noon
As the cause of Noah was admitted to be one of more than common urgency , after hearing only three or four other short applications on behalf of the crown , whose rights always have precedence on such occasions , the attorney-general of the king was desired to open his case . The learned counsel spoke , in anticipation , to the objections of both his adversaries , beginning with those of my brother Downright . Forthwith , he contended , might be at any period of the twenty-four hours , according to the actual time of using the term . Thus , forthwith of a morning , would mean in the morning ; forthwith at noon , would mean at noon ; and so on to the close of the legal day . Moreover , in a legal signification , forthwith must mean between sunrise and sunset , the statute commanding that all executions shall take place by the light of the sun , and consequently the two terms ratified and confirmed each other , instead of conveying a contradiction , or of neutralizing each other , as would most probably be contended by the opposite counsel . To all this my brother Downright , as is usual on such occasions , objected pretty much the converse . He maintained that ALL light proceeded from the sun ; and that the statute , therefore , could only mean that there should be no executions during eclipses , a period when the whole monikin race ought to be occupied in adoration .