intimate knowledge of that which he intended to attempt, and of the means by which he meant to make that attempt. Obe dience to the law is in our very first rudiments. The abfo. lute neceffity of it, by your daily attendance in this Court, you were in the habit of hearing; and it is impoffible you fhould have forgotten that very material chapter on the Crown Law which follows that on the Mifprifion of Treafon, treating of the contempt of the King's Courts, and defcribing accurately the offence of which you have been guilty, and for which you. now ftand to receive the judgment of the Court. Acquainted, as you must have been with this fubject, you stand here as an offender against your own conviction, and your own better knowledge.

To the nature of your cafe the Court has paid great attention; and upon the moft mature deliberation on the offences contained in the two last counts of this Information, this Court doth order and adjudge

That you SACKVILLE Earl of THANET pay to the King a fine of 1000 7.; that you be imprisoned in the Tower of London for the term of one year; and that you give fecurity for your good behaviour for the space of feven years, to be computed from the expiration of that period, yourself in the sum of 10,000l. and two fureties in 50007. each; and that you be farther imprisoned till fuch fecurity be given.

The sentence on you, ROBERT FERGUSSON is, that you pay a fine to the King of 1007.; that you be imprisoned in His Majefty's jail of the King's Bench for the term of one year; and that you give fecurity for your good behaviour for feven years, to be computed from the expiration of that period, yourself in 5007 and two fureties in 2507. each; and that you be farther imprifoned till fuch security be given.

The Defendants having been committed on the 3d May, it is an imprisonment of one year and thirty-eight days.

SOME

he had not chofen to engage his friends in a fpecies of confidence, equally useless and dangerous, refpecting the affairs of a country with which they

had no concern.

For myself, I can very pofitively fpeak: and I do here most exprefsly and unequivocally difavow the having had, at any period, any knowledge (farther than that which might have been collected by every person from common report or converfation) of the views or fchemes of any individual or body of men, fuch as have been difclofed to the world by the Reports of the Secret Committees of the two Houfes of Parliament in Ireland.

This is the fimple declaration of a fact which I feel myself called upon to make; and by which I do not mean to give either praife or cenfure to the conduct of any man, whofe misfortune it has been to have had a fhare in the politics of that unhappy country.

ROBERT FERGUSSON.