Neyther will I trouble your Lordships by singlinge these particulers which I thinke maye fall of. Quid te exemta iuvat spinis de pluribus vna, neyther will I prompt your Lordships to observe vpon the proofes where they come not home or the scruple touchinge the creditt of the wittnesses; neyther will I represent vnto your Lordships howe farr a defence in divers thinges extenuate the offence in respect of the tyme or manner of as the like circumstances but onlie leave theise things to springe out of your owne noble thoughts and observacions of the evidence & examinacions themselves, and Charitablye to wynde aboute the particulers of the Charge here and there, as God shall putt you in mynd, and soe submitt my selfe wholie to your pyetye and grace; And nowe that I haue spoken to your Lordships as Iudges, I shall saye a fewe words to you as Peeres and Prelates, humblye Commendinge my Cause to your noble mindes and magnanimous affeccions. Your Lordships are not simplie Iudges but Parliamentarie Iudges, yow haue a further extent of arbitrarye power, then other Courts, and if your Lordships bee not tyed by the ordynarie Course of Courts or presidents, in poynts of strictnes and severitye, much more of mercye and mitigacion: And yet if anie thinge that I shall move might bee contrarie to your honorable and worthie ends to introduce a reformacion, I should not seeke. Butt herein I beeseech your Lordships to giue mee leave to tell you a storie. Titus Manlius tooke his sonnes life for givinge battaile against the prohibicion of his generall, not manie yeares after the like severitie was pursued by Papi rius rius Cursor the dictator against Quintus Maximus, whoe beinge vpon the poynt to bee sentensed by the intercession of some princypall persons of the Senate, was spared: Wherevpon Livye maketh this grave and gratious observasion: Neque minus firmata est disciplina militaris periculo Quinti Maximi quam miserabili p suplicio Titi Manlij: The discipline of Warr was noe less established by the questioninge of Quintus Maximus, then by the punishment of this Manlius: And the same reason is of the reformacion of Iustice, for the questioninge of men of e eminent places hath the same terror, though not the same rigour with the punishment; But my case stayeth not there. For my humble desier is, that his Majestie would take the Seale into his hands which is a greate downefall and may serve, I hope in itt selfe for an expiacion of my faults. Therefore if mercye and mittigacion be in your power, and doe noe waye cross your ends whie should I not hope of your Lordships favours and Comiseracion. Your Lordships would bee pleased to beholde beholde your Chiefe patterne the Kinge our Soueraigne, a Kinge of incomparable Clemencie, and whose hart is inscrutable for wisedome and goodnes; Your Lordships will remember that there satt not three hundred yeeres before a Prince in your howse, and never such a Prince whose presence deserveth to bee made memorable by Records and Acts mixt with mercye and iustice. Your selves are eyther Nobles (and Compassion ever beateth in the Vaynes of Noble bloud) or Reverend Prelates whoe are the servants of him that would not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoakinge flax: Yow all sitt vpon an highe stage and therefore cannot but bee more sensible of the Changes of the world and of the fall of anie in high place: Neyther will your Lordships forgett, that there are vitia temporis as well as vitia hominis and that the beginninge of reformacions hath the Contrarye power to the poole. Bethesba, for that had strength to cure onlie him, that was first cast in, and this hathe commonlye strength to hurt him onlie that is first cast in: And for my part I wishe itt might staie there and goe noe further.

Lastlie I assure my selfe your Lordships haue a noble feelinge of mee as a member of your owne bodye, and one that in this verye Session had some tast of your lovinge affeccions which I hope was not a lighteninge before the death of them, but rather a sparke of that grace which nowe in the Conclusion will more appeare: And therefore my humble suite to your Lordships is, that my penetent submission may bee my sentence, and the loss of the Seale my punishment and that your Lordships will spare my further sentence, but recomend mee to his Majesties Grace and pardon for all that is past: Gods holie spiritt bee amongest yow:/

Your Lordships humble servant and supliant

Francis Saint Alban Chancellor /