Wentworth's Defence

• Wentworth was very skilful
• He claimed that he was following the King’s orders – therefore not treason and that you could not make a case for treason by adding up lots of minor offenses
• It looked like the case might fall apart and the Lords were reluctant to find him guilty
• Charles supported him – ‘upon the word of a king you shall not suffer in life, honour or fortune’
• MP’s began resenting the time spent on it and some MP’s like Pym moved to have Strafford attainted