EARL OF SOMERSET. 203 



Thirdly, I will state the proofs. 



Fourthly and lastly, I will produce the proofs, 

 either out of examinations and matters in writing, or 

 witnesses, &quot; viva voce.&quot; 



For the offence itself, it is of crimes, next unto 

 high treason, the greatest ; it is the foulest of felo 

 nies. And take this offence with the circumstances, 

 it hath three degrees or stages ; that it is murder ; 

 that it is murder by impoisonment ; that it is mur 

 der committed upon the king s prisoner in the 

 Tower : I might say, that it is murder under the co 

 lour of friendship ; but this is a circumstance moral ; 

 I leave that to the evidence itself. 



For murder, my lords, the first record of justice 

 that was in the world was a judgment upon a mur 

 derer in the person of Adam s first-born, Cain ; and 

 though it was not punished by death, but with ba 

 nishment and mark of ignominy, in respect of the 

 primogeniture, or population of the world, or other 

 points of God s secret decree, yet it was judged, and 

 was, as it is said, the first record of justice. So it 

 appeareth likewise in Scripture, that the murder of 

 Abner by Joab, though it were by David respited in 

 respect of great services past, or reason of state, yet 

 it was not forgotten. But of this I will say no more. 

 It was ever admitted, and ranked in God s own ta 

 bles, that murder is of offences between man and man, 

 next unto treason and disobedience unto authority, 

 which some divines have referred to the first table, 

 because of the lieutenancy of God in princes. 



For impoisonment, I am sorry it should be heard 



