Mr. Justice _Allibone_ was prepossess'd against Protestant Bishops, and to deliver his Opinion of their Guilt, he laid down Two odd Positions; 1. That no Man can take upon him to Write against the Actual Exercise of the Government, unless he have Leave from the Government, but he makes a Libel by what he Writes, whether True or False. 2. That no private Man can take upon him to Write concerning the Government; and therefore if he intrudes himself into the Affairs of the Publick, he is a Libeller for so doing. These Positions he back'd by a Resolution of the Judges of King James 1st's Time; _That to frame a_ Petition _to the King to put the Penal Laws in Execution, was next Door to Treason_; which is a gross Misquotation, instead of a Petition _against the Penal Laws_, and for which, being taken up by Justice _Powel_ and Serjeant _Pemberton_, little Heed was given to any thing he said afterwards. Whereupon the Jury withdrew, sat up all Night, and next Morning brought in the Reverend Prelates, _Not Guilty_. There were immediately very Loud Acclamations thro' _Westminster_-Hall, and the Words _Not Guilty_, _Not Guilty_, went round with such Shouts and Huzza's, that the King's Sollicitor mov'd very earnestly that such as had shouted in the Court might be Committed; whereupon a Gentleman of _Grey's-Inn_ was laid hold on, but soon discharged with this short Reproof from the Chief-Justice; "_Sir, I am as glad as you can be that Lords the Bishops are Acquitted but ... you might Rejoice in your Chamber ... and not here_." THE INVITATION TO THE PRINCE OF ORANGE (1688). +Source.+--Mackintosh: _History of the Revolution in England, in 1688_. London, 1834. Appendix III., p. 691. (Reprinted from MS. in British Museum.)