them, for the discharge of the said Arthur O'Connor from the custody of the said Sheriff, and before the said Arthur O'Connor was discharged from the custody of the said Sheriff, to wit, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the county of Kent, with force and arms make and cause to be made a very great riot, rout, tumult, and disturbance, and with force and arms riotously, routously, and tumultuously attempt and endeavour to rescue the said Arthur O'Connor from and out of the custody of the said Sheriff, so that he, the said Arthur O'Connor, might go at large whithersoever he would, and also aid and assist the said Arthur O'Connor in an attempt by him then and there made to rescue himself, and escape and go at large from and out of the custody of the said Sheriff; and the better to effect such rescue and escape, did then and there, at the same session so holden, and at which the said trial was so had as aforesaid, to wit, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the open Court aforesaid, and in the presence aforesaid, with force and arms, and with sticks, staves, and fists, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously make an assault in and upon one John Rivett, one Edward Fugion, and one Thomas Adams, in the peace of God and of our said lord the King then and there being, and them the said John Rivett, Edward Fugion, and Thomas Adams, did then and there beat, bruise, wound, and ill-treat, and thereby then and there, with force and arms, did unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously impede and obstruct the Justices and Commissioners of our lord the King above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, in the due and lawful holding of the same session, and the execution of their office, for a long space of time, to wit, the space of one hour, to the damage of the said John Rivett, Edward Fugion, and Thomas Adams; to the great contempt, disturbance, and interruption of the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, to the great terror of all the liege and peaceable subjects of our said lord the King there being, in contempt of our said lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity. And the said Attorney-General of our said lord the King, for our said lord the King, further giveth the Court here to understand and be informed, that the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, well knowing all the premises aforesaid, but unlawfully and maliciously devising and intending to impede the course of public justice, and to rescue and cause to be rescued the said Arthur O'Connor, so being in the custody of the said Sheriff as aforesaid, from the custody of the said Sheriff, so that he the said Arthur O'Connor might go at large whithersoever he would,

did afterwards, to wit, at the same session so then and there holden, and at which the said trial was so had as aforesaid, and before any order or direction had been made or given by the Justices and Commissioners of our said lord the King above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, or any or either of them, for the discharge of the said Arthur O'Connor from the custody of the said sheriff, and also before the said Arthur O'Connor was discharged from the custody of the said sheriff, to wit, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, at Maidstone, in the county of Kent, with force and arms aid and assist the said Arthur O'Connor in a certain other attempt by him then and there made to rescue himself, and escape and go at large from and out of the custody of the said Sheriff; and the better to effect such rescue and escape as last aforesaid, did then and there, with force and arms, and with sticks, staves, and fists, unlawfully make a certain other assault in and upon the said Thomas Adams, in the peace of God and of our said lord the King then and there being, and in the aid of the said Sheriff then and there also being, and him the said Thomas Adams did then and there again beat, bruise, wound, and ill-treat, to the great damage of the said Thomas Adams, to the great contempt, disturbance, and interruption of the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, in contempt of our said lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity.

And the said Attorney-General for our said lord the King further giveth the Court here to understand and be informed, that at the said session so holden, and at which the said trial was so had as aforesaid, to wit, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, unlawfully and maliciously devising and intending to break the peace of our said lord the King, and to interrupt and disturb the Justices and Commissioners of our said lord the King above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, in the execution of their office, and to prevent and hinder the due and peaceable holding of the said session, did, together with divers other ill-disposed persons, whose names are to the said Attorney-General as yet unknown, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the open court aforesaid, and in the presence of the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, to wit, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously assemble and gather themselves together to break the peace of our said lord the King, and to interrupt, disturb, and obstruct the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, in the execution of their office, and to prevent and hinder the due and peaceable holding of the said session;

and being so assembled and gathered together, did then and there, with force and arms, at the said session so then and there holden, and at which the said trial was so had as aforesaid, in the open court aforesaid, and in the presence aforesaid, with force and arms, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously make and raise, and cause and procure to be made and raised, another very great noise, tumult, riot, and disturbance, and thereby, for a long space of time, to wit, for the space of half an hour, interrupt, disturb, and obstruct the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, in the lawful and peaceable holding of the said session, and in and upon the said John Rivett, Edward Fugion, and Thomas Adams, in the peace of God and of our said lord the King then and there being, with force and arms, did then and there make another assault, and them the said John Rivett, Edward Fugion, and Thomas Adams, did again beat, bruise, wound, and greatly ill-treat, to the great damage of the said John Rivett, Edward Fugion, and Thomas Adams, to the great hindrance of public justice, to the manifest disturbance and violation of the peace of our said lord the King, to the great hindrance, obstruction, and contempt of the Justices and Commissioners above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, to the great terror of all the liege and peaceable subjects of our said lord the King there being, in contempt of our said lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity.

And the said Attorney-General of our said lord the King, for our said lord the King, further giveth the Court here to understand and be informed, that at a certain other special session of oyer and terminer and gaol delivery, holden by adjournment in and for the county of Kent, at Maidstone, in the said county, on Monday, the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, before Sir Francis Buller, Baronet, one of the Justices of our said lord the King of his Court of Common Pleas, John Heath, Esquire, one other of the Justices of our said lord the King of his Court of Common Pleas, Sir Soulden Lawrence, Knight, one of the Justices of our said lord the King assigned to hold pleas before the King himself, Samuel Shepherd, Esquire, one of the Serjeants of our said lord the King learned in the law, and others their fellows, Justices and Commissioners of our said lord the King, by our said lord the King duly assigned and constituted to hold the same session, the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, unlawfully and maliciously devising and intending to break the peace of our said lord the King, and to prevent and hinder the due and peaceable holding of the said last-mentioned session, did, together with divers other ill-disposed persons, whose names are to the said Attorney-General as yet unknown, in open court, at and

during the continuance of the said last-mentioned session, and in the presence of the Justices and Commissioners last above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, to wit, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the said county of Kent, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously assemble and gather themselves together to break the peace of our said lord the King, and to prevent and hinder the due and peaceable holding of the said last-mentioned session; and being so assembled and gathered together, did then and there, with force and arms, at the said last-mentioned session, in the open court last aforesaid, and in the presence last aforesaid, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously make and raise, and cause and procure to be made and raised, another very great noise, rout, tumult, riot, and disturbance, and thereby for a long space of time, to wit, the space of half an hour, interrupt, disturb, and obstruct the Justices and Commissioners last above named, and others their fellows last aforesaid, in the lawful and peaceable holding of the said last-mentioned session, to the great hindrance of public justice, to the contempt and interruption of the Justices and Commissioners last above named, and others their fellows aforesaid, to the manifest disturbance and violation of the peace of our said lord the King, to the great terror of all the liege and peaceable subjects of our said lord the King there being, in contempt of our said lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity.

And the said Attorney-General of our said lord the King, for our said lord the King, further giveth the Court here to understand and be informed, that the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, unlawfully and maliciously devising and intending to break the peace of our said lord the King, did, together with divers ther ill-disposed persons, whose names are to the said AttorneyGeneral as yet unknown, on the twenty-first day of May, in the thirty-eighth year aforesaid, at Maidstone aforesaid, in the county of Kent, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously assemble and gather themselves together to break the peace of our said lord the King; and being so assembled and gathered together, did then and there, with force and arms, unlawfully, riotously, routously, and tumultuously make and raise, and cause and procure to be made and raised, another very great noise, rout, tumult, riot, and disturbance, to the manifest disturbance and violation of the peace of our said lord the King, to the great terror of all the liege and peaceable subjects of our said lord the King there inhabiting and being, in contempt of our said lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity.

Whereupon the said Attorney-General of our said lord the King, who for our said lord the King in this behalf prosecuteth, for our said lord the King, prayeth the consideration of the Court here in the premises, and that due process of law may be awarded against them, the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, in this behalf, to make them answer to our said lord the King, touching and concerning the premises aforesaid.

Wherefore the Sheriff of the said county of Kent was commanded that he should not forbear, by reason of any liberty in his bailiwick, but that he should cause them to come to answer to our said lord the King touching and concerning the premises aforesaid.

And now, that is to say, on Wednesday next after the octave of Saint Hilary in this same term, before our said lord the King at Westminster, come the said Sackville, Earl of Thanet, Robert Fergusson, Thomas Gunter Browne, Dennis O'Brien, and Thomas Thompson, by Benjamin Burnett, their clerk in court; and having heard the said information read, they severally say that they are not guilty thereof, and hereupon they severally put themselves upon the country; and the said Sir John Scott, who for our said lord the King in this behalf prosecuteth, doth the like; therefore, &c.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S SPEECH.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIPS AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY, -I can very unfeignedly assure you, that I should have felt infinite satisfaction, if, in any view that I could take of what my country required of me, I could have determined not to have instituted the present prosecution.

Gentlemen, many reasons would have influenced me to act upon that wish. The first and the most important is, that I am obliged, by this information, to impute to a nobleman who is one of the defendants, and to the gentlemen whose names occur upon this record as the other defendants, an offence which appears to me to be one of the most heinous, the consideration of which has been offered, in the history of our law, to the decision of a jury.

Gentlemen, in so viewing the subject, I hope I may be allowed, though I am the prosecutor of this nobleman and these gentlemen, to express my regret that I am to make such an imputation in a court of justice with respect to any of them; but, gentlemen, when I consider that the pure administration of law in this country is the great security upon which all the public blessings known to the country rest; when I recollect that it is absolutely necessary for the free and uncontrolled administration of that justice, that those who have duties relative to any part of it should act under the impression that they are perfectly secure in the administration of the justice of the country, it is quite impossible for me to act upon any