“My Lords, what I say, I shall say and think as in the presence of my God. I knew nothing of the business until four o’clock on the day on which it took place. I then had not tasted a morsel of food the whole day. [Here the prisoner burst into tears.] I then went to a place where a person appointed to meet me at six o’clock, where I saw four or five men, not one of whom I knew, except Cooper; of him I borrowed a halfpenny, to buy a bit of bread. I appeal to God who now hears me, (casting up his eyes), and knows that this is true.
“I went into the room at Cato-street, where I found a number of men eating bread and cheese, which they cut with a sword. I cut some for myself. Seeing so many men and arms, I was anxious to get away, but Adams stopped me, and brandishing a sword, said, ‘If any man attempts to go from here, I will run him through.’ An officer then came in, and I surrendered without opposition.
“This was all I knew of the business, and yet I stand here convicted of high treason. I have served my King and country faithfully for twelve years, and this is my recompense, this is my recompense, O God!” [Here the prisoner again burst into tears, and could proceed no further.]
Charles Cooper said, My Lords, there is no evidence to convict me of high treason.
Gilchrist came again to the bar, and said, My Lords, I have no objection to die; I would willingly resign my life to save that of another. (It was not known to whom he alluded). He again retired from the bar in tears as before, and continued so till the whole of the prisoners were removed from Court.
Proclamation was now made by the Crier that the Judge was going to proceed to pass sentence on the prisoners, and enjoining strict silence in the Court.
The Lord Chief-Justice Abbott, having put on that solemn part of the judicial insignia, the black velvet cap, proceeded to his awful duty, and thus addressed the prisoners:—
“You, Arthur Thistlewood, James Ings, John Thomas Brunt, William Davidson, and Richard Tidd, have been severally tried and convicted of High Treason, in Compassing and Levying War against his Majesty.
“You, James Wilson, John Harrison, Richard Bradburn, John Shaw Strange, James Gilchrist, and Charles Cooper, did originally plead Not Guilty to the same indictment; but, after the trial and conviction of the preceding prisoners, you desired to withdraw your plea, and plead Guilty. You have cast yourselves on the mercy of your sovereign; and if any of you have your lives spared, which I trust will be the case with some of you, I hope you will bear in mind that you owe it to the benignity and mercy of your sovereign, and to some of those public officers whom you had devoted to a cruel and sudden death.”