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Show 144 ATROCIOUS JCDGES. [A. D.16G3 of honor,' being conscious of 1ny own defects and 'mall learning. Tiut, seeing his majesty's grace, I shnll humbly submit, and serve him with 1ny life, with all alacrity and duty. Sins of infirmity I hope his majc ·ty will pardon, and {or wilful and corrupt dealings I shall not a ~k it. I attended in Coke's time as a r eporter here ; and as he , aid wllCn he wa n1ade chief justice I say now- ' I will behave n1yself with all diligence and honesty.' " This chief ju ticc was much celebrated in his day for check-ing the licentiousnc. s of the press. A printer named John Twyn, having printed a book containing passages which were said to reflect upon the king, ·was arraigned before him at the Old Bailey on an indicttnent for high tre~son. The prisoner being asked how he would be tried, said, " I desire to be tried in the presence of that God who is the searcher of aU hearts, and the di poser of all things." Hyde, L. C. J.- " God Ahnigbty is present here, but you tnust be tried by hin1 and your peer:-\, that i~, your country, or twelve honest men." Prisoner.-" I desire to be tried by God alone." Ifyde, L. 0 . J.-" Go<l Ahnighty looks down, and beholds what we do here, an<l we shall answer evcrely if we do you any wrong. \Ve arc careful of our souls as you can be of yours. You must an wer in the words of the lnw." Prisoner.-" By God and n1y country." It was proved clearly enough that he had printed the book, and some passages of it n1ight have been considered libellous; but there was no other evidence acrainst him, and he averred 0 ' that be had unconsciously printed the book in the way of his trade. Hyde, L. C. J.-" There is here as much villany and slan· der as it is possible for devil or man to invent. 'l'o rob the A. D. 16C3.] · ROBEH.T HYDE. 145 kin.g.., of the love of l tt·s t,U bJ' eCt:', is to de troy him . 1. Y . 111 11s per-son. ou are here tn the presence of Alm. 1 t G J l . 1g l Y oo, as you c estred.; and the. best you C,d .n uow do towHrcl. mnends for your wickedness IS Ly discover in o- the author of tl · .~ y '11· . b k If b 11..., v 1 clTlOllS oo . not ' .v; ou mu ~~ t I 1 ot eJ~pect-and, u. 1lleccl, God forbid -there should be any me 1. c y s 11 own you. , Pns. oncr. - " I never knew the author of it." lit d L G( J. ,, !J e, ..;. · ·- rT hen we must not trouble ourscl ve~· · y on °£ ' l1lc J· ury, there can Lc no doubt that publi 'hing · uch a book a '" thi.' is as hio-11 1 , o treason as ca" n ue comm1· ttec1.' and my brother.s will declare the arne if you doubt." The jury having found a. verdi<.:t of guilty;:* the u-- ual ~c nt el~ce was pronounce<l by Lord Chief tT u ' t.i e II d and tho prm, ter wa dra wn, 1l a, ,nge(], and quartered accordinyo -ly' . The next trial"' bef . 1 · - 1 d · 0 .::; Ole ll . or slnp, allhou crh the ehar<re wa" not . 1 · t> b , l~c:l,( e .capt tal, (as he c:aid it rnight have been,) were c~u<llly dtscredttable to him. Se,-eral Look cllers were in-diCted for puLl't :~, J n·n g a 1u. ook wlu• dt eontaincJ a simple and true account of tL e t u.· a, 1 OtL ' tllC rcgw• H•l e~ w 1• th their peechcs nnJ prayers. k' H,y de' L. · 0 · J.· -'· 'l'o puu1, 1I.s h such a book is to fill all the m. g s subJects with tl1 e J·n Sti' fic ati·O n of that horrid n1urder I Will be bold to say no sue l1 horn.c l vi. llany has been done U.f JOn the. face of tl1 e e~ arth S1. nCe the cruci(ying of our Savior. To apnn· n. t and publ'IS 11 th.I S l. S sedi.ti.O n. lie that prints a libel oain t nle as Sir Robert IIyde, and he that sets him at work ' * The followinO' ili 1 . P . o a oguc occurred after the verdict· - ditionns o(nhee,· . h- Id most h nmbly beseech your lordship t·o remember my con-dren )'and . ta before stated h imself to be the father of nine small chil- ' m ercede for me. weLreo radli vHey. de. - I WOl1 l d no t m. icrcede fo r my own father in this case, i. f he 13 |