Ukuqulwa kwecala nguJury ku-Old Times.

Ibhalwe nguThomas Frost.

UMA sizibongela, njengoba sikulungele ukwenza, ngobude besikhathi uhlelo lokuqulwa kwecala ngabahluleli lusungulwe eNgilandi, kanye nokuvikela elikunikezayo emizamweni yokucindezela umthetho ukuze ubandlulule ummangalelwa, ngokuvamile asinandaba neqiniso lokuthi isikhungo asizange ngaso sonke isikhathi sibonise isivikelo lapho inkantolo, esebenza ngaphansi kwethonya loBukhosi, wazama ukuthola isigwebo. Kwakungasengxenyeni yokugcina yekhulu leshumi nesithupha lapho amajaji aqala khona ukufakazela lokho kuzimisela kokunganikezeli ukwahlulela kwawo ezifisweni zalabo abasegunyeni eliphakeme., eyathuthuka kakhulu ekuhambeni kweshumi nesikhombisa. Umfanekiso othakazelisayo womoya omdala wamajaji, kanye nomoya omusha wamajaji, inikezwa yicala likaSir Nicholas Throckmorton, Uhambo Lomhlaba Wonke no-DWIGHT L 1554, ngecala lokuvukela umbuso, ngokwenza itulo lokufa noma ukubeka iNdlovukazi esikhundleni, kanye nokuthathwa ngezikhali koMbhoshongo WaseLondon. Ukushushiswa kwaqhutshwa nguSerjeant Stanford kanye no-Attorney-General, Griffin, owayehola phambili; futhi kuyaphawuleka ukuthi bobabili kanye neJaji Eliyinhloko u-Bromley babuza isiboshwa imibuzo ngendlela efanayo namanje esejwayelekile eFrance naseBelgium., elwela ukuthola ubufakazi obuzomlahla ngomlomo wakhe. Umzamo wehlulekile, futhi okuwukuphela kobufakazi obunecala ngesiboshwa babuqukethwe kumacala okuvunywa kuwo amacala eWinter and Crofts., I-WHO, nokho, kababizwanga njengofakazi.

Ijaji, ngemva kwamahora ambalwa, ubuyise isigwebo sokuthi akanacala, lapho iNkosi yamaJaji eNkulu yakhuluma nabo ngamazwi okusabisa, ethi, “Zikhumbuleni kangcono. Uke wabucubungula ngokujulile bonke ubufakazi njengoba bumenyezelwa futhi bushiwo? Lolu daba luthinta ubukhazikhazi beNdlovukazi kanye nani uqobo. Kuqaphele okwenzayo." Amajaji ayeqinile, nokho, yaphendula induna ku remonstrance yebhentshi, “Simthole engenacala, esivumelana nawo wonke unembeza wethu.” Wabe esesukuma uMmeli-Jikelele, nokukhuluma nenkantolo, kusho, “Kuyajabulisa wena, makhosi ami, njengoba kubonakala lawa madoda ejaji, ezikhulule ngokumangalisayo isibotshwa emacaleni aso okuvukela umbuso esasibekwe wona, uzophuma ngokushesha enkantolo, Ngithandazela iNdlovukazi ukuthi bona kanye nabo bonke baboshwe ekuqapheliseni u-£500 ucezu., ukuphendula ngezindaba ezizobekwa zona egameni leNdlovukazi, noma nini lapho bekhokhiswa noma bebizwa. Inkantolo idlule ngisho nalesi sicelo esibucayi, ngoba ngempela bavalela abahluleli etilongweni! Abane kubo badedelwe ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, babe namandla amancane okuziphatha asele kangangokuthi bavume ngokuzithoba ukuthi benze iphutha; kodwa abayisishiyagalombili abasele balethwa phambi kweGunya Lenkanyezi futhi baphathwa kanzima, abathathu bayalelwa ukuthi bakhokhe inhlawulo ka-£2,000 umuntu ngamunye, kanti abanye £200 lilinye.

Ekubuseni okulandelayo, ecaleni lapho abantu abathathu bebekwe amacala okubulala, futhi ijaji labathola benecala lokubulala ngokungenhloso kuphela, ngokuphambene nesiqondiso senkantolo, abahluleli bobabili babehlawuliswa futhi baboshwe ukuze baqashelwe “ngokuziphatha kwabo okuhle” kwekusasa. Isinqumo seNkosi iShansela, amaJaji Ayinhloko amabili, kanye noMbusi uBaron, ekubuseni kukaJames I., ubeka ukuthi uma umuntu etholakala enecala ekubekweni icala, ijaji akufanele libuzwe; kodwa uma ijaji selikhulule isiboshwa kulokho inkantolo ekubona njengobufakazi becala, bangase bakhokhiswe ku-Star Chamber, "ngokuchema kwabo ekutholeni umenzi wobubi ongenacala." Ku 1667, sithola lo mbono udlulela ecaleni lamajaji amakhulu ashaya indiva umthethosivivinywa ngezizathu inkantolo engazange izibheke njengezanele.. IJaji Eliyinhloko u-Kelying ngalowo nyaka ehlawulise ijaji elikhulu lesifunda saseSomerset, ngokungawutholi umthethosivivinywa weqiniso obhekene nendoda esolwa ngokubulala; kodwa, kusho umbiko, “Ngoba babengabanumzane abahlonishwayo esifundeni, inkantolo yayigodla inhlawulo.” Leli cala, kanye nezinye eziningana lapho ijaji elifanayo lenze ngendlela efanayo, zalethwa ngaphansi kwesaziso se-House of Commons, nokho, futhi lowo mhlangano wanquma “ukuthi izibonelo nomkhuba wokuhlawulisa noma ukubopha abahluleli ukuze bathole izinqumo akukho emthethweni.”

Ngaphandle kwalesi sinqumo se-House of Commons, UWilliam Penn, kanye nelinye ilungu leNhlangano Yabangane, okuthiwa Mead, ubekwe icala e-Old Bailey ngokuba nayo, nabanye abantu abangaziwa, ngokungemthetho nangesiphithiphithi bahlangana kuGracechurch Street, eDolobheni laseLondon, umarekhoda usebenzelana namajaji ngendlela edale ukuba kube semthethweni kokuhlawuliswa kwamajaji ukuze izinqumo zawo ziphinde zibe nokungabaza.. Icala libeka phambili ukuthi uPenn, ngesivumelwano kanye nokusekelwa kweMead, wakhuluma futhi washumayela emgwaqweni ovulekile kubantu ababebuthene, ngenxa yalokho kwabuthana isixuku esikhulu sabantu, bahlala isikhathi eside, ngokudelela iNkosi nomthetho, kanye nokwesabeka okukhulu nokuphazamiseka kwabaningi bezikhulu ezikhohliswayo zoMkhulu. Icala lenzeka ngaphambi koMqophi, iNkosi Mayor, kanye nama-Aldermen; nalapho ofakazi sebechithile ukuthi uPenn wayeshumayele, futhi lowoMead wayelapho naye, uMqophi wafingqa ubufakazi, futhi abahluleli bashiye phansi ukuze bacubungule isinqumo sabo. Babengekho isikhathi eside, ekugcineni wabuya nesinqumo sokuthi uPenn “wayenecala lokukhuluma kuGracechurch Street.”

“Yilokho kuphela?” kubuza uMqophi.

“Yilokho kuphela enginakho emsebenzini,” kuphendula induna.

“Awuzange ukhulume lutho,” kuphawula uMqophi, neNkosi Mayor yengeza, Kwakungewona yini umhlangano ongekho emthethweni? Usho ukuthi ubekhuluma nesiphithiphithi sabantu lapho."

"Nkosi yami,” kuphendula induna, "Yilokho kuphela enginakho emsebenzini."

“Umthetho waseNgilandi,” kusho uMqophi “ngeke akuvumele ukuthi uhlukane uze ukhiphe isinqumo sakho.”

“Sesikhiphile esinqumweni sethu,” libuyise ijaji, "futhi ngeke sinikeze omunye."

“Madoda,” kusho uMqophi, “Awuzange ukhiphe isinqumo sakho, futhi awuzange ukhulume lutho oluhle; ngalokho hambani nikucabangele futhi, ukuze siqede leli bhizinisi elinzima.”

Ijaji libe selicela ipeni, uyinki, kanye nephepha, kanye nesicelo siyalandelwa, baphinde bathatha umhlalaphansi, bebuya ngemuva kwesikhashana nesinqumo sabo sibhaliwe. Bathola uPenn “enecala lokukhuluma noma lokushumayela emhlanganweni owawuhlangene kuGracechurch Street,” futhi uMead akanacala.

“Madoda,” kusho uMqophi, mayelana nejaji ngokucasuka, “Ngeke uxoshwe kuze kube sinesinqumo esizosamukela inkantolo; futhi uzobe uvalelwe, ngaphandle kwenyama, phuza, umlilo, nogwayi. Ungacabangi kanjalo ukuhlukumeza inkantolo. Sizoba nesinqumo, noma uzokulamba.

UPenn waphikisana nalesi sifundo, lapho uMqophi ayalele izikhulu zenkantolo ukuthi zimmise umlomo noma zimkhiphe. Ijaji alilishiyi ibhokisi labo, uMqophi uphinde wabayalela ukuthi bathathe umhlalaphansi baphinde bacubungule isinqumo sabo. U-Penn wenza isitatimende esigcwele umoya. “Isivumelwano samadoda ayishumi nambili,” kusho yena, “kuyisinqumo somthetho, lalowo uphiwe ngabahluleli, Ngicela umabhalane wokuthula ukuthi ayiqophe, njengoba ezophendula engozini yakhe. Futhi uma ijaji liletha esinye isinqumo esiphikisana nalokhu, Ngiyaqinisa ukuthi bangabakhwenyana. NingamaNgisi,” enezela, ephendukela ejajini, “Naka ilungelo lakho; ungakuniki ilungelo lakho.” Inkantolo ibe isihlehlela ngakusasa ekuseni, lapho iziboshwa zilethwa endaweni yokucima ukoma, kanye nejaji, owayevalelwe ubusuku bonke, zathunyelwa. Babenenhloso eqinile, nangenduna yabo baphikelela ekunqumeni kwabo.

“Kuyini lokhu ngenhloso?” kubuza uMqophi, “Ngizokhipha isinqumo.” Bese ekhuluma nejaji, okuthiwa uBushel, ayemsongele ngayizolo, uthe, “ungumuntu ohlakaniphile; Ngizokubeka uphawu kuwe, futhi ngisenento yokwenza edolobheni, ngizokubheka.”

U-Penn uphinde wabhikishela ukuthi amajaji asatshiswe ngale ndlela, lapho iNkosi iMeya yayala ukuthi umlomo wayo uvalwe, nokuthi umgadli kufanele alethe izibopho futhi ambophele phansi; kodwa akubonakali ukuthi lokhu kwenziwa. Amajaji aphinde ayalwa ukuba athathe umhlalaphansi futhi alethe isinqumo esihlukile, basebesuka bephika, kusho induna, “Sesikhiphile esinqumweni sethu, futhi bonke bavumelana ngakho; futhi uma sinikela ngenye, kuyoba amandla phezu kwethu ukusindisa ukuphila kwethu.”

Ngokokulandisa okubhalwe nguPenn noMead, futhi yacashunwa kuForsyth ethi “History of Trial by Jury,” lesi sigameko senzeke ngeSonto ekuseni, inkantolo yaphinde yahlehla kwaze kwaba ngakusasa, nini, ngaphandle uma bephakelwa ukudla ngokunyenya, kumele ngabe bazile ukudla kusukela ngoMgqibelo. Induna yakhipha isinqumo ngokubhala phansi, njengakuqala, ababebhalise kuzo ngokuphindaphindiwe amagama abo. Umabhalane wayithola, kodwa wavinjwa uMqophi ukuthi afunde, owayefuna ukuthi acele "isinqumo esihle."

“Leso yisinqumo sethu,” kusho induna. “Sibhalise kuyo.”

“Lalela-ke isinqumo sakho,” kusho umabhalane. “Uthi uWilliam Penn akanacala ngendlela nangendlela abekwe ngayo icala; uthi uWilliam Mead akanacala ngendlela nangendlela abekwe ngayo icala; ngakho-ke nisho nonke.”

Ijaji laphendula ngokuqinisekisa, kwabe sekubizwa amagama abo, futhi ijaji ngalinye liyalwa ukuba likhiphe isinqumo sayo esihlukile, abakwenza ngazwi linye.

"Ngiyaxolisa, madoda,” kusho uMqophi, “ulandele ezakho izinqumo nemibono, kunezeluleko ezinhle nezinempilo owanikezwa zona. Nkulunkulu gcina impilo yami esandleni sakho! Kodwa ngenxa yalokhu inkantolo ikuhlawulisa amamaki angamashumi amane indoda, nokuboshwa kuze kukhokhelwe.”

UPenn wayesezophuma esikhumulweni semikhumbi, kodwa wavinjelwa ukwenza njalo, lapho esho khona, “Ngifuna inkululeko yami, ukukhululwa yijaji.”

“Uzokhokha inhlawulo yakho,” INkosi Mayor itshela iziboshwa.

“Izinhlawulo, kwani?” kubuza uPenn.

“Ngokwedelela inkantolo,” kuphendula iNkosi Mayor.

"Ngiyacela,” kubabaza uPenn, “uma kuhambisana nemithetho eyisisekelo yaseNgilandi, ukuthi noma imuphi umuntu oyiNgisi kufanele ahlawuliswe noma akhokhelwe kodwa ngokwesinqumo sontanga noma ijaji; njengoba iphikisana ngokusobala nezahluko zeshumi nane nezamashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye ze-Great Charter yaseNgilandi, abathi, ‘Akekho okhululekile okufanele ajatshuliswe ngaphandle kwesifungo samadoda alungile nasemthethweni somphumela.’”

“Msuse,” kukhala uMqophi.

“Bathi-ke,” kuqhubeka ukulandisa, “Ukhiphe iziboshwa wazifaka esitokisini sebheyili, basuka lapho babathumela eNewgate, ngokungakhokhi izinhlawulo zabo; kanjalo nabahluleli babo. Kodwa amajaji kamuva adedelwa ngo-an i-habeas corpus, ezibuyiselwayo ku-Common Pleas, lapho ukuzinikela kwabo kwanqunywa njengokungekho emthethweni.” Nalapho, amajaji abukeka engakaqiniseki ngokungekho emthethweni kwalo mkhuba, noma abanenkani esifisweni sabo sokuphoqelela imibono yabo noma izifiso zabo kumajaji; ngoba umbuzo awuzange uthathwe njengophendulwe kwaze kwaba yilapho isinqumo seNkantolo Yezikhalazo Ezivamile sivunywa., ngawo lowo nyaka, ngesinqumo esifanayo seNkantolo Yebhentshi Lenkosi.