L. C. J. None. And if you don't do the one, or the other, judgment passes as if you had pleaded.

Col. Sydney. This is a plea.

Mr. Just. Wythins. Will you stand by it? Consider yourself, and your life. If you put in that plea, and Mr. Attorney demurs, if your plea be not good, your life is gone.

Col. Sydney. Pray, my lord, give me a day to

consider of it.

L. C. J. No. We must not introduce new methods or forms for any body. The same case that is with you, may be with other people.

Col. Sydney. My lord, I do not pretend to any thing but what is law, and due to every man upon English ground. I would be very sorry to do that which may be hurtful.

I. C. J. You have the rule of the court. You must do one or the other. Call him to it.

Col. Sydnsy. I desire this may be read [shewing the same parchment].

L. C. J. It shall not be read, unless you put it in as a plea.

Mr. Alt. Gen. I must do my duty: Mr. Wil

liams exceeds his liberty, he informs the prisoner of several things.

Mr. Williams. I only said, if it was a plea, put it in. Mr. Attorney can hear all I say. [Whereupon Mr. Williams was reproved by the Lord Chief Justice.]

Col. Sydney. I only give it as exceptions to the

bill.

Clerk of the Crown. Art thou guilty or not guilty?

Col. Sydney. If any one should ask me any particular thing, I could tell how to answer.

L. C. J. He asks you a particular thing. 'Tis the duty of the court to pronounce judgment, if you do not plead.

Col. Sydney. Why then, if you drive me upon it, I must plead.

L. C. J. I am sure there is no gentleman of the long robe would put any such thing into your head. There was never any such thing done in capital

matters.

Col. Sydney. My lord, I am there indicted for conspiring the death of the king; I have not conspired the death of the king. I am there indicted for levying of war, I have not done that. I am in

dicted for having invited in others, of another nation, I have not done that neither. I am there indicted to have written a seditious libel to stir up the spirits of the people against the king, I have not written any thing to stir up the people against the king....

L. C. J. We are not to hear all this. You must plead as other people; or else, in plain English, we will pronounce sentence. We ought to give all men satisfaction that will be satisfied; but if they won't be directed, we can't help that.

Col. Sydney. My lord, if you put me upon this inevitable necessity, it lies upon you; I must plead then.

Clerk of the Crown. Art thou guilty, or not guilty?

Col. Sydney. Not guilty.

Clerk of the Crown. Culprit, how wilt thou be tried?

Col. Sydney. By God and my country.

Clerk of the Crown. God send thee a good deliverance.

L. C. J. If you be not guilty, I pray God you

may escape.

Mr. Att. Gen. My lord, will you please to ap

point a day for his trial, that he may take notice of it now?

L. C. J.

What time would you have?

Mr. Att. Gen. A week's time, do you think that will be enough?

Col. Sydney. No: pray, my Lord, give me a fortnight's time.

Mr. Att. Gen. I won't oppose it.

Col. Sydney. In the next place I desire a copy of the indictment.

L. C. J. We can't grant it by law.

Col. Sydney. I desire you would please to give

me counsel.

L. C. J. We can't do it. If you assign us any particular point of law, if the court think it such a point as may be worth the debating, you shall have counsel; but if you ask for counsel for no other reason than because you ask it, we must not grant it. The court is bound to see that nothing be done against you, but what is according to the rules of law. I would be very loth to draw the guilt of any man's blood upon me.

Col. Sydney. Has not every body counsel?

L. C. J. No.

Col. Sydney. I have several points of law.

L. C. J. Tell us them.

Col. Sydney. My lord, will you oblige me, that am an ignorant man, and confess myself so, upon hearing my indictment for things I know not of, a long thing, presently to raise a point of law.

L. C. J. 'Tis not we oblige you, Mr. Sydney; 'tis the law obliges you. We are the ministers of the law. 'Tis the law says, we are not to allow you counsel without making your objections, that the court may understand whether it be fit; 'tis the law says, we may not allow you a copy of the indictment: therefore don't go away and say that we as men sitting here impose upon you: we sit here only to administer the justice of the nation.

Mr. Just. Wythins. Sir, you will have a fortnight's time to consider of objections in law.

L. C. J. If you will have it read, you shall. Those things that you may have by law, God forbid but you should have the benefit of them.

Col. Sydney. I desire, my lord, to hear it read again.

Mr. Att. Gen. Would you have it read in Latin?