LAwe is the principall foundation , ( whereon the welfare of euery good man consisteth and dependeth , and true execution , the life of the same , without which , no peace or safety , can bee either vnto the Church or Common-wealth : but Iniquity would in a most high nature flourish , yea , to the vtter extirpating of all the godly , and vertuous were they not by them supprest , who are the true Contradicters , and opposers thereof . Whithin the bounds and lymites of Lawe , the person , goods , lands , houses , chattels , and possessions , are confined , and vnder the wings of the same sheltred , thether to fly for redresse against all the outragious and wilfull violaters of the same . Therefore by all Christian Kings , and Princes , Statuts & penall lawes , were conceiued , and enacted , debellare superbos , & parcere subiectis , to subdue , and subiect enormious offenders , and to patronize submisse and humble minded good Christians , whose protection , and preseruation of life , state , and person : wholesome and good lawes , doe as with a hedge inuiron , and inclose all the exclude all intruders into any of the least lists or limits . Christians Kings and Princes , whom none but God alone maketh chiefe and electeth to beare rule ouer his people , it hath pleased him to stile them with this most glorious Title : I sayd yee are as gods , all men whatsoeuer , shall honour , feare , and obey you : and as gods heere on earth yee shall behaue your selues in your Royall authority from me deriued ( saue and destroy ) spare and punish , honour and dishonour , exalt the vertuous , and loue them for there vertuous integrity , and rebuke shame and confusion put to the wicked . And in them there is an externall Maiestie , whereon stedfastly looking , it stricketh terror and amasement to the heart ) stupidity to the sences , as not daring to behold the glorious luster of that brightnesse ; reason , valour , fortitude , strength , vnderstanding , all with Ioshua sonne standing still in the valley of Aialon , and like a Gyant refreshed at there command swiftly running .

There shining glorious faces , are like the Sunne in a mans eyes , which at the first much dazeleth them : but with vse and continuance , they can the better , and oftener lookt thereon .

Behold , it hath resemblance to God , whom for to see , to flesh and blood , nothing more intollerable , yet most especially terrible to the wicked and vngodly : the contemptuous neclectors of his will , rebels to his Lawes , Malefactors dares not behold the face , nor cannot indure to heare speake of a priuate Magistrate , which is in them apart , and little glimmering light of that Deity : these secondary meanes are subordinate , like the Moone , and Starres , from the glorious Sunne : namely doe receiue light , and heate from thence . Reuerend Iudges , and Magistrates , doe shinne in there kind expound the Lawe , and to speake vnto the people , in truth equitie and vprightnes . They as from a liuing spring deriue there sweete issuing streames , which doe runne through out all the parts , and coasts of this Kingdome , to giue each there refreshing in due time and season , namely vnto the oppressed , to yeild remedy and redresse , and vnto the fatherlesse , and friendlesse , to be a sure refuge , in the time of there troubles , that great and vild mightines , may not get the vpper hand of the vertuous , to trample them vnder there feete . The Sunne is no whit abased , though his radient Beames be splendeth on the stincking dunghill , as well as on the sweetest flower on the Garden , to each according to nature , hee extracteth , and good or bad , neysome or wholesome sents , disperseth . Though the Sunne shinne , on the bad as well as the good , on that which is loathsome , as well as oderiferous is the insperion thereon , any way there vnto preiudicious no whit at all , for euery thing whereunto the heate thereof extendeth , it cherisheth , making it to yeald foorth the fruit , in dead time , season , and place , Because where the corne groweth , and by the Sunne is rypened , the Cockle doth likewise prosper , is that in the Sunne , or in the Garden ? the flower , nettle , and the thorne the sweet heathe and the stincking weede , or the tilled lands with the bushes , Briars or Brambles is that the cause of these contrarieties , nothing lesse : All mankinds , nature with sinne is corrupted , and depraued in Adam , all things there natures change , mans heart of innocencie is nowe made nought , Gods blessed earth before mans transgression , now after his digression accursed it is , with barrennesse bringing foorth vnprofitable fruites such as Nettle , Thornes , and Thistles and Bryars , to hinder the plentifull groweth of any good , of which corrupt kind namely of bad : in each nature , climate and quality , the worser part exceedeth the best , more bad ground , then good , more sinners then Saints , more vitious then vertuous , there is in the whole world a deludge of Iniquity , more prone , swifter running after all manner of wickednesse to perpetrate them , then willing to performe any of the least Office , or intertaine such motion inclining vnto God , or goodnesse .

VPon the Oathes and deliberated inquiries of 15. reputed honest conscionable men , now all Causes are begun to be consulted of : and least they should erre in the Termining , and yéelding of their Verdict if ought they doubt , they addresse themselues vnto the reuerend Iudges , and Honourable Benchors , to be by them of their doubts resolued , in the matter informed , how to procéed iustly , truly , and conscionable . And that these thrée things shall concurre and agrée in their procéedings , namely , iustly , truly and conscionably , to inquire and search out the truth , they solemnly euery man take their Oathes on the holy Euangelist , to the vttermost of their power so to doe : the accuser is sent vp with the Bill of Indictment against the prisoner to them preferred , Oath made of the manner of the Fact , wherein they cannot erre , without wilfully they will . And behold the vigilant eye of Iustice ! They haue a Kéeper sworne , to attend their going in , and commings forth , that none shall heare their priuate conferrings . Where they sit , none approcheth that place , after testimonie giuen , that by this meanes , sauour and hatred may be layd aside : if in one mans brest , yet not in many : for there are fifteene in number of them : and if that one will disagree , they exclude him , and chuse another : And that there may not be the least inuasion , sinister dealing , for parson , or priuate causes , or respects , the Keeper that attendeth them , is not to approch vnto them , vnlesse they call him , nor to speake with them , except it vs to know whether they be agreed of their Verdict , or no , and then to proclayme to the Court a Verdict , and to vsher them into the face of the Court , there to manifest and declare what they haue done in those weighty matters committed to their trust , iudgement , and conscience . Whose Names I haue here set downe .

These by the Worshipfull Bench , are told what a weightie matter they are about , the peace and prosperitie of a King , and a whole Kingdome , the honour and glorie of God , his Church , and Gospell : they must inquire of the seditious disturbers , and of the hurting , slaying of the persons , stealing their goods or chattels , if any such Malefactors be brought before them , they all ioyntly must agrée , acquite , or condemne .

And behold how God himselfe approueth of what is done , by reuealing most strangely , as consequently I will relate , on a sudden the secret lurking Malefactor , and the dubious hidden Truth : nay , in the end themselues to say , both Iury and Iudges are cleare , and iust and vpright in what they haue done , in their Proceedings .

Iustice imitates God two manner of wayes in their Proceedings : not rashly doe they begin ; but first , here is their preparation ; ( Inquirie ) whether the Crime bee so , or no ; ( iustly ) whether there be cause or matter to punish , or spare ; or the Originall whence the accusation or scandall should tise : Reason , Conscience , and Law , these are the Guides and Lights to informe their Vnderstanding , to speake , to iudge , and deeme of the Cause and Prisoner : ( fairely ) each party , the accused , and accuser , are face to face ; where , what he can obiect , must be vpon Oath , and the Prisoner , after such testimonie deposed against him , is suffered to speake as much as hee can for himselfe , and with patience they heare him , and most temperately , modestly , mildly , and charitably , the Iudge of the Court replyeth answere , according to the nature of their Offence . Mercifully , lento pede , with God , slow to anger , sorrie for the Offences of the People , with temperate inuections : Witnesse that often Miserere , which by heart is learned ; for not a Letter of it , one among a hundreth almost can truely tell : yet this mercifull warning they vse . And when Sentence is to procéede ; from such a Doue , Gall , from such swéetnesse , bitternesse : as the Lawes rigour , Religious Exhortations , good Perswasions , by that Tongue vttered , and vnfained Sorrow and Compassion , by watrie eyes expressed , and their Charitie shewed , in preparing for distressed Soules , the Balme of Gilead : though they wound , yet others to heale : and though they by the Law haue terrified them , by the Sentence of Death , on these mortall Bodies , they comfort them againe by that swéet heauenly Voyce of the Gospell sent from the God aboue .

The tenour of these Iury mens Oathes , vpon the holy Sacrament they doe protest , true , and truly to try , and true deliuerance make betwéene out Soueraigne Lord the King , and the Prisoners at the Barre , So helpe them God , and the Contents of that Booke . And the Fore-mans Oath they ioyntly accept . And after such Oath sworne , the Indictment is read to them , the Witnesse produced , the Prisoner is brought forth to the Barre , in their publike view , that they may see and behold him , and as God directeth , so they conclude . The Honourable and learned Benchers , whose Names are subscribed , if ought they doubt of , they are most willing to resolue doubts , and to informe , that they may not ere , and often times it falleth out that the Iury of life and death , acquites them whom the Grand Inquest sound before guilty .