gainst him cannot be proven;"--but this
he confessed, that in the way allowed by solemn oath and covenant, he
served God, his king, and his country; and though he he owned he wanted
not failings common to all persons in public business in such a time,
yet he blessed God that he was able to make the falsehood of every
article of his charge appear, that he had done nothing with a wicked
mind, but with many others had the misfortune to do many things, the
unforeseen events of which had proved bad.

The parliament fixed on the 27th of February for bringing in his
defence, which was too short a time for replying to so many articles.
However, at his request it was put off till the 5th of March, when he
appeared before the lord of the articles, who ordered him immediately to
produce his defence, whereupon he delivered a very moving speech, and
gave in a most affecting petition, remitting himself to the king's
mercy, and beseeching the parliament to intercede for him, which are too
long here to be inserted. March the 6th, he was brought before the
parliament--It was reported from the articles, that he had offered a
submission to his majesty, &c. but his submission was voted not
satisfactory, and he commanded on the morrow to give in his defence to
the lords of the articles. When he came before them, and told his
defence was not ready, he was appointed to give them in on Monday April
9th, otherwise they would take the whole business before them, without
any regard to what he should afterwards say, but it seems on the day
appointed, his defence was given in, which contained fifteen sheets of
small print, wherein the marquis's management was fully vindicated from
all the falsehoods and calumnies in the indictment.

Upon the 16th of April he was again before the parliament, where after
the process was read, he had a very handsome and moving speech, wherein
at a considerable length[99], he removed several reproaches cast upon
him, and touched at some things not in his papers, but whatever he or
his lawyers could say, had little weight with the members of parliament.
Some of them were already resolved what to do, the house had many
messages to hasten his process to an end, but the misgiving of many of
their designed probations against this good man embarrassed them
mightily for some time, for it appears that there were upwards of thirty
different libels all formed against him, and all came to nothing when
they began to prove them, a