^f
T r r r « « i « • ^ • « t • • « « • «-*-iJi-i-*J t f c f < < < « •*«^* •-•.•*«.Mi*-
« f f t c f « « •iSMiliL.*** *-M < « f c € t 4 « 4 «fl5>J*2'^«.*-*j*-
c « i 4 « 1 i i • •.< *
-- fl i m t^tj* ••-•.*.•-*
f f « i « « « i^<^«^<.«^*^* ^i^.^j*^
' C t ^9 M M M M € 't i :! :1 1 '^i i 'i .1
ft 1% » « « « • • a « « « « *J«Ji, « Ji ji 1 • « i « • « • a ^ « '>■• -'t «JtJ ; ft 1 «'•«'• • « *-«-«-*-*(i«4^A*
J A I '• f '« m M M M :M M'M iMM'^^Ji
Mb*
*■-•■¥
^ J^ i^ #< 1^ ^ :^ ^'. 1^' ^
^ Hr
L.jfe.,.m
^^f'
J^L.^-^ '^
%-i,"W"*rt^-
^^v^v^i
'^"W^
^1 ■^■
^'^'^
<^
■>*.-.'>*«««'
''^'■"!^««^
X
Ok i
/^
-*-!
■1
speciAL coLLecxioNS
OouqLas LibRAKy
queeN's uNiveRsiiy
AT kiNQSXION Presented by
kiNQSTON ONTARIO CANADA
A S H O R T
ACCOUNT
OFT HE
Authorities in LAW,
UPON WHICH
J*U D G E M E N T
Was given in
Sir EDW. HALES
C AS E.
WRITTEN BY
Sir £■ © r. H E %'B E K T,
Chief Juftice of the Common Pleas,
In Vindication of H i m s e l f-
HicenfeD ano cntewD acco?mns to ^%ut.
LONDON:
Printed for M. Clark, and arc to be fold] by moft BookfcUcrs in London and Weftmifijler. i688^^^s
'^^r^Hi^l
[ 5 ]. A fliort
ACCOUNT
OF THE UPON WHICH
J UDGM E NT
Was Given in
S'EDW.HALE os Cafe.
HAving been call'd to a place of Judicature m difficult times, after my r ^ftfimere Refol itions and uttermoft i^/ideavours of difcharging the Duty of that place with a good Confcience^having yet had the hard Fortune to fall under the greateft Infamy and Reproach that is pof- (ible for any man to lie under^of Perjury and Breach of Truft, in giving a Judgment in Sir Edward H^tles
A 1 his
[4]
his Cafe contrary to Law, and contrary to my Knowledg and Opinion (for that only can make ic Criminal;) and which,they fay,tends to the Sub- verfion of all our Laws ,• contrary to the Oath that every Judge takes, and to that high Truft repos'd in him to judge, to the beft of his underftanding, according to Law : Although I cannot hope to wipe offthat univerfal ill Impreffion that the Ma- lice of fome People who underftand the nature of this Cafe very well, has made upon m.oft men who do not underftand it j yet in order to clear my felf to all juft and dif interefted Perfons who are only my Enemies by miftake, I think my (elf obliged to give fomc fliort Account of that Judgment;, and the Grounds upon which it was given ,• and this I will do, not by nuking an elaborate and legal Ar- gument, to make out by Realbns of my own, that the Judgment then given is confonant to Law, which whether it be or no, is like to be confidered in Parliament, and to whofe determination I fliall as intirely and as chearfully fubmit as any other Perfon in the Nation : But I fliall fet down, not all the variety of Cafes that we meet with in our Books touching the Kings Power of Difpenfing widi Acts of Parliament, for that would fwell this Paper to an unrealonable length, and difcourage many from reading any part of it j but only fome fjew of the chiefeft and plaineft Authorities in Law,
. upon.
t ' ^
upon which the Refolution in the Cafe of Sir Edip. Hales was grounded. I (hall not only cite the Books and Pages where thofe Cafes are to be found, but tranlcribe the very Words, that every body may be convinced, that if we were in a Miflake, it was no Wilful Miftake, but that we had the Au- thority of former Judgments given by great Men that went before us (and for which they were ne- ver queftion'd) to lead us into it.
The Cafe (for I muft ftate it upon my Memory, not having any Copy of the Record by me) was fliortly this.
An A6tion Popular was brought againft Sir Edw, Hales J upon the Statute 15. Gr. i.e. 2. for the Pe- nalty of 500/. wherein the flaintijf declares, That whereas it was provided by the Statute;, ^c. fetuno- forth the Statute : Notwithftanding which, the defendant having a Commiffion to ferve the King as a Colonel of Foot, and not having received the Sacrament, nor taken the Oaths and Tcfts, e^-c. within the times prefcribed by the Adl, and after the times expired wherein he ought to have received the Sacrament and taken the Oaths and Tefts as a- forefaid ; he did execute the faid Office, and con- tinued to a6t by colour of the laid Commiffion, of which he was Indidted and Convicted at the Affizes in IQnty <src. whereby the A(5tion accrues to the Plaintiff for the Penalty of 500/. The De- fendant.
fendant pleads that before the times expired, ere, he had a Dilpenfation under the Broad Seal to ad Kon ohjiante th^t Statute.
T6 which the (Plaintif dcmunts.
And Judgment was given for the X>efenclant that his Plea was good.
And firft it will be neceflary to (hew what the Nature of this Difpeniing Power is, which is war- ranted by our Judgment j and that will beft ap- pear by the Definition of it which is given in the 1 1. Report of my Lord Coke^ p. 88. in the Cafe of Monopolies. Difpenfatio mali probibiti ejl de jure Domino ^gi conceffa propter impoffihilitatem prdviden- di de omnibus particulanbus; <(s^ difpenfatio eft mali pro- btbiti provida relaxatio, utilitateceu necejfltate penfatX " For true it is ( fays the Book ) that inafmuch as *' an A6t of Parliament, which generally prohi- " bits any thing upon a Penalty that is Popular, or *' only given to the King, may be inconvenient tq " divers particular Perfons, in refped of perfon, " time, or place \ for this purpofe the Law gives '' a power to the King to Difpenfe with particular " Perfons. And in the Seventh Report, pag. 63. in the Caie of Penal Statutes, which was the opi- nion of all the Judges oi England ^ 2. Jacobi^li is re- folved. That the King may Difpenfe with any par- ticular Perfon, that he (liall not incur the Penalty t>f the Statute, tho it be an A6t made fro bono pub*
. J7]
li0, and that this is a Truft and Confidence in(e- parably annex d to the Royal Perfon of the Kincr- I cite thefe two fii-ft Cafes chiefly to flhew that a Difpenfation in its nature is particular, and given to particular Perfons by Name ; which is all the Power that is attributed to the King by our Judg- ment. And this I mention becaufe of an unrea- fonable miftake of moft People that talk of the Difpenfing Power, as tho the Kings Declaration of Liberty ofConfcknce^ whereby all the Laws that concern Religion are at once totally fufpended and laid aileep, were warranted by it : Let that Decla- ration ftand or fall upon its own bottom, I am fure the Ca(e I am now Ipeaking of has nothing to do with it, And having by thefe Cafes cleared the nature of all Difpenlations, which arc always granted to particular Perfons (as Sir Edw, Hales his was in our Cafe, who was the firft, and I think the only Perfon who then had fuch a Difpenfation,) Iflhall now cite fbme of the chief Authorities upon which our Judgment was given in that Cafe ,• and the firft and great Cafe that I cite, wherein the Kings Dilpenfing Power is defcribed and limited, is in the Year-Book of Heiuj.iol, 1 1 .6c H.y, f i 2 . in thefe, words, " There is a diverfity (fays the Book) " between jnalum prohibitum and malum in fey as " a Statute forbids any man to Coin Mony, and " if he does, he fliall be hanged 5 this is malwn pro-
" hibitnmy
[8]
'^hibitum, for before the Statute, Coining Mony " was Lawful ; but now it is not io, and there- " fore the King can Difpenfe with it. So if a. " Man Ship Wooll in any place but Calice, it is " 7?ialHm prohibitum, becaufe it is prohibited by Ad ''of Parliament, and the King can Difpenfe with '' it, and ib in like cales : but that which is malum " infe^ the King nor no other perfon can difpenfe *' with, as if the King would give a Manpower " to kill another, or Licenfe one to make a Nu- ''fance in a High- way, this were void; and yet '' the King can pardon thefe things when they are " done. Thefe are the very words of that Book : and my Lord Vaugbm difcourfing of, and explain- ing: this cafe in the Cafe of Thomas and Sorrcll in his Reports, p. J ^ 5. Firft, flhews how a Difpen- fadon differs from a Pardon. For a Dilpenlati- on does jn4 dare^ and makes the thing prohibited (to all others) lawful to be done by him that has it: And therefore the King cannot difpenfe with mala infe^ becaufe they never were, and can never be made lawful ,• but even thefe, fays the Year- book, may be pardoned after they are done.
From thefe Cafes, refults this plain Syllogifm, Whatever is not prohibited by the Law of God, but was lawful before any A<5t of Parliament made to forbid it, the King, by his Difpenlation granted to a particular perlon, may make lav^ful
again j
again ; to that perfon who has fiich Difpenfation, though ic continues unlawful to every body elle.
But to execute any Office without taking the Oaths and the Tefts antecedent to any Ad:s of Parliament made to forbid it, was lawful.
Theicioie the Dilpenfation granted to Sir Ed- ward Hales did make it lawful for him to do fo, though itcontinued unlawful for any body elfe.
In tills Argument the premifes are none of our own, w^e have them out of our Law-books j and the Authority of thofe books have never yet been queftioned. I appeal then to any indifferent per- fon, whether it can be Criminal in Judges, te draw a neceffary Conclufion from Premiles and Book-Cafes that have been taken for Law for fo many Ages together.
The next great Cafe is the Refolution of all the Judges of England, in the i. of Henr, 7. in the Ex- chequer Chamber, upon the Kings Power of Dif- penling with the Statute of z ^ He?i)\ 6. cap. B. Tlyat no Man fliould he Sher'ijf for above one Xear. The recital in the preamble, and the whole pur- view, if compared with our Statute of z 5 Car. 1, cap. X. equals it in every particular, and in fome goes beyond it: for the milchiefs recited in this latter Statute are only in thefe words, fo?- prevent- hig dangers which may happen from Topijh %ccufantSy and iiuietingt])^ m'mds of his Majejiws gooJSuhjeHs.
B The
[lo]
TheCaufe of milking the Statute of 23 Hen. 6. is for preventing the Importable damage of the King and his People, Perjury, Manflaiighter and great Opprcffion. The Purview Enadts,
1 . Tl?at no Man p?all he Shcnjf for above a Year,
2 . Tl)at all Letters Tatents made for Tears or Lives^ (Jiall he void.
3. That no ^ on ohdantQ f? all ?nake them goody (which ITiews that the Parliament thought the King could otherwife have difpens'd with this A6t by a Non ohftante.)
4. Whoever afis by colour offuch Letters Patents ^ f}-) all forfeit 200I.
5. He pmll he utterly difabled to hear tU Office of Sheriff in any County of England.
6. That every Pardon for fuch ojfence ftmll he void.
Notw^ithftanding all this, it was adjudged in that Cafe before-cited by all the Judges oi England (who were at that time as learned as ever fate up- on the Bench,} I fay it was adjudged by all the Judges in the Exchequer- Chamber, that the Kings Difpenfation with that Statute was good.
Having then this Cafe before us, ifw^e fhould h;;Lve judged the Difpenfation not good in Sir Ed- ward Hales's Cafe, it muft have been upon one of thefe two grounds : that is, either,
1 . In
•- [ .1 ]
1. In the firft' place, we mud have found fome difference between the Kings power in that Cafe, and in this, which Iconfefs, after the nicePc in- quiry, does not appear to me, and I wifh any man would fLew me any luch diffcLence if he can: or elfe,
2. We mud have adjudged that Solemn Kdo- lution given in the Exchequer- Chamber by all ihe Judges of England fo long ago, and which has been taken for good Law for ever fince, we muft adjudge no Law : w^hereas the known Rule is, that after any point of Law has been iolemnly letled in the Exchequer Chamber by all the Judges, we never fufifer it to be difputed or drawn in que- ftion again.
But our Enemies feeincr the force of this Avcili- ment have had the Confidence to lay, that that point is not refolved in that Cafe, they micrht .with as much modefty affirm, Thou j]?alt 7iot bear falfe witnej^ ^^^^^^ft ^h '^(^ighhour^ to be none of the Ten Commandments; wt can only reply in this cafe as in that, that if we have eyes to read, and common fenfe to judge, it is there refolved. Indeed there is another point about the Sherilfi paffing his Accounts, which the Judges were di- vided in : but in the point of the Diipenfation they all agreed, or elfe that other point could ne- ver have come in qucftion.
B 2 But
[ IZ I
But to put this beyond all Controverfic, we have two things to offer.
1. Firft, That it has been cited as adjudg'd in ieveralbooksof great Authority.
2. Secondly, It has been the conftant pradice to have fuch Difpenfations in all Kings Reigns ever fincc that Relolution.
As to the firft, Though I might cite many bocks, yet I will only cite three or four of the cleareft and greateft Authorities : and the firft fhall be Fu:^?erbirt, in his Abridgement of this very Cafe, Tit. Grant. 3 j. who lived near this time, and could not eafily be miftaken in the fenfe of the Year-book; Tl)e fatenty fays he, was ad- judged good by all the Juftices ,• hut the Statute fays exprejly it Jhall be void^ therefore it is only made good by the Kings Difpenfing.
2. Next to him fhall be ^lowden, who, as all Lawyers will confefs is as little like to be mi- ftaken in the fenfe of the Year-books as any Re- porter we have; and he in his Commentaries^ p. 502. in the Cafe between Oreendon and theBi- fhop of Lincoln 'y after citing the Cafe both out of the Year-book, and out oi Fitz}^erhert\ Abridg- ment, has thefe words where the Statute was. That the Icings Grant to any Man to he Sheriff of any County for longer time than a tear fhall be void, not- withjlanding any Claufe of Non obftante to be put in- to
to the^atent^ there it is held, that the K^ngs Grant to the Earl of Northumberland, to he Sheriff durinor life mufi have a Claufe of Non obftante, hecaufe of the precife words of the Statute before mentioned', and mth fuch a Claufe of Non obftante, ti.e latent to the Earl tvcts good.
3. Next is my Lord Cokey who afferts the Kings Prerogative touching this matter in much higher terms than we would prefume to do, in giving judgment in Sir Edward Hales his Cafe, for in his Twelfth Report, pag. 18. he has theft words. ISiO AEl can bind the K^ng from any prerogative which is fole and injeparahle to his perjon^ but that he may dij^enfe tvith it by a Non obftante, ^ a Sove- reign Tower to command any of his SubjeBs to ferve him for the publick weal ; and this folely and infe- parably is anncxt to his T erf on : and this ^yal power Cannot be refrained by any AB of 'T arliament ^ neither in Thefi nor in Hypotliefi, but that the i\ing by his ^yal Prerogative may dfpenfe %vith it: For upon the Commandment of th^ ^^^gy and Obedience of the SubjeH does his Government confijl : as it is provided ly the Statue of n^ Hen. 6. cap. 8. That all Patents made or to be made of any Office of a Sheriffs Sec. for term of Yean for life m Fee-fimple or i?itaily are void and of none effect ^ any Claufe or Tar oil de non ob- ftante, put or to be put into Juch patents to he ?naJe notwithjlanding: And further whojoever jhall tahs
ulwn him or thm^ to accept or occupy ftich Office of Shcrijfy hy Vcrtue of Juch Grants or Patents fl7ali 1} and perpetually dijabled to be^ or bear the Office of Sheriff witi:tn any County 0/ England j by the fame Authority^ and notwlthftandlng that by this AH^ Firfi^ Tl?e Tatcnt is frji made void. Secondly , The i\tng is reflramed to grant Non obftante. Tlnrdly^ Tl.e Grantee di fabled to take the Office^ yet the l\ing by his ^yal Soverelgn^ower of Commanding J may Command any ynan by hlsTatent (for fuch caufes as^ he in his mf- dom doth think meet and prof table for himfelf and the Commonwealth^ of which he himfelf is folely fudge) to ferve him and the iveal publick as Sheriff^ of fuch a County for. year s^ or for life^ &c. And fo it was re- folved by all thejtiftices 0/ England in the Exchequer Chamber, 2 H. 7. And after fome other cafes to this point of the Kfngs Prerogative ^ he ha^ this farther (lays he) fee 4 Hen. 4. cap. ^ 1 . In iphich it is Or- dained that no Welfhman be Juftice, Chamberlain, Treafurer, Sheriff, Steward, Conftabie 0/^ Gy?/e, Efcheator, Coroner or chief Forefter, nor other .Of- ficer ivh at foever^ ?/or Keeper 0/ Records, Ci^'c. in any part of Wales, notwlthfiandmg any latent made to the contrary^ with Claufe of Non obftante licet fie Wallicus natus : and yet ivithout queflion the Kfng ?7iay errant with a Non obftante. Thus far that Book, and I have tranfcribed the Book at large, chat every body may fee that the Kings Power of Dif-
penfing
[ 15 ] penfing with luch A6ts of Parliament as reilrain his granring Offices, ftands upon a peculiar reafon befides the general one ; upon which his power of Dilpenfing with other Penal Laws is founded. And that if this be a pernicious Opinion, we are not to fuffer as the firfi: Auihors of it. But left it fhould be Objected,- that this is my Lord Cokes lingle Opinion ; or that the twelfth Report is not of lo great Authority as the reft of his Reports are: The fime is Reiblved bv all the ludees of England, (if my Lord Coke be a faithful Reporter) in Calvlns Cale in thelevench Report, p. 14. in theie words : Every SuhjcB is by his Natural Alk^i- mce hound to ferve and obey his Soveret<^n^ &,c. It is Ejiacied by the Parliament of i'^ H. 6. Tl:>at no Man P?oHld ferve the l^ng cis Sheriff of aiiy County above one Yea^j and that nottpithjlanding any Clauje o/Non obftanteYo the contrary^ that is to lay^ Kolwith- ftanding that the ^ing fmdd cxprejly Difpcnjc with thefatdJcly howheit it is agreed i hi. 7, that agahijl the Exfrejs Purview of that JB, the K^ng^ may by a f pedal Non obftante Dtfpenfe tptth that AEi^ For that the A6t could not bar the Kuia of the fervice of his Subject, which the Law of Nature did give unto him. This is Reported (unkis my Lordto/ic had a mind to deceive the fucceeuing Judges, and draw them in, to give pernicious Opinions) as the fenle of all the Judges of England in King James his time, in the Exchequer Chamber. And
[ i6 ]
And now I would ask, chefc Cafes thus Ibl- lemnly relblved , are they Law ? Or are they not ? If it fliall be faid that they are not Law ? What Foundation have the Judges to ftand upon ? Or what certain Meafures can they take in giving Judgment, either between the King and his Sub- jects, or between Party and Party : If fo many iolemn Refolutions by all the Judges of England in the Exchequer Chamber, are not to be relied upon ? If they are Law j then I appeal to all man- kind whether our Caft does not come up in every tittle to the reafbn of thofe Refolutions : Whether the Ad:, of 25.Gr. i. do not bar the King of the fervice of fome of his Subjedrs; and whether therefore for great Reafbns, and in particular Cafes he may not difpenfe with it.
But befides the Authority of this Cafe, we have the ccnflant pradice, that this Statute of Sheriffs has been conflantly difpenfed with ever iince it was made ^ and if thofe Difpenfations wecr not good, then all perfbns Convided upon Indictments found by Grand Juries ^ returned by iuch Sheriffs , are illegally Attainted ,• then all Pannels of Juries returned, and other Proceis executed in Civil Caufes, by fuch Sheriffs, was altogether erroueous, and it is flrange that no body in fo long a time (liould hit that blot,
Ohj.
[ 17]
Ohj. The only Objcdion, that I hear, is made to this, by eminent menof our Profeffion, (who freely acknowledge the Authority of thefe Cafe?, and the Refolution in them, that no Ad of Par- liament can debar the King of the fervice of his Subjects, which the Law of Nature gives him, to be good LawO is this, that fay they, It i:, not the Ad of Parliament chat debars the King of the fervice of his Subjeds in this Cafe, but it is the default of thofe Subjeds, who will not qualifie themfelves for his fervice, by doing thofe things that the Statute requires. But for a full and plain Anfwer to this, Hay,
1. Firft, We are not now confidering thefe Grants of Offices, as they are beneficial to the Subjects, on whom they are conferred, but as the King has an intereft in the fervice of thofe Subjects ; and it is a known Rule in Law, that among common perfons, no man fhall fuffer by the default of another ; much lefs fhall the King^ be prejudic'd by the defaulc of any of his people.
2. But Secondly, Pray where is the difference between an Act of Parliaments barring the King diredly of the fervice of his Subjecl, and doing of it by neceflfary and inevit.^ble Con- fequence ? As, if an A6t of Parliament were made that no Man that is Lame or Deaf lliould ferve
C the
[.8]
the KincT in any Office, though they were other- wile well qualified for it j the King were as ef- fe<5lually debarred of the fervice of fuch Sub- je6ls, as though they had been expreffed by Name. I know it will be faid, that thele are Natural defeats which the Subje6ts cannot help, but the others are Wilful Impedinaents, that may be removed, if they pleafe.
But to prove that this is not fo : I ask. Whe- ther w^hen the A61 requires Declarations and Subfcriptions to be made, it fliould be done con- trary, to a Mans Opinion, or according to it? Certainly no Man will fay, contrary to a Mans Opinion, for that would be high DiiTimulationj and more elude the ends oftheAdt, than not do- ing it at all. If then it muft be done according to a Mans opinion, it is no more in any Mans power to change his Opinion, than to cure him- felf of Deafnefs or Lamenefs. Every Man be- lieves, not becaufe he will, but becaufe he muft believe. Error is a Difeafe of the Mind, as much as thofe beforementioned are of the Body. It is true, a Man may feek for Inftrudion, and ufe all means to be better informed j and fo may a Man, in the other Cafe, try all proper Reme* dies to Cure his Diftempers ; but proper Reme- dies do not always effect the Cure, and often when they, do, there is much time taken up in
the
[ip]
the Operation : and the King, who is in no de- fault at all, lofes the ferviceof his Subjedl in the mean time : And if this Prerogative be, as my Lord CoA.e fays, ^rolmum quarto modo^ and that it belongs to our Kings, as he lays, Omn'i^ folt Cr femper : The King can be no more debarred of the lervice of his Subjed: for a month, or a year, than he can be debarred oF it for ever; efpecially fince in that month, or year , may happen fuch occafions, which afterwards during the joint Lives, of the King that is to command, and of the Subject to be commanded, may pro- bably never happen again.-
Many other Cafes of Acts of Parliament might be cited, as 8.5^.2. 2. That no Man fliould go Judge of A/Tize into his own Country. And 10. £". 5. 5. That whoever has a Pardon of Felony, fhall find Sureties of the Good Behaviour, or his Pardon fhall be void ♦, which Statutes have been conftantly Difpenled with ever fince they were made : but I relblve not to heap up all the Cafes of Difpeniations, but to confine my felf to thofe that were, as they are before cited, the principal ground of our giving Judgment in Sir E. Hales his Cafe. Only after I have anfwcred fome Objections, I have two Authorities more to offer, which I take to be of greatefl: weight in this Cafe, and that is two Conceffions or the Com-
C 2 mons
[ 20 ]
mpns of England in Parliament, acknowledging this power of Difpenfing to be in the King.
But firft, To anfwer an Objedlion or tw-o that I hear is naade :
I. Ohj, This A61 was made pro bono puMicOy and in the Cafe before-cited, of i\, H. 7. The King cannot Difpenfe with a common Nufancc ; and this Cafe Difpenfed with, would be as bad as Difpenfing with a common Nufance..
Jnfw, Tho this will receive an eafie Anfwer, yet I fhall avoid giving it in words or reafons of my own ( as I do all along, becaufe I know they would be fufpe6ted and' miiconftrued ) but in the words of my Lord Vauglan ^ whom I cite the oftener, becaufe every body remembers him, and it is very well known, he was never guilty of draining the King's Prerogative too high, fti TJ^omas and Sorre/ s Cafe : The chief Reafbn why the King can't difpenfe with a publick Nufance, is faid by him to be, becaufe every particular " perlbn that has received damage by it, may have his Adion, which the King cannot bar. Nor fee I any reafon^ fays he, page ^35. W:>y the i\ing may not Difpenfe with thofe Nujances by which no Man has right to a particular ASlion^ as well as he may with any other ojfence ' againjl a Te?ial Law, by which no third perjon has caufe of Aciton : from whence it follows^ that if an AH of Parliament call
an
[ 21 ]
an offence a Nufancej from tphence no particular damage can arife to a particular perfon to have his JBion, the K^ng may Difpcnfe with Juch a nominal Nufance.
Now to apply this to our Cale^ for exercifinor an Office without taking the Teft, no particular perfon can haveanAdion, becaufe no particular perlbn can have any Damage by it, (for an Adion, as an Informer, is not meant, that being the Cale of all popular Statutes) and therefore the King may Difpenl'e with it, before the Adi- on brought : and in page 541. he explains this very well. No Offence^ fays he, againjl a Tenal Law could he Difpenfed withj if the reafon of not Difpenjingy ipcre becaufe the Offence^ is contra bo- num Publicum, for ail Ojfences againjl Te?ial Laws are fuchy p. ^42. though ftich Laws are pro bono publico, they are not Laws pro bono fingulorum Populi (which are the Laws which the King can- not Difpenfe with, as will appear at large in the Conceffion of the Commons, 5 Caroliy which I will cite by and by) hut pro bono Populi compli- cati, as the i\tng in his Di/cretion jhall think ft to or- der them for the good of the whole. In this Kotion the Eft ate of every Pater-familias may he faid to he^xo bono communi of his Family^ which yet is but at lyis dijcretionj and 7nanagement of it j and they lave no Intercjl in it^ but have 'Bmcfit by it,
Obj,
[ zz ]
Ohj. 2. But it is again Objeded, that in Sta- tutes that are pro bono Publico, in a lefs degree, the KincT may Difpenfe. But this Statute was fo hiahly neceiTary for the Publick, that it could not be Difpenfed with.
Jnjw. To whicli my Lord Vaughcin Anfwers in the Cafe before-cited, p. 344. .
1. All Tend Laws^ when made j andhiforce^ are equally neceffary, and in things neceffary^ there is no gradation of rnore or lefs necejfary.
2. If any Tenal Laws were poffibly lefs Difpenfihle than others J thofe ca[ntally Tenal were lefs Dfpmfibk than thofe kfs^enal Sut tt is not fo: for Coming Mo- ney of right Alloy in imitation of the l^ngs Coin^ is capi- tally Tenal without licence^ hut it may he licenfed^ See, It is capital to multiply Gold or Silver^ by the Statute 5 Hen. 4. c. 4. hut ?nay be licenjedj as was done to John Faceby, rempore H. 6. The Difpenfation vnth a Non objlante to that Statute may be feen, Loke^ T lack a Coronet fol. 74. cap. 20.
Obj. 3 . But if the King have a Power to difpenfe with one, he may difpenie with twenty, with an hundred, and lb the Statute may become of little iorce.
Anfw, From the Abufe of a thing to draw an Argument againft the thing it felf, is no Confe- quence at all; it is, as is refolved in the Cafes above cited, a high Truft repoled in the King, and if
the
. t M ]
the King will violate his Truft, there is never a one of his Prerogatives but may be abufed, to the ruin of his People. To inftance in one or two.
1. Every body will grant, that the King can pardon Murther and Robbery,yet if he flhould par- don every Murther and every Robbery that is com- mitted, it were better to live with the Cannibals in AnmicUy than in our Native Country j and the Human Laws that are maiie to punifh thofe Crimes, would be rendered of as fmall force and effed, as it is objected the Law in our Cafe would be by frequent Difpenfations.
2. There is no doubt, but the King may create any Man a Peer of England^ and thereby give him a Vote in Parliament 5 yet if the King fliould abufe this Power fo far as to create ten thoufand Peers, or confer this Honor upon every body that asks it, no doubt it were a total Deflruclion of the Legiflative Power of the Nation. And yet in either of thefe Cafes, (or in any other branch of the Kincr$ Prerogative) if the Judges fhould judge the King had fuch a Prerogative,it were an unreaibnable Ob- jection, to fay, Thefe Prerogatives may be abufed ; Ergo the Judges have given a pernicious Judgement.
When we w^ere to give Judgment in Sir Edwari Hales his Cafe, we could neither know, nor hin- der if we did, any ill ule the King might make of this Power, we were only to Jay upon oui Oaths,
w^hether .
[Hi
Avhether the King had fuch a Power or no, and for that we had the great Authorities above-cited, and two much greater than thoft ; I mean two fe- veral clear Conceffions of all the Commons of Emland in Parliament aflembled, of this Di (pen f- in<^ Power to be in the King 5 and that not in a fub- miis complying temper, but when they were in a high Debate with the Crown (eipecially in the latter Cafe) about the Violation of other Laws.
And the firft of thefe is (^ot, ^arl 1. Hen, 5.71. 1 5 . and it is printed in (^lls Second Abridgment, Tit. Prerogative 1 80. the Record is in thele words, The Conmiom fray that the Statutes for Voiding of A- liens out of the IQugdom^ 7nay he kept and executed: To ■tphich the KJng agrees^ f'^'^^'^^g ^^^ prerogative -y that he may Difpenfe with ivhoni he pleajes ; and upon this the Commons anftvered^ that their intent was no other ^ nor never fhall be by the Grace of God, There were as great apprehenfions of Dangers and Inconvenien- cies from Aliens then, as there is from Roman Ca- tholicks now.
And afterwards, in the fame Parliament, [] ^t. ^ari I . Hen. 5. n, 22.] when the Commons pray that the Statutes of Proviibrs, Statutes of the lame Nature with this in our Cafe j (for they were made againft the Court of ^mes encroaching furifdi- <rtion in England'^ ) I fay when they make the like Prayer, thac thefe may be put in execution^ being
admo-
[ M ]
.idmonidicd by the Kings AnAver in the former Cafe, they themfelves inlert in their very Prayer, a Saving for this Prerogative of the Kings, and then the King agrees to it.
But the plaineft Conceffion of the Commons of England affcmbled in Parliament, was that ^ Caroli^ upon a Debate between the Two Houfes, upon the Petition of Right ; it is in ^ijhmnh\ Collections, Firft Part, as it was deliverd by Mr. Glanvdlj in a full Committee of both Houfes of Parliament, 23. May 1628. in the Painted Chamber : and that what he (ays as to this matter, may not pafs for the fingle Opinion of Mi\Gla?ivill, (tho he was a Learned Man) he in the prefence of the Commons, addrefles himfelf to the Lords in thefe words, p. 571. Having thus reduced to your Lordjhips Memory the ejfeBs of your own ^afons ; / will now with your Lord/hips favour^ come to the points of our ^ply.y wherein I mojl humbly hc/ecch your Lord- pnps^ to weigh the ^afons which I J hall prefenty not as the Jenfe ofjny Jelf the weakejl Member of our Honjey hut as the genuine and true fenfe of the whole Houfe of Commons y conceived in a hufinejs debated there with the greatejl Gravity and Solemnity ^ with the greatejl con- currence of Opinions^ and Unanimity that ever m.u in any bu/incfs 7naturely agitated in that Honjc. And then coming to fpeak of the Point in queftion, he delivers the fenfe of the Commons in thefc
D Words :
[ io
, >K'ords : There is a Trujl infeparahly repofed in the perfom of the I\in^s of England, hut that Truft is re(ndated by Law ; for example , ivhen Statutes are viadc to prohibit things not mala in fe, hut only mala quia prohibitaj under certain forfeitures and ^enaU ' ties to accrue to the King^ and to the Informers that J)?all fue for the breach of them : the Commons muji^ and ever ivill acknowledge a ^gal and Soveraign Pre- rogative in the K^ng^ touching fuch Statutes, that it is tn his Majefies abfolute and undoubted Tower , to grant DifpenJ aiions to particular perfons, with the Claufes of non obftance, to do as they rnight have done before thofe Statutes, wherein his Majejly con- f erring Grace and Favour u[wnfome, doth not do iprong to others j but there is a difference between thofe Statutes and the Laws and Statutes whereon the Petition is grounded : 'By thofe Statutes the SubjeFi has no Interefl in the Penalties, iphich are all the Fruit fuch Statutes can produce {that is^ to fuch Informer) until by Suit or Information commencd, he become intitled to the parti- cular Forfeitures ; ivhereas the Laws and Statutes men- tioned hi our Petition, ere of another Nature; there fl? all your Lordjhips find us to rely upon the good old Sta- tute called M^ignx Charta, ivhich declareth and confrm- eththe ancient Common Laws of the Liberties of Eng- land. There fpallyour Lordfhips alfo find us to tnftji upon divers other mofl material Statutes^ made in the timeofI\ing Edward IIL and K^ng Edward iK and
other
[ 27 ]
Other famous ^ngs, for explanation and ratification of the Lawful Rights and frivi leges belonging to the Suh- jeEls of this ^alm : Laws not tnflicling Penalties upon Offenders in malis prohibicis, but Laws declarative or pofttlve^ conferring or confirming ipfo flidto, an inhe- rent (]{ight and Interefi of Liberty and Freedom in the SubjeFis of this ^alm^ as their 'Birthrights and Inhe- ritances defcendible to their Heirs and Tofterity : Sta- tutes incorporate into the Body of the Common Law^ over which {with reverence be it fpoken) there is no trufl in the L\ings Sovereign ^ower or Prerogative ^yal to enable Imn to 'Difpenfe ivith theniy or to take from his Subjects that Birthright or Inheritance which they have in their Liberties ^ by virtue of the Common Law and of thefe Statutes.
I have the rather cited this at large, becaufe iris a clear acknowledgment of the Kings Difpenfing Power in as large a manner as we have adjudged it, and does at the lame time vindicate it from one of the moft clamorous, the moft malicious, but withal, the weakeft Objections that ever w^as made againft it. By this Judgment fay they, you have canceird allour Laws,and given up our Lives, Liberties, and Eftates, to be difpofed of at the Kings pleafure. It is plain, that this is no Confe- quence at all; for the Commons here in Parliament, at the fame time that they expreily grant that the King has undoubted Powder ot Dilpenilng with
D 2 Laws
_[ 28 ]
Laws prohibicing things that are not 7nala infe^ but only mala quia prohihita^ Laws that are made, as my Lord Vaughan exprefies it, pro bono poi)uli com- plica:i'y yet they utterly deny, as they had good realon to do, that the King can Difpenfe with one tittle of Magna Charta^ or any of thole other Laws whereby the Lives, the L iberties, the Inter- efts of any of the Subjects are conferred upon, or confirmd to them ,• for thefe are Laws/)ro bono fm- gulorum Topuliy which the King never can Dilpenfe with. And as to this matter, I do not know whe- ther it will be proper, but any man fo fenfibly rouch'd in his Reputation, may be provokd to commit lome Indecencies. I muft: appeal to all men that have oblerved my Actions and Behaviour fince I have had the Honor to fit upon the Bench, whether I ufe to be guilty, in Laws of this kind, to ftrain the Conftrudtion of them for the Kings In- tereft. Firfl:, in fuch Laws wherein the Lives of men have been concerned, I confefs, I have been Icrupulous even to a Fault ; for in fome Cafe upon Statutes that had been adjudged Felony by wifer and better Judges than my felf, and it was highly for the Kings fervice they (liould be fo, yet I could never give Judgment of Death, becaufe I could, not fatisfie my own Conlcience that thofe Statutes were now in force. And in other Cafes wherein the Rights of the Subjects have been brought in
queftion,
[ '-9 ]
cucfiion, how ftridlly I have kept to that fubftan- rial difference taken by the Houfe of Commons^ that though the King in Laws of Government, in Pe- nal Laws of a publick nature, has a power to Di- Ipenfe in particular Cafes ; yet he cannot Diipenfc with Laws which veft any the leafl: right or pro- perty in any of his Subje6ts ; will appear by the Opinion I gave in the Cafe of Magdalen Colkdge^ (for the truth of which, I appeal to all that know any thing of the Trania6tions in that Ca(e) where- in^ when the Kings Right againft the Coiledge, was endeavour'd to be afferted by a Difpenlation granted by himfelf , I utterly denied that Difpen- lation to be of any force at all, becaufe there was a particular Right and Intereft vefled in the Mem- bers of that Coiledge, as there is in the Members of many other Corporations, of Choofing their own Head. So far have I been from giving up all Mens Lives, Liberties and Properties to the Kings fkafure.
I had forgot to take notice of two or three Ob- je(5tions more that are ufually made.
Obj. Firfl:, here is a Difability, and the King cannot dilpenfe with a Difability. As the Statute againft buying Offices, the King, fay they, can- not Difpenfc with, for that reafon.
Anfw. There is the fame Dilability in the cafe of Sheriffs, and yet refolved that the King can Di-
fpenfe
[5°1
rpenfe in that Cafe, and the reafon ia the Statute oi buyiiKT Offices, or fitting in Parliament with- out takintj the Oaths, is becaule there is a Difabi- lity adually incurr'd, and when any perfon is actually difabled, he cannot have his difability taken off but by A6t of Parliament. But in the Statute difpens'd with, in the Caie of Sir E, Hales, there is no Difabilicy actually laid upon any man ; but certain things are required to be done, and as a penalty for difobeying the A61, and omitting the doing thofe things required by it, the Difability with the other Forfeitures are to be incurr'd after Convidion. Now the nature of Difpenlations be- ing,as was fliewed before, to make the thing Law- ful to him that has it, which is unlawful to every body elfe j it does plainly prevent the committing any offence by that perfon, and confequently the incurring any Penalty or Difability at ail. But in the cafe of buying Offices the perfon is difabled before the Difpenlation comes, for he is difabled ipfofacio by contracting or dealing for the Office. So the true difference between the Cafe of Sheriffs, and the Cafe of buying Offices is this, Tl:at the I\jng in the one Caje can prevent the incurring a Di/a- hility, hut cannot f urge it in the other after it is incur rd. To illuftrate this by a Cafe of the like nature. The i\ing may prevent an Attainder ^ but he cannot purge an Attainder, If a Man has committed Treafon
or
[ 31 ]
or Felony, the K^ng hy grantmg his Tardon may in- falhhly prevent the Ojf aiders ever being Attainted, hut after he is once aclually Attainted, the IQng can hy no 77ieans take ojfthat Attainder, or purge the Corruption of !B!ood, but by AEl of Parliament j provided the Judge- ment by which he is Attainted be not Erroneous,
Obj. But k is Objected, that thefe Laws were made for the Intcreft of Religion, and all Offen- ces againft Religion are 7nala vife, and therefore not to be Difpenfed with.
Aifiv, I Anlwer that true it is, all Offences that are diredlly againft Religion, and as it is Confti- tuted fnch by the Divine Law, are ?}iala infe, and not to be Dilpenled with j and in this Cafe the Parliament is bound as well as the King; for an A6t of Parliament made asiainfi: Relicrion in that fence is utterly void, as is inftanced in DoEior and Student, of an A<5t, That jl^ould forbid the giving of Alms upon any occafion, Sec. But Humane and Poli- tick Conftitutions, though made for the Intereft of Religion, as they had a beginning, fo they are alterable by the fame power that made them ; and therefore the breaches of them are in their nature mala prohibita, as was Refol\'ed in the great Cale of Difpeniations, in wH.j, above cited, and inftances given ; a^ the i\ing may difpenfe with a. briefs holding of two Bcnefiscs : though the Laws a- gainil: Pluralities were made for the IntereilorRe-
limon^
ligion, and the better Edification of the people. So the I\jfig nmy difpcnfc' with a 'BaftarJis entrtng into Triefts Orders, Sec, Thcfe inftances are taken for Law in that Tear-'Book.
But to all this I know it is faid, thatthefe high Triifts and Prerogatives might be always life, and Ibmetimes ulefiil, in a Trotejlant Princes hands, who would faithfully dilcharge the duty of one that ought to be Cujlos utr'iufque tahuU ; but when thele Prerogatives are afferted to a Prince who is of a contrary Religion to that Eftablini d by Law, there would be always danger of their being abuled to the prejudice or defl:ru(5ion of the Eftablifh'd Religion.
To which I anfwer, that it cannot be forgot- ten that the Promoters of the 'Bill of Exclufton uled the fame Argument : If you leave him King, lay they, he will have all the Prerogatives of a King, and thofe Prerogatives may be made inftrumen- tal to the ruin of your Religion ; which could not be denied by the Gentlemen on the other fide, who oppos'd that Bill. Their only Reply was, Fiat Ju/iitta mat Caelum, it is his right, and wc muft not do evil that good may come 5 we muft not do wrong, no not to promote the Interefl:s of Religion its felf. The fame Argument that weigh'd with them to aflert the right of Succeffion to the Crown of England^ and confequently to all the
Pre-
[ ?3l
Prerogatives together, was the Rule we had to guide us in giving Judgment in this Cafe con- cerning a particular branch of them. We muft not break our Oath, nor give Judgment contrary to what feem'd to us to be Law, let the Conlequence be what it will.
But it has been farther Obje6^ed to me, by fome of my Friends, that, though I could not in Con- Icience have given Judgment againft the Kincr, being of the Opinion that I was, yet Ifhould ra- ther have parted with my Place, than to have gi- ven a Judgment even according to Law, which might be lo prejudicial to that Excellent Religion that { profefs ; and of which when I ceafe to be, let me ceafe to be at all. ^' f^i
I An(\ver that neither in Prudence nor in Con- fcience I could have taken that courfe.
Firfl, Not in Prudence ; for I confcfs, that laying, 0?fmia dat qui Jujia riegnt ; had great weight with me in the Cafe, and that I was of opinion fince an ina-oachment of Jurifdidion wus fear'd, there could not be a greater, nor more dangerous provocation to it, than for Proteflant Judges to reful'e to give Judgment for a Prince of a diffe- rent perlwallon, in that which we could not deny to be his Right.
E And
[ 54- ]
And next in Confcience, I could not decline gi- ving Judgment in this Cafe ; for by our Oaths we are as much obliged to give Judgment one way or other, as we are to give what we think a ric^hccous Judgment in all Cafes that come be- fore us.
It hath been Objeded that all this was a Contrivance, an Informer fet up, and all but a feign'd Adion.
As to this matter, I can truly fay that I don't re- meniber that I ever heard of this A6tion, till af- ter it was actually brought : but in this there feems to be no hurt or inconvenience at all. The Law is as well tryed, and fettled in a Feigned A(5lion, as in a True. There are Feigned Actions direded every day out of Chancery^ to this very purpofe, that great and difficult Points of Law may be fettled by them j and why the King might not direct fuch an Action to be brought, to latisfie himfelf whether he had fuch a Power, and if he had, that the people might be fatisfied, and acquiefce in it j I confels I fee no difference at all. If there were indirect means ufed for pro- curing Opinions, or the like, I have nothing to fay to it. I ftand upon my Innocence, and chal- lenge all the World to lay any thing of that kind to my charge. My part was only to give my own Opinion, in which, if either by mifunderftand-
jng -
[ ?5 ] ing the Books that I have cited, or by drawing weak Conclufions from them, I have erred in the Judgement that I gave ; how can I for this be charged as a Criminal ? The Law neither lup- pofes, nor requires an Infallibility in any of his Majefties Courts of Juftice ; it were very unea- fie Sitting in them, if it did. We can but judge according to the Books that lie before us, and according to the meafure of our underftanding of thofe Books : we have not always lb much light to guide us, as we thought we had in this Cafe. We often meet with Cafes new and rare, and very ill fettled by former Judgments, where we are forced to dig Truth as it were out of the Mine j to compare and diftinguifli, to skreen and fift, and gather the fence of the Law out of the confufion of dilagreeing, and very often contra- dictory Opinions, as well as we can ; and if af- ter all our Labour and our Pains, we happen to be miftaken , it was never yet imputed as a Crime. The Judgment is Reverfed in a Writ of Error, not only without any Accufation, but without the leaft Reflection upon him that gave it. Nor can a miftake in Judgment be moTe Criminal in a matter of a greater Concernment, than it is in matters of the leaft Confecjuence. It would be very mifchievous, and very dangerous if it fhould : for if in queflions of Prerogative, • ^ ' E z any
r t r f ^•Miiiti* t i • t ■•** J* -*«*■• •
r «■ r% r^^B^^ I t I 4 f 1 i i 'ijiJi^S.
r f c < « « • »• • •.•.•^•.•.•^•-VJ'A «
t c € s r
c
[ ;6]
any miftake fhall be made Capital on the on hand, when Judgment is given for the Kino why lucceeding Princes may not be as angry a any miftakes on the other hand, I cannot ima gine. And when once affairs are come to tha pals, there will be great encouragement for an- Mm, that can make the leall: ih'ik to live with out it, to undertake thole very neceffary, bu very difficult, and very troublefom Implo-iments great freedom for VI en to give Judgment accord mg to their Opinion, and their Contcience, anc great reliance upon the refolutions of thofe, wh( know they fliall be (lire to pay with their Live and Fortunes, for anv miftake of theirs, eirherto the Kmg or the People, as either of them fhall happen to oret the upper Hand. For my own part I thank God I can fay thefe two things : Firft, That for tliel'e ten years to2;ether, wherein (with very little intermiffion) I have Sate a Judge in ^e^•eral Courts, though I may be juftly accufed of manv wcaknellcs and miftakes, vet I have ne- \'er given |udo;ment in anv one Caie againft the clear i3iclare5 ot my -Realbn and my Confci- ence. And the fecond thinc^ is, That I never gave yudj^ment in any controverted Point, where- in I liAd fo manv, and io gfeat Authorities to wairant ic ; as 1 inve to waiTant chat Judgment which wasgi^-en in Sn E^fw, H.r^es his Cafe. And
this
i
M
r fcClCJ
i^i^i • • I • • I * f 1 I 1 1 > 1 r > > I i.t.t.i I I » I I 11 J III itrr I i^i I lit I till » i I 1 T -J > 1
i.i.i I.I • • • i » i ) t t i J > 111 t i I • 9 I I I t s • a 1 i 3 ) 1 111 I I • 1 § a I I i • I 1 i I 1 1 1 1 S S
^1 i.t I I • • i 9 I I 1 1 i 1 ) 1 1 1 T
t t • • I • • s • 1 i I i 1 ) } 1 iSS
I • I I • I • s i i > i ^ I r i i i t i
I • i I M • t I 1 I
.•si: •ti, m^ ■*
chis I lav, not to kc up that Opinion again in a Pamphier, which wai (6 ill reliilied in a Court of JiUlice, nor ro oppolc my Sence to the Ju^g- menrot the Nation 5 for I think it is vciy fit th.ir this dark Learning, as mv Lord rduo-J?a}i oAU it, of Si/pejijjiiionsy lliould receive loaie [ ight fioni a deter niination in Parliament, that Jud^^es for the time to come, may Judge by more certain Rules, which Acts of Parliament the Kinii mav, and which he mav not Dilpenie with j but I have cited thole Authorities at diis time in my own Defence, and for theie particular purpofes : in the firll: place, to lliew,
1 . That we are not the firil Inventers of this Difpenfing Power, buc that it has been allowed without Controveriie, to the Kin^s of EnzUnd in all Ages, that they might Difpenfe with ma- ny Acls of Parliament.
2. That it our Judgment was erroneous, and that the King could not Difpenfe with that Acl of Parliament, yet that Error was but an Error in that fingle Cafe, and had no fuch large and mifchievous Confequences as is pretei^ided. For that, becaufe we Judged that the King could Difpenfe with that Srarute, for others to conclude from thence, that therefore he had a Power to Difpenfe with all other Statutes, efpecially iiich as conter or veft in any of the Subjects any maH-
ner
I.
rt
k
m. m M :?ll_
:*j4.#^jtj*Jif»,_^.#
any miftake fliall be made Capital on the one hand, when Judgment is given for the King; why llicceeding Princes may not be as angry at any millakes on the other hand, I cannot ima- gine. And when once affairs are come to that pals, there will be great encouragement for any Man, that can m.ake the lead fhift to live with- out it, to undertake thofe very neceflfary, but very difficult, and very troublefom Implo-iments • great freedom for Men to give Judgment accord- ing to their Opinion, and their Confcienee, and great reliance upon the refolutions of thofe, who know they fliall be fureto pay with their Lives and Fortunes, for any miftake of theirs, cither to the Kmg or the People, as either of them fhall happen to get the upper Hand. For my own part I thank God I can fay thefe two things : Firft, That for thefe ten years together, wherein (with very little intermiffion) I have Sate a Judge in feveral Courts, though I may be juftly acaifed of many weakneffcs and miftakes, yet I have ne- vtr given Judgment in any one Cafe againft the clear Di6tates of my Reafon and my Confci- enee. And the fecond thing is, That I never gave Judgment in any controverted Point, where- in I liad fo many, and lb great Authorities to warrant it ; as I feive to warrant chat Judgment which, was given in Sir Edw, Bales his Cafe. And
this
[57]
this I lay, not to fetup that Opinion again in a Pamphlet, which was lb ill reliflhed in a Court of Juftice, nor to oppofe my Sence to the Judcr- menc of the Nation ; for I think it is very fit that this dark I. earning, as my Lord Vaughan calls ic, of Vijpenfationsj Ihould receive Icme [ ight from a determination in Parliament, that Judges for the time to come, may Judge by more certain Rules, which A6h of Parliament the King may, and which he may not Dilpenfe with j but I have cited thole Authorities at this time in my own Defence, and for thefe particular purpoles : in the firft place, to lliew,
1 . That we are not the firft Inventers of this Dilpenfing Power, but that it has been allowed without Controverfie, to the Kin2:s of Emland in all Ages, that tney might Diipenle with ma- ny A6ts of Parliament.
2. Tliat if our Judgment was erroneous, and that the King could not Difpenfe with that Act of Parliament, yet that Error was but an Error in that lingle Qife, and had no luch large and niifchievous Confequences as is pretended. For that, becaufe we Judged that the King could Difpenfe with that Statute, for others to conclude from thence, that therefore he had a Power to Difpenfe wuth all other Statutes, efpccially fuch as confer or vefi in any of the Subjcds any mafl-
ner
rrrcfii till! Ill i^^ *^«jCi^MA'
t
I r r f f «
tCffCftt
t ?i « c < 4 « < 4
f t -^ - — ^'■
c « c t t t
V
I I
1 I J
.«
• « t ItAJ
- Ill
ncr of Intereft whitfoever, in their lives, Li- berties, or Eftates ; or that, becaufe the King mav bifpenfe with a Penal Law, wherein a dil- abilitv is annexed to the breach of it as a Penalty, and that Penalty not to be incurred before a Le- ui\ Conviction, and where the Kings Difpenfa- Tion makes the thing Difpenfed with Lawful, and confequently prevents any Convidion or Penal- ty at all : for others to conclude from thence, that therefore the King may Dilpenfc with fuch Statutes, where a precedent difability is adually laid upon any Man, as there is upon the Mem- bers of both Houfes, till they have taken the Oaths and Tefts prefcribed, and therefore with- out queftion is not in the Kings power to Dif- penle : I fay, thele are Confequenccs which may flow from the heated imaginations of an- srv Men, but have no warrant or foundation at all, from the Judgment given by us.
I have one thing more to fay in my Juftiii- cation, which is, that if I have been guilty of fo hainous Offences as I am accufed oF, where is the Temptation or the Reward ? If it was to keep in my Judges Place , which otherwife I -might have loft; lean only an(wer, that if that were the Cafe, I then became the worft Man in the World, only to keep that, which, it is pretty well known, I was with much difficulty, by the
per-
1C*'
V
mr
)
} !
J.t.t »• « » • i^f^i i^i^i k f r fr 1 ) ) ) t 1 r 1
.•.••«;».•»*• t^* I I i • 1 » I 1 1 I 1 1 > 1 i.M.i • .• • » •.•^» i^t > » J • 1 1 I 1 iS 1
i t • • • • t i I > 1 S I I 1 1 I ) 1 > ) 1 \ 1
.I.M-* •>.• iiiiiiiiiiii J J 1 11 .•*t^»JLtWkJ^i.»^i-i 1111111 j% 1 S 1
. ' T
perfuafion of my Friends^ prevailed with co ac- cept: and for any other Reward, whoever is ac- (juainted with the circumftances of my Fortune, will, I am confident, notwithftanding the falfe and idle reports, of I know not what great Re- verfions lately fallen to me, as eafily acquit ms of having been corrupted by the King, to give a pernicious Judgment in this Caie , as of having enriched my ielf by taking Bribes in Cales between party and party.
All that I have to add more, is, that howloever this that I have faid in my Defence, may happen to be underftood at prelent : yet I could not de- ny my Ielf the fatisfaction of having put in a Plea of Innocence at leaft; that w^hatloever fhall happen to me now, may perhaps meet with a more equal Judgment in after-times , fince it ought to bf" much lels unealie to me to lofe my Life, if any body be very fond of taking it, than to let the afperfions that are ever)^ day caft upon me, to pafs in filence, or liitJer my felf to be tranlmitted to Poflerity, under the Chara<fter of a Betrayer of my Religion, or a Subverter of the Laws and Liberties of my Country,
FINIS.
Page 5. Line 1. rea.l anJ after.
t^
V.
# « ^
[ ?8 ]_ _.. ^
ner of Interefl: whatlbever, in their lives, Li- berties, or Eftates ; or that, becaufe the King may Ditpenl'e with a Penal Law, wherein a dif- ability is annexed to the breach of it as a Penalty, and that Penalty not to be incurred before a Le- aal Conviction, and where the Kings Difpenfa- tion makes the thing Difpenfed with Lawful, and confequently prevents any Convidion or Penal- ty at all : lor others to conclude from thence, that therefore the King may Difpenfe with fuch Statutes, where a precedent difability is actually laid upon any Man, as there is upon the Mem- bers of both Houles, till they have taken the Oaths and Tefts prefcribed, and therefore with- out queftion is not in the Kings power to Dif- penfe : I fay, thele are Confequenccs which may flow from the heated imaginations of an- gry Men, but have no warrant or foundation at all, from the Judgment given by us.
I have one thing more to fay in my Juftifi- cation, which is, that if I have been guilty of fo hainous Offences as I am accufed of, where is the Temptation or the Reward ? If it was to keep in my Judges Place , which otherwife I -might have loft ,• i can only anlwer, that if that Were the Cafe, I then became the worft Man in the World, only to keep that, which, it is pretty •well known, I was with much difficulty, by the
per-
[ 39 ]
perfuafion of my Friends^ prevailed with to ac- cept: and for any other Reward, whoever is ac- quainted w'ith the circumftances of my Fortune, will, I am confident, notwithftanding the fall'e and idle reports, of I know not what great Re- verfions lately £allen to me, as eafily acquit me of having been corrupted by the King, to give a pernicious Judgment in this Cale , as of having enriched my ielf by taking Bribes in. Cafes between party and party.
All that I have to add more, is^ that howfoever this that I have faid in my Defence, may happen to be underftood at prefent: yet I could not de- ny my felf the fatisFadion of having put in a plea of Innocence at leaft ; that whatloever Hiall happen to me now, may perhaps meet with a more equal Judgment in after-times , fince it ought to bp much lels uneafie to me to lofe my Lire, if any body be very fond of taking it, than to let the afperfions that are every day caft upon me, to pafs in filence, or fuffer my felf to be tranlmitted to Pofterity, under the Charader of a Betrayer of my Religion, or a Subverter of the Laws and Liberties of my Country.
FINIS.
Page 3. Line 1, rea.l m J after.
s
hJV
n t» » K » t • » • » t » * i » » 1 ».> » V 1 y > > III tit It t t i I t i • > I I r i i i 1 I t y i M 1 1 1 t.t t I 1 1 • I » 1 » » » i > t 1^ 1 ^ y \ 'I t i t*t 1 1 III t I i t I 1 I I I I i ^ T y y
I t I t K*t • t I I 1 1 I t t i f > s % 1 t > 1 > 1 It I It t t 1 1 I t i s t } i 1 3 I 1 1 > 1 t
I I It I t I 1 1 r t > I > 1 I • 1 » > 1 1 1 y 1 I 11 I 1 1 t » t • I • I i i I ) ) ) ) t » > 1
I i I t t t I i I I I i i i • i I } 1 ) 1 > 1 1 1 til It I I I • I i s » I I 1 1 ir » 1 I » 1
I t t t ttiiititasii33]}>»»t t'f I f t I t I I I I • I a I • 9 I » i I t t » 1
H t I I ft I I t • I I I i 1 1.1 1 I » » s r » r 1 1 I I I i I I • I I I • • i • I • t • t 1 1 1
It It I I I I • t I I t I • » I i 3 t » » r » r I I I I I I I I • t I • • • I » I i i » 1 1 1 1
« 1 1 I > t I I • I t • i » I ft I t » It » ft » i^t I I I I I I III till I 1 1 t I & 1 t ft a
1 1 1 I I t t I I I I I I I » left i ft »i>i.» *. t
I 'til 1 I I I I I t t I I I 1. tci I t K 1 1 ft 9
ir 1 1* * t ft I ft I I I I ft t m m t^i il» * t^ » {III 1 I ft I I I ft I I ft ft ft t ft ft ft t i K t I
I I r i 1 ft I ft! I ft I ft ft ft ft ft! K t^t ft ft K tf i*tafi J • t t ft ft I ft I ft ft ft tL«LiLt_^ft ft:.ijri
•firt » 1 1 ft ft ft ft 1 1 ft ft
ft Vt ft 1 II I ft 1 1 • ft ft
t ' 1 1 i I I ft ft I I ft t ft i tit Yt I III ft t ft i^ft ft
r r ft I J t ft ft ft ft ft ft «^- t jir 1 1 3 1 ft I ftfftftfct,
r t ft * 3 t ft ft, ft ft »■■ m ft" I
f t t ■ I > ft ft ft ft Kt^t^t^t.
H ft 1 J I I »^ft«ft^ft-«/
' T I / I • ft' ft' ft t- ft «. -
Vi t ft.ft.ft^«^ti,VA^
'■ 1 1 ft ft ».t:»UiJiJUt
m
'■' «C C "!^_ *^ \
«jim
« 4
^ii"1«
« -f >f '*■.-,
«JI ar '€ «
jtirM
"Ml*!
^ ?¥: M ■
r c r r c c mj i ■.•.«^*.i.« * •-•*
f c f f t f ft 1 • * •.*.^^M J^iji
r r r f c i « « « ■ «.• «.«^* « M
r f I c c i < i « 1 « • t^i « < 4Jl
If f « < « « 4 « « * • • «.>« «j«^i
>i >f j| .>f .4 4 4_.i
aTm-M^M
■^w ^'<W...:iWl _^Pi
.m
/
;i
V.
*!lJ*
» *
*-«
l"^^
lH
i
|
^ |
|||
|
^. ■•) £3SHK |
1 |
||
|
iflB |
s |
^^^^1 |
|
|
-xt' //^9||H|H |
B |
||
|
^'^^ ■■^' ' ' ] |
H |
6>» |
B&^- -i'M* |
iWtt
I
|
1- i |
i |
3 i |
|||||
|
1 |
m m m |
■ ■ m |
1 1 1 1 |
1 i 1 1 1 |
vM
m^'^jk^ '^-. ^' ■ -^^
"liT'E;"""'
» 1 Pi K » » i • t I » t i * 1 t i 1 1 » I 1 > x * i iWmitl i ft » i I I » » I > i ^ » i t V 1^ t ^ > >
> rri imt • • • • t t » » t i t ^ t J i » » *» > 1
t t • i^ ft ft i ft ft • ft • s • » ft i r t 1 1 > 1 IS
ft t ft • ft t ft ft ft ft t 1 » i i ft 1 » > 1 1 1 y
I ft i I t^ ft ft ft i • • 9 ft i I I » 1 1 1 « ft % 1
> i • • ft ft • • • • • t i 1 • i I i 1 1 1 ft » ft
I it ft i ft t i i I t t s » I t s 1 > 1 1 ft ft ft 1
ft ft • • ■ i ft • » • 1 i » i » » 1 3 1 1 ft ft^i^ 1
}"| I I til I I • • I 9 • • t s » I i ft ft ft 1
Hi it tit t ft • • i i I I ■ i s ft ft » ft ft ft t Vft I ft • • • ft t • • B • t I • I • ft ft ft ft ft 1
1 i ft i I • i t t t i i • I i ft • i 1 ft ft ft ft ft iH l"i I t • t ft • t I • • I t ft t ft » ft ft ft ft i
i^i i i i ft i ft • i ft i I t i ft i ft ft.ft ft.ft ft ft i^i f"i ft ft^i^i ft t • i t ft I » ft • ft ft ft^ ft ft ft a
if ^i t • • • 8 I » ft ft i » ft iLftL i ».ii.*i.ft ft^ft t^OTft 1 • • ft ft ft » ft ft ft » »^ •• »-.* • J<U* ■^ * *
<antrm*^'t% W ft ft I ft I » ft ft K » ft^ft Ik* ft' ft' ft^ ^- - - i I i ft ft I I ft ft ft ft ft ft> ft ft a ft I
r ft ft ft • ft ft ft ft: K tr.ftjft ft ftiftf V ,» ft I ft ft ft ft ft-K tLftLX> ■LfcJU
t ft.ft ft ft^
'ft ft ft i^i
L ft ft ft ft:
ft ft ft t J
f ft. ft- ftf ft
Ci^ft^ftJ
OOf ft^ft'
ii;Ki;ft (
I ft. •:«:«:
■ft'KJLft:
ii.ftK'mjK
*
ft ft f ft I
i ft m\
MM it
MVftViVi
'tViVi i^in
lit ^ J ft ft • ft ft * ft
»:• • • 1
*AMA
.''^ ..^'4- .^4.j4-
■M'-4'**.
iiJt
^i4 a «i '« «• IK fl
;.^ ^^.-.^^^^i^^^^^^^
V
Z? ll JE. j!5, ;j£.
%,^v^^^
f ".#^'«^ 'tiT
> * «c, , , , . ^ -