the execution of the Conspiracy. If a Subject conspire with a Foreign Prince, to invade the Realm by open hostility, and prepare for the same, by some Overt Act, this is a sufficient Overt Act for the Death of the King. 4thly. A Conspiracy is had to levy War, this is no Treason by this Act, untill it be levied, therefore it is no Overt Act, or manifest Proof of the compassing the Death of the King within this Act; for the Words are (de ceo &c. thereof) that is, of the compassing of the Death. The Wisdom of the Makers of this Law would not make bare Words to be Treason, seeing such Variance commonly among the Witnesses, about the same, as few of them agree together.
In the Preamble of the Statute of 1. Mar. (concerning the Repeal of certain Treasons declared after this Statute of 25. Edw. 3. and before that
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Time, and bringing all things to the Measures of this Statute) it was agreed by the whole Parliament, that Laws justly made for the Preservation of the Common Wealth, without extreme Punishment, are more often obeyed and kept, than Laws and Statutes made with great and extreme Punishments. And in special, such Laws and Statutes so made, whereby not only the ignorant, and rude unlearned People, but also learned and expert People, minding Honesty, are often Times trapped and snared, yea many Times for words only, without other Fact or Deed done or perpetrated. Therefore this Act of the 25. Ed. 3. doth provide that there must be an OVERT ACT. 5. As to Treason by levying War against the King, we must Note, that though conspiring or compassing to levy War, without a War, de Facto, be no Treason, yet if many conspire a War, and only some few actually levy it, all are Guilty of the Treason. Raising a Force to burn or throw down a particular Inclosure, is only a Riot, but if it had been to have gone from Town to Town, to throw down all Inclosures, or to change Religion, or the like, it were levying of War, because the intended Mischief is Public. Holding a Fort or Castle against the Kings Forces is levying War. 6. Counterfeiting the Great, or Privy Seal, is Treason; but it must be an actual Counterfeiting thereof, compassing to do it is no Treason: affixing the Great Seal by the Chancellor, without Warrant, is no Treason: fixing a New Great Seal to another Patent, is a great Misprison, but no Treason, being not counterfeiting within this Act: but Aiders and Consenters are within this Act. 7. Treason concerning Coin, is counterfeiting the King’s Coin; and this was Treason at Common Law, and Judgment only as of Petty Treason; but clipping, &c. being made Treason by other Statutes, the Judgment is to be Drawn, Hanged, and Quartered. Money here, extends only to the proper Money of this Realm. 8. As this Statute leaves all other doubtful Matters to be declared Treason in Parliament, but not to be punished as such, till so declared. So in succeeding King’s Reigns, abundance of other Matters were declared Treason, which being found very Grievous and Dangerous, by the Statute 1. Mar. it is inacted that thenceforth no Act, Deed, or Offence, being by Act of Parliament, or Statute, made Treason, Petty Treason, or Misprison of Treason, by Words, Writing, Ciphering, Deeds, or otherwise however, shall be taken, had, deemed, or
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adjudged to be High Treason, Petty Treason, or Misprison of Treason, but only such as be declared and expressed to be Treason, Petty Treason, or Misprison of Treason, by this Statute of 25. Ed.3.
Here we rest the Matter, my Lords, convinced the Author of NUMBER III, is not within the meaning of this Statute, nor any exposition of it, and that the Design of your Lordships in adding the Epithet Treasonable, was wicked, base, and infamous, and will be sure to secure to you the Contempt and Detestation of every Honest Man.
To the People of ENGLAND and AMERICA.
On the 31st of March will be published, Price 1s 6d. in Quarto, on a fine Paper and new Type,
The Prophecy of RUIN, a Poem.
Ense velut Stricto, quoties Lucilius ardens
Infremuit, rubet Auditor cui frigida Mens est,
Criminibus, tacita sudant Praecordia Culpa.
JUVENAL.
Sharp as a Sword Lucilius drew his Pen,
And struck with panic Terror guilty Men,
At his just Strokes the harden’d Wretch would start,
Feel the cold Sweat, and tremble at the Heart.
Printed and published for the Authors, by T. W. SHAW, in Fleet Street, opposite Anderton’s Coffee House, where Letters to the Publisher will be thankfully received.
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THE
CRISIS
| NUMBER IX | To be continued Weekly. |
| SATURDAY, March 18, 1775 | [Price Two-pence Half-penny. |
The worst of all Tyranny is that established by Law.
To the KING.
SIR,
YOU, Sir, ascended the Throne of these Realms with Advantages, which if properly improved, would have rendered your Reign, not only Glorious and Happy, but have made you the most powerful Monarch upon Earth; you might have kept the World in awe. Yet, O! shame to tell, though the Times demand it, you soon sacrificed your own Peace, the Tranquility, Honour, and Interest, of this Great and mighty Kingdom, to the Ambitious views, and Pernicious designs, of your infernal Minion Lord Bute, and his profligate, abandoned Adherents. Your Accession to the Throne, filled with Joy, the Breast of every Englishman; but alas, it was of short Duration, you soon convinced them of their Mistake, and the Compliments paid to your Understanding, the calm Hour of Reason soon convinced us, were ill founded.
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No sooner seated upon the Throne of this vast Empire, than you, like all other Kings, as well as Tyrants, made the People many and fair Promises: you told your Parliament, that the suppression of VICE and IMMORALITY, the Encouragement of TRADE and COMMERCE, and the preservation of PEACE and HARMONY amongst your People, should be the RULE of your Conduct, and your principal STUDY. How far you have kept your Word, the sacred Pen of Truth shall now declare.
Scarce seated in regal Dignity, before you drove from your Presence and Councils, by the Advice of your Scotch Favourite Lord Bute, every Man of HONOUR and INTEGRITY, who was valued for Love to his Country, and affection for your Family. You implicitly followed the Advice of your Northern Minion, and in their Room, took those only, who were the most Conspicuous for their Vices, and the most abandoned in Principle, these are FACTS, which Sandwich, Bute, Grafton,1 North, &c. will confirm.
These Men, you still continue to countenance, every scene of Iniquity, they have been concerned in, and every Act of Violence, Oppression, and Murder, they have committed, has been by you, tacitly approved, nay, Applauded. Adultery, Debauchery, and Divorces, are more frequent now, than in the corrupt and profligate Days of Charles the Second, these, Sir, prove incontestably, your religious Principles, and show how far you have suppressed VICE and IMMORALITY.
It will now be necessary to enquire how far you have encouraged TRADE and COMMERCE, was it by illegally imposing a STAMP Duty on the Americans, and taxing those Commodities which we supplied them with from this Country, which has stopped for near Six Years, a great Traffic between this Kingdom and the Colonies? Was it by suffering with the most shameful Impunity;
