; 
¥ 
‘. 
1 
i" 
By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 169 
must acquaint you with hereafter. I pressed to have it otherwise; but I must 
submitt to those that were to bee my judges. Though they were not soe inclined ; 
yet rather than to make a difference in this great service, were contented to 
submitt. Wee sate not till the afternoone, where was a good appearance of the 
Commissioners and Justices of [the] Peace; of the Grand Jury 32 appeared 
whereof 23 were sworne. 
The exterior of the old Council House at Salisbury, survives to- 
day in the engraving in Sir Richard Hoare’s Modern Wiltshire 
‘(Hundred of Sarum). Far less in size than the present structure, 
so much the more imposing must have been the presence of six judges" 
in scarlet and ermine,! as they approached surrounded by Sheriff 
Dove’s retinue, and no doubt a military escort. 
In consequence of the “ personal concernment” of the Lord Chief 
Justice and Mr. Baron Nicholas; and Lord Lisle not being a 
Common Law Judge; Mr. Justice Wyndham, presided and delivered 
the charge to the Grand Jury, on the afternoon of the 11th of April, 
A letter of the 12th April, 1655, from a Mr. Nutley, some govern- 
ment official, gives the following account of this :—* 
“‘ After his apology for this unexpected call to that service in regard to the 
personal! concernment of my lord chief Justice and Mr. Baron Nicholas in the 
business he proceeded to declare the nature of the horrid and unheard-of crime in 
question ; which as well by the common law, and the Statute laws both ancient 
all others in the like case offending, in manifest violation, and contempt of the laws of England, 
against the due obedience of them the said A B C D &c, to the said lord protector and government 
of the said Commonwealth, against the publick peace, and against the force of the Statute in such 
case made and provided &c. And also maliciously, devilishly, and traitorously conspiring, plotting, 
compassing, and imagining the death destruction, and utter ruin of the said lord protector, and also 
wickedly, rebelliously, and traitorously intending, proposing, plotting, and endeavouring, by all the 
ways and means they could and might, to promote Charles Stuart, eldest son to’Charles the late 
King of England, to be king and chief Magistrate of England, Scotland and Ireland, and of the do- 
minions thereunto belonging, they the said A B &c. together with the other two hundted rebels, 
and traitors to the jurors unknown, being so assembled, armed, and arrayed, the 12th day of March 
AD 1654 at New Sarum in the County of Wilts aforesaid, the death, destruction and ruin of the said 
lord protector falsely, devilishly, rebelliously, traitorously, and of their set and forethought malice 
did intend, compass, imagine, and endeavour to execute and procure; and that they the said A B 
‘&c. together with the said other two hundred rebels and traitors unto the said Jurors unknown, 
being so assembled, armed, and arrayed as aforesaid, the 12th day of March in the year aforesaid at 
New Sarum aforesaid and in other places within the aforesaid county, in further execution of their 
Wicked rebellious,and traitorous purposes, intentions,and imaginations aforesaid, wickedly,devilishly, 
maliciously, traitorously, and as false traitors against the said lord protector and government afore- 
said, did with loud voices proclaim, declare, publish, and promote, the said Charles Stewart eldest 
son of the said late king, to be king and chief magistrate of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the 
dominions thereunto belonging,” [The indictment as finally settled probably ended at the words 
_“ made and provided, &c,’’] 
1Tt may be the Lord Commissioner Lisle was in some such gorgeous robe as 
- that of the Lord Chancellor of to-day. Those things were not forgotten then. 
23 Th., 372. 
