 The conspirators were tried on 27 January 1606 at Westminster Hall . Despite entering pleas of not guilty ( only Digby professed his guilt ) , all eight were found guilty . They were each allowed to speak " wherefore judgement of death should not be pronounced against them " . Keyes made no attempt to excuse his actions , claiming that " death was as good now as at any other time " , preferable to living " in the midst of so much tyranny " . The Jesuit Oswald Tesimond wrote in his Narrative of Keyes 's defence : 
