Trial of Robert Watt, For High Treason, Before the Court, Under the..

1795. Edinburgh: Printed for William Brown, 1795. Edinburgh: Printed for William Brown, 1795. An Ill-Founded Plot to Establish an Independent Scotland [Trial]. Watt, Robert [c.1761-1794], Defendant. Trial of Robert Watt, For High Treason, Before the Court, Under the Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer Held at Edinburgh. Taken in Short Hand by Mr. Blanchard, Revised by the Counsel on Both Sides, And Published with the Permission of the Court. Edinburgh: Printed for William Brown, 1795. [ii], 364 pp. Folding plate (illustrating pikes found in Watt's possession). Octavo (8" x 4-3/4"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over paper-covered boards, gilt rules to boards along calf, blind ornaments and gilt fillets and title to spine, speckled edges. Light rubbing and a few minor spots and smudges to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, corners bumped and moderately worn. Moderate toning to interior, negligible light foxing and tiny smudges and stains to preliminaries, plate, final leaf of text and rear endleaves. A handsome copy. $450. * Only edition. Watt, a wine merchant and political radical, was the architect of a somewhat confused plot to establish Scotland as an independent country. After a search of his house turned up a number of pikes and the type for a seditious handbill, he was arrested and tried for treason. A co-conspirator was pardoned, but Watt was not so lucky. He was convicted and sentenced to be hanged and beheaded despite the jury's recommendation of mercy. The sentence reflected the court's opinion of the severity of Watt's crime. It was also intended to be a warning to other radicals. English Short-Title Catalogue N013806.