202 CHARGE AGAINST ROBERT 



virtue of the imperial throne, which is justice, hath 

 given us in commandment that we should not expa 

 tiate, nor make invectives, but materially pursue the 

 evidence, as it conduceth to the point in question ; a 

 matter, that though we are glad of so good a war 

 rant, yet we should have done of ourselves : for far 

 be it from us, by any strains of wit or art, to seek to 

 play prizes, or to blazon our names in blood, or to 

 carry the day otherwise than upon just grounds. We 

 shall carry the lanthorn of justice, which is the evi 

 dence, before your eyes upright, and to be able to 

 save it from being put out with any winds of evasion 

 or vain defences, that is our part ; and within that 

 we shall contain ourselves, not doubting at all, but 

 that the evidence itself will carry such force as it 

 shall need no vantage or aggravation. 



My lords, the course which I will hold in deli 

 vering that which I shall say, for I love order, shall 

 be this : 



First, I will speak somewhat of the nature and 

 greatness of the offence which is now to be tried ; 

 not to weigh down my lord with the greatness of it, 

 but contrariwise to shew that a great offence de- 

 serveth a great proof, and that the king, however he 

 might esteem this gentleman heretofore, as the signet 

 upon his finger, to use the Scripture-phrase, yet in 

 such case as this he was to put him off. 



Secondly, I will use some few words touching 

 the nature of the proofs, which in such a case are 

 competent. 



