This is contrary to
your own Laws likewise, for in 28 Edward I. chapter ii. there is
freedom given to a man to speak for himself, or else he may choose
his father, friend or neighbour to speak for him, without the help
of any other Lawyer.
"_Fourthly_, You have granted a judgement against us, and are
proceeding to an execution, and this is contrary likewise to your
own laws, which say that no plaint ought to be received or
judgement passed, till the cause be heard, and witnesses present,
to testify the plaint to be true, as Sir Edward Coke, 2nd part of
Institutes upon the 29 chap. of Magna Charta, fol. 51-53. The
Mirror of Justice."
Then, as if ashamed of appealing to mere conventional man-made Laws, he
at once acknowledges what he and his comrades have done, and justifies
their action in the following dignified words:
"But that all men may see that we are neither ashamed nor afraid to
justify that cause we are arrested for, neither to refuse to answer
to it in a righteous way, therefore we have here delivered this up
in writing, and we leave it in your hands, disavowing the
proceedings of your Court, because you uphold prerogative
oppression, though the kingly office be taken away, and the
Parliament hath declared England a Common-wealth, so that
prerogative cannot be in force, unless you be besotted by your
covetousness and envy.
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