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which the crier did accordingly, he being a

mongst the felons as aforesaid.

John Crook being brought to the bar;

C. Judge. When did you take the oath of allegiance?

J. Crook. I desire to be heard.

C. Judge. Answer to the question, and you shall be heard.

J. C.

I have been about six weeks in prison, and am I now called to accuse myself? For the answering to this question in the negative, is to accuse myself, which you ought not to put me upon; for, Nemo debet seipsum prodere. I am an Englishman, and by the law of England I ought not to be taken, nor imprisoned, nor disseized of my freehold, nor called in question, nor put to answer, but according to the law of the land: which I challenge as my birthright, on my own behalf, and all that hear me this day; (or words to this purpose.) I stand here at this bar as a delinquent, and do desire that my accuser may be brought forth to accuse me for my delinquency, and then I shall answer to my charge, if any I be guilty of.

C. Judge. You are here demanded to take the oath of allegiance, and when you have done that, then you shall be heard about the other; for we have power to tender it to any man.

J. C. Not to me upon this occasion, in this place; for I am brought hither as an offender

already, and not to be made an offender here, or to accuse myself; for I am an Englishman, as I have said to you, and challenge the benefit of the laws of England; for by them is a better inheritance derived to me as an Englishman, than that which I received from my parents; for by the former the latter is preserved; and this is seen in the 29th chapter of Magna Charta, and the petition of right, mentioned in the third of Car. 1. and in other good laws of England; and therefore I desire the benefit and observance of them and you that are judges upon the bench, ought to be my council, and not my accusers, but to inform me of the benefit of those laws: and wherein I am ignorant, you ought to inform me, that I may not suffer through my own ignorance of those advantages, which the laws of England afford me as an Englishman.

Reader, I here give thee a brief account of my taking and imprisonment, that thou mayst the better judge of what justice I had from the court aforesaid; which is as followeth.

I being in John's street London, about the thirteenth day of the third month (called May) with some other of the people of God, to wait upon him, as we were sat together, there came in a rude man (called Miller) with a long cane in his hand, who laid violent hands upon me, with some others, beating some, commanding

the constables who came in after him, but having no warrant, were not willing to meddle, but as his threatenings prevailed, they, being afraid of him, joined with him to carry several of us before justice Powel (so called) who the next day sent us to the sessions at Hick's Hall; where after some discourse several times with them, we manifested to them the illegality both of our commitment, and their proceedings thereupon; yet notwithstanding, they committed me and others, and caused an indictment to be drawn against us, founded upon the late act against Quakers and others; and then remanded us to New Prison, where we continued for some days; and then removed us to Newgate, where we remained until the sessions in the Old Bailey aforesaid: whereby thou mayst understand what justice I met withal, by what went before, and now farther follows.

Chief Judge. We sit here to do justice, and are upon our oaths; and we are to tell you what is law, and not you us: therefore, Sirrah, you are too bold.

J. Crook. Sirrah is not a word becoming a judge: for I am no felon; neither ought you to menace the prisoner at the bar; for I stand here arraigned as for my life and liberty, and the preservation of my wife and children, and outward estate, [they being now at the stake] therefore you ought to hear me to the full, what I can say in my own defence, according to law, and that in its season, as it is given me to speak: therefore I hope the court will bear with me, if I am bold to assert my liberty, as an Englishman, and as a Christian; and if I speak loud, it is my zeal for the truth, and for the name of the Lord; and mine innocency makes me bold

Judge. It is an evil zeal; interrupting John Crook.

J. C. No, I am bold in the name of the Lord God Almighty, the everlasting Jehovah, to assert the truth, and stand as a witness for it: let my accuser be brought forth, and I am ready to answer any court of justice.

Then the judge interrupted me, saying, sirrah, with some other words I do not remember? But I answered, You are not to threaten me, neither are those menaces fit for the mouth of a judge; for the safety of the prisoner stands upon the indifferency of the court; and you ought not to behave yourselves as parties, seeking all advantages against the prisoner, but not heeding any thing that may make for his clearing or advantage.--The judge again interrupted me saying,

Judge. Sirrah, you are to take the oath, and here we tender it to you (bidding, read it. J. C. Let me see mine accuser, that I may know for what cause I have been six weeks imprisoned, and do not put me to accuse myself by asking me questions; but either let my accuser come forth, or otherwise let me be discharged by proclamation, as you ought to doHere I was interrupted again.

Judge Twisden. We take no notice of your being here otherwise than as a straggler, or as any other person, or as the people that are here this day; for we may tender the oath to any man. And another judge spake to the like purpose.

J. C. I am here at your bar as a prisoner restrained of my liberty, and do question whether you ought in justice to tender me the oath on the account I am now brought before you, because I am supposed to be an offender; or else why have I been six weeks in prison already? Let me be cleared of my imprisonment, and then I shall answer to what is charged against me, and to the question now propounded; for I am a lover of justice with all my soul, and am well known by my neighbours, where I have lived, to keep a conscience void of offence, both towards God, and towards man.

Judge. Sirrah, leave your canting. JC. Is this canting, to speak the words of the scripture?

Judge. It is canting in your mouth, though they are Paul's words.

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