pearance of vaunting in affuring your Lordship, this court, and my country, that, after the misfortune of having been fufpected as an enemy to the peace and happiness of mankind, there is nothing on earth, after which, as an individual, I more ardently aspire than a full, fair, and public examination.

"I have further to requeft that your Lordship will inform me, if it be not the practice in these cafes, to affign counfel, and to fuffer the accused to speak in his own defence? Likewife, whether free egrefs or regrefs be not allowed to fuch perfons, books, and papers, as the accused, or his counsel, fhall deem neceffary for justification ?"

Chief fuftice." With regard to the first, fir, it will be the duty of the court to affign you counfel, and alfo to order that fuch counsel shall have free accefs to you at all proper hours. hours. With refpect, fir, to the liberty of speaking for yourself, the accused will be fully heard by himself, as well as by his counfel; but with regard to papers, books,

books, and other things of that kind, it is impoffible for me to fay any thing precisely, until the thing required be asked. However, fir, you may depend upon it every thing will be granted to the party accused, fo as to enable him to make his defence. If I understand you rightly, you now admit that you are the perfon ftanding indicted by the name of Thomas Holcroft."

Mr. Holcroft. "That indeed, my Lord, is what I cannot affirm-I have it only from report.

"

Chief Justice. "You come here to furrender yourself; and I can only accept of that furrender on the fuppofition that you are the person fo indicted. You know the confequence, fir, of being indicted for High Treafon. I fhall be under the neceffity of ordering you into cuftody. I would not wish to take any advantage of your coming forward in perfon, indifcreetly in this manner, without being called upon by the or-. dinary proceffes of the law. You fhould have a moment to confider whether you surrender yourself as that perfon."

Mr. Hol

Mr. Holcroft. "It is certainly not my wish, either to inflict upon myself unneceffary punishment, or to put myself in unneceffary danger. I come only as Thomas Holcroft, of Newman Street, in the county of Middlesex, and I certainly do not wish to ftand more forward than an innocent man ought to stand."

Chief Justice. "I cannot enter into this point. If you admit yourself to be the perfon indicted, the confequence must be, that I must order you to be taken into cuftody to answer this charge. I do not know whether you are, or are not Thomas Holcroft. I do not know you, and therefore it is impoffible for me to know whether you are the perfon ftated in the indictment."

Mr. Holcroft. "It is equally impoffible for me, my lord."

Chief Justice." Why then, fir, Í think you had better fit ftill. Is there any thing moved on the part of the Crown with respect to this gentleman?"

Solicitor General.

My lords, as I con

fider him to be the perfon against whom a true bill is found, I move that he be committed."

Chief Fuftice. "I do not know how many persons there may be of the name of Thomas Holcroft; it would be rather extraordinary to commit a perfon on this charge, if we do not know him.

This produced a thort confultation between the Solicitor General, the other counfel for the Crown, and Mr. White. They were evidently furprised and not pleased at my appearance; and one of them, Mr. Knapp, began an argument to prove that I admitted myself to be the person indicted. He was interrupted by the Chief Justice, who again asked if the counsel for the Crown thought fit to move that I fhould be committed? which was accordingly moved, by the Solicitor General, and I was taken into cuftody by a Sheriff's officer, Mr. Cawdron, of Ironmonger Lane.

After naming Meffieurs Erskine and Gibbs for my counsel, I asked the Bench whether a perfon employed to write for me

1

might have access to me in prifon? and this question introduced another short dialogue.

Chief Juftice.

that is quite new.

"That is a fort of thing

I do not know that I can grant it, unless fomething be stated by you, fir, with respect to your health, to make it requifite."

Mr. Holcroft. "That was not my motive for inquiring; nor did I imagine I had demanded any thing that was not customary. My reason for asking was that I have been used to dictate to an amanuenfis; and it would be extremely convenient for me to enjoy the fame advantage, while I shall be preparing my defence."

Chief Justice. "I am afraid, fir, it is contrary to custom. It will be proper for you to apply to another quarter, which can better grant fuch an indulgence than I can, fitting in this court.'

Mr. Holcroft.

66

My lord, I neither afk

nor wish for any indulgence: I only ask

and wish for justice."

Chief fuftice. "Then, fir, I cannot make the order."

After