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Show 174 ATROCIOUS JUDGES. [A. D. lGSO. meet with them another way, for, like vermin, they are only safe while they are secret. And let tho e viper", tho e printers and booksellers by whom they vend their false and braided ware, look to it; they hull know that the law wants not power to puni. h a libellous and licentiou. pre, A, nor I resolution to put the law in force. An <.I this is all the an, wcr fit to be given (be ides a whip) to those hackney writer " and dull ob crvators that go as they are hired or spurred, and perform as they arc fed. If there be any sober and good men that are misled by false reports, or by subtlety deceived into nny misapprehensions concerning that trial or n1yRclf~ I shoul<l account it the highe3t pride and the n1ost scornful thing in the worhl if I did not endeavor to undeceive then1. To uch 1nen, therefore, I do solemnly declare in the . at of ju tice, where I would no more lie or equi yocatc than I would to Gocl at the holy altar, I followed my con.~cience according to the be t of my under8tanding in all that trial, without fear, i:.n·or, or reward, without the g1jt of one shilling, or t!te value of it directly or indirectly, and without any pr01nise or expectation whatsoever.* Do any think it an even wacrer whether I am 0 ' the greatest villain in the world or not- one that would "ell the life of the king, my religion, and country, to Papi ~ts for 1noney? lie that say g reat place ~ have great temptations, has a little if not a fal ~ e heart hi1nself. Let us pursue the discovery of the plot in God's n~:un , ancl not Lull' any thing where there is suspicion on rca onable groun<.ls; l>ut do not pretend to find what is not, nor count hi1n a turncoat that will not betray his conscience, nor believe incredil>le thing . Tho"e 1f From this asseveration a suspicion arises of pecuniary corruption; but I believe that Scroggs was swayed in this instance by a disinterested loYe of rascality. • A. D. 1680.] WILLIA:U SCROGGS. 175 are foolish men who think that an acquittal 1nu. t l>e wroncr b' and that there can be no justice without an execution." l\Iany were bound over; but not more than one prosecu tion was brought to trial- that again:-;t I~iehanl Radley, who wa-; convicted of ::;peaking t><'anLlalous wonl~ of the Lord Chit'J' Ju Lice Scroggs, and iincu £200. 'Vhen the Earl of Ca;:;tle1nai ne - the com pln i:'ant llll sl>and of the king's mi trc"s - \ra::; l>rouncr ht to trial ior bc,i nncr con-ccrned in the plot, Scroggs was rag<'r to get him ofJ; still despising popular clamor. Betlloe being utterly r uin e<l in reputation, Dangeriield was now marche<l up, as Lhc seeoml witnc"s, to support Oates. lie hatl been ._ixU>en tirncs ('Oll victcd of infa1nous offcneP " ; antl, io render hin1 competent, a pardon under the great .:cal ·wa.· protlnccd. ]~ut the chief ju ticc was very evcrc upon him, ,'aying, in t-'Ulllming up 10 the jury, "'Vhether this n1an l>e of a sndtl }n l)l~eonlC a ~aint bccau c he ha lJecome a witne~~, I le~n'e that to you to consider. Now I n1u. t tell you, though they have prodllcecl t'NO witnesses, if you 1elieve but one, this is in~uilkicnt. In treason, there being two witne c , the one bclieYctl, the other di believed, may there be a conviction? I say, no. Let us deal fairly and abovcboanl, and so pre crve me11 who are accused and nol g uil ty." The <.lcf 'ncln.nt l>eing acq uitlcd, the chief justice wa ~ again co1u.lemncd as a reu<'gade. lie further 1naue himself obnoxious to the eharge of haying gone over to the Papi ·ts, by hib contlucL on the trial of 1\Ir:;. Elizabeth Cellier, who, if ·lie had been pro. ccutcJ \Vhile JH~ believed that the govenuncnt wit>hed the plot to be consi<.lered real, would unque ~tional>ly have been l>urne<l nli vc for high trea on, Lut now wa the object of his e ~p cial protection and favor. The second witness again-::t hrr wn Dangerfield, who, |