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spirit in England; and the sectaries resolved togratify their vengeance in the punishment of thisprelate, who had so long, by his authority, andby the execution of penal laws, kept their zealousspirit under confinement. He was accused of hightreason , in endeavouring to subvert the funda-mental laws , . and of other high crimes andmisdemeanors. The same illegality of an accumu-lative crime and a constructive evidence , whichappeared in the cafe of Strafford the sameviolence and iniquity in conducting the trial, areconspicuous throughout the whole course of thisprosecution. The groundless charge of popery,though belied by his whole life and conduct,was continually urged against the prisoner; andevery error rendered unpardonable by this impu-tation , which was supposed to imply the heightof all enormities. a This man, my lords, ” saidserjeant Wilde, concluding his long speech againsthim, “ is like Naaman the Syrian; a great man,“ but a leper <I . ”

We shall not enter into a detail of this matter,which, at present, seems to admit of little con-troversy. It suffices to fay, that, after a longtrial", and the examination of above a hundredand fifty witnesses, the commons found so littlelikelihood of obtaining a judicial sentence againstLaud, that they were obliged to have recourseto their legislative authority, and to pass an or-dinance for taking away the life of this aged

41 Rushworth , vol. vi. p. 3 jo-

lt A P.LVII.1645 . ,