Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-03
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF THE SEVEN BISHOPS.

One Of the most remarkable of all ecclesiastical trials was that Of the Seven Bishops for libel before the court of Kings Bench in London, June Is, 1888. These bishops were Dr. Will ian Sancroft Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: pr. William Lloyd, Lord Bishop of St. Asaph: DT. Francis Turner, Lord Bishop of Ely: Dr. John Lake Lord Bishop of Chichester; D1. Thomas Kenn- Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells: Dr. Thomas White. Lord Bishop of Peterborough, and Sir Jon- atl1an TrelawRey baronet, Lord Bishop of Bistol.
 Under the pretense of toleration for Dissenters. King James H.. of Eng land, endeaVon7d to remove obstacles from Rornanists. He began, by issuing on Feb. 12. 1887. in Edinburgh, q prcc- lan1atiol granting relief to slrupulous consciences. Again on April 27. 1888, he published d declaration for liberty of Conscience. Then an order of coun- cil was naada commanding that it be read in the time of divine services in all churches and chapels in the cities Of London and Westminster on the 20th and 27th of May, and in all other churches throughout England on June and 10.
 Upon receipt of this order the bishops and clergy near London as sembIed at the archbishops palace at Lambeth to advise what was proper to be done on this occasion. After some debate.the archbishop, by the ad- vice of his brethren present, wrote to all the bishops of his. province to come to town, or send their opinions of the matter. and it being found that IS 0 the bishops and the main body of the clergy concurred in a. resolution not to read the declaration, the arch bishop and five other bishops drew up Y1eF7f f4n,, n tI1e King i,Ao-r-iuo him mi to insist on the reading.
 The King became highly incensed and told the bishops that he expected his command to be oioeS3ed. The bishops withdrew with their petition, and when the King found his declaration had not been carried out. he resolved to prosecute the seven bishops, and they were accordingly summoned to appear before the council on the Sth of June. At the conference the arch written the retition and that the rest had signed it, whereupon the Lord Chancellor Jeffries demanded that they appear before the Court Of King s Bench to answer the naisdeneanor
 Then Jcffries threatened to send them to the Tower unless they withdrew the petition and obeyed the Kings decIal'a- ton. To this the archbishop answered that they were ready to go wherever His Majesty pleased. and that they hoped the King of Kings would be their protector and judge.
 \ warrant was therefore drawn up and they were committed to the Tower. As q tunult was expected when 1t was known they were to be committed, they were ordered to be carried ti the Tower by wattr. Never t1eless, the people came in crowds to the Thames side, applauding the cour- age of the bishops, and wishing them a happy deliverance. They were no sooner landed at the Tower than the officers and soldiers of that garrison fell upon their knees and begged the blessings of the Right Reverend Fathers.
 They were brought from the Tower for trial on June Is, and the following four judges were upon the bench Lord Chief Justice Sir Robert Wright, Justice Allybone. The charge that was head to them ewas for; ''conniving, making and publishing a seditious libel in writing against His Majesty and the Government
 The bishops counsel requested a de- lay in their behalf, but the court would only allow them q fortnight The court convened again on the 29th of June and the trial was continued through out that day until late in the after noon, when tlse jury retired and re- n1ained out all night. returning a, yer
 
 morning.
 The Verdict was received with uni veEsal rejoicing 4 writer of the period states: The very army at Hounslow- heath made the air ring with their shouts; at which His Maj esty who was that day in the camp was perfectly confounded.' The King, to show his resentment against the two judges. Sir Richard Holloway y and Sir John Powell, who had deliV- cred their opinions in favor of the bishops, displaced them.
 By his arrest OF tho seven bishops and other drastic measures the King had worked himself out of the aRec- tions of the whole nation. The. uni versailles, the bishops and clergy: the Parliament, nobility and Commons; the army and. navy, all Of them appearing erainently loyal and affectionate to his person al his accession, were, within less than the space of four years, so highly eya sperated by his arbitrary administration that when an invasion threatened him he saw the nation ripe for a general revolt, and in this distress he applied to those bishops whom he had so unjustly and ungratefully prosecuted.