tion, and of endeavours to seduce mv - but it was nothing. Edward Yes, my lord, it was every thing to me, who live but in a fair character. 'Sdeath, give me beggary and disease, or let me groan beneath the weight of daily burthens, so that my honour, my more than life, be unimpeached. My lord you are abused; you are the unsuspecting machine which villainy make use of to answer foul purposes. I speak it loudly and boldly, I am innocent. There is a sentiment swelling in my bosom, which tells me the hour is nigh, when my accusers will stand abashed; and then, my lord, I shall once more hold that honourable place in your opi nion which I have been wont. Baron. You do, e'en now, my boy. I am not used to be biassed by crude reports; my years, thank God, have taught me prudence. But why this rage? Edward. "Tis nought, my lord. I. cannot, no, no never could, bear the smallest imputation on my honour. There does not, by Heaven, exist a class of beings, whom my heart burns more to chastise, than the cool, systematic, wanton, and villainous traducer. The man who acts thus, acts worse than a highway robber; the one Inerely despoils you of a few pieces of money, which is nothing, a jest, a mere trifle; but the other, by wilful aspersions, makes the object of his diabolical attempt an unsuspected mark for infamy to point at; he poisons the sources of domestic felicity, and undermines the very basis of his moral reputation in society. Baron. My heart meets you in your sentiments? But you are unusually warm. Edward. Can I be otherwise, my lord? I am stung to the quick. I well know the character of Gorbue! Baron. Has he then wronged you? Edward. He has, my lord, even in the dark, unmanly hints which he threw out to you. Mean, cringing villain, that lurks about to stab in the dark, and wears a dagger for every base occasion. Baron. Come, come, you're too hot. You do not know yet what he said to me. Edward. I know, my lord, what he is capable of saying, and I well know what his rancorous heart would prompthin to sav. With the weak and idle reports of feeb.c malice, I should dis dain to trouble myself, but when it assumes something more important, and when it attacks the very basis of my moral reputation, I then rouse every feeling of injured honour, and give to punishment the assassins of my name. Baron. You are but young, and I therefore excuse this violence of temper. Age will teach you, that equanimity is more effectual then rage. I never yet knew your hot headed, fiery ones do half so much as cool reflecting heads. Edward. Pardon me, my lord, ifl have offended. I must leave to time my vindication. Baron. Aye, he is an upright judge, and will do you justice I warrant ye. The same kind of gentlemen will also, I hope, he good enough to give me the use of my present proscribed apartments. Edward. True. I had almost forgotten my task. Permit me to retire and prepare for my evening's accom modation. To-morrow morning, my lord Baron. Aye, to-morrow morning l hope to hear a good account of the same ghost. Till then farewel. Edward, Farewel. (Erit.) Baron. He is a noble youth. I like him better for this manly spirit. Methought there was uncommon ardor in his manner, and his eye beamed with tenfold lustre when he spake of honour. There is a something about that Edward which speaks him to be of nobler origin, if I mistake not (Enter a servant). How now, what would you? Servant. Gorbuc, my lord, requests to speak to you; he says he has something of importance to communicate, Baron. Shew me to him, (Ereud). 1 your great folks for that, who are never so sensible as when half muzzy. He! he! be! But I say, friend Joseph, suppose I pledge you again. Joseph. With all my heart. They drink). And now we'll proceed to business. Ambrose. Aye, aye, now we'll proceed to business, and settle this ghost. And first of all, for this story of old Witlock the woodman. Joseph. Come, let's have it. Ambrose. Let me see, where did I leave off. Oh! ah! yes! that's the place. Now to begin. Humph! hu! bu hu! bless me what a cough I've got! hu! but bu! I must, hu! bu! take a drop more, hu! bu! of your bu! hu! carraway, master Joseph, to stop this tickling in my throat. (Drinks off a bumper). Ah! now I am better. So: that will do; now then you shall have it. "Tis now one and twenty years, since I heard one stormy night (that's the way old Witlock began)-one stormy night-you must not suppose that I meant that I heard a stormy night one and twenty years ago. on. Joseph. (Impatiently). Oh no: go Ambrose. Well. It is now one and twenty years, said old Witlock, when, one stormy night, I heard—that is, old Witlock heard— Joseph. Well, you have told me that before; and what did he hear? Ambrose. Now let me tell it my own way, or else i shall never get through it. Joseph. Well, go on. Ambrose. Tis now one and twenty years since I heard, one stormy night, the cries of an infant. Madge, my wife, was in bed; and Nan, the eldest girl, was und essing herself. To be sure, I shall never forget, how the rain fell, and the wind blew. I listened, and heard the cries again. I followed them til I came to the mill dam, when, methought, they came just from my feet, as it were; so I stooped down, and groped about, and at last I felt a basket. Joseph. (Impatiently). A basket! Merciful Heavens! What was there in the basket, eh? Quick, tell me. Ambrose. Slow and sure is the best way; but now you've interrupted me again, and hu! hu! bu! my cough is come. Dear a me, how tiresome this is. Just when I was bu! bu! hu! in the cream of my story, as one may say, hu! hu! hu! Oh! oh! I must visit your bottle again master Joseph. (Speaks between his drinking). dare- -sav now you are--impatient-to know what was in this basket, as one may say. Joseph (petulantly). If I am, you are in no hurry to satisfy it. Ambrose. Pooh! Pooh! nonsense! Now don't be ruffled! beause, as I was saying, old Witlock felt the basket. So, taking it up, he foundJoseph. Found what! Ambrose. That it was covered with a napkin. Joseph. Pshaw! Ambrose. But the napkin was main wet, so I, that is, Witlock, put the basket under my coat, and trudged away home with it. When I entered. Madge had got up, so I gave her the basket, and said "there says I, look at that," So she uncovered it, and there she beheld Ambrose. The sweetest little infant, and it had cried itself to sleepJoseph. An infant! Ambrose. Yes, an infant; don't you understand me. Why, zounds, I speak English. Joseph (aside). Nothing, only-yes it must be. Oh! I shall die for joy. Here Ambrose, drink, drink my boy, swallow all you can, and leave the rest. Here's the bottle, here's the glass. Oh! I am so happy. Ishallwhu! I could dance upon one leg for an hour. Let me hug you-let me kiss you-let me-. Have you drank? Why don't you empty the bottle, eh? Oh dear! oh dear! to think that my poor old heart should ever jump so for joy. I could laugh, cry, and sing all at once. Well, Ambrose, how do you do. Ambrose. Why main glad to see you so happy master Joseph. (Aside). Damme, but he's mad. But I an't done my story yet; for, besides the bantling, there were golden trinkets, and ornaments, and I don't know what, for there was a mort of fine things; but when Greg, the gardener, told me the story, you know, he gave me this piece of paper, saying, as how, a bit like it was found in the basket. Here, as my eyes are very bad, I wish you'd read it. Joseph. Give it me. (Reads). "The offspring of a slaughtered fa"ther, and a distracted heart-broken "mother, driven forth to misery and "death by a murderous brother. 66 M. R" Merciful God, thou art just in all thy ways! Ambrose, I charge you, say not a word of this to any body. Keep it locked in thine own bosom, and I will reward thy secrecy. Come, go with me. I must speak further with R [Concluded from page $64].. IGH. Judge. There be witnesses enough without him. Masters of the jury, you hear what is proved against him; how traiterous he hath been against God, his king and country, against the fundamental laws of the kingdom, in that he hath renounced his sworn allegiance, when it is declared, 3 Jac. cap. 4. That if any person shall put in practice, to absolve, persuade, or withdraw any of his Majesty's subjects from their obedience to his Majesty, his heirs, or successors, or move them, of any of thein, to promise obedience to any other prince, state, or potentate: that then every such person, their procurers, counsel lers, aiders, and maintainers, shall be adjudged traitors. None can deny, but the head is over the members, and not the members over the head: all subjects being to perform both active and passive obedience to their lawful king, ( the members to the head) in all causes, at all times, and in all places: But this prisoner, Mr. Parliament. is notorious guilty; for the king being head, beginning, and end of a parliament, and no act can be made with out the king's assent, therefore this parliament standeth guilty of perjury, by cncroaching upon the jurisdictions belonging to the king; and hath talsified their faith, by voting, That no more addresses, should be made to him, or messages received from him No law can make a servant to be above or greater than his master, nor a subject greater than his king. for the king having an undoub ed right to the crown, and being his lawful sovereign, and his alle giance, being due unto his natural person, both by the law of God, nature, and the law of the land, recog nized and acknowledged by former parliaments in all ages, confirmed tv undeniable authorities in law, upta record, that evidently proves, that his allegiance is due unto his natural petson, by the law of God, nature, and the law of the land, and can neith be abjured, released, or renounced, be ing inseperable from the person of king, and indispensably due from the prisoner to his Majesty. Therefore, any reasonable man may conclude. that Mr. Parliament bath perjure himself in withdrawing his allegiance from his liege Lord the King, which is directly against the law of the land, and hath, moreover, falsified his ta and allegiance to his king, God's 23nointed, and crowned bis natural liege lord, sovereign, and lawful king, both by descent, coronation, inte ture, and undoubted right, which, by the law of the land is due unto hi from all subjects, every one of the having taken this following oath: "To be true and faithful to ther sovereign Lord K. Charles, and bu heirs, and faith and truth shall be to him of life and member, and ho nour. And you shall neither know nor hear of any ill or damage intended unto him, that you shall not declare: So help you God." of more than you promised me? Have not I eased you of your wealth, religion, king, laws, and brought you into the blessed liberty of the saints, that any of you may preach what you' will, and do what ye list, (so it be not against me) made you all kings and beggars; and am I thus rewarded? Well, London, London, 'twas thou Now (pray mark it jury) you are to consider, whether this prisoner hath any power against the king, or whether the king hath not power to hang him for his most detestable treachery against his person, in betraying it to prison, against the law Righ. Judge. We'll hear no more, of God, nature, and law of the land, Jury, you hear his imperiousness, igthe closlier to murder and make him norance, and zealous folly; that shews away, as may more evidently appear what degrees he hath taken, from a by the examinations, upon oath, of cobler to a preacher, from a preacher Mr. Osburn and Dowcet, against to a captain, from a captain to a comRolf, that should have been the ac- mittee-man, from a committee-man cursed instrument to make him away, to a colonel, and then he is a compaeither by poison, or pistolling, or otherwise: The king hath no supreme by God alone, and it is sufficient punishment for him, because he must expect God to be the revenger if he commits any wrong; for every man is under the king, and the king under none but God alone; he is not inferior to his subjects; he hath no peer in his realm; he hath the sole government of his subjects. Therefore, Mr. Parliament, thou hearest what is objected against thee; thou hast now liberty to answer for thyself, Guilty, or Not Guilty. Parl. My lord, I little weigh what any of these can say against me, and ani so far from acknowledging the least circumstances objected against me, that I utterly deny all, and claim my privilege. Judge. Thou art quite past shame and grace, and surely given thyself to the devil, else thou couldst never have the face to deny the least tittle. Is this all thou canst say for thyself? Parl. More than I need to say ; yet I shall speak a word or two to the people: Did not you chuse me; cry out for a parliament, a parliament? Nothing could satisfy you but a parliament; and now you have a parliament, will not you be ruled by a parliament ? Did not ye bring your treasure, and fling it down at my feet whether I would or no; your gold, your silver, your plate, your horses, your very thimbles and bodkins, &c. O then you'd live and die with me, stand up as one man for me; venture all, life, estate, and all ye had with me: And pray what have I made use UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV. nion for a prince, nay a king himself, Nor Jury. His cause is foul, my lord, and we shall, no doubt, give in just evidence against him. Judge. You of the jury are sworn for the king, to give in your evidence in his Majesty's behalf, against the prisoner at the bar; therefore you 3 M are now to proceed in your evi dence. The jury go out. Cryer. Make way for the jury there. Justice. I never heard (so long as I have been a justice) of so notorious a malefactor so bloody a miscreant. 2. Justice. He hath been as great a robber, my lord, as ever he was a -blood sucker; nothing comes amiss to him and his partner army; the poor Kingston-men dearly suffered for St. Livesey, a notorious thief, who with the rest of his faction, stole from Kingston upon Thames, above 2000 pounds worth of cloth: My lord, here is a poor clothier desires a hue and cry after him. Justice. Let the clerk draw it speedily: If these thieves be suffered long in England, we shall not live to enjoy a penny in quiet; let there be all care taken to apprehend the thieves. Enter the jury. Mr. Freeman. Gentlemen, you are all agreed that I should give in the verdict, you see the case is plain and evident. Mr. Richman. You shall have my consent to hang him presently; I am sure my bags have been emptied and drained for him, and yet the thief called me traitor, laid me up in the Tower, and made a shew, as if he would have tried me for my life; but to tell you true, it was for my means; 'tis high treason for any but an independent to be rich in these days. way, and yet never could understand for what we fight: they made us believe it was for the king, religion, laws, and I know not what; but ĺ am sure it was for our money: I hope God will make them answer for the blood of my children; I am sure the scripture saith," He that sheus man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed again;" hang him for me, you shall have my consent. Patient Man. I am sure, neighbours, I paid all taxes, impositions, and sessments, subsidies, and found free quarter to the soldier, be-ides pole-money, free loans, contributions, money, plate, men, horse, atmes; paid to the weekly meals, the weekly assessments for Essex and Fairfax's army, and yet all I can do is too little for them; I am sure I am quite undone, and the best are no more; I will wait with patience till the measure of their iniquities are full; the time cannot be long, if it be not come already neighbours, my verdict is, That he is guilty of treason, rebellion, and blood-shed, and theft too; that's my verdict, Ill promise you. : 66 Loyal Man. Because God's word taught me, that I should be obedient to Ligher powers, for the Lord's sake, who himself paid tribute, and was obedient to the death, suffering for the maintenance of a good conscience towards God and man: besides, I have bound myself by my oath of allegianc, and supremacy, to be true to my soveraigne, and know the fifth commandment; and have read that place in the Proverbs, My son, fear thou God, and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change." They have voted me a malignaut, for loving my king; but so long as God hath commanded it, I think it better to obey God than man; what, though I am spoiled of goods, locked in prison; obedience is better than sacrifice, if I suffer for a good conscience, I have a God able to deliver me; yet my verdict is, if a the law finds him guilty, (as I make no question but he is) let him suffer. Poor Man. Alas! I am undone by him, a company of the zaints, as they call them, blundered me, took away iny bald mare, to make a dragon on her, and pressed away my zon Dick too, cham sure I could neer zet eye on um zince; a wannion on him, he makes me feed upon bullion, and glad che have it too; c'have my consent with all my heart; would che had been hang'd zeven years ago, then I had had my two cowes, my bald mare, and my zon Dick to dress um, and had ought my landlord ne'er penny a rent: Hang um, hang um up, I zay, we shall never zee happy days else. Innocent Man. I have been forced out to fight for I know not what: I have lost three sons in this unnatural Honest Man. Methinks a man should do as he would be done unto; learn to eschew evil, and do good: Yet it cannot sink into my head, that this Parliament at the bar, hath done |