LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--You must not speak now.
Then the jury laid their heads together for near a quarter of an
hour, and at length agreed, and being called over, delivered in
this verdict by the foreman.
CLERK OF ARRAIGNS--Alice Lisle, hold up thy hand. Gentlemen of
the jury, look upon the prisoner, how say ye? Is she guilty of
the treason whereof she stands indicted, or not guilty.
FOREMAN--Guilty.
CLERK OF ARRAIGNS--What goods or chattels, lands or tenements
had she?
FOREMAN--None that we know of.
CLERK OF ARRAIGNS--Look to her, jailor, she is found guilty of
high treason; and prepare yourself to die.
Then the verdict was recorded.
LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Gentlemen, I did not think I should have any
occasion to speak after your verdict, but finding some hesitancy
and doubt among you, I cannot but say I wonder it should come
about; for I think in my conscience the evidence was as full,
and plain as could be, and if I had been among you, and she had
been my own mother, I should have found her guilty.
Then the Court adjourned till the next morning.
The next day Lady Lisle and other prisoners were brought up to receive
sentence.
Jeffreys, after lamenting the condition of 'you Mrs. Lisle, a
gentlewoman of quality and of fortune, so far stricken in years, one who
all your life-time have been a great pretender to, and professor of,
religion, and of that religion which bears a very good name, the
Protestant religion,' goes on to point out that 'there is no religion
whatsoever (except that hypocritical profession of theirs which deserves
not the name of religion, I mean the canting, whining Presbyterian,
phanatical profession) that gives the least countenance to rebellion or
faction.' He cannot but deplore 'that in this little case so many
perjuries should be added to the crime of treason, such as for my part I
cannot but tremble to remember.' She should repent of her own false
asseverations and protestations
that you upon your salvation should pretend ignorance in the
business, when since that time, ever since last night, there has
been but too much discovered how far you were concerned: no it
is not unknown who were sent for upon the Monday night, in order
to have that rebellious seditious fellow to preach to them, what
directions were given to come through the orchard the back and
private way, what orders were given for provision and how the
horses were appointed to be disposed of.