On June 15, came on the Bishop's Tryal, the most Important, perhaps, that was ever known before in Westminster-Hall; not only Seven Prelates Contending for the Rights of the _Anglican_ Church, but Seven Peers of the Realm Standing up for the Liberties of England. The Court of King's-Bench being Sat, His Majesty's Attorney-General mov'd for a _Habeas Corpus_, directed to Sir _Edward Hales_ Lieutenant of the _Tower_, to bring up His Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of _Canterbury_, and the Six Bishops; which was granted, and the Prisoners were accordingly brought up by Water. At their Landing, they were receiv'd by several Divines, and Persons of Quality, and by a vast Concourse of People, who with repeated acclamations uttered wishes for their Deliverance. On the Bench sate Sir Robert Wright, Lord Chief-Justice, and Mr. Justice Holloway, two of the King's Creatures; Mr. Justice _Powell_ a Protestant of great Integrity, and Mr. Justice Allibone a profess'd Papist. The Councel for the King, was Sir _Thomas Powis_ Attorney-General, Sir William Williams Solicitor-General, Sir _Bartholomew Shower_ Recorder of _London_, Serjeant _Trinder_ a Papist, etc. And for the Prisoners, Sir _Robert Sawyer_, Mr. _Finch_, Mr. _Pollexfen_, Sir _George Treby_, Serjeant _Pemberton_, Serjeant _Levinz_, and the last and greatest, Mr. _Somers_. The Court was extremely fill'd, and with Persons of the Highest Quality, as if they interpos'd in the last Tryal for the Liberties of the Church and Nation; The Marquesses of _Hallifax_ and _Worcester_, the Earls of _Shrewsbury_, _Kent_, _Bedford_, _Dorset_, _Bullingbrooke_, _Manchester_, _Burlington_, _Carlisle_, _Danby_, _Radnor_ and _Nottingham_; Viscount _Falconberg_, and the Lords Grey of _Ruthyn_, _Paget_, _Shandois_, _Vaughan_, and _Carberry_. The Return and Warrant being read, the Attorney-General mov'd, That the Information might be read to the Prisoners, and that they might immediately Plead to it. This Motion the Bishops' Councel opposed; Objecting, First, that the Prisoners were Committed by the Lord Chancellor, and some other of the Privy Council, without expressing the Warrant, That it was by Order of the Privy-Council; and therefore, That the Commitment was Illegal, and that the Prisoners were not Legally in Court. And, Secondly, That the Fact for which they were Committed was such, as they ought not to have been Imprison'd for; because a Peer ought not to be Committed, in the first Instance, for a Misdemeanor. Judge _Powel_ refused to deliver his Opinion, before he had consulted Books: But the Lord Chief-Justice, Judge _Allibone_ and Judge _Holloway_ Agreed, That the Fact charg'd in the Warrant, was such a Misdemeanor, as was a Breach of the Peace; and therefore, That the Information ought to be read, and the Bishops must Plead to it. After the reading of the Information, the Bishops' Councel desir'd that they might have an Imparlance till the next Term, to consider what they had to Plead.