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"the sentences imposed by Judge Jeffreys, at the Bloody Assizes, were justifiable "

They were. The only sentence which could be passed on a person convicted of treason was death; by hanging, drawing and quartering in the case of a man and by burning in the case of a woman, although none of those convicted before Jeffreys LCJ were female. It is his conduct of the trials which may be questionable; as may be the conduct of the prosecution. Of course in our day the CPS would accuse them of a breach of the by-laws of Bridgewater and they would all get a fine and a victim surcharge; all, that is, except those which didn't come to trial because the officers had not been warned!