<P> His contention that the constitution of the Court was contrary to the fundamental laws of the country was unheeded, and his claim that the jury was legally entitled to judge not only as to matters of fact but also as to the application of the law itself, as the Judges represented only' Norman intruders', whom the jury might here ignore in reaching a verdict, was described by an enraged judge as' damnable, blasphemous heresy' . This view was not shared by the jury, which, after three days' hearing, acquitted Lilburne--who had defended himself as skilfully as any lawyer could have done--to the great horror of the Judges and the chagrin of the majority of the Council of State . The Judges were so astonished at the verdict of the jury that they had to repeat their question before they would believe their ears, but the public which crowded the judgment hall, on the announcement of the verdict, broke out into cheers so loud and long as, according to the unanimous testimony of contemporary reporters, had never before been heard in the Guildhall . The cheering and waving of caps continued for over half an hour, while the Judges sat, turning white and red in turns, and spread thence to the masses in London and the suburbs . At night bonfires were lighted, and even during the following days the event was the occasion of joyful demonstrations . </P> <P> In 1653, Lilburne was on trial again and asked the jury to acquit him if it found the death penalty "unconscionably severe" in proportion to the crime he had committed . The jury found Lilburne "Not guilty of any crime worthy of death". </P> <P> In 1670, a grand jury refused to convict William Penn of unlawful assembly in Bushel's Case . The judge attempted to find the jury in contempt of court; this was ruled inappropriate by the Court of Common Pleas . </P> <P> In 1681, a grand jury refused to indict the Earl of Shaftesbury . Then in 1688, a jury acquitted the Seven Bishops of the Church of England of seditious libel . Juries continued, even in non-criminal cases, to act in defiance of the Crown . In 1763 and 1765, juries awarded £ 4,000 and £ 300 to John Wilkes and John Entick respectively, in separate suits for trespass against the Crown's messengers . In both cases, messengers were sent by Lord Halifax to seize allegedly libelous papers . </P>

When does a person have a right to ignore the law