by John Forbes, Admiral Forbes's reasons for not signing Admiral Byng's Death Warrant (1757)
“ The 12th Art. of War, upon wch Adml Byng's Sentence is grounded, Says __According to my understanding of its meaning, "That every person who shall in time of action withdraw, or keep back, or not come into fight, or who shall not do his utmost & through Motive's of Cowardice, Negligence, or Disaffection, shall suffer Death. The Court Martial does, in Express Words, acquit Adml Byng of Cowardice & Disaffection, & does not name the word negligence. ”
