er, and to make the most of his time while
martial law was flourishing.

Once, when high in blood, he happened to meet _a suspicious-looking_
peasant from County Kildare, who could not satisfactorily account for
himself according to the lieutenant's notion of evidence; and having
nobody at hand to vouch for him, the lieutenant of course immediately
took for granted that he _must_ be a rebel strolling about, and
imagining the death of his Most Gracious Majesty.[7] He therefore, no
other _court of justice_ being at hand, considered that he had a right
to try the man by his _own opinion_; accordingly, after a brief
interrogation, he condemned him to die, and without further ceremony
proceeded to put his own sentence into immediate execution.

[7] The lieutenant's brother being a Crown solicitor, had now
and then got the lieutenant to copy the high treason
indictments: and he, seeing there that _imagining_ the death of
a _king_ was punished capitally, very naturally conceived that
_wishing_ it was twice as bad as _supposing_ it: having
therefore no doubt that _all_ rebels wished it, he consequently
decided in the tribunal of his own mind to hang every man who
hypothetically and traitorously wished his majesty's
dissolution, which wish he also conceived was very easily
ascertained by the wisher's countenance.

A cabinet-maker, at Charing Cross, some years ago, put on his
board "patent coffin-maker to his majesty:" it was considered
that though this was not an _ill-intentioned_, yet it was a very
improper mode of _imagining_ the king's death, and the board was
taken down accordingly. Lieutenant H. would surely have hanged
him in Ireland.

However, to do the lieutenant justice, his _mode_ was not near so
tedious or painful as that practised by the grand signior, who sometimes
causes the ceremony to be divided into three acts, giving the culprit a
drink of spring water to _refresh_ him between the two first; nor was it
so severe as the burning old women formerly for witchcraft. In fact, the
"walking gallows" was both on a new and simple plan; and after some
kicking and plunging during the operation, never failed to be completely
effectual. The lieutenant being, as before mentioned, of lofty stature,
with broad and strong shoulders, saw no reason why they might not answer
his majesty's service, upon a pinch, as well as two posts and a crossbar
(the more legitim