...the English and Scottish treason trials of 1794 — is the first. It is treason, says the statute, 'when a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord the king*. What did this strange clause mean? and what could or might it be taken to mean in 1794? The meaning...

...statute of King Edward III, dating from 1351, treason was rigidly defined in the eighteenth century as 'when a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord the king'. 41 The 25 Edward III had only been intended as a 'Declaratory' Act, but instead it was now taken as...

...formed part of the common vocabulary of political discussion.8 It was once held that it is treason 'when a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord the king'. Its usage in this context (the Statute of Treasons of 1351, 25 Edward III) tells us that part of the...

...made a declaration in the manner as hereafter folioweth ; that is to fay, 1. When a man doth compafs or imagine the death of our lord the king, or of our lady his queen, or of their eldeft fon and heir. 2. If a man do violate the king's companion, (that is, his wife, 3 Lift. 9.) or...

...thereby declared to be high treafori, " When a man doth compafs or imagine the death of our , .-pj , n lord the king, or of our lady his queen, or of their elJe.fi c - 2 Con and heir; or if a man do violate the king's companion, or the king's eldell daughter...

...Request of the Lords, and of the Commons, hath made Declaration in the manner as hereafter follows; That is to say, when a Man doth Compass, or Imagine the Death of our Lord the King,225 of our Lady the Queen, or of their Eldest Son and Heir; or if a Man doth violate the Kings...

...perpetrator and the law, then, treason constitutes a strictly imaginary act, namely, "to compass and imagine the death of our Lord the King, or of our Lady his Queen," provided that "there be upon sufficient proof (provablement) attainted of open deed by people of his...

...the use of the term "imagine" initially functioned as a synonym for compass, meaning to plot or plan ("when a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord"). Over time, however, judges took advantage of this flexible term in order to expand the law's application.19...

...ed. Sheppard, 11:980. 33 According to the statute of the reign of Edward III (c. 1350), it is treason "when a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord the king." John Barrell remarks that until the treason trials at the end of the eighteenth century, "there was...

..."constructive treasons" created by "tyrranical princes" - the charge of high treason was to be brought "[w]hen a man doth compass or imagine the death of our lord the king, of our lady the queen, or their eldest son and heir."^1 Blackstone points out that, in the eyes of...