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Show 140 ATROCIOUS JUDGES. [A. D. JGG:?. of London, then to march directly to "\Vhitehnll, in oruer to kill the king anu ~Ionk, with a resolution to give no quarter; a.nu after tbat to declare for a. comtnonwealth." The case was proved by the eviJence . of supposed accon1plice , which was held to be sufficient withou L any corroboration. The chief justice seem to have been very infirn1 and exhau.'led; for thus he ummcd up,- " I\Iy n1a ·ters of the jury, I cannot speak loud to you; you untlcr ' tnuJ this bu iness, such as I think you have not. had. the like in your titne; my ._ peech will not give 1ne lerwe to discour e or iL The witnc ', es may satisfy all honest 1nen: it is clear that they all agreed to subvert the governn1ent, and. to <le troy his n1ajesty. "\Vbat can you have more. The prisoners are in them ' elves inconsiderable ; they arc only the outbough ; but if uch fellows arc not 1net withal, they are the fittest in trumcnt~ to et up a Jack Straw and a. 'Vat Tyler; therefore you tnu.'t lop thetn ofl~ as they will encourage others. I leave the evidence to you ; go together." The pri oners being all found guilty, the chief ju -ticc thns pa scu sentence upon them,- ' You have c01nmitted the greate. t crime again t God, out· king, anJ your country, and agai11. t every good uody that is in this land; for that capital ,'in of high trca;:,on is a ~in in· ~xpiable, and, indeed, hath no equal ·in ns to this world. 1\lccl<.lling with them that are given to change hath lJrought too 1nuch mischief already to this nation; an<.l if you will commit the same in, you tnu t receive the san\C punishtnent, for lw.ppy is he who by other n1cn's harm takes heed." 'I'hey were all executed r)l'otestin()' their innocence. ' 0 The chief ju tice went a circuit after this trial, in the hope A. D. 1662.1 HOBERT FOSTER. 141 that country air would r eYi ve hi1n. Ilowevcr, he became weaker and weaker, and, although much a ·istcd by his brother juuge, he with great difii culty got to the la. t as ize town. From thence he travelled by low stage, to hi. house in London, where, after langui ·bing for a few week .. , he expired, full of days, and little blatne<.l for any part of hi~ conduc. t as. a judge, however reprehensible it may appear to tr ·, trymg 1t by a standard which he would have tlwught only fit to be proposed by r ebels. |