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indeed,” cried Williams. “Do you think,” said Powis, “thatyou are at liberty to ask our -witnesses -any impertinentquestion that comes into your heads ? ” The advocates of theBishops were not men to be so put down. “He is sworn,”said Pollexfen, “to tell the truth and the whole truth: and ananswer we must and will have.” The witness shuffled, equi-vocated, pretended to misunderstand the questions, imploredthe protection of the Court. But he was in hands from whichit was not easy to escape. At length the Attorney again inter-posed. “If, ” he said, “you persist in asking such a question,tell us, at least, what use you mean to make of it.” Pember-ton, who, through the whole trial, did his duty manfully andably, replied without hesitation; “My Lords, I will answerMr. Attorney. I will deal plainly with the Court. If theBishops owned this paper under a promise from His Majestythat their confession should not be used against them, I hopethat no unfair advantage will be taken of them.” “You puton His Majesty what I dare hardly name,” said Williams:“since you will be so pressing, I demand, for the King, thatthe question may be recorded.” “What do you mean, Mr.Solicitor?” said Sawyer, interposing. “I know what I mean,”said the apostate: “I desire that the question may be recordedin Court.” “Record what you will, I am not afraid of you,Mr. Solicitor,” said Pemberton. Then came a loud andfierce altercation,which the Chief Justice could with difficultyquiet. In other circumstances, he would probably have or-dered the question to be recorded and Pemberton to be com-mitted. But on this great day he was overawed. He oftencast a side glance towards the thick rows of Earls and Baronsby whom he was watched, and who in the next Parliamentmight be his judges. He looked, a bystander said, as if all thepeers present had halters in their pockets.* At length Blath-wayt was forced to give a full account of what had passed. Itappeared that the King had entered into no express covenantwith the Bishops. But it appeared also that the Bishops mightnot unreasonably think that there was an implied engagement.

* This is the expression of an eye witness. It is in a newsletter in theMackintosh Collection.

Macaulay, Bistory, HI, 13

CHAP.

VII I.

I6SS.