An Account of the TRIALS OF William Ld. Russell, William Hone, John Rouse, and William Blake, who took their Trials at the Old-Baley, on the 13th of July, 1683, for High-Treason, in Conspiring the Death of the King, and raising Rebellion in the Land.  
Entered according to ORDER.  
THE Lord Russell on the 13th Instant came upon his Trial, and after some debates relating to the Legality of the Jury, in relation to their not being Freeholders', and that dispute being over ruled, the Court proceeded to Try him upon the Indictment of High-Treason, to which he had pleaded, Not Guilty; upon which the King's Council related to the Jury the several passages that had happened, and declared the nature of the Crime; which was not only bend against the Life of the King, but against all his good Subjects, or to that purpose: Then the Evidence were called and Sworn, who declared that the Lord Russell had been at several places or meetings, where together with the Duke of Monmouth, the Lord Grey, Sir Thomas Armstrong, Fergason the Anabaptist Parson and others, had conspired to Levy War, Raise Rebellion, and to compass the Death of His Majesty; and that divers of their faction were interessed in the Conspiracy, and were in order to a general Rising to be in a readiness, and some of them to provide men, especially Mr. Trenchard of Summersetshire, who was to raise a considerable Body of Horse and Foot about Taunton; but failing to perform his promise, the business was put off contrary to the expectation of the Earl of Shaftsbury, who, as it was Sworn, did declare, that he had Nine or Ten thousand Men at his beck, all brisk Boys; who would rise and seize upon the City, and that after they were better strengthened, to Sally out and seize upon the Court; that divers considerations were had how to manage the design, and that the Government should be Subverted. A Paper in the nature of a Declaration being for that purpose provided, and read at a Tavern in Lumbard-street, insinuating divers Grievances of the Nation, to incite the people the better to approve of the Conspiracy; and that after the Death of the Earl of Shaftsbury, who upon discontent and fear of discovery, withdrew himself into Holland, they framed amongst them a Council of six persons to manage the Plot, and that the Lord Russel was one of the Six, and that they had been often in consult, how still to carry on the design, some being of opinion, that the insurrection should be made in London, others in the Country; and the latter reason was for that, If the Insurrection was made in the Country, the King must send his Guards to repulse them, when in the mean time the City left as it were defenceless, should be seized by such as were in readiness; and the better to strengthen themselves, they had given a Messenger appointed by the Consult Sixty Guinies to go into Scotland, to stir up the discontented Gentry of that Kingdom to make Insurrections there; and that a fond of money was to be raised to supply necessary charges, To this Evidence the Lord Russel put divers Interrogatories, and produced many Lords and Eminent Clergymen, to give Testimony of his Life and Conversation, using many Arguments to extenuate the Crime: But after the various Debates, the Lord Chief Justice having repeated what had occurred upon Evidence, to the Jury that found him guilty, William Hone came upon his Trial, for Traitorously conspiring to kill the King; and for that purpose procuring Arms. The first he confessed, but denied the latter: but it appearing by Witnesses, that he was to be one of those that were to have assassinated the King in his return from Newmarket; and for that purpose had made provision for Horse and Arms, and had at Coffee houses, and other places, confessed the Treasonable Design he had to kill the King, and that he first engaged himself in the dire Conspiracy, at the instance of Richard Goodenough; and the like Treason being proved against him by positive Evidence, he was convicted of the Treasonable Conspiracy.  
John Rouse having pleaded Not Guilty, upon his Arraignment, was Tried for High Treason, for conspiring the Death of the King, and the Government to subvert, being in divers Consults for the carrying on the Design, being very active on all occasions to promote the Hellish Design, which himself could not greatly deny; wherefore upon full Evidence he was found Guilty of Treason.  
Captain Blake having a Bill of Treason found against him for designing the Death of the King, the chief charge against him was, a design be had to take the Tower in, to effect which, the Witness declared that he provided Shipping and Guns to batter the Tower, and Granades was to be thrown into it to make breaches to enter, divers Seamen being designed in a readiness for that purpose: But the positive matter of fact being sworn to but by one Witness, though another gave circumstantial Evidence, the Jury acquitted the Prisoner.   
FINIS.  

LONDON: Printed by J. Grantham. 1683.