suffered from various
depredations on his sheep-fold and poultry-yard, and had at length kept
watch, and caught the delinquent in the very act of making off with a
sheep on his shoulders.

Tibbets was repeatedly interrupted, in the course of his testimony, by
the culprit's mother, a furious old beldame, with an insufferable
tongue, and who, in fact, was several times kept, with some difficulty,
from flying at him tooth and nail. The wife, too, of the prisoner, whom
I am told he does not beat above half a dozen times a week, completely
interested Lady Lillycraft in her husband's behalf, by her tears and
supplications; and several of the other gipsy women were awakening
strong sympathy among the young girls and maid-servants in the
background. The pretty, black-eyed gipsy girl, whom I have mentioned on
a former occasion as the sibyl that read the fortunes of the general,
endeavoured to wheedle that doughty warrior into their interests, and
even made some approaches to her old acquaintance, Master Simon; but was
repelled by the latter with all the dignity of office, having assumed a
look of gravity and importance suitable to the occasion.

I was a little surprised, at first, to find honest Slingsby, the
schoolmaster, rather opposed to his old crony Tibbets, and coming
forwards as a kind of advocate for the accused. It seems that he had
taken compassion on the forlorn fortunes of Starlight Tom, and had been
trying his eloquence in his favour the whole way from the village, but
without effect. During the examination of Ready-Money Jack, Slingsby had
stood like "dejected Pity at his side," seeking every now and then, by a
soft word, to soothe any exacerbation of his ire, or to qualify any
harsh expression. He now ventured to make a few observations to the
squire in palliation of the delinquent's offence; but poor Slingsby
spoke more from the heart than the head, and was evidently actuated
merely by a general sympathy for every poor devil in trouble, and a
liberal toleration for all kinds of vagabond existence.

The ladies, too, large and small, with the kindheartedness of their sex,
were zealous on the side of mercy, and interceded strenuously with the
squire; insomuch that the prisoner, finding himself unexpectedly
surrounded by active friends, once more reared his crest, and seemed
disposed for a time to put on the air of injured innocence. The squire,
however, with all his benevolence of heart, and his lurking weakness