to admit of any Discourses till you Answer the Question Whether you be Guilty or not Guilty Mr. Att. Gen. If he will Demurr my Lord We will give him leave Col. Sidney I presume your Lordship will direct me for I am an ignorant Man in matters of this kind I may easily be surprised in it I never was at a Tryal in my life of any Body and never read a Law-Book L. C. Iust. Because no Prisoner under your Circumstances is to have Counsel but in special Cases to be assigned in matters of Law the Court is bound by their Oaths and Duty of their Places that they shall not see any wrong done to you But the business we are to tell you now is You are to plead Guilty or not Guilty or Demur which is a Confession in point of Law Col. Sidney Under favour my Lord There may be Indictments that are erroneous and if they are erroneous and vitious they are null and ought not to be answered to Mr. Iust. Wythins If you please to demur to it you shall have liberty to make any Exceptions Col. Sidney I don't demur 't is only Exceptions I think in matters of Life a Man may give in his Exceptions to the Bill and plead not Guilty afterwards I am sure in Sir Henry Vane's Case the Court said it and offered him to do it That which under favor I hope to do L. C. Iustice. You must Plead or Demurr Col. Sidney My Lord If I put in Exceptions to the Bill I don't plead till those Exceptions are over-ruled This was in the case of Sir Henry Vane L. C. Iustice. Sir I must tell you you must either Plead or Demurr Col. Sidney My Lord There are in this Indictment some Treasons or reputed Treasons that may come within the Statute of the 13th of this King which is limited by time the Prosecution must be in Six Months and the Indictment within Three Now my Lord if that this Business that is mentioned be above six Months before my Commitment or above three before the Indictment I think under favor I ought not to answer to these Matters L. C. Iustice. You are mistaken in the Law That will be saved when the Fact comes to appear If they alledge the thing to be at a time which according to that allegation would maintain the Indictment if upon the Tryal it appear otherwise the Court is bound to take notice of it when you come to your Tryal but we are not bound to examine that before you have pleaded Col. Sidney My Lord Every body will acknowledg that there have been or may be vitious Indictments Now if I plead to an erroneous Indictment and am Acquitted I may be Indicted again Bills of Attainder have been upon Errors in Original Indictments as that of the Duke of Somerset Now if there be here several things distinct in Nature distinguished by Law that are put together 't is impossible to make a positive Answer to any one If any one should tell me that I by my self or by others by Sword or by Pistol conspired to kill the King I can say I did it or I did it not If any one say I have levyed War and by several Acts undertake to prove I have done it I can say I have done it or I have not But here I don't find any thing specifyed or can tell upon what Statute I am Indicted I pray I may see the Record L. C. Iustice. That we can't do You shall hear it read again if you will If you think it to be a void Indictment Demur to it if you will Col. Sidney My Lord I desire you to accept of this shewing a Parchment L. C. Iustice. What is it Put in what Plea you shall be advised but if you put in a special Plea and Mr. Attorney demurrs you may have Judgment of Death and by that you wave the Fact Col. Sidney I can't make any Objection to the Bill after I have pleaded Not Guilty for I accept the Bill thereby to be good L. C. Iustice. If you can assign any Matter of Law do But otherwise what a kind of thing would it be All Criminals would say in all Cases I doubt whether the Bill be Good or Bad. And after I have thus considered of it I will Plead You are mis-informed and this the Court tells you as a Duty incumbent on them Mr. Iust. Wythins If you Demur and shew what your Causes are We will assign you Counsel Col. Sidney I desire you would not try me and make me to â—un on dark and slippery Places I don't see my way L. C. Iustice. Don't apprehend your self to be so as if the Court would run you on any inconvenience But they are bound to see the Methods of Justice preserved they are those that you and all the King's Subjects are bound to conform to If any one of us were in the same Condition we must observe the same Methods of Law Clerk of the Crown Art thou Guilty or not Guilty Col. Sidney Then pray my Lord Will you tell me this Is it true That a Man how vitious so ever an Indictment is must Answer or Demurr to it L. C. Iust. He must either Answer or Demurr Col. Sidney Are there no Exceptions to be admitted L. C. Iustice. None And if you don't do the one or the other Judgment passes as if you had pleaded Col. Sidney This is a Plea Mr. Iust. Wythins Will you stand by it Consider your self and your Life If you put in that Plea and Mr. Attorney Demurrs if your Plea be not good your Life is gone Col. Sidney Pray my Lord Give me a day to consider of it Lord Chief Iustice. No We must not introduce new Methods or Forms for any body The same Case that is with you may be with other people Col. Sidney My Lord I do not pretend to any thing but what is Law and due to every Man upon English Ground I would be very sorry to do that which may be hurtful L. C. Iustice. You have the rule of the Court You must do one or the other Call him to it Col. Sidney I desire this may be read shewing the same Parchment L. C. Iustice. It shall not be read unless you put it in as a Plea Mr. Att. General I must do my duty Mr. Williams exceeds his Liberty he informs the Prisoner several things Mr. Williams I only said if it was a Plea put it in Mr. Attorney can hear all I say Whereupon Mr. Williams was reproved by the Lord Chief Justice Col. Sidney I only give it as exceptions to the Bill Clerk of the Crown Art thou Guilty or not Guilty Col. Sidney If any one should ask me any particular thing I could tell how to answer L. C. Iustice. He askes you a particular thing 'T is the duty of the Court to pronounce Judgment if you do not plead Col. Sidney Why then if you drive me upon it I must plead Lord Chief Iustice. I am sure
That I shall tell the Jury The point in Law you are to take from the Court Gentlemen Whether there be Fact sufficient that is your duty to consider Col. Sidney I say my Lord that since I am Indicted upon that Statute I am not to take notice of any other I am Indicted for Conspiring the Death of the King because such a Paper is found in my House Under favour I think that can be nothing at all to me For though Sir Philip Lloyd did ask me whether I would put my Seal to it he did not ask me till he had been in my Closer and I knew not what he had put in and so I told him I would not do it Then come these Gentlemen upon similitude of hands My Lord We know what similitude of hands is in this Age. One told me within these two days that one came to him and offered him to counterfeit any hand he should shew him in half an hour So then my Lord I have nothing to say to these Papers Then for point of Witness I cannot be Indicted much less Tried or Condemned on 25 E. 3. for by that Act there must be two Witnesses to that very branch unto which the Treason does relate which must be distinguished For the Levying of War and Conspiring the Death of the King are two distinct things distinct in nature and reason and so distinguished in the Statute And therefore the Conspiring the Death of the King is Treason and the other not 1 E. 6. 12. 5 E. 6. 11. does expresly say there must be two Witnesses to either of these Acts. Now here is my Lord Howard I have enough to say of him by and by 'T is he only who speaks of six men whom he calls a select Council and yet selected by no man in the world I desire to know who selected my Lord Howard Who selected me If they were selected by no body 't is a Bull to say they were a select Council If they were not selected but erected themselves into a Cabal then they have either confidence in one another or find they are near equally able to assist in the design Here is nothing of all this These six men were strangers to one another For my own part I never spake with the Duke of Monmouth above three times in my life and one time was when my Lord Howard brought him to my House and cozened us both He told the Duke I invited him and he told me the Duke invited himself and neither of them was true Now that such men as these are not hardly knowing one another should presently fall into a great and intimate friendship and trust and management of such businesses as these are is a thing utterly improbable unless they were mad Now I do find in my Lord Howards Deposition against my Lord Russel that they were in prosecution of my Lord Shaftsbury's design and yet he acknowledges the Duke of Monmouth said he was mad and he himself said so too Now that they should join with four more in the prosecution of the design of a madman they must be mad too Now whether my Lord Howard would have you think he was mad because a madman cannot be guilty of Treason I cannot tell My Lord Howard in his last Deposition at my Lord Russel's Trial fixes the two meetings one about the middle of January the other ten days after Now he fixes one to be the latter end of January the other the middle of February Then he makes it to be the prosecution of my Lord Shaftsbury's design I do not find that any one there had any thing to do with my Lord Shaftsbury for my part I had not I had not seen his face in two years Then my Lord that I go upon is whatever my Lord Howard is here is but one Witness The Law of God and the Law of man understood and taken by all men does require two Witnesses Moses says so so the Apostles the same after him and Christ says the same That every matter is to be established by two Witnesses There ought to be two Witnesses to the same thing Now for one to come and tell a Tale of a Tub of an imaginary Council and another of a Libel a Paper written no body knows when is such a thing you can never go over it But if the Law of God be that there must be two Witnesses to the same Fact there is an end of this matter And under the Judicial Law the penalty would be in this Case to put a man to death Now here there are but two things which if allowed of no body will be safe for Perjury The one is to suffer men to give their testimony one to one thing and another to another that the fraud cannot be discovered and the other is to take away the punishment Now the punishment is taken away in some measure and do but take away the other point whereby the fraud cannot be discovered and then there is no defence can be made That both witnesses should be to the same point see the Story of Susanna Two Elders testified they saw her in the Act of Adultery They were carrying of her to her death both of them said the same thing until they were taken asunder and examined the fraud was not discovered and then one said she was under a Tree of the right hand and the other under the Tree on the left and she escaped and they were punished But now if you apply it to several Facts my Lord Howard may say what he pleases and if another shall come with a supplemental proof no Justice can be had But my Lord I desire this If there be two Witnesses to prove the Conspiracy and in that there were those matters done that are Treason I must answer to it but if there be not I presume I need say nothing to it If you do not allow it me I desire Council to Argue it L. C. J. That is a point of Fact Whether there be two Witnesses I tell you beforehand one Witness is not sufficient Col. Sidney Why then there is my Lord Howard and never another L. C. J. Nay do not make those inferences I will tell the Jury if there be not two Witnesses as the Law requires in this Case they ought to acquit you Col. Sidney You confound me I cannot stir You talk of a Conspiracy What is a Conspiracy to kill the King Is there any more Witnesses than one for Levying of War L. C. J. 'Pray do not deceive your self You must not think the Court and you intend to enter into a Dialogue Answer to the Fact if there be not sufficient Fact the Jury will acquit you Make what Answer you can to it Col. Sidney Then I say There being but one Witness I am not to Answer to it at all L. C. J. If you rely upon that we will direct the Jury presently Col. Sidney Then for Levying War what does any one say My Lord
Fact you say well Col. Sidney I say there are several Judgments of Parliament that doe shew what ever is Constructive-Treason does not belong to any private Court that of 1 Mary 1 E. 6. 1 Eliz. 5 Eliz. 18. another 13 Car shew this Now my Lord I say that the business concerning the Papers 't is only a similitude of hands which is just nothing In my Lady Carrs Case it was resolved to extend to no criminal Cause if not to any then not to the greatest the most Capital So that I have only this to say That I think 't is impossible for the Jury to find this matter for the first point you proved by my Lord Howard that I think is no Body and the last concerning the Papers is only imagination from the similitude of hands If I had published it I must have answered for it or if the thing had been whole and mine I must have answered for it but for these scraps never shewed any Body That I think does not at all concern me And I say if the Jury should find it which is impossible they can I desire to have the Law reserved unto me Mr. Sol. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury The Evidence hath been long but I will endeavour to repeat it as faithfully as I can The Crime the Prisoner stands accused for is compassing and imagining the Death of the King That which we go about to prove that compassing and imagining by is by his meeting and consulting how to raise Arms against the King and by plain matter in writing under his own hand where he does affirm It is lawful to take away and destroy the King Gentlemen I will begin with the first part of it the Meeting and Consultation to raise Arms against the King The Prisoner Gentlemen hath endeavoured to avoid the whole force of this Evidence by saying that this in point of Law can't affect him if it were all proved for this does not amount to a proof of his compassing and imagining the death of the King and he is very long in interpreting the Act of Parliament to you of 25 E. 3. and dividing of it into several Members or Branches of Treason And does insist upon it that tho' this should be an offence within one Branch of that Statute yet that is not a proof of the other which is the Branch he is proceeded upon that is the first Clause against the compassing and imagining the Death of the King And sais he conspiring to Levy War is not so much as one Branch of that Statute but it must be War actually levyed This is a matter he is wholly mistaken in in point of Law It hath been adjudged over and over again That an Act which in one Branch of that Statute may be an overt Act to prove a man Guilty of another Branch of it As levying War is an overt Act to prove a man Guilty of Conspiring the Death of the King And this was adjudged in the Case of Sir Henry Vane so is meeting and consulting to raise to Arms. And reason does plainly speak it to be so for they that conspire to raise War against the King can't be presumed to stop any where till they have Dethron'd or Murdered the King Gentlemen I won't belong in citing Authoritys It hath been setled lately by all the Judges of England in the Case of my Lord Russel who hath suffered for this Conspiracy Therefore that point of Law will be very plain against the Prisoner He hath mentioned some other things as that there must be two Witnesses to every particular Fact and one Witness to one Fact and another to another is not sufficient it hath been very often objected and as often over-ruled It was over-ruled Solemnly in the Case of my Lord Stafford Therefore if we have one Witness to one overt Act and another to another they will be two Witnesses in Law to convict this Prisoner In the first part of our Evidence we give you an account of the general Design of an Insurrection that was to have been that this was contrived first when my Lord Shaftsbury was in England that after my Lord Shaftsbury was gone the business did not fall but they thought fit to revive it again and that they might carry it on the more steadily they did contrive a Counsel among themselves of six whereof the Prisoner at the Bar was one They were the Duke of Monmouth my Lord of Essex my Lord Howard my Lord Russel the Prisoner at the Bar and Mr. Hambden This Counsel they contrived to manage this affair and to carry on that designe that seemed to fall by the Death of my Lord of Shaftsbury and they met this we give you an account of first by Witnesses that gave you an account in general of it And tho' they were not privy to it yet they heard of this Counsel and that Col. Sidney was to be one of this Counsel This Gentlemen If it had stood alone by it self had been nothing to affect the Prisoner at all But this will shew you that this was discours'd among them that were in this Conspiracy Then my Lord Howard gives you an account that first the Duke of Monmouth and he and Col. Sidney met and it was agreed to be necessary to have a Counsel that should consist of six or seven and they were to carry it on That the Duke of Monmouth undertook to dispose my Lord Russel to it and Col. Sidney to dispose the Earl of Essex and Mr. Hambden that these Gentlemen did meet accordingly and the substance of their discourse was taking notice how the design had fallen upon the Death of my Lord Shaftsbury that it was fit to carry it on before mens Inclinations were cool for they found they were ready to it and had great reason to believe it because this being a business communicated to so many yet for all that it was kept very secret and no body had made any mention of it which they looked upon as a certaine argument that men were ready to ingage in it This incouraged them to go on in this Conspiracy Then when the Six met at Mr. Hambden's house they debated concerning the place of rising and the time the time they conceiv'd must be suddenly before Mens minds were cool for now they thought they were ready and very much disposed to it and for place they had in debate whether they should rise first in the Town or in the Country or both together And for the Persons they thought it absolutely necessary for them to have the United Counsels of Scotland to join with them and therefore they did refer this matter to be better considered of another time and they met afterwards at my Lord Russel's House in February and there they had Discourse to the same purpose But there they began to consider with themselves being they were to destroy this Government what they should set up in the room of it to what
there is no Gentleman of the Long Robe would put any such thing into your head There was never any such thing done in Capital Matters Col. Sidney My Lord I am there Indicted for Conspiring the Death of the King I have not Conspired the Death of the King I am there Indicted for Levying of War I have not done that I am Indicted for having Invited in others of another Nation I have not done that neither I am there Indicted to have written a Seditious Libel to stir up the Spirits of the People against the King I have not written any thing to stir up the People against the King L. C. Iustice. We are not to hear all this you must Plead as other People or else in plain English we will pronounce Sentence We ought to give all Men satisfaction that will be satisfied but if they wont be directed we can't help that Col. Sidney My Lord If you put me upon this inevitable necessity it lyes upon you I must plead then Clerk of the Crown Art thou Guilty or not Guilty Col. Sidney Not Guilty Clerk of the Crown Culprit how wilt thou be tryed Col. Sidney By God and my Country Clerk of the Crown God send thee a good Deliverance L. C. Iustice. If you be not Guilty I pray God you may escape Mr. Att. General My Lord will you please to appoint a day for his Tryal that he may take notice of it now L. C. Iustice. What time would you have Mr. Att. General A Weeks time do you think that will be enough Col. Sidney No Pray my Lord give me a Fortnights time Mr. Att. General I won't oppose it Col. Sidney In the next place I desire a Copy of the Indictment L. C. Iustice. We can't grant it by Law Col. Sidney I desire you would please to give me Counsel L. C. Iustice. We can't do it If you assigne us any particular Point of Law if the Court think it such a Point as may be worth the debating you shall have Counsel But if you ask for Counsel for no other reason then because you ask it we must not grant it The Court is bound to see that nothing be done against you but what is according to the rules of Law I would be very loth to draw the guilt of any mans blood upon me Col. Sidney Has not every body Counsel L. C. Iustice. No. Col. Sidney I have several Points of Law L. C. Iustice. Tell us them Col. Sidney My Lord Will you oblige me that am an ignorant man and confess my self so upon hearing my Indictment for things I know not of a long thing presently to raise a point of Law L. C. Iustice. 'T is not we oblige you Mr. Sidney 't is the Law obliges you We are the Ministers of the Law 't is the Law says we are not to allow you Counsel without making your Objections that the Court may understand whether it be fit 'T is the Law says we may not allow you a Copy of the Indictment Therefore don't go away and say that we as Men sitting here impose upon you we sit here only to administer the Justice of the Nation Mr. Iustice Wythins Sir you will have a Fortnights time to consider of Objections in Law L. C. Iustice. If you will have it Read you shall Those things that you may have by Law God forbid but you should have the benefit of them Col. Sidney I desire my Lord to hear it read again Mr. Att. General Would you have it read in Latine Col. Sidney Yes If you please I do understand a little Latine Then the Indictment was read in Latine Col. Sidney What is that Statute L. C. Iustice. When you come to your Tryal Mr. Attorney will tell you what Statute he goes upon And he may give in Evidence any Act of Parliament that comprehends Treason Col. Sidney My thinks he should say what Statute he goes upon Mr. Iust. Wythins Sir would you have a new Indictment for you L. C. Iustice. He must take notice of his Tryal this day fortnight Lieutenant of the Tower you may take the Prisoner back again Then the Lieutenant of the Tower took away his Prisoner THE TRYAL OF Algernon Sidney Esq NOVEMBER 21 1683. ALgernon Sidney Esquire was brought to the Bar of the Court of King's Bench by Habeas Corpus and Proclamation for Information being made he desired Pen Ink and Paper which were granted him And he also desired that two persons viz. Mr. Winn and Mr. Gibbs might write for him which was also allowed by the Court. Coll. Sidney My Lord when I was last here before your Lordship I did desire a Copy of my Indictment and I thought the Law did allow it me But being in an hurry carried first to a Tavern then led through Soldiers and surprized absolutely I could not give that reason why I thought the Law allowed me a Copy My Lord I was denyed a Copy and thereby I was deprived of the benefit of a special Plea I designed to have put in This would have been a great help to your Lordship and to me the denyal of which hath been a great prejudice Now my Lord that which I thought was Law then I think I can give a better testimony that 't is so now upon the Statute of 46. E. 3. wherein 't is expressed that tout partes tout gents that is all people shall have a Copy of every Record and it enumerates several matters as well that against the King as other people This is a general Law still in force my Lord Strafford had a Copy and my Lord Stafford and the Lords in the Tower had Copies of their Indictments And under favour I think it was never more necessary than to me there never having been perhaps a Charge so long and so confused Now my Lord I have a Copy transcribed of this Statute Shewing a Paper Lord Chief Iustice. We remember the Law very well Mr. Sidney did move for a Copy of the Indictment and the Court denyed him then and so shall now And yet all this while we shall deny you nothing that is Law You shall have the right that becomes a Subject in your condition And we must tell you that notwithstanding all that Case we ought not to have given you so much favour perhaps in strictness as we did And because you did particularly take notice of the Case of Sir Henry Vane last time I will shew you the Court did indulge more to you than was done to that person In Sir Henry Vane's Case by the opinion of all the Judges it was declared that no Copy ought to be given neither of the whole nor any part of the Indictment except they shew matter of Law But your Counsel since you went away moved for the Copy of the Indictment and to satisfie them I directed the Case that you took notice of to be read in the Court. And I thought they had been sufficiently satisfied You had the Indictment read
to you in Laâ—iâ—e which was denyed in the Case of Sir Henry Vane And there is a later Case known to most persons here By the opinion of all the Judges of England a Copy of the Indictment was denyed to my Lord Russel Therefore arraign him upon the Indictment we must not spend our time in discourses to captivate the people Col. Sid. Is not this a good Law my Lord Holding out the Paper L. C. J. You have the rule of the Court. Mr. Just. Wythens Any thing the Law will allow you you shall have but I am sure if you did advise with your Counsel they must tell you the same thing So the Clerk of the Crown called the Jury and after several Challenges the names of the Jury were as follow The Jury Iohn Amger Richard White William Linn Lawrence Wood. Adam Andrews Emery Arguise Iosias Clerke George Glisby Nicholas Baxter William Reeves William Grove Iohn Burt. L. C. J. Look you Gentlemen of the Jury there are some Gentlemen at the Bar as we are informed are apt to whisper to the Jury 't is no part of their duty nay 't is against their duty and therefore Gentlemen if you hear any of them by you that offer to whisper or make Comments in this Cause as you are upon your Oaths and I doubt not but will do your duty between the King and the Prisoner so I expect if you hear the Counsel say any thing you will inform the Court. Let us have no Remarks but a fair Tryal in God's Name Cl. of Cr. You that are sworn look upon the Prisoner and hearken to his Cause He stands indicted by the Name of Algernon Sidney of c. as in the Indictment your Charge is to inquire c. Then Proclamation for Evidence was made Mr. Dolben May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen that are sworn This is an Indictment of High Treason preferred against Algernon Sidney the Prisoner at the Bar. The Indictment sets forth That he as a false Traitor against our most Illustrious Prince Charles the Second his natural Lord not having the fear of God in his heart and on the Thirtieth of June in the Thirty Fifth Year of the King and divers other days and times as well before as after in the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex traiterously with divers Traitors unknown did conspire the Death of the King and to levy War within this Kingdom And to complete these Traiterous Purposes did then and there maliciously advisedly and traiterously send one Aaron Smith into Scotland to excite some ill disposed persons of that Kingdom to come into this and to consult with the said Algernon Sidney and other Traitors of and upon assistance from the Kingdom of Scotland to carry on those Designs And the Indictment sets forth further that to perswade the people of England it was lawful to raise Rebellion the said Algernon Sidney did cause to be written a false Seditious Libel in which is contained these English Words The Power is originally in the People and that is delegated to the King The King is subject to the Law of God as a King as a man to the people that made him a King In as much as he is a King the Law sets a measure to that Objection c. put in the Indictment This is laid to be against the duty of his Allegiance against the peace of the King his Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided If we prove him guilty we doubt not but you will find it Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar stands indicted of the highest Crimes the conspiring the Death of the King and the Overthrow of the English Monarchy Gentlemen we shall use this Method in our Evidence We shall shew by many Witnesses that there was a design of raising and making a Rebellion within this Kingdom For Gentlemen you must take notice and I think there is no English Man but does believe that for several years last past a design was laid and for that purpose several secret Insinuations were made use of and publick Libels spread abroad to perswade the people that the King was introducing Arbitrary Power that he subverted all their Rights Liberties Properties and whatever was dear to them They indeavoured to make the world believe the King was a Papist And when Gentlemen by such Stratagems they had worked upon many incautelous persons when they thought they had gotten a sufficient party then there was a design of an open rising for they thought all things were ripened and that was to be in several parts of the Kingdom Some persons to effect this design were for a present Assassination of the King Others would do it in a more fair and gentile way They thought it below persons of that great Quality as the Prisoner is and therefore were for doing it by open Force When we have given that general Evidence we shall then come to shew you what share and part the Prisoner had in this Design For certainly he was looked upon as a very eminent person whose Education abroad and former practices at home had rendred him fit to advise and proceed in such Affairs We shall prove when these matters were ripe this Gentleman was of the Council of State of the Six that were to manage this matter of the Rising We shall shew the several Consultations they held one at Mr. Hambden's House another at the House of my Lord Russel There we shall acquaint you what Debates they had for they acted like very subtil Men and there they debated whether the Rising should be first in the Country or City or both together They came to a resolution it should be in both places at once Then when they had asserted that point they come to consider the time of Rising and upon that they thought fit to call in Aid of Scotland first and that was this Gentleman's particular Province For he being a man of great Secresie was to send an Emissary into that Kingdom and invite some persons over totreat with them about it We shall prove that an Emissary was sent and this Gentleman gave him a considerable Sum to bear his Charges We shall prove that several Scotch Gentlemen in pursuance of this Resolve came here to treat with this great Council of State about this Affair And shall make it appear to you that assoon as ever the least Discovery of this Plot was these persons concealed themselves and withdrew as the rest of the Plotters that have fled from Justice Gentlemen this was not enough for this Gentleman to consult on these several Passages but to demonstrate to the World that his Head and Heart was intire in this Service and that he might carry it on the more effectually he was at this very time when this Emissary was gone into Scotland preparing a most Seditious and Traiterous
Howard let him if he please reconcile what he hath said now with what he said at my Lord Russel's Trial. There he said he said all he could and now he has got I do not know how many things that were never spoken of there I appeal to the Court whether he did then speak one word of that that he now says of Mr. Hambden He sets forth his Evidence very Rhetorically but it does not become a Witness for he is only to tell what is done and said but he does not tell what was done and said He says they took upon them to consider but does not say what one man said or what one man resolved much less what I did My Lord If these things are not to be distinguished but shall be jumbled all up together I confess I do not know what to say L. C. J. Take what liberty you please If you will make no Defence then we will direct the Jury presently We will direct them in the Law and recollect matter of Fact as well as we can Col. Sidney Why then my Lord I desire the Law may be reserved to me I desire I may have Council to that point of there being but one Witness L. C. J. That is point of Fact If you can give any testimony to disparage the Witness do it Col. Sidney I have a great deal to that L. C. J. Go on to it then Col. Sidney Then my Lord was there a War Levyed Or was it prevented Why then if it be prevented 't is not Levyed if it be not Levyed 't is not within the Statute so this is nothing to me L. C. J. The Court will have patience to hear you but at the same time I think 't is my duty to advertise you That this is but mispending of your time If you can Answer the Fact or if you have any mind to put any disparagement upon the Witnesses that they are not Persons to be believed do it but do not ask us Questions this way or t'other Col. Sidney I have this to say concerning my Lord Howard He hath accused himself of divers Treasons and I do not hear that he has his Pardon of any He is under the terror of those Treasons and the punishment for them He hath shewn himself to be under that terror He hath said That he could not get his Pardon until he had done some other jobbs till he was past this drudgery of swearing That is my Lord that he having incurred the penalty of High-Treason he would get his own indempnity by destroying others This by the Law of God and Man I think destroys a mans Testimony Besides my Lord he is my Debter he owes me a considerable summ of Money I lent him in time of his great necessity he made some Covenants with me for the payment of that Money which he hath broken and when his Mortgage was forfeited and I should take the advantage the Law gives me he finds out a way to have me laid up in the Tower He is a very subtle man At my Lord Russel's Tryal he carryed his Knife he said between the Paring and the Apple and so this is a point of great nicety and cunning at one time to get his own Pardon and at the same time to save his Money Another thing my Lord is when I was Prisoner he comes to my House and speaks with my Servant and says how sorry he was that I should be brought in danger upon this account of the Plot and there he did in the presence of God with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven swear he did not believe any Plot and that it was but a Sham and that he was confident if I had known any thing I would have told it him He hath said somewhat of this before I have several Witnesses to prove both He was desirous to go further and he would not only pay my debt by his Testimony against me but he would have got my Plate and other Goods in my hands into his hands and he desired my Men as a place of trust to put them into his hands And the next news was that there was a Warrant against my Lord Russel and me But then my Lord he made other affirmations in the same presence of God that I was innocent in his opinion and he was confident of it for if he had known any thing of it he would have told it Now I know in my Lord Russel's Case there was Dr. Burnet said something like it And when he came to answer it he said he was to face it out and make the best of it he could Now he did face it out bravely against God but he was very timerous of Man So that my Lord he does say at the same time at my Lord Russel's Tryal upon his Oath That he did believe that the Religious obligation of an Oath did not consist in the formality of applying it to the place c. but in calling God to witness So that when he did call God to witness before Doctor Burnet and my Servant and others and this is not consistent with the Oath he has taken here as the Gentleman said at my Lord Russel's Tryal unless he has one Soul in Court and had another at my house these things are inconsistent and cannot be true and if he swear both under the Religion of an Oath he swears himself perjured Then my Lord he talks of Aaron Smith What have I to do with Aaron Smith He sayes I sent him my Lord there is no body else speaks a word of it Then by a strange kind of construction and imagination they will have it that some Papers here which are said to be found in my Study have relation to this Plot as they call it I know of none nor am in none Now my Lord I am not to give an account of these Papers I do not think they are before you for there is nothing but the similitude of Hands offered for proof There is the like Case of my Lady Carr some few years agoe She was indicted of Perjury and as 〈◊〉 against her some Letters of hers were produced that were contrary to what she swore in Chancery and her band was proved that is to say it was like it but my Lord Chief Justice Keâ—ing directs the Jury that though in Civil Causes it is a proof yet it is the smallest and least of proofs but in Criminal cases it was none at all So that my Lord Howard's testimony is single and what he talks of those two businesses that he calls a Consult and Aaron Smith is destroyed by want of proof What could six men do Can my Lord Howard raise five men by his credit by his purse Let him say as much for me with all my heart for my part I do not know where to raise five men That such men as we are that have no followers should undertake so vast a design is very unlikely And this great design that was
not have his Pardon but he must first do this drudgery of swearing I need not say that his Son should say That he was sorry his Father could not get his Pardon unless he did swear against some others Col. Sidney Call Mr. Blake who appeared My Lord I desire he may be asked whether my Lord Howard did not tell him that he could not get his Pardon yet and he could ascribe it to nothing but that the drudgery of swearing must be over first Then my Lord Chief Iustice asked the Question Mr. Blake My Lord I am very sorry I should be called to give a publick account of a private Conversation how it comes about I don't know My Lord sent for me about six Weeks ago to come and see him I went and we talked of News I told him I heard no body had their Pardon but he that first discovered the Plot he told me no but he had his Warrant for it And says he I have their Word and Honour for it but says he I will do nothing in it till I have further order and says he I hear nothing of it and I can ascribe it to no other reason but I must not have my pardon till the drudgery of swearing is over These words my Lord said I believe my Lord won't deny it Then Mr. Sidney called Mr. Hunt and Burroughs but they did not appear Col Sidney 'T is a hard case they don't appear One of them was to prove that my Lord Howard said he could not have his Pardon till he had done some other Jobs L. C. Iust. I can't help it If you had come for assistance from the Court I would willingly have done what I could Then Col. Sidney mentioned the Duke of Buckingham but he was informed he was not subpaena'd Col. Sidney Call Grace Tracy and Elizabeth Penwick who appeared I ask you only what my Lord Howard said to you at my House concerning the Plot and my being in it Tracy Sir he said that he knew nothing of a Plot he protested and he was sure Col. Sidney knew nothing of it And he said If you knew any thing of it he mustneeds know of it for he knew as much of your concerns as any one in the World Col. Sidney Did he take God to Witness upon it Tracy yes Col. Sidney Did he desire my Plate at my House Tracy I can't tell that he said the Goods might be sent to his House Col. Sidney Penwick What did my Lord Howard say in your hearing concerning the pretended Plot or my Plate carrying away Penwick When he came he asked for your Honour and they said your Honour was taken away by a man to the Tower for the Plot and then he took God to Witness he knew nothing of it and believed your Honour did not neither He said he was in the Tower two years ago and your Honour he believed saved his Life Col. Sidney Did he desire the Plate Penwick Yes And said it should be sent to his House to be secured He said it was only Malice Mr. Wharton stood up Mr. Wharton 'T is only this I have to say That if your Lordship pleases to shew me any of these sheets of Paper I will undertake to imitate them in a little time that you shan't know which is which 'T is the easiest hand that ever I saw in my life Mr. Att. Gen. You did not write these Mr. Wharton Mr. Wharton No but I will do this in a very little time if you please L. C. Iust. Have you any more Witnesses Col. Sidney No my Lord. L. C. Iust. Then apply your self to the Jury Col. Sidney Then this is that I have to say Here is a huge Complication of Crimes laid to my Charge I did not know at first under what Statute they were now I find 't is the Statute of 25 of Ed. 3. This Statute hath two Branches one relating to War the other to the Person of the King That relating to the Person of the King makes the Conspiring Imagining and Compassing his Death criminal That concerning War is not unless it be Levyed Now my Lord I cannot imagine to which of these they refer my Crime and I did desire your Lordship to explain it For to say that a Man did meet to Conspire the King's Death and he that gives you the account of the business does not speak one word of it seems extravagant for Conspiracies have ever their Denomination from that point to which they tend as a Conspiracy to make false Coin infers Instruments and the like A Conspiracy to take away a Woman to kill or rob are all directed to that end So Conspiring to kill the King must immediately aim at killing the King The King hath two Capacities Natural and Politick that which is the Politick can't be within the Statute in that sense he never dies and 't is absur'd to say it should be a fault to kill the King that can't die So then it must be the natural sense it must be understood in which must be done by Sword by Pistol or any other way Now if there be not one word of this then that is utterly at an end though the Witness had been good The next point is concerning Levying of War Levying of War is made Treason there so it be proved by Overt Act but an Overt Act of that never was or can be pretended here If the War be not Levyed 't is not within the Act for Conspiring to Levy War is not in the Act. My Lord There is no Man that thinks that I would kill the King that knows me I am not a Man to have such a design perhaps I may say I have saved his Life once So that it must be by Implication that is It is first imagined that I intended to raise a War and then 't is imagined that War should tend to the Destruction of the King Now I know that may follow but that is not Natural or necessary and being not Natural or necessary it can't be so understood by the Law That it is not it plain for many Wars have been made and the Death of the King has not followed David made War upon Saul yet no body will say he sought his Death he had him under his power and did not kill him David made War upon Ishbosheth yet did not design his Death and so in England and France Kings have been taken Prisoners but they did not kill them King Stephen was taken Prisoner but they did not kill him So that 't is two distinct things to make War and to endeavour to kill the King Now as there is no manner of pretence that I should endeavour to kill the King directly so it can't be by inference because 't is Treason under another Species I confess I am not fit to argue these points I think I ought to have Counsel but if you won't allow it me I can't help it but these things are impossible to be jumbled up together Now
I say this If I am not under the first Branch if not directly I can't be by Implication though I did make War I can't be said to Conspire the Death of the King because 't is a distinct Species of Treason and my Lord Coke says t is the overthrow of all Justice to confound Membra dividentia now if the making of War can't be understood to be a Conspiring the Death of the King then I am not guilty of this Indictment but heremy Lord is neither Conspiring the Death of the King nor making War nor Conspiring to make War Besides I say 't is not the best Mans Evidence here would be good in this Case because the Law requires two The next thing is the business of Aaron Smith which my Lord tells so imperfectly and so meerly conjectural that there is nothing in it but his Rhetorick in setting it out He tells you of a Letter sent with him but he does not tell you by whom writ what was in it or whether it was delivered or no So that I think we may lay that aside as the other as things nothing in them at all Then says Mr. Attorney These Scotch Gentlemen are come to Town I profess I never heard the Names of one of them till he named them to me in the Tower I have not sent my self nor writ a Letter into Scotland never since the Year 59 nor do I know one Man in Scotland to whom I can write or from whom I ever received one I returned into England in the Year 77 and since that time have not writ nor received a Letter from Scotland Then some Gentlemen came hither What is that to me I never saw one of the Cambells in my life nor Monro if any one can prove I have had Communication with them I will be glad to suffer Then here are Papers if any thing is to be made of them you must produce the whole for 't is impossible to make any thing of a part of them You ask me What other Passage I would have read I don't know a Passage in them I can't tell whether it be good or bad But if there are any Papers found 't is a great doubt whether they were found in my Study or no or whether they be not counterfeit but though that be admitted that they were found in my house the hand is such that it shews they have been writ very many years Then that which seems to be an account of the Sections and Chapters that is but a scrap and what if any body had my Lord either in my own hand or anothers found Papers that are not well justifiable Is this Treason Does this imagine the Death of the King Does this reach the Life of the King If any Man can say I ever printed a sheet in my life I will submit to any Punishment Many others my Lord they write and they write what comes into their heads I believe there is a Brother of mine here has forty Quire of Paper writtenby my Father and never one sheet of them was published but he writ his own mind to see what he could think of it another time and blot it out again may be And I my self I believe have burned more Papers of my own writing than a Horse can carry So that for these Papers I can't answer for them There is nothing in it and what Concatenation can this have with the other design that is in it self nothing with my Lords Select Counsel selected by no body to pursue the design of my Lord Shaftsbury And this Counsel that he pretends to be set up for so great a business was to be adjusted with so much fineness so as to bring things together What was this fineness to do taking it for granted which I don't This was nothing if he was a credible Witness but a few Men talking at large of what might be or not be what was like to fall out without any manner of intention or doing any thing They did not so much as inquire Whether there was Men in the Country Arms or Ammunition A War to be made by five or six Men not knowing one another not trusting one another What said Dr. Coxe in his evidence at my Lord Russel's Tryal of my Lord Russel's trusting my Lord Howard He might say the same of some others So that my Lord I say these Papers have no manner of coherence no dependance upon any such design You must go upon conjecture upon conjecture and after all you find nothing but only Papers never perfect only scraps written many years ago and that could not be calculated for the raising of the People Now pray what Imagination can be more vain than that and what Man can be safe if the King's Counsel may make such whimsical I won't say but groundless Constructions Mr. Attorney says the Plot was broken to the Scots God knows we were neither broken nor joined and that the Cambells came to Town about that time I was taken and in the mean time my Lord Howard the great Contriver of all this Plot who was most active and advised the business that consisted of so much fineness he goes there and agrees of nothing and then goes into Essex upon great important business greater then the War of England and Scotland to what purpose To look after a little pimping Mannour and what then Why then it must be laid aside and he must be idle five Weeks at the Bath and there is no inquiring after it Now I desire your Lordship to consider whether there be a possibility for any Men that have the sense of Porters and Grooms to do such things as he would put upon us I would only say this If Mr. Attorney be in the right there was a Combination with the Scotts and then this Paper was writ for those that say I did it say I was doing of it then and by the Notes there is work enough for four or five years to make out what is mentioned in those scraps of Paper and this must be to kill the King And I say this my Lord that under favour for all constructive Treasons you are to make none but to go according to plain proof and that these Constructive Treasons belong only to Parliament and by the immediate Proviso in that Act. Now my Lord I leave it to your Lordship to see whether there is in this any thing that you can say is an Overt Act of Treason mentioned in 25 E. 3. If it be not plainly under one of the two Branches That I have endeavoured to kill the King or Levyed War then 't is matter of Construction and that belongs to no Court but the Parliament Then my Lord this hath been adjudged already in Throgmorton's Case There is twenty Judgments of Parliament the Act of 13 Eliz. that says I should have some body to speak for me my Lord. L. C. Iust. We are of another Opinion Mr. Just. Wythins If you acknowledg the matter of
instrumental to take away the life of any man that by Law his Life ought not to be taken away For I had rather many Guilty men should escape than one innocent man suffer The question is whether upon all the Evidence you have heard against the Prisoner and the Evidence on his behalf there is Evidence sufficient to Convict the Prisoner of the High Treason he stands charged with And as you must not be moved by the denyal of the Prisoner further than as it is backed with proof so you are not to be inveigled by any insinuations made against the Prisoner at the Bar further or otherwise than as the proof is made out to you But it is usual and it is a duty incumbent on the King's Counsel to urge against all such Criminals whatsoever they observe in the Evidence against them and likewise to endeavour to give answers to the Objections that are made on their behalf And therefore since we have been kept so long in this Cause it won't be amiss for me and my Brothers as they shall think fit to help your memory in the fact and discharge that Duty that is incumbent upon the Court as to the points of Law This Indictment is for High Treason and is grounded upon the Statute of 25 E. 3. By which Statute the compassing and imagining the death of the King and declaring the same by an Overt Act is made High Treason The reason of that Law was because at Common Law there was great doubt what was Treason wherefore to reduce that High Crime to a certainty was that Law made that those that were Guilty might know what to expect And there are several Acts of Parliament made between the time of Edward the Third and that of 1 M. but by that Statute all Treasons that are not enumerated by after Acts of Parliament remain as they were declared by that Statute of 25 E. 3. And so are Challenges and other matters insisted upon by the Prisoner left as they were at the time of that Act I am also to tell you that in point of Law it is not only the Opinion of us here but the Opinion of them that sate before us and the Opinion of all the Judges of England and within the memory of many of you That tho there be Two Witnesses required to prove a man Guilty of High-Treason yet it is not necessary there should be Two Witnesses to the same thing at one time But if two Witnesses prove two several Facts that have a tendency to the same Treason they are two Witnesses sufficient to convict any man of High-Treason In the Case of my Lord Stafford in Parliament all the Judges assisting it is notoriously known That one Witness to a Conspiracy in England and another to a Conspiracy in France were held two Witnesses sufficient to convict him of High-Treason In the next place I am to tell you That tho some Judges have been of Opinion that words of themselves were not an Overt Act but my Lord Hales nor my Lord Coke nor any other of the Sages of the Law ever questioned but that a Letter would be an Overt Act sufficient to prove a man Guilty of High-Treason For scribere est agere Mr. Sidney says The King is a Politick Person but you must destroy Him in His natural capacity or it is not Treason but I must tell If any man compass to Imprison the King it is High Treason so was the Case of my Lord Cobham and my Lord Coke When he says If a man do attempt to make the King do any thing by force and compulsion otherwise than he ought to do that it is High-Treason within that Act of 25 Eliz. III. But if it were an Indictment only for the Levying of War there must be an actual War Levied but this is an Indictment for compassing the Death of the King and the other Treason mentioned in that Act of Parliament for the Levying War may be given in Evidence to prove the Conspiracy the Kings Death For 't is rightly told you by the Kings Council That the imagination of a mans heart is not to be discerned but if I declare such my imagination by an Overt Act which Overt Act does naturally Evince that the King must be Deposed Destroyed Imprisoned or the like it will be sufficient Evidence of Treason within that Act. In the next place having told you what the Law is for Gentlemen 't is our Duty upon our Oaths to declare the Law to you and you are bound to receive our Declaration of the Law and upon this Declaration to inquire whether there be a Fact sufficiently proved to find the Prisoner Guilty of the High-Treason of which he stands Indicted And for that I must tell you what ever happens to be hearsay from others it is not to be applied immediately to the Prisoner but however those Matters that are remote at first may serve for this purpose To prove there was generally a Conspiracy to Destroy the King and Government And for that matter you all remember it was the constant rule and method observed about the Popish Plot first to produce the Evidence of the Plot in general This was done in that famous Caâ—e of my Lord Stafford in Parliament Gentlemen I am also to tell you This alone does not at all affect the Prisoner at the Bar but is made use of as a circumstance to support the credibility of the Witnesses and is thus far applicable to the business before you That 't is plain by persons that don't touch the Prisoner at the Bar and I am sorry any man makes a doubt of it at this time of day that there was a Conspiracy to kill the King for after so full a proof in this place and in others and the Execution and Confession of several of the Offenders I am surprised to observe that the Prisoner at the Bar and some others present seem not to believe it But Gentlemen you hear the first Witness I speak of West He tells you he had the honour to be acquainted with Mr. Sidney and that he had Discourse with Walcot a person Convicted and Executed for this horrid Conspiracy Why says he he told me at my Chamber That they were not only the persons concerned but that there were other persons of great Quality that had their Meetings for the carrying on the Business in other places And Ferguson that was the Ring leader in this Conspiracy told him there was a Design of a general Insurrection it was once laid down but it is now taken up again There are other Councellors of great importance and he names among the rest the Prisoner at the Bar. Mr. West goes a little further and he tells you this says he He did not only tell me so but that there was a Design to conciliate a Correspondence with some persons in Scotland and they were to do it under the Cant of having business in Carolina There is Mr. Keeling he tells
believe that that was Coll. Sidney's Book writ by him no man can doubt but it is a sufficient Evidence that he is Guilty of Compassing and Imagining the Death of the King and let us consider what proof can be greater than what has been given of it Mr. Sheppard an intimate acquaintance of his that has seen him write he looks upon the hand and says He is extreamly acquainted with the hand and says He I believe in my Conscience this Book is Coll. Sidney's hand Gent. Do you expect Mr. Sidney would call a Witness to be by to see him write that Book In the next place you have two Trades-men Coke and Cary and they tell you one had seen him write once the other had seen his hand writing and they both believe it his Hand writing and they have good reason for they have paid several summs of Money upon Notes which they took as well as This to be his Hand writing Gentlemen Besides that give me leave to tell you here is another thing that makes it more plain This very Book is found in Colonel Sidney's House on the Table in his Study where he used to write by a Gentleman against whom Colonel Sidney can't make the least Objection and that there was that fairness offered by the Gentleman Pray Colonel put your Seal upon it that you may see that no injury be done you but Mr. Sidney would not do it Therefore he Seals them with his own Seal and carries them to White-hall where they were broken open and Sweares that those Papers were found in his Closet whereof this was one Another thing which I must take notice of to you in this Case is to mind you how this Book contains all the Malice and Revenge and Treason that Mankind can be guilty of It fixes the sole Power in the Parliament and the People so that he carries on the Design still for their Debates at their Meetings were to that purpose And such Doctrines as these suit with their Debates for there a general Insurrection was designed and that was discoursed of in this Book and incouraged They must not give it an ill Name It must not be called a Rebellion it being the general Act of the People The King it says is responsible to them the King is but their Trustee That he had betrayed his Trust he had misgoverned and now he is to give it up that they may be all Kings themselves Gentlemen I must tell you I think I ought more than ordinarily to press this upon you because I know the Misfortune of the late unhappy Rebellion and the bringing the late Blessed King to the Scaffold was first begun by such kind of Principles They cried He had betrayed the Trust that was delegated to him from the People Gentlemen in the next place because he is afraid their Power alone won't do it he endeavours to poison Mens Judgments and the way he makes use of he colours it with Religion and quotes Scripture for it too and you know how far that went in the late times How we were for binding our King in Chains and our Nobles in Fetters of Iron Gentlemen This is likewise made use of by him to stir up the People to Rebellion Gentlemen if in case the Prisoner did design the Deposing the King the removing the King and if in order thereunto he be guilty of Conspiring to Levy War or as to the Letter writ by my Lord Russel if he was privy to it these will be Evidences against him So that 't is not upon two but 't is upon greater Evidence then 22 if you believe this Book was writ by him Next I must tell you Gentlemen upon I think a less Testimony an Indictment was preferred against the late Lord Russel and he was thereupon Convicted and Executed of which they have brought the Record These are the Evidences for the King For the Prisoner he hath made several Objections As that there was no War Levied For that Gentlemen at the beginning of the Cause I told you what I took the Law to be and I take it to be so very plainly But Gentlemen as to the Credibility of my Lord Howard he offers you several Circumstances First He offers you a Noble Lord my Lord Anglescy who says That he attending my Lord of Bedford upon the misfortune of the Imprisonment of his Son after he had done my Lord Howard came to second that part of a Christians Office which he had performed and told him he had a very good Son and he knew no harm of him and as to the Plot he knew nothing of it Another Noble Lord my Lord Clare tells you that he had some Discourse with my Lord Howard and he said that if he were accused he thought they would but tell Noses and his business was done Then Mr. Philip Howard he tells you how he was not so intimate with him as others but he often came to his Brothers and that he should say he knew nothing of a Plot nor did he believe any but at the same time he said he believed there was a Sham Plot and then he pressed him about the business of the Address but that now my Lord of Essex was out of Town and so it went off Another thing Mr. Sidney took notice of says he 't is an Act of Revenge in my Lord Howard for he owes him a Debt that he does besides by his Allegation does not appear Col. Sid. My Lord he hath confessed it L. Ch. Iust. Admit it yet in case Collonel Sidney should be Convicted of this Treason the Debt accrues to the King and he can't be a Farthing the better for it But how does it look like Revenge I find my Lord Howard when he speaks of Collonel Sidney says he was more beholding to him than any body and was more sorry for him so says my Lord Clare Gentlemen You have it likewise offered that he came to Collonel Sidney's House and there he was desirous to have the Plate and Goods removed to his House and that he would assist them with his Coach and Coachman to carry them thither and did affirm that he knew nothing of the Plot and did not believe Collonel Sidney knew any thing and this is likewise proved by a couple of Maid Servants as well as the French Man You have likewise some thing to the same purpose said by my Lord Paget and this is offered to take off the Credibility of my Lord Howard Do you believe because my Lord Howard did not tell them I am in a Conspiracy to kill the King therefore he knew nothing of it he knew these Persons were Men of Honour and would not be concerned in any such thing But do you think because a Man goes about and denies his being in a Plot therefore he was not in it Nay it seems so far from being an Evidence of his Innocence that 't is an Evidence of his Guilt What should provoke a Man to discourse after
THE ARRAIGNMENT OF Algernon Sidney Esquire November 7th 1683. ALgernon Sidney Esquire was by Habeas Corpus brought up to the Bar of the Court of King's-Bench and the Clerk of the Crown having read the Return Mr. Attorney General informed the Court there was an Indictment against the Prisoner and prayed he might be charged with it Clerk of the Crown Algernon Sidney hold up thy hand which he did Midd. ss THe Iurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath do present That Algernon Sidney late of the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields in the County of Middlesex Esquire as a false Traytor against the Most Illustrious Most Excellent Prince our Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland and his Natural Lord Not having the fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegiance but moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil utterly withdrawing the cordial Love and true due and natural Obedience which a true and faithful Subject of our said Lord the King should bear towards him the said Lord the King and of Right is bound to bear Contriving and with all his Strength intending to disturb the Peace and Common Tranquility of this Kingdom of England and to stir up and move War and Rebellion against the said Lord the King and to subvert the Government of the said Lord the King in this Kingdom of England and to Depose and Deprive the said Lord the King from the Title Honor and Regal Name of the Imperial Crown of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put the said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction the thirtieth Day of June in the Five and thirtieth Tear of the Reign of our Lord King Charles the Second new King of England c. and divers other Days and Times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex Maliciously and Trayterously with divers other Traytors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown did Conspire Compass Imagine and intend to Deprive and cast down the said Lord the King his Supreme natural Lord not only from the Regal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England but also to Kill and â—ring and put to Death the same Lord the King and to change alter and utterly Subvert the Ancient Government of this his Kingdom of England and to cause and procure a miserable Slaughter among the Subjects of the said Lord the King thorow his whole Kingdom of England and to move and stir up an Insurrection and Rebellion against the said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect those his most horrid wicked and diabolical Treasons and trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes the same Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor then and there and divers other Days and Times as well before as after Maliciously Trayterously and advisedly did Assemble himself meet and consult with the aforesaid other Traytors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown and with the same Traytors did Treat of and for those his Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes to be executed and fulfilled And that the aforesaid Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor maliciously trayterously and advisedly then and there and divers other Daies and Times as well before as after upon himself did assume and to the aforesaid other Traiters did promise That he would be Aiding and Assisting in the Execution of their Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid and to fulfil perfect and reduce to effect those their most horrid Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid the same Algernon Sidney as a false Traytor then and there Falsely Maliciously Advisedly and Trayterously did send one Aaron Smith into Scotland to invite procure and incite divers evil disposed Subjects of our said Lord the King of his Kingdom of Scotland to come into this Kingdom of England to advise and consult with the aforesaid Algernon Sidney and the aforesaid other unknown Traytors in this Kingdom of England of Aid and Assistance to be expected and supplied from the Kingdom of Scotland to fulfil perfect and reduce to effect those their most Wicked Horrid and Traiterous Treasons aforesaid And that the aforesaid Algernon Sidney to fulfil and perfect those most Wicked Horrid and Devilish Treasons and Traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid And to perswade the Subjects of the said Lord the King of this Kingdom of England That it is lawful to make and stir up on Insurrection and Rebellion against the said Lord the King that now is the said Thirtieth day of June in the Five and Thirtieth year of the Reign of the said Lord the King that now is at the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in the County of Middlesex falsely unlawfully wickedly seditiously and Traiterously did make compose and write and caused to be made composed and written a certain false Seditious and Traiterous Libell in which said False Seditious and Traiterous Libel among other things is contained as followeth in these English words viz. The Power Originally in the People of England is deligated unto the Parliament He the most Serene Lord Charles the Second now King of England meaning is subject unto the Law of God as He is a Man to the People that makes him a King inasmuch as He is a King the Law sets a measure unto that subjection and the Parliament Judges of the particular Cases thereupon arising He must be content to submit his interest unto theirs since He is no more then any one of them in any other respect then that He is by the consent of all raised above any other if He doth not like this Condition He may renounce the Crown but if he receive it upon that Condition as all Magistrates do the Power they receive and swear to perform it He must expect that the performance will be exacted or revenge taken by those that He hath betrayed And that in another place in the said false Seditious and Trayterous Libel among other things these False Seditious and Trayterous English Sentences are contained that is to say We may therefore change or take away Kings without breaking any Yoke or that is made a Yoke which ought not to be one the injury is therefore in making or imposing and there can be none in breaking it Against the Duty of his Allegiance against the Peace of the said now Lord the King His Crown and Dignity c. And against the Form of the Statutes in this Case made and provided c. How sayst thou art thou guilty of this High Treason whereof thou standest Indicted or not Guilty Col. Sidney My Lord I find here an heap of Crimes put together distinct in nature one from another and distinguished by Law and I do conceive My Lord That the Indictment it self is thereupon voyd and I cannot be Impeached upon it L. C. Iustice. We are not