[494] It has been justly remarked that the Greek orators were careful to impress upon their audience that, in bringing a charge against any one, they were actuated by the strongest personal motives. Æschines, in his oration against Ctesiphon, expresses his intense personal spite against Demosthenes. Christianity has taught us a different lesson, and happily the authority of that lesson is acknowledged, and its spirit generally exemplified by the English bar, and in the British Senate.
With regard to Prynne, let me add that, though his prejudices might warp his judgment, he shewed himself throughout his whole life to be an honest man. Of his learning, there cannot be two opinions. His great work on Parliamentary writs, in four volumes, is pronounced by a competent judge to be so admirable, that "it is impossible to speak of it in terms of too high commendation."—Parry's Parliaments and Councils, Preface, 21. See also Spilsbury's Lincoln's Inn, 283.
[495] See Rushworth, v. 763-780. A fuller account of the trial may be found in Neal, iii. 172-242.
[496] This is taken, not from Rushworth's report (v. 777), but from Laud's own copy of his speech. They differ somewhat.—Works, iv. 60.
[497] Quoted in Neal, iii. 239.
[498] Laud said in his defence: "The result must be of the same nature and species with the particulars from which it rises. But 'tis confessed no one of the particulars are treason, therefore, neither is the result that rises from them. And this holds in nature, in morality, and in law."—Works, iv. 380.
In reply to Serjeant Wylde's argument, that the misdemeanours together, by accumulation made up treason, Laud's advocate wittily observed: "I crave your mercy, good Mr. Serjeant, I never understood before this time that two hundred couple of black rabbits would make a black horse."
[499] Walton's Lives, 390.
[500] Heylyn says, in his Life of Archbishop Laud (527), that Stroud was sent up to the Lords with a message from the House of Commons, to let them know that the Londoners would shortly petition with 20,000 hands to obtain that ordinance.
The arguments of the Commons in support of the attainder, as presented to the Lords, are given in the journals of the latter, under date, Die Sabbati, 4 die Januarii.