" Aye," said the Attorney-General, " I think,
it is very plain." " Truly," said the .Lord
Chief Justice, << I must needs tell you, there
was a great presumption before, but .'greater
now. I think I shall now leave it with some
effect to the jury."
P.SS8. The counsel for the Bishops then, entered

Defence. ^

Upon their defence. Sawyer, Finch, PoUez-
fen, Pemberton, all spoke with spirit . in this
great and animating cause ; justifying die
conduct of the Bishops, insisting on the ri^t
of petitioning, and arguing against the.l^
gality of the dispensing power which had been
assumed by the King. They denied, 4hat there



THE SEVEN. BISHOPS. ^909

had been a tittle of eviid^ce to prove th6cha!rge
in the information; or that the petition of
the Bishops ccmtained a single wordy which
conld justly be understood as trenching on
the King's prerogative. The petition, (they
nigedy) was a most respectful apology for
non-compliance with the order of the King,
accompanied by an earnest entreaty, on behalf
of themselves and the whole body pf the
clergy of England, that he would not, insist
on, their reading the dedaraticm ; the dispens-
ing power, onwhich it was founded, having
been frequently declared in ParUament to be
contrary to law. Commanded by the Crown,
to. do what they conceived to be against ;law
und conscience, they humbly stated the
reason, why they could not, consistently with
duty, submit to his Majesty's command. To
make this r^resentation to the King, was the
l)ounden duty of the Bishops, as Peers of the
realm, as guardians of the actpf uniformity, as
fatliers of the church. They had done this,
in -a manner the most becoming, not obtru-
isively or publicly, but craving leave to ap-
proach his royal person, and presenting their
petition privately to the King, with the utmost
decency and respect. This could never deserve

X 3 ,.
