Until the day of his trial he was kept close prisoner. He had no notice of the witnesses who were to be called against him or of the evidence which they would give. Nor was the evidence for the prosecution the only point in which the prisoner was at a disadvantage, for he was not allowed to call witnesses to set up a case for himself. This at least seems to have been the fact; but even had theory permitted the appearance in court of witnesses for the prisoner, in practice the difference made would have been trifling, for he certainly had no means of procuring their attendance or, supposing they came, of ascertaining what they would say. Even at the close of the seventeenth century, when witnesses for the defence were recognised and encouraged by the courts, great difficulty was experienced by prisoners in procuring the attendance of the right persons, and, when these came, they sometimes gave evidence on the wrong side.[517] The accused was brought into court in absolute ignorance of what would be produced against him, and was compelled to defend himself on the spur of the moment against skilled lawyers, who had been preparing their case for weeks or perhaps months beforehand. Neither before or at the trial was he allowed the aid of counsel or solicitor. On being brought to the bar, the prisoner was treated in such a way as to rob him almost of the possibility of escape. During his confinement examinations had been made of all other suspected persons, and their depositions had been taken. Not only could these now be produced in court against him, but the confessions of accomplices, when these could be found, were regarded as specially cogent evidence. No one, it was said, could have so great a knowledge of the crime as the accomplices of the criminal—a remark, it must be admitted, which, at a time when there existed no organised force of police, was not without some show of justice. No doubt such men were of bad character, but then it was not to be expected that one could raise the curtain on scenes of such ill-odour without coming into questionable company. The prisoner was not allowed to cross-examine the witnesses brought against him and had not even the right to confront them in court face to face.[518]