CHARGE AGAINST MR. OWEN. 173 



but contemptible, a kind of venomous fly, and a bang- 

 by of the seminaries. 



The second is, the nature of this treason, as con 

 cerning the fact, which, of all kinds of compassing 

 the king s death, I hold to be the most perilous, and 

 as much differing from other conspiracies, as the 

 lifting up of a thousand hands against the king, like 

 the giant Briareus, differs from lifting up one or a 

 few hands. 



The third point that I will speak unto is the 

 doctrine or opinion, which is the ground of this 

 treason ; wherein I will not argue or speak like a 

 divine or scholar, but as a man bred in a civil life ; 

 and to speak plainly, I hold the opinion to be 

 such that deserveth rather detestation than con 

 testation. 



The fourth point is the degree of this man s 

 offence, which is more presumptuous than I have 

 known any other to have fallen into in this kind, and 

 hath a greater overflow of malice and treason. 



And fifthly, I will remove somewhat that may 

 seem to qualify and extenuate this man s offence ; in 

 that he hath not affirmed simply that it is lawful to 

 kill the king, but conditionally ; that if the king be 

 excommunicate, it is lawful to kill him : which 

 maketh little difference either in law or peril. 



For the king s clemency, I have said it of late 

 upon a good occasion, and I still speak it with conx- 

 fort : I have now served his majesty s solicitor and 

 attorney eight years and better ; yet this is the first 

 time that ever I gave in evidence against a traitor at 



