suddenly dropped from the face of the other occupant of the
bench.

"Your pardon, brother Millet," he interrupted, and pointed towards
Ralph's arms. "When a prisoner comes to the bar his irons ought to be
taken off. Have you anything to object against these irons being
struck away?"

"Nothing, brother Hide," replied the judge rather testily. "Keeper,
knock off the prisoner's irons."

The official appealed to looked abashed, and replied that the
necessary instruments were not at hand.

"They are of no account, my lord," said Ralph.

"They must be removed."

When the delay attending this process was over and the handcuffs fell
to the ground, the paper rose once more in front of the face of
Justice Hide, and Justice Millet continued his charge. He defined the
nature and crime of treason with elaboration and circumlocution. He
quoted the ancient statute wherein the people, speaking of themselves,
say that they recognize no superior under God but only the King's
grace. "I do no speak my own words," he said, "but the words of the
law, and I urge this the more lest any persons should draw dangerous
inferences to shadow their traitorous acts. Gentlemen, the King is the
vicegerent of God, and has no superior. If any man shall shroud
himself under any pretended authority, you must know that this is not
an excuse, but the height of aggravation."

Once more the judge paused, drew his robes about him, and turned
sharply to the jury to observe the effect of his words; then to his
brother on the bench, for the light of his countenance. The paper was
covering the eyes of Justice Hide.

"But now, gentlemen, to come from the general to the particular. It is
treason to levy war against the King's person, and to levy war against
the King's authority is treason too. It follows, therefore, that all
acts which were done to the keeping of the King out of the exercise of
his kingly office were treason. If persons assembled themselves in a
warlike manner to do any of these acts, that was treason. Remember but
this, and I have done."

A murmur of assent and approbation passed over the court when the
judge ceased to speak. Perhaps a close observer might have marked an
expression of dissatisfaction on the face of the other judge as often
as the document held in front of it permitted the eyes and mouth to be
seen. He shifted restlessly from side to side while the charge was
being delivered, and at the close of it he called somewhat impa