Page:Trial of john lilburne (IA trial john lilburne).djvu/59

 ferent, and no mans life surprized or taken away by nisities or formalities, though never so notoriously accused. And Sir, for Mr. Prideaux and others of you, so often to call me notorious Traytor as you do: I tell you Sir, you reproach me, for though I am never so notoriously accused, yet in the eye of the Law of England, I am an innocent man, yea as innocent as any of those who call me Traytor, till such time as I be legally convicted of the fact or crime laid unto my Charge, and therefore Sir, I beseech you cease your calumniating of me, for you thereby deale not fairly nor legally with me. And Sir, I confidently hope, I shall appear in the eye of the Law, in the eyes of you, and in the eyes of all men that hear me this day, an innocent, a just, and a true English-man, that really loves the welfare of his native Country, if I may have faire play, and the scope of the Law. And therefore Sir, blemish me not in the eares of the auditors, till the Law, and a conviction by it do blemish me; for I tell you, I am in the eye of the Law, as innocent as any of your selves till I be justly convicted; and therefore I pray cease the calling of me Traytor in this manner.

L. Keeble. What need we any more when we are of your opinion, we wish you may come as clerly off as you say you hope to do?

Mr. Atturney. My Lord, and that it may be so declared, and that the world may know whether Mr Lilburne be an innocent man or no, I pray put it to the finall issue, and let the Law udge.

''Leiut. Col. Lilburne.'' Vnder favour, for me to be denyed Law, which I conceive is done unto mee, when I am denied Councell, and to put the nicities and formalities of the Law upon me, the signification of which are writ in such language and tongues as I cannot read, much lesse understand; and would you destroy me for the not knowing of that which it is impossible for me to know. Sir, I beseech you be not so extreame towards me, that Gentleman saith, the Law of God is the Law of England, and it would have no snares laid to take away a mans life; I pray let me have the benefit of that?

Mr. AttnrneyAtturney [sic]. Once you had, and it is but just you should, and I am sure it will be granted unto you.

L. Keeble. Mr Lilburne you say well, the prisoner doth not know the Law, you do not, and many others do not; but I tell you againe, you know so much of the Law as is sutable [sic] to this Plea, you your self know, whether your Conscience accuse you guilty of the fact laid unto your charge or not; for our parts, we say no more then 21 men upon their Oaths have informed us, upon sufficient testimony of Witnesses, that what they had said, we should further inform our selves of, before your life be taken away; yea such is the Law of England, the ten-