An ACCOUNT of the PROCEED AT THE Kings-Bench Bar AT WESTMINSTER-HALL, Against the SEVEN BISHOPS.  
ON Friday being the first day of the Term, the Judges attended the Lord Chancellor to Westminster-hall, after the usual manner; where an Itch after things Novel, had occasioned a Confluence of Multitudes of Persons of all Qualities, who were impatient to hear the Success and Event of the Bishop's Affair.  
About Nine the Court being sat, the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, prayed a Rule of Court might be made, for the bringing the Lords the Bishops up to that Bar, in order to plead to an Information they had prepared against them, for Contriving, Making and Publishing a Seditious Libel against His Majesty and His Government; the which was immediately granted, and about a quarter after Eleven, the Lieutenant of the Tower (attended by six or seven Warders) brought his Prisoners into the Court, where they had Chairs placed there to sit down, their Counsel (which were Sir Francis Pemberton, Sir Robert sawyer's, Mr. Polixfin, and Mr. Finch) began to make some Objections against the Legality of their Commitment, and consequently against the return of their Habeas Corpus, and being brought into that court, the Warrant having some defect, as they imagined, in Form, for it run signed by such and such (to the number of about Fourteen) Lords of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and not by Us Lords in Council. So that they Insinuated they did not know where that Warrant might be made, for that these Lords had not Power to Commit, nor were a Court, but as they were met in Council; but this Objection, after a long Debate managed for the King, by the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, only was at length overruled by the Judges, though Mr. Justice powel seemed not fully to assent to the Opinion of his Brethren, but rather dislike the Form of the Warrant.  
The Substance of this next Argument, was chief about the Dignity of their Peerage, As whether it was usual for a Peer to be held to Bail, or Committed upon a Misdemeanour: But this, after much Alteration by the Council on both sides, was also overruled by the Judges.  
Then the Archbishop put in a Plea, which being read, contained Matter nothing different from what had been before discussed, and so was rejected as frivolous.  
Then their Council urged, they might have time allowed them to Plead to the Information; but Sir Samuel Astre declaring it had been the Custom of that Court, for these twelve Years to his knowledge, (and was long before, as he had been informed by his Predecessors) to Plead immediate to the Information.) Upon which their Lordships Pleaded Not Guilty, and the Court gave them till that day Fortnight to prepare for their Trial. Every Man standing upon his single Recognizance, in such a Sum as each voluntarily named; The Archbishop 200 l. and the other Bishops in 100 l. each, and so were discharged from their Warders, and one attended the Archbishop to Canterbury-house. They had all the Civilities and Respect from the Court that was possible to be shown to Persons of their Quality; and if Bail had been required by the Court, about Twenty of the Principle Nobility attendeed to have served their Lordships. The Court rise at a quarter after Three, this Affair having held them in Debate three hours and a half.  
The People seemed extremely satisfied at the fair play their Lordships and Council had had through the whole Debate; and accompanied them in great Throngs to the Parliament-Stairs, where his Grace took Barge. And in some Parts of the City, the People, through mistake, thinking the Bishops had been cleared, made Bonfires, and gave other Signals of their Joy.   

With Allowance.  
June 16. 1688.   

London, Printed by George Croom, at the Blue-Ball in Thames-street, near Baynard's- Castle, 1688.