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A61601 The proceedings and tryal in the case of the most Reverend Father in God, William, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the Right Reverend Fathers in God, William, Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, Francis, Lord Bishop of Ely, John, Lord Bishop of Chichester, Thomas, Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, Thomas, Lord Bishop of Peterborough, and Jonathan, Lord Bishop of Bristol, in the Court of Kings-Bench at Westminster in Trinity-term in the fourth year of the reign of King James the Second, Annoque Dom. 1688. Sancroft, William, 1617-1693.; Lloyd, William, 1627-1717.; Turner, Francis, 1638?-1700.; Lake, John, 1624-1689.; Ken, Thomas, 1637-1711.; White, Thomas, 1628-1698.; Trelawny, Jonathan, Sir, 1650-1721.; England and Wales. Court of King's Bench. 1689 (1689) Wing S564; ESTC R7827 217,926 148

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THE PROCEEDINGS AND TRYAL IN THE CASE OF The Most Reverend Father in GOD WILLIAM Lord Archbishop of CANTERBURY And the Right Reverend Fathers in God WILLIAM Lord Bishop of St. Asaph FRANCIS Lord Bishop of Ely IOHN Lord Bishop of Chichester THOMAS Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells THOMAS Lord Bishop of Peterborough And IONATHAN Lord Bishop of Bristol In the Court of Kings-Bench at Westminster in Trinity-Term in the Fourth Year of the Reign of King Iames the Second Annoque Dom. 1688. Licensed and Entred according to Act of Parliament LONDON Printed for Thomas Basset at the George in Fleet street and Thomas Fox at the Angel in Westminster-Hall 1689. TO HIS Most Illustrious HIGHNESS WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange May it please Your Highness HOW deeply the Design was laid and with what Violence carry'd on by those who lately Steer'd the Helm of this State for the Subversion of the Establish'd Religion and Government of these Three Kingdoms is already sufficiently well known to Your Highness Among the rest one of their Chiefest Contrivances was by a Malicious and Illegal Prosecution to have extinguish'd the Brigthest Luminaries of the English Church to the end that the benighted People might the more easily after that have been misled into the Pitfals of Superstition and Slavery But as Heaven began their Disappointment in eluding both at once there Subtilty and Malice by the speedy Deliverance of the Seven Renowned Sufferers from the Jaws of their Oppressors So the utter Dissolution of their Arbitrary Command and Domineering Power under the Conduct of the same Providence was fully Compleated Great SIR by Your Deliberative Prudence and Undaunted Courage To Your Illustrious Highness therefore the Oblation of these Sheets containing an exact Accompt of the Prosecution and Tryal of those Heroick Prelates is most justly due as being That wherein Your Higness may in part discern the Justice of the Cause You have so Generously undertaken and that it was not without Reason that the English Nation so loudly Implor'd Your timely Assistance A clear convincement that it was not Ambition nor the desire of spacious Rule but a Noble and Ardent Zeal for the most Sacred Worship of God which rows'd Your Courage to rescue a Distressed Land whose Religion Laws and Liberties were just ready to have been overwhelm'd with French Tyranny and Romish Idolatry Therefore that the Nation may long continue under the Protection of Your Glorious Administration is the Prayer of Great SIR Your Highnesses most Humble Most Faithful and most Obedient Servants Tho. Basset Tho. Fox December 13. 1688. NOT long after the Tryal of his Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the other Six Bishops and while the Passages thereof were fresh in my Memory I perused that Copy of this Proceeding and Tryal which Mr. Ince their Lordships Attorney had caused to be taken for their Use And I have also lately read over the same again as intended to be printed by Mr. Basset and Mr. Fox And I do think it to be a very Exact and True Copy of the said Proceeding and Tryal according to the best of my Judgment having been very careful in perusing thereof Ioh. Powel These Peers were present on the 15th Day of Iune 1688. when the Lords the Archbishop and Bishops were brought into Court from the Tower upon the Habeas Corpus VIZ. Lord Marquis of Hallifax Lord Marquis of Worcester Earl of Shrewsbury Earl of Kent Earl of Bedford Earl of Dorset Earl of Bullingbrook Earl of Manchester Earl of Burlington Earl of Carlisle Earl of Danby Earl of Radnor Earl of Nottingham Lord Viscount Fauconberge Lord Grey of Ruthyn Lord Paget Lord Chandoys Lord Vaughan Carbery These Peers were present on the Day of the Tryal being the 29th of Iune 1688. and the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. VIZ. Lord Marquis of Hallifax Lord Marquis of Worcester Earl of Shrewsbury Earl of Kent Earl of Bedford Earl of Pembrook Earl of Dorset Earl of Bullingbrook Earl of Manchester Earl of Rivers Earl of Stamford Earl of Carnarvon Earl of Chesterfield Earl of Scarsdale Earl of Clarendon Earl of Danby Earl of Sussex Earl of Radnor Earl of Nottingham Earl of Abington Lord Viscount Fauconberge Lord Newport Lord Grey of Ruthyn Lord Paget Lord Chandoys Lord Vaughan Carbery Lord Lumley Lord Carteret Lord Ossulston 'T is possible more of the Peers might be present both Days whose Names by reason of the Croud could not be taken De Termino Sanctae Trinitatis Anno Regni Jacobi Secundi Regis Quarto In Banco Regis Die Veneris Decimo Quinto Die Junii 1688. Dominus Rex versus Archiep. Cantuar. al. Sir Robert Wright Lord Chief Justice Mr. Justice Holloway Mr. Justice Powell Mr. Justice Allybone Judges THIS being the first day of the Term His Majesties Attorney General as soon as the Court of Kings Bench was sat moved on the behalf of the King for a Habeas Corpus returnable immediate directed to the Lieutenant of the Tower to bring up his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of St. Asaph Ely Chichester Bath and Wells Peterborough and Bristol which was granted And with great dispatch about eleven a Clock the very same day the Lieutenant returned his Writ and brought the said Lord Arch-Bishop and Bishops into Court where being set down in Chairs set for that purpose Mr. Attorney-General moved the Court. Viz. Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord I pray that the Writ and Retorn may be read by which my Lords the Bishops are brought hither Lo. Ch. Iust. Read the Retorn Clerk reads the Retorn which in English is as follows viz. I Sir Edward Hales Baronet Lieutenant of the Tower of London named in the Writ to this Schedule annext To Our M●… Serene Lord the King do most humbly certifie That before the coming of the said Writ to wit the Eighth day of June in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Lord James the Second King of England c. William Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury William Lord Bishop of St. Asaph Francis Lord Bishop of Ely John Lord Bishop of Chichester Thomas Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Thomas Lord Bishop of Peterborough and Jonathan Lord Bishop of Bristol mentioned in the aforesaid Writ were committed and delivered to and are retained in my Custody by Vertue of a certain Warrant under the Hands and Seals of George Lord Jeffries Baron of Wem Lord High Chancellor of England Robert Earl of Sunderland Lord President of the Privy Council of our Lord the King Henry Lord Arundel of Warder Keeper of the Pivy Seal of our said Lord the King William Marquess of Powis John Earl of Mulgrave Lord Great Chamberlain of England Theophilus Earl of Huntingtou Henry Earl of Peterborough William Earl of Craven Alexander Earl of Moray Charles Earl of Middleton John Earl of Melfort Roger Earl of Castlemain Richard Viscount Preston George Lord Dartmouth Sidney Lord Godolphin Henry Lord Dover Sir John Earnly Knight Chancellor of the
are Sir Sam. Astrey There is the Clerk of the Records of the Tower Mr. Halstead will read it very well in French or English. Then Mr. Halstead was sworn to interpret the Records into English according to the best of his Skill and Knowledge but not reading very readily a true Copy of the Record in English follows out of the Rolls of Parliament in the 15th Year of King Richard the Second Numero Primo FRiday the Morrow of All Souls which was the first Day of this Parliament holden at Westminster in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of our Lord King Richard the Second after the Conquest the Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of York Primate and Chancellor of England by the King's Commandment being present in Parliament pronounced and declared very nobly and wisely the Cause of the Summons of this Parliament And said First That the King would that holy Church principally and afterwards the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and also the Cities and Burroughs should have and enjoy their Liberties and Franchises as well as they had them and enjoyed them in the Time of his Noble Progenitors Kings of England and also in his own Time. And afterwards said The Summons of this Parliament was principally for three Occasions The first Occasion was To ordain how the Peace and Quiet of the Land which have heretofore been greatly blemished and disturbed as well by Detraction and Maintenance as otherwise might be better holden and kept and the Laws better executed and the King's Commands better obeyed The second Occasion was To ordain●… and see how the Price of Wools which is beyond measure lessened and impaired might be better amended and inhaunced And also That in case the War should begin again at the End of the present Truce to wit at the Assumption of our Lady next coming to ordain and see how and whereby the said War may be maintained at the least Charge of the People And the third Occasion was touching the Statutes of Provisors To ordain and see how our Holy Father might have that which to him belongs and the King that which belongs to him and to his Crown according unto that Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s and unto God the things which are God's Then the other Record of Richard the Second was read as follows out of the Rolls of Parliament the fifteenth Year of King Richard the Second No 8 Be it remembred touching the Statute of Provisors That the Commons for the great Confidence which they have in the Person of our Lord the King and in his most excellent Knowledge and in the great Tenderness which he hath for his Crown and the Rights thereof and also in the noble and high Discretions of the Lords have assented in full Parliament that our said Lord the King by Advice and Assent of the said Lords may make such Sufferance touching the said Statute as shall seem to him reasonable and profitable until the next Parliament so as the said Statute be not repealed in no Article thereof And that all those who have any Benefices by force of the said Statute before this present Parliament and also That all those to whom any Aid Tranquility or Advantage is accrued by virtue of the said Statute of the Benefices of Holy Church of which they were heretofore in Possession as well by Presentation or Collation of our Lord the King as of the Ordinaries or Religious Persons whatsoever or by any other manner or way whatsoever may freely have and enjoy them and peaceably continue their Possession thereof without being ousted thereof or any ways challenged hindred molested disquieted or grieved hereafter by any Provisors or others against the Form and Effect of the Statute aforesaid by reason of the said Sufferance in any time to come And moreover That the said Commons may disagree at the next Parliament to this Sufferance and fully resort to the said Statute if it shall seem good to them to do it With Protestation That this Assent which is a Novelty and has not been done before this time be not drawn into Example or Consequence for Time to come And they prayed our Lord the King that the Protestation might be entred of Record in the Roll of the Parliament And the King granted and commanded to do it Mr. S. Levinz Now my Lord we will go on This was in Richard the Second's Time And a Power is given by the Commons to the King with the Assent of the Lords to dispense but only to the next Parliament with a Power reserved to the Commons and to disagree to it and retract that Consent of theirs the next Parliament Sir Geo. Treby The Statute of Provisors was and is a Penal Law and concerning Ecclesiastical Matters too viz. The Collating and Presenting to Archbishopricks Bishopricks Benefices and Dignities of the Church And in this Record now read the Parliament give the King a limited Power and for a short Time to dispense with that Statute But to obviate all Pretence of such a Power 's being inherent in the Crown as a Prerogative they declare 1. That it was a Novelty that is as much as to say That the King had no such Power before 2. That it should not be drawn into Example that is to say That he should have no such Power for the future Mr. S. Levinz Now we will go on to the Records mentioned in the Petition those in the last King's Time in 1662 and 1672 and that in this King's Time in 1685. Where is the Journal of the House of Lords Mr. Walker sworn L. C. I. Is that the Book of the House of Lords Mr. Walker It is the Journal of the House of Lords L. C. I. Is it kept by you Mr. Walker Yes my Lord. L. C. I. Where is it kept Mr. Walker In the usual place here in Westminster Mr. Soll. Gen. What is that Mr. S. Levinz It is the Journal of the House of Lords But my Lord there is one thing that is mentioned in the last Record that is read which is worth your Lordship's and the Jury's Observation That it is declared a Novelty and a Protestation that it should not be drawn into Precedent for the future L. C. I. That has been observed Brother Let us hear your Record read Clerk read Die Mercurii 18 o die Februarii 1662. His Majesty was present this Day sitting in the Regal Crown and Robes the Peers being likewise in their Robes The King gave Order to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to signifie to the House of Commons his Pleasure that they presently come up and attend His Majesty with their Speaker who being present His Majesty made this Speech following My Lords and Gentlemen I Am very glad to meet you here again having thought the Time long since we parted and often wished you had been together to help me in some Occasions which have fallen out I need not repeat them unto you you have all had
With Submission that is such a difficulty that lyes in the way against the reading of the Information that you must get over it before you can come at the Reading of it Mr. Att. Gen. You will have your time for all this matter by and by but certainly you cannot be admitted to it yet L. Ch. Iust. Truly I think you are too early with that Exception Mr. Finch With Submission we think this is the proper time and I will tell your Lordship the reason why Ld. Ch. Iust. Mr. Finch certainly every thing in the world that can be said you will say for your Cllent and you shall be heard for we are very willing to deliver these Noble Lords if we can by Law and if the Exceptions you make be legal Mr. Finch My Lord we do not doubt your Justice and therefore we desire to offer what we have to say in this Point the only Question now it seems is about our time of making our Exception Mr. Attor we apprehend did say one thing which was certainly a little too large That however any man comes into Court if the Court find him here they may Charge him with an Information Mr. Attor Gen. Who says so I said no such thing Mr. Finch Then I acquit Mr. Attorney of it he did not say so Then both he and I agree the Law to be That a man that does come into Court if he does not come in by Legal Process he is not to be Charg'd with an Information then since we do agree in that Proposition certainly we must be heard to this Point Whether we are here upon Legal Process before you can Charge us with this Information Mr. Attor Gen. You think you have said a fine thing now and take upon you an Authority to make me agree to what you please Mr. Finch Certainly the Consequence is plain upon your own Premises Mr. Attor Gen. Do you undertake to speak for me Mr. Finch I am in the Judgment of the Court and to them I leave it Mr. Attor Gen. I know you thought you had got an extraordinary Advantage by making me say what you please but there has been very little said but what has been grounded upon Mistakes all along This is that I do say If a man comes in voluntarily upon any Recognizance though he be not in Custody or if he comes in upon any Process if the Court find him here though that Process be not for the thing Charged in the Information yet the Court is so much in possession of the Person that he shall plead to any Information and That I do say and will stand by Mr. Soll. Gen. My Lord we are here in a very great Auditory and this Court is always a very great Court but here is a Greater and Nobler Assembly than usually we have here and these Gentlemen to shew their Eloquence and Oratory would by converting Propositions otherwise than they are delivered put another meaning upon them and so draw strange Inferences from them but these Arts we are sure will not prevail here we say plainly and we are sure the Law is so let them apprehend what they will That your Lordship cannot exhibit an Information to any man that you find accidentally here in Court then says Mr. Finch we are agreed but withal say I take my other Proposition If a Person be brought into Court by Legal Process or upon any Contempt whatsoever by an Attachment or Warrant or upon a Habeas Corpus after a Commitment being thus found in Court your Lordship may certainly Charge him with an Information when these Gentlemen who are so eager on the otherside did preside here and stood in the places where Mr. Attorney and I now are I can name them abundance of Cases of the like nature with this when men have been compelled to appear to Informations and plead presently they are the Persons that made the Precedents they made the Law for ought I know I 'm sure I find the Court in possession of this as Law and we pray the usual Course may be followed Mr. Finch 'Pray my Lord spare us a word in this matter I do agree with Mr. Attor in this matter but I do not agree with Mr. Sollicitor Mr. Soll. Gen. You do not agree with your self Mr. Finch I hope I do and always shall agree with my self but I do not agree with you Mr. Sollicitor Mr. Soll. Gen. You do not in 1688 agree with what you were in 1680. Mr. Finch Says Mr. Attorney A man that comes voluntarily in cannot be Charged with an Information with him I agree Says Mr. Sollicitor A man that comes in and is found in Court by any Process may be Charg'd with an Information I say no if the Process be wholly illegal for he cannot be said to be legally in Court Suppose a Peer of the Realm be taken upon a Capias and is Committed to the Marsha●…ea and is brought up upon a Habeas Corpus I would fain know whether you could declare against him Mr. Attor Gen. No we cannot Mr. Finch And why is that but because the Process is Illegal and he is not truly in Court Then is it a proper time now to make this a question Whether my Lords here were Legally committed before you can lay any thing to their charge by way of Information for if the Commitment be Illegal it is a void Commitment and if the Commitment be void the Process is void and then my Lords are not Legally in Court. Ld. Ch. Iust. That sure is but returning again to the same question that has been determined already Mr. Soll. Gen. If your Lordship will permit them to go over and over the same things we shall never have an end Mr. Finch My Lord we pray these Gentlemen of the KINGS Council may be a little cool with us and then they will find we do not talk the same things over and over again nor meddle with that which the Court have given their Judgment in Ld. Ch. Iust. Well go on Sir. Mr. Finch My Lord We say it is the Priviledge of the Peers of England that none of them shall be Committed to Prison for a Misdemeanour especially in the first instance and before Judgment this we say is the right of my Lords the Bishops and that which they claim as Lords of Parliament Now it appears upon this Return and the Warrant that the Council-Table hath Committed them for your Lordship and the Court hath rul'd it that this Commitment must be taken to be by Order of the Privy-Council and we meddle not with that further but we say that the Council-Table may Commit a man unjustly that is certain There has been relief often given in this Court against Commitments by the Council-Table And that they were unjustly Committed depends upon that point of their Priviledge as Peers Mr. Serj. Pemb. My Lord we say that the Lords of the Council have Illegally Committed these Noble Persons who are Peers of
say it shall be this day fortnight and let there be a Jury according to the usual course Sir Rob. Sawyer We pray it may be in the presence of the Attorneys or Sollicitors on both sides L. C. I. What is the usual co●…se Sir Samuel Astry Do you use to return twenty four or forty eight and then strike out twelve a piece which I perceive they desire for the Defendants Sir Sam. Astry My Lord the course is both ways and then it may be as your Lordship and the Court will please to order it L. C. I. Then take forty eight that is the fairest Mr. Att. Gen. We agree to it we desire nothing but a fair Jury Sir Rob. Sawyer Nor we neither try it when you will. L. C. I. Take a Recognizance of his Grace my Lord of Canterbury in 200 l. and the rest of my Lords in 100 l. a piece Mr. Att. Gen. What your Lordship pleases for that we submit to it Clerk. My Lord of Canterbury your Grace acknowledges to owe unto our Soveraign Lord the King the sum of 200 l. upon condition that your Grace shall appear in this Court on this day fortnight and so from day to day till you shall be discharged by the Court and not to depart without leave of the Court. Is your Grace contented A. B. C. I do acknowledge it Clerk. My Lord Bishop of St. Asaph you acknowledge to owe unto our Soveraign Lord the King the sum of 100 l. upon condition that your Lordship shall appear in this Court on this day fortnight and so from day to day until you shall be discharged by the Court and not to depart without leave of the Court. Is your Lordship contented Bish. of St. Asaph I do acknowledge it The like Recognizances were taken of all the rest of the Bishops and then the Court arose De Termino Sanctae Trinitatis Anno Regni Jacobi Secandi Regis Quarto In Banco Regis Die Veneris vicesimo nono die Junii 1688. in eod ' Term. Being the Feast of St. PETER and St. PAUL Dominus Rex versus Archiep. Cantuar. al. Sir Robert Wright Lord Chief Justice Mr. Justice Holloway Mr. Justice Powell Mr. Justice Allybone Judges Clerk. CRyer make Proclamation thrice Cryer Oyes Oyes Oyes Our Sovereign Lord the King streightly charges and commands every one to keep silence upon pain of Imprisonment Cl. of the Cr. Call the Defendents Cryer William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Archbish. Here. Cryer William Lord Bishop of St. Asaph Bish. St. Asaph Here. And so the rest of the Bishops were called and answered severally Clerk. Gardez votres Challenges Swear Sir Roger Langley Cryer Take the Book Sir Roger. You shall well and truly try this Issue between our Sovereign Lord the King and William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and others according to your Evidence So help you God. The same Oath was administred to all the Jury whose Names follow viz. Sir Roger Langley Barr. Sir William Hill Knt. Roger Iennings Esq Thomas Harriot Esq Ieoffery Nightingale Esq William Withers Esq William Avery Esq Thomas Austin Esq Nicholas Grice Esq Michael Arnold Esq Thomas Done Esq Richard Shoreditch Esq Clerk. You Gentlemen of the Jury who are sworn hearken to the Record Sir Thomas Powis Knight His Majesty's Attorney-General has exhibited an Information which does set forth as followeth ff MEmorandum That Sir Thomas Powys Knt. Attorney-General of our Lord the King who for our said Lord the King in this behalf prosecutes came here in his own person into the Court of our said Lord the King before the King himself at Westminster on Friday next after the morrow of the Holy Trinity in this Term and on the behalf of our said Lord the King giveth the Court here to understand and be informed That our said Lord the King out of his signal Clemency and gracious intention towards his Subjects of his Kingdom of England by his Royal Prerogative on the fourth day of April in the third year of the Reign of our said Lord the King at Westminster in the Country of Middlesex did publish his Royal Declaration entituled His Majesty's Gracious Declaration to all his Loving Subjects for Liberty of Conscience bearing date the same day and year sealed with the Great Seal of England in which Declaration is contained JAMES R. pro●…t in the first Declaration before recited And the said Attorney-General of our said Lord the King on behalf of our said Lord the King further giveth the Court here to understand and be informed That afterwards to wit on the twenty-seventh day of April in the fourth year of the Reign of our said Lord the King at Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid our-said Lord the King out of his like Clemency and gracious intention towards his Subjects of his Kingdom of England by his Royal Prerogative did publish his other Royal Declaration entituled His Majesty's Gracious Declaration bearing date the same day and year last mentioned sealed with his Great Seal of England in which Declaration is contained JAMES R. Our Conduct has been such c. prout in the second Declaration before recited Which said Royal Declaration of our said Lord the King last mentioned our said Lord the King afterwards to wit on the thirtieth day of April in the fourth year of his Reign aforesaid at Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did cause to be printed and published throughout all England and for the more solemn Declaring Notification and Manifestation of his Royal Grace Favour and Bounty towards all his Leige-people specified in the Declaration last mentioned afterwards to wit on the fourth day of May in the fourth year of his Reign at Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid our said Lord the King in due manner did Order as followeth At the Court at Whitehall the Fourth of May 1688. By the King 's most Excellent Majesty and the Lords of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council IT is this day Ordered by His Majesty in Council That His Majesties late Gracious Declaration bearing date the Twenty Seventh of April last be read at the usual time of Divine Service upon the Twentieth and Twenty Seventh of this Month in all Churches and Chappels within the Cities of London and Westminster and Ten Miles thereabout And upon the Third and Tenth of Iune next in all other Churches and Chappels throughout this Kingdom And it is hereby further Ordered That the Right Reverend the Bishops cause the said Declaration to be sent and distributed throughout their several and respective Diocesses to be read accordingly W m. Bridgeman And further the said Attorney-General of our said Lord the King on behalf of our said Lord the King giveth the Court here to understand and be informed That after the making of the said Order to wit on the eighteenth day of May in the fourth year of the Reign of our said Lord the King at Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex
then and in that first Attempt it was so far from being acknowledged that it was taken notice of in Parliament and declared against So it was in the Years 1662. and 1672. In the Year 62. where there was but the least Umbrage given of such a Dispensing Power although the King had declared in his Speech to the Parliament that he wished he had such a Power which his Declaration before seemed to assume the Parliament was so jealous of this that they immediately made their Application to His Majesty by an Address against the Declaration and they give Reasons against it in their Address One in particular was That the King could not dispense with those Laws without an Act of Parliament There was another Attempt in 1672. and then after His Majesty had in his Speech mentioned his Declaration to them the Parliament there again particularly the House of Commons did humbly address to His Majesty setting forth that this could not be done by Law without an Act of Parliament And your Lordship by and by upon reading the Record will be satisfied what was the Event of all this His Majesty himself was so far pleased to concurr with them in that Opinion that he cancell'd his Declaration tore off the Seal and caused it to be made known to the House of Lords by the Lord Chancellor who by His Majesty's Command satisfied the House of it that His Majesty had broken the Seal and cancell'd the Declaration with this further Declaration which is enter'd in the Records of the House That it should never be drawn into Example or Consequence My Lord The Matter standing thus in respect to the King's Prerogative and the Declarations that had been made in Parliament consider next I beseech you how far my Lords the Bishops were concerned in this Question humbly to make their Application to the King. My Lords the Bishops lying under a Command to publish this Declaration it was their Duty as Peers of the Realm and Bishops of the Church of England humbly to apply themselves to His Majesty to make known their Reasons why they could not obey that Command and they do it with all Submission and all Humility representing to His Majesty what had been declared in Parliament and it having been so declared they could not comply with his Order as apprehending that this Declaration was founded upon that which the Parliament declared to be illegal and so His Majesty's Command to publish this Declaration would not warrant them so to do This they did as Peers and this they had a Right to do as Bishops humbly to advise the King. For suppose my Lord which is not to be supposed in every Case nor do I suppose it in this but suppose that there might be a King of England that should be mis-led I do not suppose that to be the Case now I say but I know it hath been the Case formerly that the King should be environed with Counsellors that had given him evil Advice it has been objected as a Crime against such evil Counsellors that they would not permit and suffer the Great Men of the Kingdom to offer the King their Advice How often do we say in Westminster-Hall That the King is deceived in his Grant There is scarce a Day in the Term but it is said in one Court or other but it was never yet thought an Offence to say so And what more is there in this Case My Lord If the King was mis-informed or under a Mis-apprehension of the Law my Lords as they are Peers and as they are Bishops are concerned in it and if they humbly apply themselves to the King and offer him their Advice where is the Crime My Lord These noble Lords the Defendants had more than an ordinary Call to this for besides the Duty of their Office and the Care of the Church that was incumbent on them as Bishops they were here to become Actors for they were by that Order of Council commanded themselves to publish it and to distribute it to the several Ministers in their several Diocesses with their Commands to read it Therefore they had more than ordinary Reason to concern themselves in the Matter Next We are to consider my Lord in what manner this was done They make their Application to the King by an humble Petition with all the Decency and Respect that could be shewn asking leave first to approach his Person and having leave they offer'd my Lord President the Matter of their Petition that nothing might seem hard or disrespectful or as if they intended any thing that was unfit to be avowed When they had taken all this Care in their Approach and begging leave for it they come secretly to the King in private when he was all alone and there they humbly present this Petition to His Majesty Now how this can be called the Publication of a malicious and seditious Libel when it was but the Presenting of a Petition to the King alone And how it can be said to be with an Intent to stir up Sedition in the People against His Majesty and to alienate the Hearts of his People from him when it was in this private manner delivered to him himself only truly I cannot apprehend My Lord I hope nothing of this can be thought an Offence If the Jury should think that there has been Evidence sufficient given to prove that my Lords the Bishops did deliver this Paper to the King yet that is not enough to make them guilty of this Information unless this Paper be likewise found to be in Diminution of the King 's Royal Prerogative and Regal Authority in dispensing with and suspending of all Laws without Act of Parliament Unless it be found to be a Libel against the King to tell him That in Parliament it was so and so declared And unless the presenting this by way of Petition which is the Right of all People that apprehend themselves aggrieved to approach His Majesty by Petition be a Libelling of the King And unless this humble Petition in this manner presented to the King in private may be said to be a malicious and seditious Libel with an Intent to stir up the People to Sedition Unless all this can be found there is no Man living can ever find my Lords the Bishops guilty upon this Information Therefore my Lord we will go on and make out this Matter that we have opened to your Lordship if Mr. Attorney and Mr. Sollicitor think fit to argue the Points that we have opened Mr. Pollixfen Pray my Lord spare me a Word on the same Side For the first Point It is a Point of Law whether the Matter contained in this Petition be a Libel The King's Council pretend it is so because it says the Declaration is founded upon a Power the Parliament has declared to be illegal But we say that whatsoever the King is pleased to say in any Declaration of his it is not the King 's saying of it that makes
Religion that was intended to be prohibited and so much Care was taken and so many Statutes made to prohibit it will come in and all this Care and all those Statutes go for nothing This one Declaration sets them all out of doors and then that Religion stands upon equal Terms with the established Religion My Lord We say this farther that my Lords the Bishops have the Care of the Church by their very Function and Offices and are bound to take care to keep out all those false Religions that are prohibited and designed to be kept out by the Law. My Lords the Bishops finding this Declaration founded upon a meer pretended Power that had been continually opposed and rejected in Parliament could not comply with the King's Command to read it My Lord Such a Power to dispense with or suspend the Laws of a Nation cannot with any shadow of Reason be It is not long since that such a Power was ever pretended to by any but such as have the Legislative too for it is plain that such a Power must at least be equal to the Power that made the Laws To dispense with a Law must argue a Power greater or at least as great as that which made the Law. My Lord It has been often said in our Books That where the King's Subjects are concerned in Interest the King cannot suspend or dispense with a particular Law. But my Lord how can the King's Subjects be more concern'd in Interest than when their Religion lies at stake It has been resolved upon the Statute of Symony that where the Statute has disabled the Party to take there the King could not enable him against that Act of Parliament And shall it be said that by his Dispensation he shall enable one to hold an Office who is disabled by the Test-Act My Lord We say The Course of our Law allows no such Dispensation as this Declaration pretends to And he that is but meanly read in our Law must needs understand this That the Kings of England cannot suspend our Laws for that would be to set aside the Law of the Kingdom And then we might be clearly without any Laws if the King should please to suspend them 'T is true we say the last King Charles was prevailed upon by Mis-information to make a Dispensation somewhat of the nature of this though not so full an one for that dispensed only with some few Ceremonies and things of that nature But the House of Commons this taking Air in 1662. represent this to the King by a Petition And what is it that they do represent That he by his Dispensation has undertaken to do that which nothing but an Act of Parliament can do that is the dispensing with Penal Laws which is only to be done by Act of Parliament And thereupon it was thought fit upon the King's Account to bring in an Act for it in some Cases My Lord The King did then in his Speech to the Parliament which we use as a great Argument against this Dispensing Power say this That considering the Circumstances of the Nation he could wish with all his Heart that he had such a Power to dispense with some Laws in some Particulars And thereupon there was a Bill in order to an Act of Parliament brought in giving the King a Power to dispense but my Lord with a great many Qualifications Which shews plainly that it was taken by the Parliament that he had no Power to dispense with the Laws of himself My Lord Afterwards in 1672. the King was prevailed upon again to grant another Dispensation somewhat larger L. C. I. Brother Pemberton I would not interrupt you but we have heard of this over and over again already Mr. S. Pemberton Then since your Lordship is satisfied of these things as I presume you are else I should have gone on I have done my Lord. Mr. S. Levinz But my Lord we shall go a little higher than that and shew that it has been taken all along as the ancient Law of England that such Dispensations ought to be by the King and the Parliament and not by the King alone Mr. Soll. Gen. My Lord if you will admit every one of the Council to Speech it before they give their Evidence when shall we come to an End of this Cause We shall be here till Midnight L. C. I. They have no Mind to have an End of the Cause for they have kept it three Hours longer than they need to have done Mr. S. Pemberton My Lord This Case does require a great deal of Patience L. C. I. It does so Brother and the Court has had a greas deal of Patience But we must not sit here only to hear Speeches Mr. Att. Gen. Now after all their Speeches of two Hours long let them read any thing if they have it Sir Rob. Sawyer We will begin with the Record of Richard the Second Call William Fisher. William Fisher Clerk to Mr. Ince sworn L. C. I. What do you ask him Sir Rob. Sawyer Shew him that Copy of the Record The Record was then shewn him L. C. I. Where had you those Sir Mr. Fisher. Among the Records in the Tower. L. C. I. Are they true Copies Mr. Fisher. Yes my Lord. L. C. I. Did you examine them by the Record Mr. Fisher. Yes my Lord. Sir Rob. Sawyer Then hand them in put them in Clerk reads Ex Rotulo Parliamenti de Anno Regni Regis Richardi Secundi XV. No 1. My Lord It is written in French and I shall make but a bad Reading of it Sir Sam. Astrey Where is the Man that examin'd it Do you understand French Mr. Fisher. Yes my Lord. Sir Rob. Sawyer The Record is in another Hand than this they may easily read it Mr. Soll. Gen. Who copy'd this Paper Mr. Fisher. I did examine it Mr. Soll. Gen. What did you examine it with Mr. Fisher. I look'd upon that Copy and Mr. Halstead read the Record L. C. I. Young Man read out Fisher reads Vendredy Lande maine del Almes qu'estoit le primier jour Mr. Soll. Gen. Pray tell us what it is you would have read Mr. S. Levinz I 'll tell you what it is Mr. Sollicitor 'T is the Dispensation with the Statute of Provisors And the Act of Parliament does give the King a Power to dispense till such a time Mr. Soll. Gen. Don't you think the King's Prerogative is affirmed by many Acts of Parliament Mr. S. Levinz If the King could dispense without an Act of Parliament what need was there for the making of it Mr. Soll. Gen. Mr. Serjeant We are not to argue with you about that yet L. C. I. Read it in English for the Jury to understand it Mr. Fisher. My Lord I cannot undertake to read it so readily in English. Mr. I. Powel Why don't you produce the Records that are mentioned in the Petition those in King Charles the Second's time Mr. S. Levinz We will produce our Records in Order of Time as they
Exchequer of our said Lord the King Sir Edward Herbert Knight Chief Iustice of the Common Bench of our Lord the King and Sir Nicholas Butler Knight Lords of his Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council to me directed the Tenor of which Warrant follows in these Words viz. THESE are in his Majesties Name and by his Command to require you to take into your Custody the Persons of William Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury William Lord Bishop of St. Asaph Francis Lord Bishop of Ely Iohn Lord Bishop of Chichester Thomas Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Thomas Lord Bishop of Peterborough and Ionathan Lord Bishop of Bristol For Contriving Making and Publishing a Seditious Libel in Writing against his Majesty and his Government and them safely to keep in your Custody until they shall be delivered by due Course of Law For which this shall be your sufficient Warrant At the Council Chamber in White-Hall this Eighth day of Iune 1688. And this is the Cause of the taking and detaining c. Lord Ch. Iust. Well What do you desire Mr. Attorney Mr. Att. Gen. We pray for the King that the Return may be filed L. Ch. Iust. Let it be filed Mr. Att. Gen. By this Retorn your Lordship observes what it is my Lords the Bishops were committed to the Tower for it is by Warrant from the Council Board where when their Lordships appeared they were not pleased to give their Recognizances to appear here as they were required by the King to do and there upon they were committed to the Tower and now come before the Court upon this Retorn of the King 's Writ of Habeas Corpus and by the Retorn it does appear it was for Contriving Writing Framing and Publishing a Seditious Libell against His Majesty and the Government My Lord it is our Duty who are the King's Councel pursuant to our Orders to prosecute such kind of Offences and when the proper time shall come for us to open the nature of the Offence your Lordships will then judge what reason there is for this Prosecution but in the mean time what we are now to offer to your Lordship is The Officer of this Court has an Information against his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of my Lords the Bishops which we desire may be read to them and pray that they may plead to it according to the Course of the Court. Sir Rob. Sawyer If it please your Lordship to spare us a word for my Lords the Bishops Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord We pray for the King the Information may be read Sir Rob. Sawyer We define to be heard a word first Mr. Soll. Gen. We oppose your speaking any thing till the Information hath been read Sir Rob. Sawyer But what we have to offer is proper before it be read Mr. Att. Gen. Your time is not yet come Sir Robert. Sir Rob. Sawyer Yes this is our proper time for what we have to say and therefore we move it now before there be any other proceedings in this matter Mr. Soll. Gen. It is irregular to move any thing yet pray let the Information be read first Mr. S. Pemberton If your Lordship please to spare us we will offer nothing but what is fit for us to do Sir Rob. Sawyer And now is our proper time for it Mr. Soll. Gen. Gentlemen You do know the way of Proceeding in such Cases better than so I am sure as for you Sir Robert Sawyer you have often oppos'd any such Motion as irregular and I hope the Case is not alter'd however you may be the course of the Court is the same Sir Rob. Sawyer With submission if your Lordship please to spare me a word that which I would move is to discharge my Lords the Bishops upon this Return and from their Commitment upon this Warrant Mr. Att. Gen. Surely these Gentlemen think to have a Liberty above all other People here is an Information which we pray my Lords the Bishops may hear read and plead to Mr. Soll. Gen. Certainly Sir Rob. Sawyer you would not have done thus half a year ago Sir Rob. Sawyer What would not I have done I move regularly with Submission to discharge my Lords the Bishops from their Commitment If they are not here legally Imprisoned now they are before your Lordships upon this Writ then you will give us leave to move for their Discharge before any thing else be said to them and that is it we have to say to demand the Judgment of the Court upon this Return whether we are legally Imprisoned Mr. Att. Gen. Under Favour my Lord neither the Court nor they are ripe for any Motion of this Nature yet Mr. S. Pemberton If we do not move it now it will afterwards I fear be too late Mr. Soll. Gen. These Gentlemen are very forward but certainly they mistake their time this is a Habeas Corpus that 's brought by the King and not by the Prisoners and therefore they are too soon till they see what the King has to say to them Mr. Att. Gen. Your Lordship cannot as yet be moved for your Judgment about the Legality of this Commitment because this Writ was granted upon our Motion who are of Councel for the King and upon this Writ they are brought here and what is it we desire for the King Certainly nothing but what is Regular we have here an Information for the King against my Lords and we desire they may plead to it Mr. S. Pemberton Good my Lord will you please to hear us a little to this Matter L. C. Iust. Brother Pemberton we will not refuse to hear you by no means when you speak in your proper time but it is not so now for the King is pleased by his Attorney and Sollicitor to Charge these Noble Persons my Lords the Bishops with an Information and the Kings Councel call to have that Information read but you will not permit it to be read Mr. S. Pemberton Pray my Lord spare us a word if we are not here as Prisoners regularly before your Lordship and are not brought in by the due Pro●… of the Court then certainly the Kings Councel or the Court have no Power to charge us with an Information therefore we beg that you will hear us to that in the first place whether we are Legally here before you Mr. Soll. Gen. These Gentlemen will have their proper time for such a Motion hereafter Mr. Pollexfen No Mr. Soll. this is without all Question our only time for it we shall have no time afterwards Mr. Att. Gen. Yes you will for what do we who are of Councel for the King now ask of the Court but that this Information may be read when that is done if we move to have my Lords the Bishops plead then they may move what they will but before we make that Motion they cannot break in upon us with their Motion and with Submission to your Lordship whether my Lords the Bishops were duely Committed
a scandalous matter but it only contains their Reasons whereby they would satisfy his Majesty why they cannot comply in a Concurrence with his Majesty's Pleasure and therefore they humbly beseech the King and beg and request him as the words of it are that his Majesty would be pleased not to insist upon their distributing and reading of this Declaration so the Petitioners on behalf of themselves and the whole Clergy of England beg of the King that he would please not to insist upon it Gentlemen you may observe it that there is nothing in this Petition that contains any thing of Sedition in it and it would be strange this Petition should be Felo de se and by one part of it destroy the other it is laid indeed in the Information that it was with intent and purpose to diminish the King's Royal Authority but I appeal to your Lordship the Court and the Jury whether there be any one word in it that any way touches the King's Prerogative or any tittle of Evidence that has been given to make good the Charge It is an Excuse barely for their non-Complyance with the King's Order and a begging of the King with all Humility and Submission that he would be pleased not to insist upon the reading of his Majesty's Declaration upon these grounds because the Dispensing Power upon which it was founded had been several times in Parliament declared to be against Law and because it was a Case of that Consequence that they could not in Prudence Honour or Conscience concur in it My Lord Mr. Attourny has been pleased to charge in this Information that this is a false malicious and seditious Libel both the falsity of it and that it was malicious and seditious are all Matters of Fact which with Submission they have offered to the Jury no proof of and I make no question but easily to demonstrate the quite contrary For my Lord I think it can be no question but that any Subject that is Commanded by the King to do a Thing which he conceives to be against Law and against his Conscience may humbly apply himself to the King and tell him the Reason why he does not that thing he is commanded to do why he cannot concur with his Majesty in such a Command My Lord that which Mr. Attorney did insist upon in the beginning of this Day and he pretended to cite some Cases for it was that in this Case my Lords the Bishops were not sued as Bishops nor prosecuted for their Religion truly My Lord I do not know what they are sued for else the Information is against them as Bishops it is for an Act they did as Bishops and no otherwise and for an Act they did and do conceive they lawfully might do with relation to their Ecclesiastical Polity and the Government of their People as Bishops The next thing that Mr. Attorney offered was that it was not for a Non-feasance but for a Feasance it is true my Lord it is for a Feasance in making of the Petition but it was to excuse a Non-feasance the not reading according to the Order and this sure was lawful for all the Bishops as Subjects to do and I shall shew it was certainly the duty of my Lords the Bishops or any Peer of the Realm to do the same in a like Case It was likewise said they were prosecuted here for affronting the Government and intermedling with Matters of State but I beg your Lordship and the Jury to consider whether there is one tittle of this mentioned in the Petition or any Evidence given of it the Petition does not meddle with any thing of any Matter of State but refers to an Ecclesiastical Matter to be executed by the Clergy and to a Matter that has relation to Ecclesiastical Causes so that they were not Busybodies or such as meddled in Matters that did not relate to them but that which was properly within their Sphere and Jurisdiction But after all there is no Evidence nor any sort of Evidence that is given by Mr. Attorney that will maintain the least tittle of this Charge and how he comes to leave it upon this sort of Evidence I cannot tell all that it amounts to is That my Lords the Bishops being greived in this manner made this Petition to the King in the most private and respectful manner and for him to load it with such horrid black Epithets that it was done Libellously Maliciously and Scandalously and to oppose the King and Government 't is very hard 't is a Case of a very extraordinary Nature and I believe my Lords the Bishops cannot but conceive a great deal of trouble that they should lie under so heavy a Charge and that Mr. Attorney should draw so severe an Information against them when he has so little Proof to make it out My Lord by what we have to say to it we hope we shall give your Lordship and the Jury Satisfaction that we have done but our Duties supposing here has been a sufficient Evidence of the Fact given which we leave to your Lordship and the Jury My Lord we say in short That this Petition is no more than what any Man if he be Commanded to do any thing might humbly do it and not be guilty of any Crime And my Lord as to the Matter of our Defence it will consist of these Heads First We shall Consider the Matter of this Petition Secondly The Manner of the delivering it according as they have given Evidence here and Thirdly the Persons that have delivered this Petition And we hope to make it appear beyond all question that the Matter contained in this Petition is neither false nor contrary to Law but agreeable to all the Laws of the Land in all Times We shall likewise shew you though that appear sufficiently to you already that the Manner of delivering it was so far from being Seditious that it was in the most secret and private manner and with the greatest Humility and Duty imaginable And then as to the Persons we shall shew you that they are not such as Mr. Attorney says who meddle with Matters of State that are of out their Sphere but they are Persons concerned and concerned in Interest in the Case to make this humble application to the King. And when we have proved all this Matter you will see how strangely we are blackned with Titles and Epithets which we no ways deserve and of which God be thanked there is no Proof For my Lord for the Matter of the Petition we shall consider two things The First is The Prayer which is this They humbly beg and desire of the King on behalf of themselves and the rest of the Clergy that he would not insist upon the Reading and Publishing of this Declaration Surely my Lord there is nothing of Falsity in this nor any thing that is contrary to Law or unlawful for any Man that is pressed to any thing especially by an Order of
it to be Law. Now we say This Declaration under the Great Seal is not agreeable to the Laws of the Land and that for this Reason Because it does at one Blow set aside all the Law we have in England My Lord If this be denied we must a little debate this matter for they are almost all Penal Laws not only those before the Reformation but since upon which the whole Government both in Church and State does in a great measure depend Especially my Lord in Matters of Religion they are all Penal Laws For by the Act of Uniformity which my Lords the Bishops are sworn to observe and adjured by an express Clause in the Act No Man is to preach unless he be Episcopally ordained no Man is to preach without a Licence If all this be set aside I confess then it will go very far into the whole Ecclesiastical Government If this be denied we are ready to argue that too L. C. I. They are to do so still Mr. Pollixfen My Lord I am sure the Consequence is otherwise if this Declaration signifie any thing And if it be the Will of the King my Lord the Will of the King is what the Law is If so be the King 's Will be not consonant to the Law it is not obliging My Lord The Cases that we have had of Dispensations are all so many strong Authorities against a general or particular Abrogation My Lord that is a Matter of Law which if it fall out to be any way doubtful it will be fit to have it debated and setled If they will say that the Penal Laws in Matters Ecclesiastical can be abrogated or nulled or made void pro tempore or for Life without the meeting of the King and People in Parliament I must confess they say a great thing as it is a Point of great Concern but I think that will not be said And all that has been ever said in any Case touching Dispensations proves quite the contrary and asserts what I affirm For Why should any Man go about to argue that the King may dispense with this or that particular Law if at once he can dispense with all the Law by an undoubted Prerogative This is a Point of Law which we insist upon and are ready to argue with them but we will go on with the rest of those things that we have offer'd And first we will read the Act of Uniformity made 1 Eliz. that Clause of it where they are so strictly charged to see to the Execution of that Law. This Act my Lord by the Act of Uniformity made in the Beginning of the late King's Reign is revived with all the Clauses in it relating to this Matter If then this be a Duty incumbent upon them and their Oaths require it of them and if they find that the Pleasure of the King in his Declaration is that which is not consonant to this Law what can they do Can any thing be more humble or done with a more Christian Mind than by way of Petition to inform the King in the Matter For I never thought it nor hath it ever sure been thought by any body else to be a Crime to petition the King For the King may be mistaken in the Law so our Books say and we every Day in Westminster-Hall argue against the King's Grants and say He is deceived in his Grants It is the great Benefit and Liberty which the King gives to his Subjects to argue the Legality or Illegality of his Grants My Lord When all this is done to make this to be a Libel by putting in the Words Malicious Seditious Scandalous and with an Intent to raise Sedition would be pretty hard My Lord We pray that Clause of the Statute may be read Mr. Soll. Gen. What for Mr. Pollixfen It is a general Law and therefore the Court will take notice of it and we pray the Jury may hear it read Mr. Soll. Gen. I agree it to be as Mr. Pollixfen has opened and I agree it to be as Sir Robert Sawyer has opened it Mr. S. Pemberton My Lord We shall put it upon a short Point My Lords the Bishops are here accused of a Crime of a very heinous nature as can be they are here branded and stigmatized by this Information as if they were seditious Libellers when my Lord it will in truth fall out that they have done no more than their Duty their Duty to God their Duty to the King and their Duty to the Church For in this Case that which we humbly offer to your Lordship and insist upon it as very plain is this That the Kings of England have no power to suspend or dispense with the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom that establish our Religion That is it which we stand upon for our Defence And we say That such a Dispensing Power with Laws and Statutes is a thing that strikes at the very Foundation of all the Rights Liberties and Properties of the King's Subjects whatsoever If the King may suspend the Laws of the Land which concern our Religion I am sure there is no other Law but he may suspend And if the King may suspend all the Laws of the Kingdom what a Condition are all the Subjects in for their Lives Liberties and Properties All at Mercy My Lord The King 's Legal Prerogatives are as much for the Advantage of his Subjects as of himself and no Man goes about to speak against them But under pretence of Legal Prerogatives to extend the Power of the King to support a Prerogative that tends to the Destruction of all his Subjects their Religion and Liberties in that I think they do the King no Service who go about to do it But now we say with your Lordship's Favour that these Laws are the great Bulwark of the Reformed Religion they are in truth that which fenceth the Religion and Church of England and we have no other Humane Fence besides They were made upon a Fore-sight of the Mischief that had and might come by false Religions in this Kingdom and they were intended to defend the Nation against them and to keep them out particularly to keep out the Romish Religion which is the very worst of all Religions from prevailing among us and that is the very Design of the Act for the Tests which is intituled An Act to prevent Dangers that may happen from Popish Recusants My Lord If this Declaration should take effect what would be the End of it All Religions are let in let them be what they will Ranters Quakers and the like nay even the Roman Catholick Religion as they call it which was intended by these Acts of Parliament and by the Act of Uniformity and several other Acts to be kept out of this Nation as a Religion no way tolerable nor to be endured here If this Declaration take effect that Religion will stand upon the same Terms with the Protestant Religion Suspend those Laws and that Romish