the sentence was executed accordingly; the Attorney General Noy, who prosecuted the unfortunate author, "laughing at Mr. Prynn, whilst he was suffering in the pillory."

A few years afterwards, (13th, Charles the First, 1637,) Prynn was again seized by the authorities, but this time he had companions in persecution. John Bastwick, a Physician; Henry Burton, Bachelor of Divinity; and William Prynn, Barrister, were proceeded against, by information in the Star Chamber, for writing and publishing books against the Hierarchy. They prepared their written answers, but no counsel having courage to sign the documents for fear of offending this dreaded court, the accused petitioned to be allowed to sign the answers themselves. This obvious justice was denied them, and the matters in the information were taken pro confesso. They loudly complained of this, and Prynn craved of the court

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only so much favour and justice as Christ found before Pilate, and Paul before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, or as every traitor and felon enjoys in the Court of Justice-to answer for himself when his counsel will not, cannot, or dare not." It was in vain. They were held to have pleaded guilty, because no barrister had signed their answers to the information, and, on the 14th of June, they were brought up for sentence. Let some extracts of the report of the proceedings, as they stand in the State Trials,* tell the sequel of this curious and interesting drama of real life in England, when Charles the First was King.

* State Trials, Vol. III., pp. 717, 754.

June 14, (1637.) The Lords being set in their places in the Star-Chamber, and the three Defendants brought to the bar, to receive their Sentences, the Lord Chief Justice Finch looking earnestly on Mr. Prynn, said, I had thought Mr. Prynn had no ears, but methinks he hath ears; which caused many of the lords to take the stricter view of him, and for their better satisfaction, the usher of the court was commanded to turn up his hair, and show his ears: upon the sight whereof the lords were displeased they had formerly been no more cut off, and cast out some disgraceful words of him. To which Mr. Prynn replyed, ‘My lords, there is never a one of your honours, but would be sorry to have your ears as mine are.'

Lord Keeper. In good faith he his somewhat saucy.

Mr. Prynn. I hope your honours will not be offended, pray God give you ears to hear.

Lord Keeper. The business of the day is to proceed on the Prisoners at the bar.

Mr. Prynn. then humbly desired of the Court to give him leave to make a motion or two, which being granted, he moved First, That their honours would be pleased to accept of a Cross Bill against the prelates, signed with their own hands, being that which stands with the justice of the Court which he humbly craves; and so tendered it.

*

Lord Keeper. Your Answer comes now too late; proceed to the business of the day. Read the Information, which was read being very large, and having these five Books thereto annexed, Dr. Bastwick's Latin 'Apology,' his Litany, Mr. Burton's book entitled, 'An Apology for an Appeal to the king's most 'excellent majesty, with two Sermons for God and the King,' preached on the 5th of November last: The News from Ipswich, and the Divine Tragedy, recording God's fearful Judgments against Sabbath-Breakers.-The king's counsel being five, took each of them a several Book.

Mr. Attorney began with Dr. Bastwick's Latin Apology; next unto the Attorney, serjeant Whitfield falls upon Mr. Burton's book, saying, In good faith, my lords, there is never a page in this Book, but deserves a heavier and deeper Censure than this Court can put upon him.

BASTWICK BEFORE THE STAR CHAMBER.

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Next followed the Archbishop, who in like manner descanted on The News from Ipswich, charging it to be full of pernicious lyes; and especially vindicating the honour of Matthew Wren, bishop of Norwich, as being a learned, pious, and reverend father of the Church.

Next followed the king's Solicitor, (Mr. Littleton) who descanted upon the Divine Tragedy; to which part of it concerning God's judgements on Sabbath-Breakers, he said, That they sat in the Seat of God, who judged these accidents which fell out upon persons suddenly struck, to be the judgments of God for Sabbath-Breaking.

Prynn sought to urge a word in defence, but was over-ruled. Dr. Bastwick also spoke out boldly against the manifest injustice of the Court:

Dr. Bastwick. My noble lord of Arundell, I know you are a noble prince in Israel, and a great peer of this realm; there are some honourable lords in this court, that have been forced out as combatants in a single duel; it is between the Prelates and us, at this time, as between two that have appointed the field. The one being a coward goes to the magistrate, and by virtue of his authority disarms the other of his weapons, and gives him a bullrush, and then challenges him to fight. If this be not base cowardice, I know not what belongs to a soldier. This is the case between the Prelates and us, they take away our weapons (our Answers) by virtue of your authority, by which we should defend ourselves, and yet they bid us fight. My lord, doth not this savour of a base cowardly spirit? I know, my lord, there is a decree gone forth (for my Sentence was passed long since) to cut off our ears.

Lord Keeper. Who shall know our Censure, before the court pass it? Do you prophecy of yourselves?

Dr. Bastwick. My lord, I am able to prove it, and that from the mouth of the Prelates' own servants, that in August last it was decreed, that Dr. Bastwick should lose his ears. O my noble lords! is this righteous judgment? I may say, as the Apostle once said, What, whip a Roman! I have been a soldier able to lead an army into the field, to fight valiantly for the honour of their prince: Now I am a physician, able to cure

nobles, kings, princes, and emperors; and to curtalize a Roman's ears like a cur, O my honourable lords! is it not too base an act for so noble an assembly, and for so righteous and honourable a cause? The cause, my lords, is great, it concerns the glory of God, the honour of our king, whose prerogative we labour to maintain and to set up in a high manner, in which your honours liberties are engaged: And doth not such a cause deserve your lordships consideration, before you proceed to censure? * * My good lords, it may fall out to be any of your lordships cases to stand as delinquents at this bar, as we now do: It is not unknown to your honours, the next cause that is to succeed ours, is touching a person that sometime hath been in greatest power in this court: And if the mutations and revolutions of persons and times be such, then I do most humbly beseech your honours to look on us as it may befal yourselves. But if all this will not prevail with your honours to peruse my Books, and hear my Answer read, which here I tender upon the word and oath of a soldier, a gentleman, a scholar, and a physician, I will clothe them (as I said before) in Roman buff, and disperse them throughout the Christian world, that future generations may see the innocency of this cause, and your honours unjust proceedings in it; all which I

will do, though it cost me my life.

Burton claimed that his answer should be received, but was told his answer was impertinent:—

Thus the Prisoners desiring to speak a little more for themselves, were commanded to silence. And so the lords proceeded to Censure.

Lord Cottington. I condemn these three men to lose their ears in the Palace-yard at Westminster; to be fined 5,0007 a man to his majesty; and to perpetual imprisonment in three remote places of the kingdom; namely, the castles of Carnarvon Cornwall and Lancaster.

Lord Finch. I condemn Mr, Prynn to be stigmatized in the cheeks with two letters (S & L) for a Seditious Libeller. To which all the lords agreed. And so the Lord Keeper conIcluded the Censure.

PUBLIC WRITERS IN THE PILLORY.

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Archbishop Laud, after this sentence, made a lengthy speech, in which he defended the Bishops and himself against the attacks made upon them in the News from Ipswich, and other publications. No one could answer him in that chamber; the Court rose; and on the 30th of June the sentence was executed in Palace Yard, Westminster, where the pillory was put up. Again let us quote the State Trials, and see how gallantly these writers braved the wrath of their enemies:

Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton first meeting, they did close one in the other's arms three times, with as much expressions of love as might be, rejoicing that they met at such a place, upon such an occasion, and that God had so highly honoured them, as to call them forth to suffer for his glorious Truth.

Then immediately after, Mr. Prynn came, the docter and he saluting each other, as Mr. Burton and he did before. The doctor then went up first on the scaffold, and his wife immediately following came up to him, and saluted each ear with a kiss, and then his mouth. Her husband desired her not to be in the least manner dismayed at his sufferings: and so for a while they parted, she using these words 'Farewell my dearest, be of good 'comfort, I am nothing dismayed.' And then the doctor began to speak these words:

Dr. Bastwick. There are many that are this day spectators of our standing here, as delinquents, though not delinquents, we bless God for it. I am not conscious to myself wherein I have committed the least trespass (to take this outward shame) either against my God, or my king. And I do the rather speak it, that you that are now beholders may take notice how far innocency will preserve you in such a day as this is; for we come here in the strength of our God, who hath mightily supported us, and filled our hearts with greater comfort than our shame or contempt can be. The first occasion of my trouble was by the prelates, for writing a Book against the Pope, and the Pope of Canterbury said I wrote against him, and therefore

VOL. I.

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