An exact narrative of the tryal and condemnation of John Twyn for printing and dispersing of a treasonable book with the tryals of Thomas Brewster, bookseller, Simon Dover, printer, Nathan Brooks, bookbinder, for printing, publishing, and uttering of seditious, scandalous, and malitious pamphlets : at Justice-Hall in the Old-Bayly, London, the 20th, and 22th of February, 1663/4.

To the Reader.

IT is by Authority, that these Tryals are Published; and exact care has been ta∣ken, that the Criminals may be as fairly used in the Narrative, as they were at the Bar; and how they were there dealt with, let the Reader judge.

It may be noted in the first place, that of Four Lives forfeited to the Law, the Kings incomparable Clemency would take but One: for (as the Lord Chief Justice Hide, often, and excellently observed) It was only his Majesties Mercy toward the other three, to call that a Misdemeanour, which the Law calls Treason.

In the next place may be observed, the Tenderness of the Court, not only in the large allowances of Freedom, and Favour to the Prisoners, while they were upon their Tryals, but in the Adjournment of the Sessions from Saturday till Munday, only for their

sakes; that they might want nothing, which even they themselves thought necessary for their defence.

And Thirdly; It is considerable, That the One half of the Jury were Book-sellers and Printers, whose Interest lay against the Ver∣dict, if they had not been Governed by a stronger Impulse of Loyaltie and Justice.

To descant upon the Hainousness of their Offences, is not within the Prefacers Commis∣sion; neither shall any mention be made un∣necessarily of their Names; but to speak one word concerning the Books Themselves, for which they have suffered; and Another, touching the Reasons of laying open to the World, what is here Exposed, will not I pre∣sume be altogether Impertinent, or Ʋseless.

Of the Treatise for which Twyn dyed, a little shall suffice. It was Moulded and Timed for the 12th▪ of October, and any man that shall compare the Cast, and Bias of it, with the Rebels late Declaration in the North, will swear that they were Both written with the same Ink. It was in fine, an Arrow drawn out of a Presbyterian Quiver [Lex Rex] The

very Shaft, that formerly pierced the Late King through the Heart, now Levelled at This.

As to the Pamphlets whereupon the other Three were Indicted: viz The Speeches, and Prayers of some of the late Kings Judges, &c. Be it known to the Reader, that this Book was not, as it pretends to be, a true account of the words (written, or spoken) of dying men; but a meer Forgery and Imposture, Fa∣thered upon those, that were Executed; but contrived by the Traytors that scaped; as deeming it their safest way, to publish the designs of the living, in the words of the dead; and the most conducing to their Project of destroying the Present King, to perswade the Multitude into a good Opinion of the Murder of the Last. To conclude; Notorious it is, that the whole Libel is a Cheat, the Letters and Speeches a Counterfeit, and framed only by Recommending one Rebellion, to stir up Another. The Phaenix, (whereupon Brewster only was Indicted) was Printed soon after the burning of the Covenant by Order of Parliament, and bears for the Device, a Phae∣nix

Rising out of the Flames. The Drift of which Book is to Charge Damnation upon the Deserters of that Impious League, and to Au∣thorize a Rebellion.

Upon the whole Businesse, These are but Three of above Three Hundred several Sorts of Treasonous, Seditious, Schismatical, and Scandalous Books, Libels, and Papers, Printed since His Majesties Return; which are alrea∣dy Gathered into a Catalogue, and the Pam∣phlets Themselves in Readinss to be produ∣ced, whensoever Authority shall Require it. (Beside Those Numbers that have Escaped the Observation of the Collector) If there be any Man that will yet pretend to doubt of a Settled, Formal Plot against His Sacred Maje∣sty, and the Establish'd Government; let him but advise, with these Horrible Luxuriances of the Press, and he shall either Renounce his Reason, or Confess, that The Generality of all the Separate Factions, within the Kings Domi∣nions, are Engaged in the Conspiracy, And it is no more wonder to find a People Distemper'd, that's entertain'd with Poyson, instead of wholesome Nourishment, then to see the Sea Rage, when the Winds blow.

Thus much said, might seem to give the Disaffected Party a greater Reputation then Convenient, were it not that their maine Design has lately suffered so Fatal a Disap∣pointment; that many of them are at this In∣stant, under a Course of Justice; Others in Custody, and Expecting it; and the Residue neither in Humour, nor Condition to prose∣cute the Quarrel; Being so fully satisfied of the Vigilance, Power, and Activity of the Kings Friends, (which in Effect, are as many, as ei∣ther Love the Publique, or themselves) that they find it morally impossible for them ever to bring any Villanie to Perfection, upon so desperate a Bottome; Beside that they have Undeceived the World, and made appear to His Sacred Majesty, that all Mercy is lost up∣on them.

To pass now to the Reasons of Publishing this Relation, and there to make an End.

First, There has not been any One Tray∣tor cut off by the Stroke of Justice, since the Blessed time of His Majesties Restauration, whose Case, and Tryal has not been Surrep∣titiously Printed, and Published; and impu∣dently,

in Justification of the Offender, with most Scandalous Reflections upon the King, and His Government (Except the Late Try∣als in the North, which are violently presu∣med, to be at this Instant upon the Forge) So that, To Prevent mis-informations, is one Reason of Publishing This Narrative.

A Second is, To manifest the Insufferable Li∣berties of the Presse, and the Necessity of bring∣ing it into better Order.

Thirdly and Lastly, It is Published for a Caution to all Persons whatsoever, that they may see the Hazzard of Dispersing of Books, as well as Printing of them, and to the end that none presume to flatter themselves with an Expecta∣tion of coming off, in Cases of Treason and Se∣dition, upon the Plea of Trade, or Ignorance. His Majesty being Justly Resolved upon a Strict, and Necessary Severity toward all Of∣fenders in that Kind for the Future.