Jurisdictions, Part 6
Exhortation to the Jury.
Feare God and keep his Commandements, this concernes every man; then I pray you, How have you the feare of God? How doe you keep his Commandement, which is the whole truth, if you doe not regard your Oath: Remember alſo Jeremiah, Chap. 4. which ſaith, You ſhall ſweare in truth, in Judgement, and in Juſtice, and ſo remove love, feare, hate, and hope; that is to ſay, that you doe nothing for love, nor for feare, nor for malice, hatred, hope of benefit and gaine, but to preſent juſtly; and you ought to remember who ſaith, Be not overcome of evill, but overcome in good evill, Saint Paul: you ſhall not receive gifts, becauſe gifts blind the eyes.
But you ought to preſent juſtly, Deut. Chap. 16. Woe to them that call good evill, and evill good, Iſai. 15. Thou ſhalt not annoint thy fiſt, nor beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour, Exodus. Chap. 20.
The lips of a Lyer, are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 6.
It is juſt Judgement, where not the perſon but the workes are conſidered, Plato. And ſo from your hearts, expell all affection, and be yea mindfull how many threatnings God hath appointed for breaking of an Oath.
Firſt, the Prophet ſaith, Thou hateſt all that worke iniquity, thou deſtroyeſt all which ſpeak a lye, Dan. 5.
He that blaſphemeth the name of the Lord, ſhall dye with the death, Levit. Chap. 14.
Thou ſhall not live becauſe thou haſt ſpoken a lye, Zechariah 13.
Ananias and Saphira for a lye in ſelling a Feild, forthwith were ſlaine, Acts Chap. 5.
And ſo you ſee what perill and indignation is from God, for not regarding your Oath, and to utter the truth you ſhall be ſure to be the children of God, which is truth, and you ſhall obtaine quietneſſe to your ſelves, and to all your neighbours, and your Common-wealth ſhall floriſh with vertue, and offendors and ſinners ſhall be puniſhed, and aboliſhed; for the Leete is appointed to that end.
And note, that at the beginning, there might be every yeare as many Leets as he would, which had that in his Mannor.
And after that Leets were ordained to be held but twice in the yeare, Raſtal, County, &c. 2.by the Statute of Magna Charta, Chap, 35. Scilicet, betwixt the MonethMonth of Michaelmaſſe and Eaſter.
6 H. 7. fol. 2. Preſentment of Felony in the Turne of the Sheriffe, held after the MonethMonth of Eaſter is void, although it were for the King; for the Statute is, That the Sheriffe in this caſe ſhall looſe his Turne, which is as much to ſay, all in that ſhall be voide, 38. H. 6. fol. 7. the ſame. But by Preſcription, Leets are held a day certaine in the yeare: And after the authority of the Leet, was enlarged by the Statute, de 18. Edw. 2. called the Statute, De viſu Franchi plegii: And after by diverſe others, Raſtal, Leet 1.for what things are inquirable in Leets, as in the Charge more at large may appeare; and all the Articles are but for the advancement and preſervation of the Commonwealth, as by the Articles of your charge, more at large may alſo appeare: And in ſo much now, that you ſee for what cauſe Leets were ordained, and how the authority of them is inlarged, for Government of the Commonwealth: Now you ought to conſider, that you which are of the Jury are choſen in ſuch manner as the Angels of God are at the laſt day of Judgement of man; for as it is written, Then ſhall the Angels come out, and ſhall ſeperate the Ill from the midſt of the Juſt: And ſo you ought to ſeparate the Juſt from the Ill perſons, and you ought to ſee that the offendors be puniſhed, and the Juſt preſerved; for as the Touchſtone is provided to try the pureneſſe of the Gold and Mettals, ſo are you choſen the Touchſtone to ſee the Weed to be taken from the Corne, and the Corne to be preſerved; and you ought to ſee the King and the Common-wealth preſerved, and Juſtice to be adminiſtred, which is the preſervation of the King, Juſtice.and his Common-wealth; and ſo for that, that you ſee your duties, and conſider your Oath, I will declare to you the Articles of your Charge.