▁by ▁the ▁Pop ish ▁Plot , ▁it ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁see ▁how ▁the ▁authorities ▁could ▁have ▁taken ▁seriously ▁such ▁ ▁accus ations ▁against ▁a ▁man ▁who ▁was ▁nearly ▁ 8 5 , ▁de af ▁and ▁almost ▁blind , ▁ ▁who ▁rarely ▁visited ▁London ▁and ▁indeed ▁ ▁had ▁scarcely ▁left ▁his ▁ ▁own ▁estate ▁for ▁the ▁past ▁▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁Gas co igne , ▁ordered ▁to ▁stand ▁his ▁trial ▁in ▁London , ▁sens ibly ▁demanded ▁to ▁be ▁tried ▁by ▁a ▁York shire ▁j ury . ▁The ▁delay ▁ ▁in ▁bringing ▁the ▁j ury ▁ ▁down ▁allowed ▁him ▁time ▁to ▁prepare ▁his ▁defence ; ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁jud ges ▁admitted ▁that ▁the ▁jur ors ▁were ▁ ▁better ▁equ ipped ▁to ▁decide ▁on ▁the ▁cred ibility ▁of ▁witness es , ▁most ▁of ▁ ▁whom ▁the ▁jur ors ▁ ▁knew ▁personally , ▁than ▁were ▁ ▁the ▁jud ges ▁themselves . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 6 8 0 ▁the ▁h yst eria ▁caused ▁ ▁by ▁the ▁Pop ish ▁ ▁Plot ▁was ▁w an ing . ▁The ▁jud ges ▁who ▁tried ▁Gas co igne , ▁ ▁Sir ▁William ▁Dol ben ▁and ▁Sir ▁ ▁Edward ▁At k yn s , ▁▁ ▁showing ▁ ▁more ▁im partial ity ▁then ▁in ▁earlier ▁Plot ▁tri als , ▁admitted ▁that ▁the ▁j ury ▁might ▁find ▁the ▁acc users , ▁Bol ron ▁and ▁M ow b ray , ▁ ▁to ▁be ▁un re li able ▁ ▁witness es . ▁Gas co igne ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁high ▁regard ▁by ▁his ▁Protest