THE answer OF Sir Edward Herbert, Knight, His majesty's Attorney general, TO THE IMPEACHMENT Exhibited against him By the Honourable House of Commons In this present Parliament assembled.  
John Browne Cleric. Parliamentorum.  
Printed at London for George Tomlinson, August 24. 1642.   

The answer of Sir Edward Harbert Knight, his Maiesti●s Attorney general, to the impeachment exhibited against him by the honourable House of Commons in this present Parliament.  
THe said defendant saving to himself now and at all times hereafter, all just exception to the said impeachment, as the same is charged, for answer, saith and acknowledgeth, that he is, and the third day of January last past was his majesty's Attorney general sworn: but whereas he is charged with the malicious, false and scandalous, advising and contriving the Articles in the said impeachment mentioned, he saith, that he was and is so far from any malice, falsehood or scandal, in the advising and contriving of the same, or any of them, that he did not at all advice or contrive the said Articles, or any of them, ever knew or heard of them or any of them, until he received them from his majesty's hands the said third day of January last past, ready engrossed in paper, and as so that part of the said impeachment which chargeth this defendant with the exhibiting of the said Articles to this Honourable House, he saith, that upon the said third day of January he repaired to his Majesty by his command, who then delivered unto this defendant a paper containing the Articles in the said impeachment mentioned, and did command him in his majesty's name, to acquaint this Honourable House, that divers great and treasonable designs and practices against his Majesty and the State, and come to his majesty's knowledge, for which his Majesty commanded this defendant in his majesty's name, to accuse six Members in the said paper mentioned, of high Treason, and other high misdemeanours, by delivering that paper to your Lordships, and to desire to have it read: and further to desire in his majesty's name that a select Committee of Lords might be appointed to take the examinations of such witnesses as his Majesty should produce, as formerly had been done in cases of like nature, according to the justice of this House, and that Committee to be under a command of secrecy, as formerly: and further in his majesty's name to ask liberty to add and alter, if there should be cause, according to justice: and likewise that your Lordships would take care of the securing of the said persons, as in justice there should be cause, and according to his majesty's said command, this defendant did come to this Honourable House the said third day of January, and then after the Right Honourable Edward Lord Littleton, Lord Keeper of the Great seal of England had declared to this Honourable House, that he was commanded by his Majesty to let your Lordships know, that his Majesty had given this defendant command to acquaint your Lordships with some things from his Majesty. This defendant thereupon the said third day of January, in this Honourable House, before your Lordships then and there sitting in Parliament, in obedience to his majesty's said commands as a message from him did declare the foresaid commands of his Majesty, by acquainting your Lordships that the King had commanded him to tell your Lordships, that divers great and treasonable designs and practices against him and the State, had come to his majesty's knowledge, for which the King had given his command to accuse six persons of high Treason, and other high misdemeanours, by delivering these Articles: And that he was commanded to desire your Lordships to have them read, which by your lordship's command were accordingly read by the clerk, and then further declared, that he was also commanded by his majesty to desire on his majesty's behalf, that a select Committee might be appointed to take the examination of such witnesses as the King would produce, as formerly had been in cases of like nature, according to the justice of this House: and this Committee to be under a command of secrecy, as formerly: and that he was commanded to ask liberty to add according to justice: and that he was commanded to desire, that your Lordships would take care for the securing of those persons, as in justice there shall be cause, and alter as there shall be cause: And saith he did not conceive there could be any offence in what was so done by him in this Honourable House, in obedience to those his majesty's commands, being wholly thereby left to your lordship's wisdoms and judgements, being his majesty's great council, and greatest Court for advice and justice. And as touching the false, scandalous, and malicious advising, contriving, or publishing the said Articles, or any other Articles against the said persons in the said paper mentioned, or any of them, or any breach of this defendants oath of Attorney general, and to the false, unlawful and malicious exhibiting the said Articles into this Honourable House, or causing any entry thereof to be made, and the intent and endeavour, falsely, unlawfully and maliciously to deprive this Honourable House, or the Honourable House of Commons, or any of the Members of the said Houses, or to take away any of their lives, estates, or good names, and every offence and misdemeanour charged by the said impeachment upon this defendant, he saith he is not guilty of them, or any of them, in such manner and form as by the said impeachment is charged. All which matters and things this defendant is and will be ready to aver and prove in such sort as to this Honourable House of Parliament shall seem meet.  


Tho: Gardiner.  
John fountain.  
Arthur Trevor.    
Copia vera.  
John Browne Cleric. Parliamentorum.  
FINIS.