A True Hero | Page 7

made clear to them, venture to
convict?"
On entering the hall they found ten justices occupying the bench, Sir
Samuel Starling, the Lord Mayor, at their head. As soon as the court
opened, the clerk ordered the crier to call over the jury. Having
answered to their names, of which the result showed that they had
every reason to be proud, they were sworn to try the prisoners at the bar,
and find according to the evidence adduced. If Wenlock had been
inclined to admire William Penn before, much more so was he now,
when, standing up, he replied to the question whether he was guilty or
not guilty. Of course he and Mead pleaded not guilty. The court then
adjourned. After it had resumed its functions the prisoners were
brought up, but were set aside in order that several cases of common
felony might be disposed of; this being done for the purpose of
insulting Penn and his friend. Little progress having been made in their
case, they were remanded to their abominable dungeons in Newgate,
and the court adjourned for two days.
CHAPTER FOUR.

Christison and his son arrived in good time when the court again sat, on
the 3rd of September. The officers having taken off the hats of the
prisoners as they entered, the Lord Mayor abused them for so doing,
and bade them put them on again. He then abused the prisoners for
wearing their hats, fining them forty marks each for contempt of court.
The indictment was again read. It was to the effect that William Penn
and William Mead, with other persons, had assembled on the 15th day
of August for the purpose of creating a disturbance, according to an
agreement between the two; and that William Penn, supported by
William Mead, had preached to the people assembled, whereby a great
concourse of people remained, in contempt of the king and his law,
creating a disturbance of his peace, to the great terror of many of his
liege people and subjects.
William Penn, who ably defended himself, proved that the day when he
had gone to Gracechurch Street was the fourteenth, and not the
fifteenth; that he did not preach to the people; that he had not agreed to
meet William Mead there; that William Mead had not spoken to him.
Mead also proved that he had not preached; that he had not abetted
Penn, and that no riot had taken place.
Contrary to the evidence, the Recorder Jefferies insisted that the
prisoners should be brought in "guilty." The jury, however, in spite of
the threats held out to them by the Lord Mayor and the Recorder and
others, would not agree upon a verdict. The most determined to give an
honest one was Master Edward Bushel, whose name deserves to be
recorded. On again being compelled to retire, they were absent for
some time. When they once more returned, the foreman announced that
their verdict was "Guilty of speaking in Gracechurch Street." Again
every effort was made to induce them to pronounce a different verdict.
A third time they were ordered to retire. Again, in writing, they handed
in their verdict, finding William Penn "Guilty of speaking to an
assembly in Gracechurch Street," and acquitting William Mead.
The baffled and beaten bench, now losing temper, ordered the jury to
be locked up, and the prisoners to be taken back to Newgate. Penn, now
addressing them, required the clerk of the peace to record their verdict.

"If, after this," he exclaimed, "the jury bring in a different verdict to
this, I affirm that they are perjured men. You are Englishmen," he said,
turning to the jurors. "Remember your privileges. Give not away your
rights!"
The following day was Sunday. They were called up, however, and the
clerk again inquired if they were agreed. The foreman replied as before,
"Guilty of speaking to an assembly in Gracechurch Street."
"To an unlawful assembly?" exclaimed the Lord Mayor.
"No, my lord," answered the noble Master Bushel. "We give no other
verdict than we gave last night."
In vain the Lord Mayor and the Recorder Jefferies threatened as before;
the Lord Mayor shouting out, "Gaoler, bring fetters, and shake this
pestilent fellow to the ground!"
"Do your will," answered Penn; "I care not for your fetters!"
The Recorder Jefferies now cried out, "By my troth, I could never
before understand why the Spaniards suffered the Inquisition among
them; and, to my mind, it will never be well with us in England till we
have among us something like the Inquisition."
"Boy," whispered Christison to his son, "you heard those words. The
knave has a good idea of his master's notions and designs. If the
Inquisition,--and I know something of it,--is ever established in this fair
England of ours, it