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L. Col. Lil. Truely, Sir, I am upon my life, and shall my ignorance of the formalities of the law in the practicke part thereof destroy me, God forbid I therefore give me but leave to speak for my life, or else knock me on the head, and murther me where I stand, which is more righteous and just then to doe it by pretence of Justice. Sir, I know that Mr. Bradshaw himselfe, President to the high Court of Justice, as it was called, gave Duke Hamilton (a hosti le enimy) leave to speak to the punctillios of the law; yea, and to my knowledg again and again made an engagement unto him and the rest tryed with him, that the Court nor he would not by vertue of their ignorance of the nieeties or formalities of the law, take advantage against them to destroy them; but did declare again and again that all advantages of formalities should be totally laid aside, and not in the least made use of against them to the prejudice, and I hope you will grant me, that have often beene in Armes for you, but never against you, as much favour and priviledge as was granted to Duke Hamilton, never of your party, but a Generall of a numerous Army against you.
Lord Keble. Take it as you will, we have had patience with you, and you must and shall have patience with us; wee will passe over all that is by past, but take heed by your surly crosnesse you give not advantage in the face of the Court, to passe sentence against you, without any further proceedings, or proofe of your actions, but what our own eyes see. The ceremony is for your advantage more then you are aware of: but if you confesse your selfe to be Mr. John Lilburn, we have done as to that.
Judg Jarman. Mr. Lilburn, at the beginning you talked of moderation, and that you would cary your selfe with rationality, which methinks in your actions you fall short of, for you have said that Mr. Atturney generall was a very unequall prosecutor of you, because you say he was the creator[1] of our Commission. Pray heare me, I heard you; and do not you think to put affronts upon us undisserv’d: And as for that man that you call M. Bradshaw, I tell you again he his L. President of the Councell of State of the Common-wealth of England, and why you should so much neglect him, doth not so much favor of rationality and moderation, as you pretend your selfe to bee possessed with.
- ↑ Mr. Lilburn here endeavoted to speak, & shew the Judge his mistake, for he did not say that Mr. Prideaux was the creator of the commission, but that hee was one of the creators of all the Judges, & thereby was judge of his Judges, & in that regard he was no compotent accuser or prosecutor, but they would not suffer him to speak but cryed out, hear the Court, which thing also they frequently did afterwards.
