Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-21
FAMOUS TRIALS
THE TRIAL OF PANTALEoN sA.

THE TRIAL OF PANTALEON SA |
The SENSATIONAL trial of Drn Pantale-
on Sa is well worth noting as it shows /
the condition of England during the !
short time It existed as a commonwealth. /
Throughout the whole case Cromwell, al |
though numerically stern, shows |
sense of justice that was entirely new at |
that time, and it was the beginning of a |
new era in the courts of justice IN Eng
land
With all his ambition And plots none
could say that Cromwell was not sin
cere, and it was while carrying out his
desire Of having England resemble 1er
own lion, so that when she roared a.
other nations should hold their breath"
that the incident leading up to this trial
occurred.
In the year 1853 along with 9'lr,E
nations who wished the friendship Nj
support of the new leader of England,
Portugal sent an ambassador with 4 re-
tinue of servants to beg peace aad to
present as a surety a large sum o. El3n-
ey. Out of curiosity the brother Of the
ambassador Don PantaIeon Sa, a knight
of Malta came with the Portuguese to
England. He was, like many ren of
great positions of that day, overorarirg
and naughty. One day whilst In the
New Exchange of the Strand London, he
was speaking in French to his servants,
when one Mr.. Gerard, an Eng.ishnan,
heard him, and not liking what he Yves
saying whatever it was, took the Fart
ef his country as any patriot would g
day. The result was a short scuffle b.
tween Gerard, the Don and two of the
Don's servants. Upon this some English
men came along, and seeing three fight
| ing one, stopped the scuffle without even
knowing who it was.
| At this. the naughty Don went away,
| but he returned the following day with
more than so soldiers, all armed to the
teeth. Either the Portuguese were not
| very discriminating in those days, or
| they were Just out for revenge upon
| anyone, for on going into the New Elk
change Don thought he recognized his
| adversary OF the previous dav. This,
! however proved to be one Capt. Mayo.
| a rather tougher customer, for seeing the
| armed foreigners, he drew his sword. and
| defended himself, wounding many of rs
/ foes until at last he was forced to re-
| lease his grasp from the sword owing
| to the severe cuts and slashes which al
! most severed his hand. He was rescued
| by the Parliament Horse who heard the
| disturbance but not before he was al
most dead and he was removed in a
precarious condition. Before the Horse
| could arrive however, a body of the
Don's followers fell upon the bystand-
ers and shot in the head and killed a
Mr.. Greenway of Lincoln's inn.
Some of the brawlers, at the approach
of the Horse, made good their esvape,
but others were arrested and Capt. Wna;-
ley, following up the runaWays, traced
them to the house Of the ambassador.
I,ic
an ambassador would prevent them from
taking the prisoners, who were his ser
wants, but at last seeing the searn cap
tain of the Horse would not be bluffed,
he surrendered the men.
The next day the brother CT the Por-
| tuguese ambassador, along with his ac-
complies, was examined by Lord Chief
Justice ROLES and the main offender and
four others were committed to Newgate
prison to await trial. One month later
the Don made a desperate attempt to es-
cape and succeeded, but was retaken be
fore he had gone very far from Newgatc
That same day Cromwell, who was up to
the minute, if nothing else, passed law
against brawling of any kind, or to help
aid or abet any persons so concerned. He
also instructed the officers and the horse
to be on the strict lookout and to enforce
the new law.
| The trial was then adjourned until the
next sessions, when the Don, with tht
other four prisoners, was tried by the
upper bench. The Don pleaded that ne
| was by the law of nations privileged
from his trial and demanded counsel.
After a long debate, however. the Lort
Protectors cdcnsel decided that by the
common, civil and international law,
proceedings in the case were justified. Al
the prisoners then pleaded not guilty an;
asked for a jury OF six English and a
many foreigners. This was granted am
| the trial was adjourned until the next day
| When the trial was continued the Do
headed his innqesnce Of the Tvs OF Eng
land, but this aTSied him nothing, for III
jury composed of mixed nationalities
brought in verdict Of guilty, and tn
Don was sentenced by Lord Chief. Justtc
ROLES to be hanged the next day. How
ever upon the request Of the prisoners
the.' were given two day. respite. On Jul
10 the five were hanged at TyiouTn Amen
the four accomplices was an ENGLISH bog
who was as mach concerned as lle other
! in the murders.