354 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

CHAP.

J.XVII.

* 679 .

WaTcemanacquitted.IS til July.

So high indeed had the popular rage mounted,that the witnesses for this unhappy man , onapproaching the court, were almost torn in piecesby the rabble: One in particular was bruised tosuch a degree , as to put his life in danger. Andanother, a woman, declared, that, unless thecourt could afford her protection, sire durst notgive evidence: But as the judges could go nofarther than promise to punish such as should doher any injury , the prisoner himself had thehumanity to wave her testimony.

So far the informers had proceeded with success :Their accusation was hitherto equivalent to asentence of death. The first check which theyreceived, was on the trial of Sir George Wake-man, the queen’s physician, whom they accusedof an intention to poison the king. It was astrong circumstance in favor of Wakeman, thatOates, in his first information before the council,had accused him only upon hearsay; and whenasked by the chancellor, whether he had anything farther to charge him with, he added,“ God forbid I should say any thing against Sir“ George: For I know nothing more against him. "On the trial he gave positive evidence of theprisoner’s guilt. There were many other circum-stances which favored Wakeman : But whatchiefly contributed to his acquittal , was theconnexion of his cause with that of the queen,whom no one, even during the highest prejudicesof the times, could sincerely believe guilty. Thegreat importance of the trial made men recollect