cap IV felony by compass or conspire to kill the king or any lord or other of  the king counsel next hereunto we have think good to speak of the statute of h  the letter of which law ensue item forasmuch as by quarrel make to such as  have be in great authority office and of counsel with king of this realm have  ensue the destruction of king and the undo of this realm so as it have appear  evident when compass of the death of such as be of the king true subject be  have the destruction of the prince be imagine thereby and for the most part it  have grow and be occasion by envy and malice of the king own housholdservants  as now of late such a thing be likely to have ensue notam and for so much as  by the law of this land if actual deed be not have there be no remedy for such  false compassings imagination and confederacy have against any lord or any of  the king counsel or any of the king great officer in his household as steward  treasurer comptroller and so great inconvenience may ensue if such ungodly  demean shall not be strait punish before that actual deed be do therefore it  be ordain by the king the lord spiritual and temporal and the Commons of the  say parliament assemble and by authority of the same that from hence forward  the steward treasurer and comptroller of the king house for the time be or one  of they have full authority and power to inquire by twelve sad man and  discreet person of the Chequer roll of the king honourable household if any  servant admit to be his servant swear and his name put into the Chequer roll  of hishoushold whatsoever he be serve in any manner office or room repute have  and take under the state of a lord make any confederacy compassings conspiracy  or imagination with any person or person to destroy or murder the king or any  lord of this realm or any other person swear to the king counsel steward  treasurer or comptroller of the king house that if it be find before the say  steward for the time be by the say twelve sad man that any such of the king  servant as be abovesaid have confederate compass conspire or imagine as be  abovesaid that he so find by that inquiry be put thereupon to answer and the  steward treasurer and comptroller or two of they have power to determine the  same matter accord to the law and if he put he in trial that then it be try by  other twelve sad man of the same household and that such misdoers have no  challenge but for malice and if such misdoers be find guilty by confession or  otherwise that the say offence be judge felony and they to have judgement and  execution as felon attaint ought to have by the commonlaw this Act divide it  self into two general part videlicet the preamble and the body of the Act in  the preamble three thing be to be observe that by quarrel make to such as be  in great authority office and of counsel with the king of the realm have ensue  the destruction of the king and the undo of the realm as in the record of  parliament and history of king e r king h c you may read and as king William  Rufus be slay in the new forest by the glance of a arrow so the overthrow of  the king c have follow by glance and consequent when the bow of destruction  have be aim at the overthrow of those who be in great authority near about and  dear to the king not dare in direct manner to aim at the king himself  therefore the first conclusion be that when the compass of the death of such  as be of the king true subject be have the destruction of the prince be  imagine thereby that for the most part it have grow by envy and malice by the  king own household servant and the reason thereof be for that they be of the  king household have great and ready mean either by night or by day to destroy  such as be of great authority and near about the king and such a attempt and  conspiracy be before this parliament make by some of this king household  servant and great mischief be like thereupon to have ensue which be the cause  of the make of this Act the conclusion of the preamble be that by the law of  the land if actual deed be not have there be no remedy for such false  compassings c this be a true declaration for the bear conspiracy of the death  of any lord or other of the king Council or of the steward treasurer or  comptroller unless they have be slay indeed be no felony before this Act and  so resolve upon the contempt and conspiracy aforesaid in the body of this Act  six thing be enact first that the offender must have three quality he must be  the king servant swear his name must be put in the Cheque roll of the king  household he must be under the state of a lord and if he conspire with any  other that be not of the king household yet be the conspiracy within this Act  but he of the king household be only the felon within the purvien of this  statute as it appear by the word of the statute second against what person the  offence make felony by this Act be to be commit and in number they be four to  destroy or murder the king by this Act it express appear by the judgement of  the whole parliament that beside the confederacy compass conspiracy or  imagination there must be some other overt act or deed tend thereunto to make  it treason within the statute of e and therefore the bear confederacy compass  conspiracy or imagination by word only be make felony by this Act but if the  conspirator do provide any weapon or other thing to accomplish their devilish  intent this and the like be a overt act to make it treason any lord of this  realm be swear of the king Council for by the Purvien of this Act he must be  also of the king Council this be understand of the king privycouncil and so  throughout the Act any other of the king Council that be the king privycouncil  be under the degree of a lord the steward treasurer and comptroller of the  king household be great officer though they be not of the king Council three  the three general part express the person to who power be give to inquire  determine this felony the steward treasurer and comptroller or any one of they  may inquire and they or two of they have power by this Act to hear and  determine the same and though the word be for the inquiry that they three or  any of they c yet a indictment take before two of they be good because it be  for advancement of justice and this Act be in nature of a Commission to they  for other Commission they needs not to have and this you may see in diverse  other act of parliament of like nature if any the household servant conspire  the death of the steward treasurer and comptroller yet by force of this Act  they be judge of the cause and none other can be and in that case they will  assist themselves for their direction with some grave and learned man in the  law but if the death of any one of they be compass then it be more convenient  that it be hear and determine before the other two fourthly the four part set  forth first how the inquiry after the trial shall be make that be that the  inquiry must be make by twelve sad man and discreet person of the Cheque roll  of the king household and when the offender have plead not guilty the trial  shall be by the like person and here though this Act limit the inquiry to be  by twelve yet if it be inquire of by more then twelve the presentment be good  but the trial must be by twelve only five no challenge shall be make but for  malice six by the consert of the whole Act the conspiracy that be to be hear  and determine by this Act must be plot to be do within the king household the  offender against this statute shall have the benefit of his clergy for  whensoever felony be make by any statute and the benefit of clergy be not  express take away the offender shall have his clergy see the statute of e  whereby among other thing in some case it be high treason and in some case  felony to intend or go about to kill or imprison any of the king privycouncil  c from which felony the benefit of sanctuary and clergy be take away  butthesetreasonsandfelonies be repeal by the statute of mar