honour and Kingly Name of the Imperial Crown of this his Kingdom of England to put down and deprive and our said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the second day of November in the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second King of England c. the 34th and diverse other days and times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Michael Bassishaw in the Ward of Bassishaw London aforesaid maliciously and traiterously with diverse other Traitors to the Jurors aforesaid unknown he did conspire compass imagine and intend our said Lord the King his Supream Lord not only of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Lord the King to kill and to Death to bring and put and the ancient Government of this his Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly to subvert and a Miserable Slaughter amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move procure and stir up within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect the said most horrible Treasons and Traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid he the said William Russel together with other false Traytors as a false Traytor then and there and diverse other Days and Times as well before as after Maliciously Trayterously and advisedly between themselves and with diverse other Traytors to the Jurors aforesaid unknown they did meet together consult agree and conclude and every of them then and there did consult agree and conclude Insurrection and Rebellion against our Sovereign Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to move and stir up and the Guards for the Preservation of the Person of our said Lord the King to seize and destroy against the Duty of his Allegiance against the Peace c. And also against the Form of the Statutes c. Cl. of Cr. How saiest thou art thou Guilty or not Guilty L. Russel My Lord may I not have a Copie of the Matter of Fact laid against me that I may know what to answer to it L. Ch. J. My Lord we can grant you nothing till you have pleaded Therefore that which is put to you now is whether you say you are Guilty or not Guilty L. Russel My Lord I am not Guilty Cl. of Cr. Culprit How wilt thou be tryed L. Russel By God and my Country Cl. of Cr. God send thee a good deliverance L. Russel My Lord I thought a Prisoner had never been arraigned and tryed at the same time I have been a close Prisoner L. Ch. Just For Crimes of this Nature My Lord we do it continually L. Russel It is hard my Lord. Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord hath no reason to complain for want of notice for since Monday seven-night he had notice of his Trial and the matters alledged against him he had notice of for Questions were put to him about this matter he hath been fairly dealt with he hath had the liberty of Counsel to advise him there hath been no sort of liberty denied him which becomes any Subject to have in this condition L. Ch. J. My Lord I do not know whether you hear Mr. Attorny He says your Lordship hath had a great deal of Favour shewn you already in that you have been acquainted with the Crimes for which you are now Indicted that you have had a great deal of warning given you that you have had the liberty of Counsel which hath not been known granted to any under your Lordships Circumstances He says he doubts not but your Lordship is prepared for your Defence because you have had so much knowledg and warning of the Time and Matter for which you were to be called in question L. Russel My Lord I am much to seek I only heard some general Questions and I have Witnesses that I believe are not yet in Town nor will be I believe till Night I think it very hard I can't have one day more Mr. Att. Gen. Monday seven-night your Lordship had notice L. Russel I did not know the matter I was charged with Mr. Att. Gen. Yes certainly for I was with you my self my Lord and those Questions you were examined upon were a Favour to you that you might know what the matter was you were accused of L. Ch. J. My Lord without the Kings consent we can't put off the Trial if the Kings Council think not fit to put it off we can't grant your Lordships Request in this Case L. Russel I would desire a Copy of the Pannel of the Jury that I might consider of it for how else can I make any just Challenge I thought the Law had been very favourable to Men upon their Lives and therefore it had allowed people to have some little notice L. Ch. J. Hath not your Lordship had a Copie of the Pannel I think your Lordship was allowed one We gave Order your Lordship should have a Copie of the Pannel Mr. Att. Gen. We did indulge him so far that he might have a Note of all the Men returned L. Russel I never had a Copie of the Pannel L. Ch. J. It was the fault of your Lordships Servants then for I gave Order for it my self 'T is such a favour that in regard a mans life lies at stake we never did deny it to my knowledge And therefore in this Case I gave order to the Secondary to deliver a Copie I know the King did not design to be hard upon my Lord in his Trial but that he should have as fair a Trial as ever any Noble
of Monmouth and he did go away with the Duke of Monmouth as he believes He says there was some Discourse of a Rising or Insurrection that was to be procured within the Kingdom but he does not tell you the particulars of any thing he himself does not My Lord Howard afterwards does come and tell you of a great Discourse he had with my Lord Shaftsbury in order to a Rising in the City of London and my Lord Shaftsbury did value himself mightily upon 10000 Men he hoped to raise and a great deal of Discourse he had with my Lord Shaftsbury This he does by way of Inducement to what he says concerning my Lord Russel The Evidence against him is some Consults that there were by Six of them who took upon them as he says to be a Council for the Management of the Insurrection that was to be procured in this Kingdom He instances in two that were for this purpose the one of them at Mr. Hambdens House the other at my Lord Russels House And he tells you at these Meetings there was some Discourse of providing Treasure and of providing Arms but they came to no Result in these things He tells you that there was a Design to send for some of the Kingdom of Scotland that might join with them in this thing And this is upon the matter the substance of the Evidence that hath been at large declared to you by the Kings Counsel and what you have heard Now Gentlemen I must tell you some things it lies upon us to direct you in My Lord excepts to these Witnesses because they are concern'd by their own shewing in this Design If there were any I did direct some of you might hear me yesterday that that was no sufficient exception against a mans being an Evidence in the case of Treason that he himself was concerned in it they are the most proper persons to be Evidence none being able to detect such Councils but them You have heard my Lord Russels Witnesses that he hath brought concerning them and concerning his own integrity and course of life how it has been sober and civil with a great respect to Religion as these Gentlemen do all testifie Now the Question before you will be whether upon this whole matter you do believe my Lord Russel had any design upon the Kings life to destroy the King or take away his life for that is the material part here 'T is used and given you by the Kings Counsel as an evidence of this That he did conspire to raise an Insurrection and to cause a Rising of the people to make as it were a Rebellion within the Nation and to surprise the Kings Guards which say they can have no other end but to seise and destroy the King and 't is a great evidence if my Lord Russel did design to seise the Kings Guards and make an Insurrection in the Kingdom of a design for to surprise the Kings Person It must be lest to you upon the whole matter You have not evidence in this Case as there was in the other matter that was tried in the morning or yesterday against the Conspirators to Kill the King at the Rye There was a direct evidence of a Consult to Kill the King that is not given you in this Case this is an act of contriving Rebellion and an Insurrection within the Kingdom and to seise his Guards which is urged as an evidence and surely is in it self an evidence to seise and destroy the King Upon this whole matter this is left to you If you believe the Prisoner at the Bar to have conspired the Death of the King and in order to that to have had these Consults that these Witnesses speak of then you must find him Guilty of this Treason that is laid to his Charge Then the Court adjourned till Four of the Clock in the Afternoon when the Jury brought the said Lord Russel in Guilty of the said High Treason Saturday 14th July My Lord Russel was brought to the Barr. Cl. of Cr. WIlliam Russel Esq hold up thy Hand which he did Thou hast been Indicted for High Treason against our Sovereign Lord the King and thereupon hast pleaded Not Guilty and for thy Trial hast put thy self upon the Country which Country has found thee Guilty What canst thou say for thy self why Iudgment of Death should not pass upon thee according to the Law L. Russel Mr. Recorder I should be very glad to hear the Indictment read Mr. Att. Gen. You may read it Cl. of Cr. Will you have it read in Latin or English L. Russel In English The Clerk read to the words of Conspiring the Death of the King L. Russel Hold I thought I had not been charged in the Indictment as it is of Compassing and Conspiring the Death of the King Mr. Att. Gen. Yes my Lord L. Russel But Mr. Recorder If all that the Witnesses swore against me be true I appeal to you and the Court I appeal to you whether I am Guilty within the Statute of 25 E. 3. they having sworn a Conspiracy to levy War but no intention of Killing the King And therefore I think truly Judgment ought not to pass upon me for Conspiring the death of the King of which there was no proof by any one Witness Mr. Att. Gen. That is no Exception Mr. Recorder My Lord that was an Exception proper and as I think you did make it before the Verdict whether the Evidence does amount to prove the Charge that is proper to be observed to the Jury for if the Evidence come short of the Indictment they can't find it to be a true Charge But when the Jury has found it their Verdict does pass for truth We are bound by the Verdict as well as your Lordship we are to go by what the Jury have found not their Evidence L. Russel Without any proof Mr. Recorder The Jury must be governed by their Evidence L. Russel I think it very hard I must be condemned upon a point that there was not one thing of it sworn therefore I think I may very legally demand Arrest of Judgment Mr. Recorder I hope your Lordship will consider 't is not the Court can give a Verdict it must be the Jury I believe their is no body in the Court does delight in giving such Judgments especially against your Lordship The Verdict is found and the Kings Attorney General on behalf of the King does demand it Mr. Att. Gen. I do demand Judgment of the Court against the Prisoner Proclamation was made for silence while Judgment was giving Mr. Recorder My Lord Russel your Lordship hath been Indicted and Tried and found Guilty of High Treason the greatest of Crimes your Quality is great and your Crime is great And I hope and expect that your behaviour and preparation in this Condition will be proportionable My Lord it is the Duty of the Witnesses to give Evidence according to Truth it is the Duty of the Jury to proceed according to Evidence and 't is the Duty of the Court to give Evidence according to the Verdict It is the Kings pleasure signified by his Attorny General to demand Judgment against your Lordship according to this Verdict and therefore my Lord I shall not delay it with any further circumlocution The Judgment the Law hath provided and is the Duty of the Court to give is That you be carried back again to the place from whence you came and from thence be drawn upon an Hurdle to the place of Execution where you shall be hanged by the neck but cut down alive your Entrals and Privy Members cut from your Body and burnt in your sight your Head to be severed from your Body and your Body divided into four Parts and disposed at the Kings pleasure And the Lord have Mercy upon your Soul FINIS London
Person had L. Russel I pray I may have a Copy then Sir G. Jeff. If my Lord had sent his Agents and it had been refused there had been something in it Mr. Att. Gen. Secondary Normansell was with me and I gave him my Allowance though it was not his Right L. Ch. Just That my Lord may not be surprised what think you of giving my Lord time till the Afternoon and try some of the rest in the mean time Mr. Att. Gen. Truly my Lord if I could imagine it were possible for my Lord to have any Witnesses I should not be against it L. Russel 'T is very hard Mr. Att. Gen. Do not say so the King does not deal hardly with you but I am afraid it will appear you would have dealt more hardly with the King You would not have given the King an hours notice for saving his Life Secondary Trotman I gave my Brother Normansell a Copy of the Pannel on my side and hear that my Brother Normansell hath said that he delivered a Copy Then Secondary Normansell was sent for and the Court staied for him some time Mr. Atwood My Lord a Gentleman told me he did not know whether it was sit till he had consulted the Attorny General afterwards I had a Copy as it stood then not as it is now Mr. Att. Gen. I desire my Lord may be asked who he sent for it L. Russel I did not send for it I inquired and they said it would be refused Mr. Atwood No the Gentleman had it with the fair Perriwig L. Ch. Just It was delivered to your Servant or Agent what did you do with it L. Russels Gent. Sir the Gentleman gave me out of a Book some Names Sir Geo. Jeff. What did you with them L. Russels Gent. I writ them down they were not perfect I did not know what they were L. Ch. Just Sir you were to blame not to deliver it to my Lord. L. Russels Gent. I was not bound to deliver an imperfect thing to my Lord. L. Ch. Just Sir you should have consulted your Lords advantage so as to have delivered any thing for his good L. Russels Gent. My Lord was in the Tower I was not admitted to my Lord. Mr. Att. Gen. Did you give it to my Lady L. Russels Gent. Yes those Names I had my Lady had Sir Geo. Jeff. How long ago was it Mr. Atwood Tuesday or Wednesday last L. Ch. Just To Lord Russels Servant Look you Sir when had you this L. Russel I had no Pannel I will assure you delivered me I had some Names of people that they said were usually on Juries L. Ch. Just They were the Names of the Jury L. Russel They were only the Names of them that were like to be of the Jury no other Pannel came to me L. C. J. M Lord there can be no other Copie given but the same that was delivered for your Lordship does know in this case any person accused as your Lordship is may challenge 35 and therefore there is a Return generally of 3 score or 4 score and these are returned in case of your Lordships Challenge When you have challenged so many as you please then the 12 men that stand after your challenge are to be of the Jury and therefore this is not like a Pannel made up by the Sheriff in ordinary Causes between Man and Man there they make a formal Pannel from which they cannot depart when that is once returned but here in Criminal Cases because of the Challenge they return either 60 or 80. And I presume your Lordship was attended with the Names delivered Sir Geo. Jeff. How many Names was delivered Mr. Atwood Above 100. L. Russel I had nothing of a Pannel delivered to me but some Names L. Ch. Just There was never any formal Pannel delivered to any person accused The Copy of it is in Paper always L. Russel How can I know who to challenge L. C. J. My Lord the Copie of it is in your hands your Lordship hath been deceived in this by not understanding the true Nature of these things if we were to give you a new one we could give you but such an one L. Russel I had no Paper from the true Officer L. Ch. Just No but from your Servant Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord you will have cause to complain if they are not the same men we now shall call L. Ch. Just My Lord That Paper will guide your Lordship in your Challenges L. Russel My Lord I did not mind it I put it away My Lord with your Favour I must needs insist upon having a Pannel and that you will put it off till the Afternoon I have a Witness that is not in Town My Counsel told me it was never done or very seldome Arraigning and Trying at the same time except in case of common Malefactors L. Ch. J. Mr. Attorny why may not this Trial be respited till the Afternoon Mr. Att. Gen. Pray call the Jury L. Ch. J. My Lord the Kings Counsel think it not reasonable to put off the Trial longer and we can't put it off without their Consent in this Case L. Russel My Lord 't is hard I thought the Law had allowed a pretty deal of favour to a man when he came upon his life How can I know to except against men that I never heard or saw one of them Cl. of Cr. You the Prisoner at the Bar those good men that have been now called and here appear are to pass between you and our Soveraign Lord the King upon your Life or Death if you challenge any of them you must speak as they come to the Book to be sworn before they are sworn L. Russel My Lord may not I have the use of Pen Ink and Paper Court Yes my Lord. L. Russel My Lord may I make use of any Papers I have L. Ch. Just Yes by all means L· Russel May I have some body write to help my memory Mr. Att. Gen. Yes a Servant L. Ch. Just Any of your Servants shall assist you in writing any thing you please for you L. Russel My Wife is here my Lord to do it L. Ch. Just If my Lady please to give her self the trouble Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord you may have two Persons to write for you if you please L. Russel My Lord here hath been a name read that I never saw in the list of the Jury I had I heard Sir Andrew Foster called L. Ch. Just He is not called to be of the Jury Cl. of Cr. Call John Martin He appears L. Russel Are you a Freeholder of 40 s. a year I hope none are allowed in the Pannel but those that have Freeholds L. Ch. Just There is no Pannel made in London by Freeholders we have very few Freeholders capable of being impannel'd because the Estates of the City belong much to the Nobility and Gentlemen that live abroad and to Corporations therefore in the City of London the Challenge of Freeholders is
it is prettie odly expressed for when a Man is accused of Felonies and other High Treasons 't is of the death of a Man unless he have Lands or Tenements of the yearly value of 40 s. But I will take it as these Gentlemen do at this Time it not being so at Common-Law nor in other criminal cases but what are provided for by the Statute as to other matters of Felonie and Murder no doubt there these Challenges are to be taken upon the Statute but not for Treason because the Statute of Queen Mary does expresly repeat their Statute and no Statute since takes away the force of that of Q. Mary that all Trials for Treason shall be as at the Common-Law and according to this the constant practice in all Cities not only London where Persons have been Indicted for High Treason hath been There was never any such thing pretended Most of London so that the Statute they speak of and the Interpretations of the several other these Gentlemen have Freeholds but we would not have this point lost to the Citie of Statutes too are to no purpose for we say by Common-Law all Causes might be tried by any Persons against whom there was not sufficient cause of Challenge and the Common-Law is by that Statute restored in this point Mr. Sol. Gen. My Lord I have little to say Mr. Attorney hath given a true Answer to it the Foundation does fail them It was not necessary at Common-Law for a Jury-man to have Freehold but then they must shew you my Lord it is altered and made necessary The Statute of H. 5. does not seem to extend to Treason but if it did 't is now out of doors by that of Q Mary whereby all Trials of Treason are reduced to the Common-Law This is that we answer they fail in their foundation they do not make it out that it was necessarie for a Jury-man at Common-Law to have Free-hold Sir Geo. Jeff. My Lord I confess they have cited several Acts of Parliament and upon them laid their Foundation and drew Inferences from them But they will find that in several Acts of Parliament which they have quoted there is a particular regard had for the preservation of the constant Usage and Custom for Trials within the City of London That notwithstanding several Acts of Parliament have in other places ascertained the value of Jurors yet they had still an Eye that the City of London should continue in its Usages I think it will be necessarie to put you in mind of the Case of the City of Worcester It would be very hard say they because an Attaint does not lie in Criminal matters if you intend by that to have People of Abilitie 't is well known that the ablest People in the Citie of London have scarce any Free-hold in it for that most of the Inheritances of the Citie of London remain in the Nobility and in Corporations Now in the Case of my Lord Russel he hath a peremptory Challenge to 35 and I think I may adventure to say there can scarce be 35 more that can call themselves Free-holders in London consider the Consequence then Treason should be committed in the Citie of London and there would not be enow in the Citie of London to trie it In the Case of the Quo-Warranto brought against the Citie of Worcester to know by what Warrant several took upon them the Offices of Aldermen the Gentlemen at the Bar objected that it was reasonable that no Freehold should be determined but by Free-holders But the Judges of the Kings-Bench the Court being full for the necessity of the thing lest there might not be sufficient Freeholders in the Citie having sent one of the Judges of that Court to your Lordships of the Common-Pleas for that Reason did agree the Challenge was not good I know these Gentlemen will please to remember the Case so that I say as in one Case we ought to be tender of the life of the Prisoner so we ought surely to be tender of the life of the King otherwise it may so happen that the Kings life may be incompassed and Treason committed in the Citie and there would be no way in the World to try it therefore we pray for the King the Challenge may be over-ruled M. North. My Lord it is the practice to make the Venire facias without mentioning Freehold for it does not Command that they return so many men that have Freehold but probos legales homines de viseneto therefore at the Common-Law those were good Inquests to trie any man that were not Excommunicated nor under any Out-Law 'T is true there are Statutes that say all Jury-men shall have Freehold but we say these Statutes do not extend to the Citie of London but that it is governed by its own Customs and we say it is the Custom that Citizens of Ability have been returned that have no Freehold But granting what we do not but by way of supposal my Lord it does not extend to this Case because Trials are to be according to the use at Common-Law by the Statute of Q. Mary which does set them at large again and that is the reason the Prisoner in this Case hath his Challenge for 35 and is in other Cases restrained to 20 so that we say these men of Ability are good and there is no Statute affects them L. Ch. J Mr. Pollexfen do you find any Judgment that in Cases of Treason by Common-Law they might except for want of Freehold Have you any resolution in the Case Mr. Pollexf I think there are Books that say at Common-Law there must be Freehold L. Ch. J. what in Treason Mr. Pollexfen No my Lord. L. Ch. J. Unless you speak of Treason you do not speak ad idem For I do take it that in Cases of Treason or in Cases of Felony at the Comon Law they had no liberty to except to Jurors that they had not any Freehold but that at the Common-Law any good and lawful men might pass Then take as introductive of a new Law the Statute of H. 5. I am of the mind that this Statute of H. 5. peradventure may extend to Treasons and Felonies but when the Statute of Q. Mary comes and says all Trials shall be by such Evidence and in such manner as by Common Law they ought to have been I do not see how it is possible to make an Objection afterwards of this nature For admitting this Act of Parliament of H. 5. had altered the Common Law and given a Challenge why then when the Statute of Q. Mary comes and sets all Trials at large in the Case of Treasons then certainly the Challenge is gone again and I doubt you will not find one Exception in this Case ever since that Statute concerning the Juries Freehold in Cases of Treason but it hath generally passed otherwise and there hath not been any ever excepted I doubt it will be a very hard thing to maintain
Guilty of this High Treason whereof he stands indicted or Not Guilty If you find him Guilty you shall inquire c. Mr. North. May it please your Lordship and you that are sworn The Prisoner at the Bar stands charged in this Indictment with no less than the Conspiring the Death of the Kings Majesty and that in order to the same he did with other Traitors named in the Indictment and others not known Novemb. 2. in the 34th Year of this King in the Parish of Bassishaw within the City of London meet and conspire together to bring our Soveraign Lord the King to death to raise War and Rebellion against him and to massacre his Subjects And in order to compass these wicked designs there being assembled did conclude to seise the Kings Guards and His Majesties Person This is the Charge the Defendent saies he is Not Guilty if we prove it upon him it will be your Duty to find it Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jurie most of our Evidence against this honorable Person at the Bar is to this purpose This Person the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Grey Sir Thomas Armstrong and Mr. Ferguson they were the Council of State as I may call them to give forth directions for the general Rising that hath appeared was to have been within this Kingdom The Rising was of great concern and expence and must be managed by persons of interest prudence and great secresie These Gentlemen had frequent meetings in October and November last for then you may refresh your memories again was the general Rising to be and there they did consult how to manage the Rising they consulted how to seise the Kings Guards and this Noble person being mixed with these others especially with Ferguson who with others of an inferior rank was also ingaged in a Cabal for managing worser things though this is bad enough at several meetings they receive Messages from my Lord Shaftsbury touching the Rising They being looked upon as the persons that were to conclude and settle the time and all circumstances about it We shall make it appear to you in the course of our Evidence that those Underlings for this was the great Consult and moved all the other Wheels who managed the Assassination did take notice that these Lords Gentlemen of Quality were to manage and steer the whole business of the Rising It seems these Gentlemen could not give the Earl of Shaftsbury satisfaction to his mind for he pressed them to keep their day which was the 17. of November last But the honourable Person at the Bar and the rest made him this Answer That Mr. Trenchard had failed them for that he had promised to have 1000 Foot and 2 or 300 Horse at 4 hours warning but now it was come to pass he could not perform it that some Persons in the West would not join with them and therefore at this time they could not proceed and therefore they must defer the day And as a Council they sent my Lord Shaftsbury word he must be contented they had otherwise resolved and thereupon my Lord Shaftsbury went away and Mr. Ferguson with him To carrie on this practice they took others into their Council Sir Tho. Armstrong was lest out and there falling that Scandalous Report upon my Lord Grey he was to be left out and then there was to be a new Council of Six whereas the inferior Council to manage the Assassination was Seven At this Council there was this honourable Person at the Bar the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Howard and another honourable Person who I am sorry to name upon this account who hath this morning prevented the hand of Justice upon himself my Lord of Essex and Coll. Sidney and Mr. Hambden These Six had their frequent Consults at this honourable Persons house for they had excluded Sir Tho. Armstrong and my Lord Gray for these Gentlemen would have the Face of Religion and my Lord Gray was in their esteem so scandalous that they thought that would nor prevail with the people if he was of the Council There they debated how they should make this Rising after several Consultations they came to this Resolution That before they did fall upon this Rising they should have an exact accompt both of the time and method of the Scotch Rising and thereupon a Messenger was sent on purpose by Coll. Sidney viz. Aaron Smith to invite Scotch Commissioners to treat with these Noble Lords Pursuant to this just before the Plot brake out several from Scotland came to treat with them how to manage the work 30000 l. was demanded by the Scots in order that they should be ready in Scotland then they fell to 10000 and at last for the Scots love Mony they fell to 5000 which they would take and run all hazards but they not coming to their terms that broke off that week the Plot was discovered Gentlemen if we prove all these Instances besides we shall call some to shew you that all the inferior Party still looked upon these to be the Heads and tho' they kept it secret God hath suffered it to come to light with as plain an Evidence as ever was heard Sir Geo. Jeff. I will not take up any of your Lordships time we will call our Witnesses to prove the Fact Mr. Attorney hath opened Swear Collonel Romsey which was done Pray Collonel Romsey will you give my Lord and the Jury an Accompt from the beginning to the end of the several Meetings that were and what was the Debates of those Meetings Col. Romsey My Lord I was at my Lord Shaftsbury's Lodging where he lay down by Wapping about the latter end of October or the beginning of Novemb. and he told me there was met at one Mr. Sheppards house the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Russel my Lord Gray Sir Thomas Armstrong and Mr. Ferguson and he desired me to speak to them to know what resolution they were come to about the Rising of Taunton I did go there accordingly and call for Mr. Sheppard and he carried me up where they were and the Answer that was there made me was That Mr. Trenchard had sailed them and there would be no more done in the matter at that time Mr. Att. Gen. Tell the whole passage Col. Romsey I did say my Lord Shaftsbury had sent me to know what resolution they had taken about the rising of Taunton They made me this answer that Mr. Trenchard had failed them that he had promised 1000 Foot and 300 Horse but when he came to perform it he could not He thought the people would not meddle unless they had some time to make provision for their Families L. Ch. Just Who had you this Message from Col. Romsey Mr. Ferguson did speak most of it L. Ch. Just Who sent this Message back Col. Romsey Mr. Ferguson made the Answer my Lord Russel and the Duke of Monmouth were present and I think my Lord Gray did say something
the Witnesses come to know if you would have any particular Questions asked of them L. Russel I desire to know if I gave any Answer to any Message about the Rising I was up and down I do not know what they might say when I was in the Room I was tasting of Wine L. C. J. Did you observe that my Lord Russel said any thing there and what Col. Roms Yes my Lord Russel did speak L. Ch. Just About what Col. Roms About the Rising of Taunton L. Russel It was Sir Tho. Armstrong that conversed with Mr. Trenchard L. C. J. What did you observe my Lord Russel to say Col. Roms My Lord Russel did discourse of the Rising L. Russel How should I discourse of the Rising at Taunton that knew not the place nor had knowledg of Trenchard Mr. Att. Gen. Now my Lord we will give you accompt that my Lord Russel appionted this place and came in the dark without his Coach L. Russel My Lord I think the Witness was asked if I gave my consent L. Ch. Just What say you did my Lord give any consent to the Rising Col. Roms Yes my Lord he did Mr. Att. Gen. Pray Swear Mr. Sheppard which was done Pray will you speak aloud and give an account to my Lord and the Jury of the Meetings at your House and what was done Mr. Sheppard In the month of October last as I remember Mr. Ferguson came to me in the Duke of Monmouths name and desired the conveniencie of my House for him and some other Persons of Quality to meet there And as soon as I had granted it in the evening the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Gray my Lord Russel Sir Thomas Armstrong Col. Romsey and Mr. Ferguson came Sir Thomas Armstrong desired me that none of my Servants might come up but they might be private so what they wanted I went down for a Bottle of Wine or so The substance of their discourse was how to surprise the Kings Guards And in order to that the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong as I remember went one night to the Mews or thereabout to see the Kings Guards And the next time they came to my House I heard Sir Tho. Armstrong say the Guards were very remiss in their places and not like Souldiers and the thing was feasible if they had strength to do it Mr. Att. Gen. How many Meetings had you there Mr. Sheppard I remember but twice Sir Mr. Att. Gen. Did they meet by chance or had you notice they would be there that night Mr. Sheppard Yes I did hear it before Mr. Sol. Gen. Who had you notice would be there Mr. Sheppard The Duke of Monmouth my Lord Gray my Lord Russel Sir Thomas Armstrong Col. Romsey and Mr. Ferguson Mr. Att. Gen. Did they come with their Coaches or a foot in the night time and in the dark Mr. Sheppard I cannot tell it was in the evening I did not let them in Mr. Att. Gen. Was there any Coaches at the door Mr. Sheppard None that I heard or saw they came not altogether but immediately one after another Sir Geo. Jeff. Had they any Debate before they went into the Room Mr. Sheppard No they went readily into the Room Sir Geo. Jeff. Was my Lord Russel both times there Mr. Sheppard Yes Sir as I remember Sir Geo. Jeff. Had you any particular business with my Lord Russel or he with you Mr. Sheppard No not at that time but since I have had about the Affairs of my Lord Shaftsbury Sir Geo. Jeff. Do you remember Col. Romsey at the first time had any discourse about any private business relating to my Lord Russel Mr. Sheppard No I do not remember it Mr. Att. Gen. Besides the seizing of the Guards did they discourse about Rising Mr. Sheppard I do not remember any further discourse for I went several times down to fetch Wine and Sugar and Nutmeg and I do not know what was said in my absence Sir Geo. Jeff. Do you remember any Writings or Papers read at that time Mr. Sheppard None that I saw Sir Geo. Jeff. Or that you heard of Mr. Sheppard Yes now I recollect my self I do remember one Paper was read Sir Geo. Jeff. To what purpose was it Mr. Sheppard It was somewhat in the nature of a Declaration it was read by Mr. Ferguson who was present at the reading I cannot say whether they were all present or not The purport of it was setting forth the Grievances of the Nation but truly what Particulars I can't tell it was a pritty large Paper Mr. Att. Gen. But you can tell the Effect of it when was that to be set out Mr. Sheppard It was not discoursed it was shewn only I suppose for Approbation Mr. Att. Gen. Who was it shew'd to Mr. Sheppard Sir Tho. Armstrong Sir Geo. Jeff. Who else Mr Sheppard As I remember the Duke was present and I think Col. Romsey Col. Romsey No I was not it was done before I came Sir Geo. Jeff. What was the design of that Paper Recollect your self what was the design Mr. Sheppard The design of that Paper was in the nature of a Declaration setting forth the Grievances of the Nation in order to a Rising I suppose by the purport of the Paper but cannot remember the particular Words of it Foreman of the Jury Can you say my Lord Russel was there when that Declaration was read as you call it Mr. Sheppard I can't say that Mr. Att. Gen. But he was there when they talked of Seizing the Guards Mr. Sheppard Yes my Lord was there then L. Russel Pray Mr. Sheppard do you remember the time when these meetings were Mr. Sheppard I can't be positive as to the Time I remember it was at the time my L. Shaftsbury was absent from his own house and he absented himself from his own House about Michaelmas day but I can't be positive as to the time L. Russel I never was but once at your house and there was no such design as I heard of I desire that Mr. Sheppard may recollect himself Mr. Sheppard Indeed my Lord I can't be positive in the times My Lord I am sure was at one meeting L. Ch. Just But was he at both Mr. Sheppard I think so but it was 8 or 9 months ago and I can't be positive L. Russel I can prove I was then in the Country Col. Romsey said there was but one meeting Col. Roms I do not remember I was at two if I was not I heard Mr. Ferguson relate the Debates of the other meeting to my Lord Shaftsbury L. Russel Is it usual for the Witnesses to hear one another L. Ch. Just I think your Lordship need not concern your self about that for I see the Witnesses are brought in one after another L. Russel There was no Design Sir Geo. Jeff. He has sworn it Mr. Att. Gen. Swear my Lord Howard which was done Pray will your Lordship give an account to the Court what
can remember for about that time we did meet at Mr. Hambdens House Mr. Att. Gen. Name those that met L. Howard All the Persons I named before that was the Duke of Monmouth my L. Essex my L. Russel Col. Sidney Mr. Hambden Jun. and my self When we met there it was presently agreed what their proper Province was which was to have a care of the Whole And therefore it was necessary some General things should fall under our Care and Conduct which could not possibly be Conducted by individual Persons The things that did Principally Challenge this Care we thought were these Whether the Insurrection was most proper to be begun in London or in the Country or both at one instant This stood upon several different Reasons It was said in the Country and I remember the D. of Monmouth insisted upon it that it was impossible to oppose a Formed well Methodiz'd and Govern'd Force with a Rabble hastily got together and therefore whatever Numbers could be gathered in the City would be suppressed quickly before they could Form themselves Therefore it would be better to begin it at such a distance from the Town where they might have an Opportunity of Forming themselves and would not be subject to the like panick Fear as in the Town where half an hour would convey the News to those Forces that in another half hour would be ready to suppress them Mr. Att. Gen. Was this Determined among you all L Howard In this manner that I tell you Why it was necessary to be done at some reasonable distance from the Town And from thence it was likewise considered that the being so remote from the Town it would put the King upon this Dilemma That either the King would send His Forces to subdue them or not if He did He must leave the City Naked who being Proximi Dispositioni to Action it would give them Occasion to Rise and come upon the back of the Kings Forces if he did not send it would give them time to Form their Number and be better Ordered Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord We do not desire all your Discourse and Debates What was your other General thing L. Howard The other was What Countries and Towns were the fittest and most disposed to Action and the Third What Arms were necessary to be got and how to be disposed and a Fourth which should have been indeed first in Consideration propounded by the D. of Monmouth That it would be absolutely necessary to have some Common Bank of 25 or 30000 l. to Answer the Occasions of such an Undertaking Nothing was done but these things were offered then to our Consideration and we were to bring in our United Advice concerning them But the Last and greatest was How we might so order it as to draw Scotland into a consent with us for we thought it necessary that all the Diversion should be given This was the Last Mr. Att. Gen. Had you any other Meetings L. Howard We had about Ten days after this at my Lord Russels Mr. At. Gen. The same Persons L. How Every one of the same Persons then meeting Mr. At. Gen. What Debates had you there L. How Then it was so far as we came to a Resolution That some Persons should be sent to my Lord Argyle to settle an Understanding with him and that some Messengers should be dispatched into Scotland that should invite some Persons hither that were judged most able to Understand the Estate of Scotland and give an Account of it The persons agreed on were Sir John Cockram my Lord Melvil and another whose Name I have since been told upon my Description Sir Campbel For this purpose we did order a Person should be thought on that was fit Mr. Att. Gen. Do you know who was sent and what was done upon this Resolution L. Howard I have heard I never saw him in six Months before that Aaron Smith was sent Mr. Att. Gen. Who was intrusted to take care of that business L. Howard Collonel Sidney We in discourse did agree to refer it to Collonel Sidney to have the care of sending a Person Mr. Att. Gen. Who acquainted you Aaron Smith was sent L. Howard Colonel Sidney told me he had sent him and given him Sixty Guineys for his Journey Mr. Att. Gen. What more Meetings had you L. Howard We did then consider that these Meetings might have occasioned some observation upon us and agreed not to meet again till the return of that Messenger He was gone I believe near a month before we heard any thing of him which we wondered at and feared some miscarriage but if his Letter had miscarried it could have done no great hurt for it carried only a kind of Cant in it it was under the disguise of a Plantation in Carolina Mr. Att. Gen. You are sure my Lord Russel was there L. Howard Yes Sir I wish I could say he was not Mr. Att. Gen. Did he sit there as a Cipher What did my Lord say L. Howard Every one knows my Lord Russel is a Person of great Judgement and not very Lavish in discourse Sir Geo. Jeff. But did he consent L. Howard We did not put it to the Vote but it went without contradiction and I took it that all there gave there consent Mr. Sol. Gen. The raising of Money you speak of was that put into any way L. Howard No but every man was to put themselves upon thinking of such a way that Money might be Collected without administring Jealousie Mr. Att. Gen. Were there no persons to undertake for a Fund L. Howard No I think not However it was but opinion the thing that was said was Jocosely rather than any thing else that my Lord of Essex had dealing in Mony and therefore he was thought the most proper Person to take the care of those things but this was said rather by way of Mirth then otherwise Mr. Att. Gen. What do you know else my Lord L. Howard I was going to tell you I am now at a full stop For it was six Weeks or more before Smith's Return and then drew on the time that it was necessary for me to go into Essex where I had a small concern there I stayed about three Weeks when I came back I was informed that he was Returned and Sir John Cockram was also come to Town L. Ch. Just Did you meet after this L. Howard No my Lord I tell you that I was forced to go three Weeks upon the account of my Estate and afterwards I was necessitated to go to the Bath where I spent five Weeks and the time of coming from the Bath to this time is five Weeks more so that all this time hath been a perfect Parenthesis to me more then this I know not L. Ch. Just My Lord Russel Now if your Lordship pleases is the time for you to ask him any Questions L. Russel The most he hath said of me my Lord is only hearsay the two times we met it
of my Lord Shaftsbury comes particularly to your Lordship and says that Six of you as a chosen Councel among your selves not that you were actually chosen but as a chosen Counsel among your selves did undertake to manage the great matter of the Insurrection and Raising of Men in order to surprize the Kings Guards and for to Rise which is a Rebellion in the Nation He says that you had several Consults concerning it I told you the several particulars of those Consults he mentioned Now it is fit for your Lordship and 't is your time to give some answer to these things L. Russel My Lord I cannot but think my self mighty unfortunate to stand here charged with so High and Hainous a Crime and that intricated and intermixed with the Treasons and horrid Practises and Speeches of other People the Kings Council taking all advantages and improving and heightning things against me I am no Lawyer a very unready speaker and altogether a stranger to things of this Nature and alone and without Councel Truly my Lord I am very sensible I am not so provided to make my just defence as otherwise I should do But my Lord you are equal and the Gentlemen of the Jury I think are Men of Consciences they are Strangers to me and I hope they value Innocent Blood and will consider the Witnesses that Swear against me Swear to save their own Lives for howsoever Legal Witnesses they may be accounted they can't be Credible And for Col. Romsey who it's notoriously known hath been so Highly Obliged by the King and the Duke for him to be capable of such a design of Murdering the King I think no body will wonder if to save his own Life he will endeavour to take away mine neither does he Swear enough to do it And then if he did the Time by the 13th of this King is Elapsed it must be as I understand by the Law Prosecuted within 6 Months and by the 25 E. 3. a design of Levying War is no Treason unless by some overt Act it appear And my Lord I desire to know what Statute I am to be Tried upon for Generals I think are not to be gone upon in these Cases L. Ch. J. To the Attorney General Mr. Attorney You hear what it is my Lord Objects to this Evidence He says that as to those Witnesses that Testify any thing concerning him above six Months before he was Prosecuted he conceives the Act of Parliament upon which he takes himself to be Indicted does not extend to it for that says that within six Moneths there ought to have been a Prosecution and my Lord tells you that he is advised that a design of Levying War without actual Levying of War was not Treason before that Statute Mr. Att. Gen. To satisfy my Lord He is not Indicted upon that Statute We go upon the 25 E. 3. But then for the next Objection surely my Lord is informed wrong To Raise a Rebellion or a Conspiracy within the Kingdom is it not that which is called Levying of War in that Statute but to Raise a Number of men to break Prisons c. Which is not so directly tending against the Life of the King To prepare Forces to Fight against the King that is a design within that Statute to Kill the King And to design to depose the King to imprison the King to raise the Subjects against the King these have been setled by several Resolutions to be within that Statute and Evidences of a Design of killing the King L. Russel My Lord This is matter of Law Neither was there but one Meeting at Mr. Sheppards House Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord If you admit the Fact and will rest upon the Point of Law I am ready to argue it with any of your Counsel I will acquaint your Lordship how the Evidence stands There is one Evidence since Christmas last L. Russel That 's not to the business of Sheppards House My Lord one Witness will not convict a Man of Treason Mr. Att. Gen. If there be one Witness of one Act of Treason and another of a second another of a third that manifest the same Treason to depose or destroy the King that will be sufficient L. Ch. J. My Lord That has been resolved the Two Witnesses the Statute requires are not to the same individual Act but to the same Treason if they be several Acts declaring the same Treason and one Witness to each of them they have been reckoned two Witnesses within the Statute of E. 6. Sir G. Jeff. If my Lord will call his Witness L. Russel This is tacking of Two Treasons together here is one in November by one Witness and then you bring on another with a Discourse of my Lord Howard And he says the Discourse passed for Pleasure L. Ch. Just If your Lordship do doubt whether the Fact proved against your Lordship be Treason or not within the Statute of E. 3. and you are contented that the Fact be taken as proved against your Lordship and so desire Counsel barely upon that that is matter of Law You shall have it granted L. Russel I am not knowing in the Law I think 't is not proved and if it was I think 't is not Punishable by that Act. I desire Counsel may be admitted upon so nice a Point My Life lies at stake here 's but one Witness that speaks of a Message Sir Geo. Jeff. The Fact must be lest to the Jury Therefore if my Lord Russel hath any Witnesses to call in opposition to these matters let him L.C.J. My Lord there can be no matter of Law but upon a Fact admitted and stated L. Russel My Lord I do not think it proved I hope you will be of Counsel for me 't is very hard for me that my Counsel may not speak for me in a point of Law L. Ch. Just My Lord To hear your Counsel concerning this Fact that we cannot do it was never done nor will be done If your Lordship doubts whether this Fact is Treason or not and desire your Counsel may be heard to that I will do it L. Russel I doubt in Law and do not see the Fact is proved upon me Mr. Sol. Gen. Will your Lordship please to call any Witness to the matter of Fact L. Russel 'T is very hard a man must lose his life upon hear-say Col. Romsey says he brought a Message which I will swear I never heard nor know of He does not say he spake to me or I gave him any Answer Mr. Sheppard remembers no such thing he was gone to and again here is but one Witness and seven months ago Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord if there be any thing that is Law you shall have it L. Russel My Lord Colonel Romsey the other day before the King could not say that I heard it I was in the Room but I came in late they had been there a good while I did not stay above a quarter of an hour tasting Sherry
with Mr. Sheppard L. Ch. Just Read the Statute of 25 E. 3. c. 2. My Brothers desire to have it read Cl. Cro. Whereas divers Opinions have been before this time in what Case Treason shall be said and in what not The King at the Request of the Lords and of the Commons hath made a Declaration in the manner as hereafter followeth That is to say when a Man doth compass or imagine the Death of our Lord the King or of our Lady his Queen or of their eldest Son and Heir or if a Man do Violate the Kings Compagnion or the Kings eldest Daughter unmarried or the Wife of the Kings eldest Son and Heir or if a Man do levy War against our Lord the King in his Realm or be adherent to the Kings Enemies in his Realm giving to them Aid and Comfort in the Realm or else where and thereof be proveably attainted of open Deed by People of their Condition And if a Man counterfite the Kings Great or Privy Seal or his Mony and if a Man bring false Mony into this Realm counterfite to the Mony of England as the Mony called Lushburgh or other like to the said Mony of England Knowing the Mony to be false to Merchandise or make Payment in deceit of our said Lord the King and of his People and if a Man Slea the Chancellor Treasurer or the Kings Iustices of the one Bench or the other Iustices in Eyre or Iustices of Assise and all other Iustices designed to hear and determin being in their Places during their Offices And it is to be understood that in the Cases above rehearsed that ought to be Iudged Treason which extends to our Lord the King and his Royal Majesty L. C. Just My Lord That which is urged against you by the Kings Council is this You are excused by the Indictment of compassing and designing the Kings Death and of endeavouring to Raise an Insurrection in Order to it That that they do say is that these Counsels that your Lordship hath taken are Evidences of your Compassing the Kings Death and are Overt Acts Declaring the same and upon that it is they insist your Lordship to be Guilty within that Statute L Russel It is in a Point of Law and I desire Counsel Mr. Att. Gen. Admit your Consultations and we will hear them L. Ch. J. I would set your Lordship right for probably you may not apprehend the Law in this Case If your Counsel be heard they must be heard to this That taking it that my Lord Russel has consulted in this manner for the Raising of Forces within this Kingdom and making an Insurrection within this Kingdom as Col. Romsey and my Lord Howard have deposed whether then this be Treason we can hear your Counsel to nothing else L. Russel I do not know how to answer it The point methinks must be quite otherwise that there should be Two Witnesses to one and the same time Mr. Att. Gen. Your Lordship remembers in my Lord Staffords Case there was but one Witness to one Act in England and another to another in France L. Russel It was to the same point Mr. Att. Gen. To the general point the lopping point Sir Geo. Jeff. There was not so much Evidence against him as there is against your Lordship L. C. J. My Lord if your Lordship will say any thing or call any Witnesses to disprove what either of these Gentlemen have said we will hear your Lordship what they say But if you contradict them by Testimony it will be taken to be a Proof And the way you have to disprove them is to call Witnesses or by asking Questions whereby it may appear to be untrue Mr. Sol. Gen. If you have any Witnesses call them my Lord. L. Russel I do not think they have proved it But then it appears by the Statute that Levying War is Treason but a Conspiracy to levy War is no Treason if nothing be done 't is not Levying War within the Statute There must be manifest Proof of the matter of Fact not by inference Mr. Att. Gen. I see that is taken out of my Lord Coke Levying War is a distinct branch of the Statute and my Lord Coke explains himself afterwards and says 't is an Assuming of Royal Power to Raise for particular puposes Just Wythins Unless matter of Fact be agreed we can never come to argue the Law L. Russel I came in late Mr. Sol. Gen. Pray my Lord has your Lordship any Witnesses to call as to this matter of Fact L. Russel I can prove I was out of Town when one of the Meetings was but Mr. Sheppard can't recollect the Day for I was out of Town all that time I never was but once at Mr. Sheppards and there was nothing undertaken of viewing the Guards while I was there Colonel Romsey Can you swear positively that I heard the Message and gave any Answer to it L. C. Just To Colonel Romsey Sir did my Lord Russel hear you when you delivered the Message to the Company were they at the Table or where were they Col. Romsey When I came in they were standing at the Fire side but they all came from the Fire-side to hear what I said L. Russel Colonel Romsey was there when I came in Col. Romsey No my Lord. The Duke of Monmouth and my Lord Russel went away together and my Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong L. Russel The Duke of Monmouth and I came together and you were standing at the Chimney when I came in you were there before me My Lord Howard hath made a long Narrative here of what he knew I do not know when he made it or when he did recollect any thing 't is but very lately that he did declare and protest to several people That he knew nothing against me nor of any Plot I could in the least be questioned for L. C. J. If you will have any Witnesses called to that you shall my Lord. L. Russel My Lord Anglesey and Mr. Edward Howard My Lord Anglesey stood up L.C. J. My Lord Russel what do you ask my Lord Anglesey L. Russel To declare what my Lord Howard told him about me since I was confined L. Anglesey My Lord I chanced to be in Town the last Week and hearing my Lord of Bedford was in some Distress and Trouble concerning the Affliction of his Son I went to give him a Visit being my old acquaintance of some 53 years standing I believe for my Lord and I were bred together at Magdalen Colledge in Oxon. I had not been there but a very little while and vvas ready to go avvay again after I had done the good Office I came about but my Lord Howard came in I don't know whether he be here L. Howard Yes here I am to serve your Lordship L. Anglesey And sat down on the other side of my Lord of Bedford and he began to comfort my Lord and the Arguments he used for his Comfort vvere My Lord
you are happy in having a Wise Son and a vvorthy Person one that can never sure be in such a Plot as this or suspected for it and that may give your Lordship reason to expect a very good Issue concerning him I know nothing against him or any body else of such a barbarous Design and therefore your Lordship may be comforted in it I did not hear this only from my Lord Howards Mouth but at my ovvn home upon the Monday after for I use to go to Totteridge for fresh Air I vvent dovvn on Saturday this happened to be on Friday my Lord being here I am glad for he can't forget this Discourse and vvhen I came to Tovvn on Monday I understood that my Lord Howard upon that very Sunday had been at Church with my Lady Chaworth My Lady has a Chaplain it seems that preaches there and does the Offices of the Church but my Lady came to me in the Evening This I have from my Lady L. C. J. My Lord What you have from my Lady is no kind of Evidence at all L. Anglesey I don't know what my Lord is I am acquainted with none of the Evidence nor what hath been done But my Lady Chaworth came to me and acquainted me There was some Suspicion Sir Geo. Jeff. I don't think it fit for me to interrupt a person of your Honour my Lord but your Lordship knovvs in vvhat place vve stand here vvhat you can say of any thing you heard of my Lord Howard vve are vvilling to hear but the other is not Evidence As the Court vvill not let us offer hear-says so neither must vve that are for the King permit it L. Anglesey I have told you vvhat happened in my hearing Then Mr. Howard stood up L. C. J. Come Mr. Howard What do you knovv Mr. Howard I must desire to say something of my Self and my Family first My Lord and I have been very intimate not only as Relations but as dear Friends My Lord I have been of a Family knovvn to have great Respect and Duty for the King and I think there is no Family in the Nation so numerous that hath expressed greater Loyalty upon vvhich account I improved my Interest in my Lord Howard I endeavoured upon the great Misunderstanding of the Nation if he be here he knows it to persuade him to apply himself to the King to serve him in that great difficulty of State which is known to all the World I sometimes found my Lord very forward and sometimes I softened him upon which partly upon his Permission and more upon my own Inclination of Duty I made several applications to Ministers of State and I can name them That my Lord Howard had a great desire of serving the King in the best way of Satisfaction and particularly in the great Business of his Brother I wonder'd there should be so much sharpness for a matter of Opinion and I told my Lord so and we had several Disputes about it My Lord I do say this before I come to the thing After this I did partly by his permission and partly by my own inclination to serve the King because I thought my Lord Howard a Man of Parts and saw him a Man that had interest in the Nation tell my Lord Feversham that I had prevailed with a Relation of mine that may be he might think opposite that perhaps might serve the King in this great Difficulty that is emergent and particularly that of his Brother My Lord Feversham did receive it very kindly and I writ a Letter to him to let him know how I had softned my Lord and that it was my desire he should speak with my Lord at Oxon. My Lord Feversham gave me a very kind Account when he came again but he told me L. Ch. Just Pray apply your self to the matter you are called for Mr. Howard This it may be is to the matter when you have heard me for I think I know where I am and what I am to say L. Ch. J. We must desire you not to go on thus Mr. Howard I must satisfie the World as well as I can as to my self and my Family and pray do not interrupt me After this my Lord there never passed a day for almost L. Ch. J. Pray speak to this matter M. Howard Sir I am coming to it L. Ch. J. Pray Sir be directed by the Court. Mr. Howard Then now Sir I will come to the thing Upon this ground I had of my Lords kindness I applied my self to my Lord in this present Issue on the breaking out of this Plot. My Lord I thought certainly as near as I could discern him for he took it upon his Honor his Faith and as much as if he had taken an Oath before a Magistrate that he knew nothing of any Man concerned in this business and particularly of my Lord Russell whom he vindicated with all the honor in the World My Lord it is true was afraid of his own Person and as a Friend and a Relation I concealed him in my House and I did not think it was for such a Conspiracy but I thought he was unwilling to go to the Tower for nothing again So that if my Lord Howard has the same Soul on Monday that he had a Sunday this can't be true that he swears against my Lord Russel This I say upon my Reputation and Honor and something I could say more he added he thought my Lord Russell did not only unjustly suffer but he took God and Men to Witness He thought him the vvorthiest Person in the World I am very sorry to hear any Man of my Name should be Guilty of these things L. Russel Call Dr. Burnet Pray Dr. Burnet did you hear any thing from my Lord Howard since the Plot was discovered concerning me Dr. Burnet My Lord Howard vvas with me the night after the Plot broke out and he did then as he had done before vvith Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven say he knew nothing of any Plot nor believed any and treated it with great Scorn and Contempt L. Howard My Lord may I speak for my self Sir Geo. Jeff. No no my Lord we don't call you L. C. J. Will you please to have any other Witnesses called L. Russel There are some Persons of Quality that I have been very well acquainted and conversed with I desire to know of them if there was any thing in my former Carriage to make them think me like to be Guilty of this My Lord Cavendish L. Cavendish I had the Honour to be acquainted with my Lord Russel a long time I always thought him a Man of great Honour and too Prudent and Wary a Man to be concerned in so Vile and Desperate a design as this and from which he would receive so little advantage I can say nothing more but that two or three days since the Discovery of this Plot upon discourse about Col. Romsey my Lord Russel did express something as
if he had a very ill Opinion of the Man and therefore it is not likely he would intrust him with such a secret L. Russel Dr. Tillitson He appears L. Ch. Just What Questions would you ask him my Lord L. Russel He and I happened to be very conversant To know whether he did ever find any thing tending to this in my discourse L. C. J. My Lord calls you as to his Life and Conversation and Reputation Dr. Tillotson My Lord I have been many Years last past acquainted with my Lord Russel I always Judged him a Person of great Vertue and Integrity and by all the Conversation and Discourse I ever had with him I always took him to be a Person very far from any such wicked Design he stands Charged with L Russel Dr. Burnet If you please to give some account of my Conversation Dr. Burnet My Lord I have had the Honour to be known to my Lord Russel several Years and he hath declared himself with much Confidence to me and he always upon all occasions expressed himself against all Risings and when he spoke of some People that would provoke to it he expressed himself so determined against that matter I think no Man could do more L. C. J. Will your Lordship call any other Witnesses L. Russel Dr. Cox Dr. Thomas Cox stood up Dr. Cox My Lord I did not expect to have been spoken to upon this Account Having been very much with my Lord of late that is for a Month or six Weeks before this Plot came out I have had occasion to speak with my Lord in private about these Publick Matters But I have always found that my Lord was against all kind of Risings and thought it the greatest Folly and Madness till things should come in a Parliamentary way I have had occasion often to speak with my Lord Russel in private and having my self been against all kind of Risings or any thing that tended to the disorder of the Publick I have heard him profess Solemnly he thought it would Ruine the best Cause in the World to take any of these irregular ways for the preserving of it and particularly my Lord hath expressed himself occasionally of these two Persons my Lord Howard and Col. Romsey One of them Col. Romsey I saw once at my Lords House and he offered to speak a little privatly But my Lord told me he knew him but a little I told him he was a Valiant Man and acted his Part Valiantly in Portugal He say'd he knew him little and that he had nothing to do with him but in my Lord Shaftsburys business He said for my Lord Howard he was a Man of excellent Parts of Luxuriant Parts but he had the luck not to be much trusted by any Party And I never heard him say one word of Indecency or Immodesty towards the King L. Russel I would pray the Duke of Somerset to speak what he knows of me D. of Som. I have known my Lord Russel for about two Years and have had much Conversation with him and been often in his Company and never heard any thing from him but what was very Honourable Loyal and Just L. Ch. J. My Lord does say that he has known my Lord Russel for about two Years and hath had much Conversation with him and been much in his Company and never heard any thing from him but what was Honourable and Loyal and Just in his Life Foreman of the Jury The Gent. of the Jury desire to ask my Lord Howard something upon the Point my Lord Anglesey testified and to know what answer he makes to my Lord Anglesey L. C. Baron My Lord What say you to it that you told his Father he was a discreet Man and he needed not to Fear his Ingagement in any such thing L. Howard My Lord if I took it right my Lord Angleseys Testimony did Branch it self into two Parts one of his own knowledge and the other by Hear say as to what he said of his own knowledge when I waited upon my Lord of Bedford and endeavoured to comfort him concerning his Son I believe I said the words my Lord Anglesey has given an account of as near as I can remember that I looked upon his Lordship as a Man of that Honour that I hoped he might be secure that he had not intangled himself in any thing of that Nature My Lord I can hardly be provoked to make my own defence least this Noble Lord should suffer so willing I am to serve my Lord who knows I can't want affection for him my Lord I do confess I did say it for your Lordship well knows under what Circumstances we were I was at that time to out face the thing both for my self and my Party and I did not intend to come into this Place and Act this Part. God knows how it is brought upon me and with what unwillingness I do Sustain it but my Duty to God the King and my Country requires it but I must confess I am very sorry to carry it on thus far My Lord I do confess I did say so and if I had been to Visit my Lord Pemberton I should have say'd so There is none of those that know my Lord Russel but would speak of my Lord Russel from those Topicks of Honour Modesty and Integrity his whole Life deserves it And I must confess I did frequently say there was nothing of Truth in this and I wish this may be for my Lords advantage My Lord will you spare me one thing more because that leans hard upon my Reputation and if the Jury believe that I ought not to be believed for I do think the Religion of an Oath is not Tyed to a Place but receives its Obligation from the appeal we therein make to God and I think if I called God and Angels to Witness to a Falshood I ought not to be believed now But I will tell you as to that your Lordship knows that every man that was Committed was Committed for a design of Murdering the King now I did lay hold on that part for I was to carry my Knife close between the Paring and the Apple and I did say that if I were an Enemy to my Lord Russel and to the Duke of Monmouth and were called to be a Witness I must have declared in the presence of God and man that I did not believe either of them had any design to Murder the King I have said this because I would not walk under the Character of a Person that would be Perjured at the expence of so Noble a Persons Life and my own Soul L. Russel My Lord Clifford L. Ch. Just What do you please to ask my Lord Clifford L. Russel He hath known my Conversation for many Years L. Clifford I always took my Lord to be a very Worthy Honest Man I never saw any thing in his Conversation to make me believe otherwise L. Russel Mr. Gore Mr. Luton Gore I have been
acquainted with my Lord several Years and conversed much with him in all the Discourse I had with him I never heard him let any thing fall that tended in the least to any Rising or any thing like it I took him to be one of the best Sons one of the best Fathers and one of the best Masters one of the best Husbands one of the best Friends and one of the best Christians we had I know of no Discourse concerning this matter L. Russel Mr. Spencer and Dr. Fitz Williams Mr. Spencer My Lord I have known my Lord Russel many Years I have been many months with him in his House I never saw any thing by him but that he was a most Vertuous and Prudent Gentleman and he had Prayers constantly twice a day in his House L. Ch. Just What as to the General Conversation of his Life my Lord asks you whether it hath been sober Mr. Spencer I never saw any thing but very good very prudent and very virtuous L. Russel What Company did you see used to come to me Mr. Spencer I never saw any but his near Relations or his own Family I have the honour to be related to the Family Then Doctor Fitz Williams stood up L. Russel If it please you Doctor you have been at my House several times give an account of what you know of me Dr. Fitz Williams I have had the knowledg of my Lord these fourteen years from the time he was married to his present Lady to whose Father eminent for Loyalty I had a Relation by Service I have had acquaintance with him both at Stratton and Southampton Buildings and by all the Conversation I had with him I esteemed him a Man of that Virtue that he could not be guilty of such a Crime as the Conspiracy he stands charged with L. Ch. J. My Lord does your Lordship call any more Witnesses L. Russel No my Lord I will be very short I shall declare to your Lordship that I am one that have always had a heart sincerely Loyal and Affectionate to the King and the Government the best Government in the World I pray as sincerely for the Kings happy and long life as any man alive and for me to go about to raise a Rebellion which I looked upon as so wicked and unpracticable is unlikely Besides if I had been inclined to it by all the observation I made in the Country there was no tendency to it What some hot-headed people have done there is another thing A Rebellion can't be made now as it has been in former times We have few great Men. I was always for the Government I never desired any thing to be redressed but in a Parliamentary and legal way I have been always against Innovations and all Irregularities whatsoever and shall be as long as I live whether it be sooner or later Gentlemen I am now in your hands eternally my Honor my life and all and I hope the Heats and Animosities that are amongst you will not so byass you as to make you in the least inclined to find an Innocent Man guilty I call to witness Heaven and Earth I never had a design against the Kings Life in my life nor never shall have I think there is nothing proved against me at all I am in your hands God direct you Mr. Sol. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar stands Indicted for High Treason in Conspiring the Death of the King The Overt Act that is laid to prove that Conspiracy and imagination by is the assembling in Council to raise Arms against the King and raise a Rebellion here We have proved that to you by Three Witnesses I shall endeavour as clearly as I can to state the substance of the Evidence to you of every one of them as they have delivered it The first Witness Colonel Romsey comes and he tells you of a Message he was sent of to Mr. Sheppards House to my Lord Russel with several other persons who he was told would be there assembled together And the Message was to know what readiness they were in what Resolutions they were come to concerning the Rising at Taunton By this you do perceive that this Conspiracy had made some progress and was ripe to be put in action My Lord Shaftsbury that had been a great Contriver in it he had pursued it so far as to be ready to rise This occasioned the Message from my Lord Shaftsbury to my Lord Russel and those noble persons that were met at Mr. Sheppards house to know what the Resolution was concerning the business of Taunton which you have heard explained by an undertaking of Mr. Trenchards That the answer was they were disappointed there and they could not then be ready and that my Lord Shaftsbury must be content This Message was delivered in presence of my Lord Russel the Messenger had notice my Lord Russel was there the Answer was given as from them all That at present they could not be ready because of that disappointment Col. Romsey went further and he swears there was a Discourse concerning the Surprise of the Guards and the Duke of Monmouth my Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong went to see in what posture they were in whether it were feasible to surprise them and they found them very remiss and that account they brought back as is proved to you by Mr. Sheppard the other Witness That it was a thing very feasible But to conclude with the substance of Col. Romseys Evidence he says my Lord was privy to it that he did discourse among the rest of it though my Lord was not a man of so great Discourse as the rest and did talk of a Rising He told you there was a Rising determined to be on the 19 th of November last which is the substance of Col. Romseys Evidence Gentlemen the next Witness is Mr. Sheppard and his Evidence was this he swears that about October last Mr. Ferguson came to him of a Message from the Duke of Monmouth to let him know That he and some other persons of Quality would be there that night that accordingly they did meet and my Lord Russel was there likewise that they did desire to be private and his Servants were sent away and that he was the man that did attend them He swears there was a Discourse concerning the way and method to seise the Guards he goes so far as to give an account of the Return of the Errand the Duke of Monmouh my Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong went upon That it was feasible if they had Strength to do it Then he went a little farther and he told you there was a Paper read that in his Evidence does not come up to my Lord Russel for he did not say my Lord Russel was by and I would willingly repeat nothing but what concerns the Prisoner Therefore Col. Romsey and Mr. Sheppard agree in That there was a Debate among them how to
surprise the Guards and whether that was feasible and Mr. Sheppard is positive as to the Return made upon the View The next Witness was my Lord Howard he gives you an account of many things and many things that he tells you are by hear-say But I cannot but observe to you that all this hear-say is confirmed by these two positive Witnesses and their Oaths agree with him in it For my Lord Shaftsbury told him of the Disappointment he had met with from these Noble persons that would not join with him and then he went from my Lord Shaftsbury to the Duke of Monmouth to expostulate with him about it for my Lord Shaftsbury was then ready to be in action and that the Duke said he always told him he would not engage at that time This thing is confirmed to you by these two Witnesses Col. Romsey says when he brought the Message from my Lord Shaftsbury the answer was They were not ready my Lord must be contented Next he goes on with a discourse concerning my Lord Shaftsbury that does not immediatly come up to the Prisoner at the Bar but it manifests there was a Design at that time he had 10000 brisk Boys as he called them ready to follow him upon the holding up of his finger But it was thought not so prudent to begin it unless they could join all their Forces So you hear in this they were disappointed And partly by another accident too my Lord Howard had an apprehension it might be discovered that was upon the Proclamation that came out forbidding Bonfires to prevent the ordinary Tumults that used to be upon those occasions Then my Lord Howard goes on and comes particularly to my Lord Russel for upon this disappointment you find my Lord Shaftsbury thought fit to be gone But after that the Design was not laid aside for you hear they only told him all along they could not be ready at that time but the Design went on still to raise Arms and then they took upon themselves to consult of the methods of it and for the carrying it on with the greater secresie they chose a select Council of Six which were the Duke of Monmouth my Lord of Essex my Lord Howard my Lord Russel Mr. Hambden and Col. Sidney That accordingly they met at Mr Hambdens there was their first meeting and their Consultation there was how the Insurrection should be made whether first in London or whether in the Countrie or whether both in London and in the Countrie at one time They had some Debates among themselves that it was fittest first to be in the Countrie for if the King should send his Guards down to suppress them then the Citie that was then as well disposed to rise would be without a Guard and easily effect their designs here Their next meeting was at my Lord Russels own house and there their Debates were still about the same matter how to get in Scotland to their assistance and in order to that they did intrust Col. Sidney one of their Counsel to send a Messenger into Scotland for some persons to come hither my L. Melvin Sir H. Campbell and Sir J Cockram Accordingly Col. Sidneys sends Aar Smith but this is only what Col. Sidney told my Lord afterwards That he had done it but you see the fruit of it Accordingly they are come to Town and Sir H. Campbell is taken by a Messenger upon his arrival and he had been but four days in Town and he had changed his Lodging three times Now Gentlemen this is the substance of the Evidence that hath been produced against my L. Russel My L. Russel hath made several Objections That he was accidentally at this Meeting at Mr. Sheppards House and came about other business but I must observe to you that my Lord Russel owned that he came along with the Duke of Monmouth and I think he said he went away with him too You observe what Mr. Sheppards Evidence was Mr. Ferguson came to tell him the Duke of Monmouth would come and accordingly the Duke of Monmouth did come and brought his Companion with him which was my Lord Russel and certainly they that met upon so secret an Affair would never have brought one that had not been concerned Gentlemen there are other Objections my Lord hath made and those are in point of Law but before I come to them I would observe what he says to the second Meeting My Lord does not deny but that he did meet both at Mr. Hambdens House and my Lords own I think my Lord said they did meet only to discourse of News and my Lord Howard being a man of excellent Discourse they met for his Conversation Gentlemen you can't believe that this designed Meeting was for nothing in this close secret Meeting that they had no Contrivance amongst them You have heard the Witness he swears positively what the Conversation was and you see the Fruit of it Sir Hugh Campbells coming to Town and absconding when it is discovered Now my Lord Russel insists upon it That admitting these Facts be proved upon him they amount to no more than to a Conspiracy to levy War and that that is not Treason within the Statute of 25 E. 3. and if it be only within the Statute of the 13 th of this King then 't is out of time that directs the Prosecution to be within six months The Law is plainly otherwise The Statute of the 13 th of this King I will not now insist upon though I believe if that be strictly looked into the Clause that says the Prosecution shall be within six months does not refer to Treason but only to the other Offences that are highly punishable by that Statute For the Proviso runs thus 13. Car. 2. Provided always that no person be prosecuted for any of the Offences in this Act mentioned other than such as are made and declared to be High Treason unless it be by Order of the Kings Majesty his Heirs or Successors under his or their Sign Manual or by Order of the Council-Table of His Majesty his Heirs or Successors directed unto the Attorney General for the time being or some other of the Counsel learned to His Majesty His Heirs or Successors for the time being Nor shall any person or persons by virtue of this present Act incur any the Penalties herein before mentioned unless he or they be prosecuted within six months next after the Offence committed and indicted thereupon within three months after such Prosecution any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding This word Nor is a continuation of the former Sentence and the Exception of High Treason will go through all and except that out of the Temporary Limitation of Treason But this is High Treason within 25 Edw. 3. To conspire to levy War is an Overt Act to testifie the Design of the Death of the King And the Error of my Lord Cook hath possily led my Lord into this mistake But this Gentlemen
hath been determined it was resolved by all the Judges in the Case of my Lord Cobham 1 Jac. A Conspiracy to levy War against the Kings Person as this was a Conspiracy to seise the Guards what does that tend to but to seise the King and that always hath been taken to be High Treason But there are some things called Levying of War in Law that are not so directly against the King as if a Number of Men go about to levy Men to overthrow all Inclosures this by the generality of the Intent and because of the Consequences is accounted Levying War against the King A Conspiracy therefore to levy such a War which by construction only is against the King perhaps that may not be such an Overt Act as to testifie the Imagination of the Death of the King but other Conspiracies to raise War against the King have alwaies bin so taken 'T is the Resolution of the Judges in my L. Dyers Reports the Case of Dr. Story A Conspiracie to invite a foreign Prince to make an Invasion though no Invasion follow is an Overt Act to prove conspiring the Death of the King And as it hath bin so taken so it hath bin practised but of late daies In the Kings Bench I take it the Indictment against Plunket that was hanged he was indicted for Conspiring against the Life of the King and his Charge went no farther than for raising of Arms and inviting the French King in and he suffered This is acknowledged by my L. Cook for he himself said in the Paragraph before that out of which this Advice to my L. Russel is extracted That a Conspiracy to invite a foreign Prince to invade the Kingdom is a Conspiracie against the life of the King And in the next Paragraph he saies an Overt Act of one Treason cannot be an Overt Act of another Treason but constant Practice is against him in that For what is more common than to indict a man for Imagining the Death of the King and to assign the Overt Act in a Conspiracie to raise Arms against the King and sometimes they go on and say Did levy War against the King Now by my L. Cooks Rule levying War unless the Indictment be particular for that is not an Overt Act for the compassing the Death of the King but the contrary hath bin resolved by all the Judges in the Case of Sir Hen. Vane and it is the constant Practice to lay it so in Indictments It would be a strange construction if this should not be High Treason 'T is agreed by every body to take the King Prisoner to seise the King that is a compassing the Death of the King and to sit in council to conspire to effect that that is an Overt Act of the Imagination of the Death of the King now no man can distinguish this Case fom that And this Consultation amounted to all this for plainly hither it tended The Consultation was to seise upon the Kings Guards that could have no other stop but to seise upon the Kings Person and bring him into their Power As to the Killing of the King I am apt to think that was below the Honor of the Prisoner at the Bar but this is equal Treason If they designed only to bring the King into their Power till he had consented to such things as should be moved in Parliament 't is equally Treason as if they had agreed directly to assasinate him Therefore I think there is nothing for you to consider but to see that the Fact be fully proved and I see nothing that hath been said by my L. Russel that does invalidate our Evidence He hath produced several Witnesses Persons of Honor my L. Anglesy tells you of a Discourse my L. Howard had with my L. of Bedford That he told my L. of Bedford that he needed not to fear for he had a wife and understanding Son and could not think he should be guilty of any such thing as was laid to his Charge This is brought to invalidate my L. Howards Testimony Gentlemen do but observe My L. Howard was as deep in as any of them and was not then discovered Is it likely that my L. Howard that lay hid should discover to my L. of Bedford that there was a Conspiracy to raise Arms and that he was in it This would have been an aspersion upon my Lord of Bedford that any such thing should have been said Mr. Edw. Howard is the next and he proves That my L. Howard used solemn Protestations that he knew nothing of this Conspiracy I did observe that worthy Gentleman in the beginning of his Discourse for it was pretty long said first That he had been several times tempting my Lord Howard to come over and be serviceable to the King and if he knew any thing that he would come and confess it Why Gen-men Mr. Howard that had come to him upon these Errands formerly and had thought he had gained him I conceive you do not wonder if my Lord Howard did not reveal himself to him who presently would have discovered it for for that arrand he came But if my Lord had had a design to have come in and saved his Life he would have made his Submission voluntarily and made his Discovery But my Lord tells nothing till he is pinched in his Conscience and confounded with the Guilt being then in Custody and then he tells the whole Truth that which you have heard this day Gentlemen this hath been all that hath been objected against the Witnesses except what is said by Dr. Burnet and he saies that my L. Howard declared to him that he believed there was no Plot and laughed at it Why Gentlemen the Doctor would take it ill to be thought a person fit to be intrusted with the discovery of this therefore what he said to him signifies nothing for 't is no more than this that he did not discover it to the Doctor But the last Objection which I see there has been a great many Persons of Honour and Quality called to is That 't is not likely my Lord Russel should be guilty of any thing in this kind being a man of that Honor Vertue and so little blamable in his whole Conversation I do confess Gentlemen this is a thing that hath weight in it But consider on the other hand my Lord Russel is but a man and hath his humane frailties about him Men fall by several temptations some out of revenge some by malice fall into such offences as these are my Lord Russel is not of that temper and therefore may be these are not the ingredients here But Gentlemen there is another great and dangerous temptation that attends people in his circumstances whether it be Pride or Ambition or the cruel snare of Popularity being cried up as a Patron of Liberty This hath been a dangerous temptation to many and many persons of Vertue have fallen into it and 't is the only way to tempt persons
of Vertue and the Devil knew it for he that tempted the Pattern of Vertue shew'd him all the Kingdoms of the World and said All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Though he be a person of Vertue yet it does not follow but his Vertue may have some weak part in him And I am afraid these temptations have prevailed upon my Lord. For I cannot give my self any colour of objection to disbelieve all these Witnesses who give in their testimony I see no contradiction no correspondence no contrivance at all between them You have plain Oaths before you and I hope you will consider the weight of them and the great consequence that did attend this Case the overthrow of the best Government in the World and the best and most unspotted Religion which must needs have suffered the greatest Liberty and the greatest Security for Property that ever was in any Nation bounded every way by the rules of Law and those kept sacred I hope you will consider the weight of this Evidence and consider the consequences such a Conspiracy if it had taken effect might have had And so I leave it to your consideration upon the Evidence you have heard Sir Geo. Jeff. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jurie this Cause hath detained your Lordship a long time by reason of so many Witnesses being called and the length of the defence made by the Prisoner at the Bar and if it had not been for the length of the time I would not have injured your patience by saying any thing Mr. Sollicitor having taken so much pains in it It is a duty incumbent upon me under the circumstances I now stand to see if any thing hath been omitted that hath not been observed to you and I shall detain you with very few words Gentlemen you must give me leave to tell you 't is a Case of great consequence of great consequence to that Noble Person that now is at the Bar as well as to the King for it is not desired by the King nor by his Counsel to have you influenced in this matter by any thing but by the Truth and what Evidence you have received In the next place you are not to be moved by any compassion or pity the Oath you have taken is to go according to your Evidence and you are not to be moved by any Insinuations that are offered by us for the King nor by any insinuations by the Prisoner at the Bar but the Truth according to the Testimony given must be your guide How far the Law will affect this Question that we are not to apply to you for for that we are to apply our selves to the Court they are the Judges in point of Law who will take so much care in their directions to you that you may be very well satisfied you will not easily be led into error For the instances that have been put I could put several others But I will take notice only of one thing that that Noble Person at the Bar seems to Object Gentlemen it is not necessary there should be two Witnesses to the self same Fact at the self same time but if there be two Witnesses tending to the self-same Fact though it was at several times and upon several occasions they will be in point of Law two Witnesses which are necessary to convict a Man for High-Treason Gentlemen I make no doubt this thing is known to you all not only by the Judgment of all the Judges in England but the Judgment of the Lords in Parliament when I doubt not the Prisoner at the Bar did attend in the Case of my Lord Stafford wherein one Witness gave an account of a Conspiracy in England Turbervile of another in France and by the Opinion of all my Lords the Judges approved in Parliament that was enough and he was convicted The Question is whether we have sufficiently proved this matter Gentlemen I must tell you we take no Gaols nor bring any prosligate Persons Persons that wanted Faith or Credit before this time I must tell you that notwithstanding the fair notice that hath been given to the Prisoner at the Bar that you see he hath taken an advantage of it he hath given an account of a private Conversation with my Lord Howard before that Noble Person that was Witness against him was taken he has not given you in all his Proof hitherto nay I say he has not pretended any thing in the World wherefore you Gentlemen that are upon your Oaths should take it upon your Consciences that two Men against whom there is no Objection should come to damn their own Souls to take away the life of this Gentleman when there is no Quarrel no Temptation wherefore these Gentlemen should come in the face of a Court of Justice in the face of such an Auditory without respect to that infinite Being to whom they appeal for confirmation of the Truth of their Testimony and if they had the Faith of Men or Christians they must necessarily conclude that if they did swear to take away a mans Life that was innocent God would sink them down presently into Hell Gentlemen in the next place I must acquaint you that the first Witness Col. Romsey it is apparent he was taken notice of by the Prisoner as a man fit to be trusted he was engaged by my Lord Shaftsbury But says he would any man believe that that man that had received so many Marks of the Kings Favour both in advantage to his Estate his Honour and Person could be ever contriving such an Hellish Design as this Gentlemen if you will argue from such uncertain Conjectures then all Criminals will come off Who should think that my Lord of Essex who had been advanced so much in his Estate and Honour should be guilty of such desperate things which had he not been conscious of he would scarcely have brought himself to that untimely end to avoid the Methods of publick Justice Col. Romsey tells you my Lord Shaftsbury was concerned in this Conspiracy I am sorry to find that there hath been so many of the Nobility of this Land that have Lived so happily under the benign influence of a gracious Prince should make so ill returns Gentlemen I must appeal to you whether in your observation you found Col. Romsey to be over-hasty and an over-zealous Witness he did not come as if he came in spight to the Prisoner at the Bar you found how we were forced to pump out every thing but after he had been pressed over and over again then he came to it So that I observe to you that he was an unwilling Witness Gentlemen give me leave to observe to you the Prisoner at the Bar before such time as Mr. Sheppard came up and gave evidence against him says he I come only by accident only to tast a parcel of wine Mr Sheppard when he comes up he tells you there was no such design
Ferguson that was the person he kept company with the Reverend Dean and the rest of the Clergy of the Church of England they were not fit to be trusted with it but this Independent Person Ferguson he gives notice of the coming of the persons and in pursuance of this notice they all come they come late in the Evening not in the posture and quality they use to go for you find they had not so much as a Coach Is it probable they came to tast Wine Wherefore did they go up into a room Wherefore did they order Mr. Sheppard that none of the Boys should come up but that the Master must fetch the Sugar and Wine himself wherefore you may perceive the Action they were upon there were only to be such persons as had an affection for such a cause You find pursuant to what Col. Romsey says that there was a direction to take a view of the Guards that Sir Tho. Armstrong comes back and makes this Report says he I have taken notice they are in such an idle careless posture that it is not impossible to surprize them This Mr. Sheppard he does not come nor does he appear to you to come here out of any vindictive humor to do the Prisoner at the Bar any hurt In the next place we have my Lord Howard he comes and positively tells you after he had given an account for you observe there were two parts to be acted in this horrid Tragedy there was first the Scoundrel sort of People were to be concerned to take away the Life of the King and the Duke the Great Persons were to head the Party in the Rising they put themselves in proper postures each of them consenting to something of the Surprize in as much as you observe that Sir Thomas Armstrong and some other Persons might not be trusted They come and resolve themselves out of a General Council and they meet in a particular Council of Six looking upon themselves as the Heads of the Party And I must tell you many of them we live not in an age of such obscurity but we know them how fond have they been of the applause of the people As that person encouraged himself yesterday they were Liberatores Patriae that could Murder the King and the Duke My Lord I must take notice that this noble Lord is known to have an intimacy with him you observe with how much tenderness he is pleased to deliver himself how carefully he reports the Debates of the particular Consults of the persons to be intrusted in the management he tells you that Noble Lord the Prisoner at the Bar was pitched upon and Algernoon Sidney a man Famous about the Town for what To call in Parties from some of his Majesties other Dominions persons we know ripe enough for Rebellion to assist Pursuant to this you find persons sent of a Message for some to come over whereof some are in hold So that for all dark and obscure sort of matters nothing can be better brought to light than this of taking all matters together with the concurring Circumstances of Time and Place Gentlemen I must confess this Noble Lord hath given an account by several Honourable persons of his Conversation which is a very easie matter Do you think if any man had a design to raise a Rebellion against the Crown that he would talk of it to the Reverend Divines and the Noble Lords that are known to be of Integrity to the Crown Do you think the Gentleman at the Bar would have so little concern for his own life to make this Discourse his ordinary Conversation No it must be a particular Consult of Six that must be intrusted with this I tell you 't is not the Divines of the Church of England but an Independent Divine that is to be concerned in this they must be persons of their own complexion and humour For Men will apply themselves to proper Instruments Gentlemen I would not labour in this case for far be it from any man to endeavour to take away the Life of the Innocent And whereas that Noble Lord says he hath a vertuous good Lady he hath many Children he hath Vertue and Honour he puts into the Scale Gentlemen I must tell you on the other side you have Consciences Religion you have a Prince and a mercifull one too consider the life of your Prince the life of his Posterity the consequences that would have attended if this Villany had taken effect What would have become of your Lives and Religion what would have become of that Religion we have been so fond of preserving Gentlemen I must put these things home upon your Consciences I know you will remember the horrid Murder of that most pious Prince the Martyr King Charles the First How far the Practices of those persons have influenced the several Punishments since is too great a secret for me to examine But now I say you have the Life of a merciful King you have a Religion that every honest man ought to stand by and I am sure every loyal man will venture his Life and Fortune for You have your Wives and Children Let not the Greatness of any man corrupt you but discharge your Consciences both to God and the King and to your Posterity L. C. J. Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar stands indicted before you of High Treason in compassing and designing the Death of the King and in declaring of it by Overt Acts endeavouring to raise Insurrections and popular Commotions in the Kingdom here To this he hath pleaded not Guilty You have heard the Evidence that hath been against him it hath been at large repeated by the Kings Counsel which will take off a great deal of my trouble in repeating it to you again I know you cannot but take notice of it and remember it it having been stated twice by two of the Kings Counsel to you 't is long and you see what the parties here have proved There is first of all Col. Romsey he does attest a Meeting at Mr. Sheppards House and you hear to what purpose he says it was the Message that he brought and the Return he had it was to enquire concerning a Rising at Taunton and that he had in Return to my Lord Shaftsbury was that Mr. Trenchard had failed them and my Lord must be contented for it could not be at that time You hear that he does say that they did design a Rising he saith there was a Rising designed in November I think he saith the 17 th upon the day of Qu. Elizabeths Birth You hear he does say There was at that Meeting some Discourse concerning inspecting the Kings Guards and seeing how they kept themselves and whether they might be surprised and this he says was all in order to a Rising He says that at this my Lord Russel was present Mr. Sheppard does say that my Lord Russel was there That he came into this Meeting with the Duke