of the establishment, its uses and abuses, than Merrywell."

"Do they charge any thing on admittance?"enquired Bob.

"O yes," was the reply, "they charge you, by a public ~35~~ notice in
the lobby, not to convey into the interior any spirituous liquors, on
pain of being yourself discharged from thence, and confined elsewhere.
Bless your soul, why the King's Bench is a little world within itself,
a sort of epitome of London; it is in a healthy situation, and the space
which it occupies is extensive. There are in all 224 rooms, and they
measure each about 14 or 16 feet by 12 or 13; of these, eight are called
State-rooms, are much larger than the rest, and more commodious; and
a well-breech'd customer may have almost any accommodation. It is the
prison most immediately belonging to the Court of King's Bench, and,
exclusive of debtors there sued, all persons standing in contempt
of that Court, and most of those committed under its sentence, are
confined."

"And pretty generally all inhabited?" interrogated Tallyho.

"Yes, and frequently it is difficult to obtain a place to sleep in even
as a chum."

Bob found himself at fault, and required an explanation of the word
chum.

"The chum," replied Dashall, "is a partner or bed-fellow, a person
who has an equal right to all the comforts and conveniences of a room,
previously wholly in the possession of one."

"I understand," said Bob; "then when every room has already one
occupant, they accommodate him with a companion."

"Exactly so, and he may prove friend or foe. This, however, may be
avoided, if the student is in possession of the rubbish, by an escape
into the Rules, which extend for three miles round the priory. These
Rules are purchaseable after the following rate, viz. Ten guineas for
the first hundred pounds, and about half that sum for every hundred
pounds afterwards; day-rules, of which three may be obtained in every
term, may be purchased for 4s. 2d. for the first day, and 3s. 10d. for
the rest. Each also must give good security to the Marshal.~36~~

"----The fiction of the law supposes,
That every prisoner, with means to pay,
(For he that has not this advantage loses,)
Either has business in the courts, or may;
Bond, fee, and sureties fresh prepare the way
And Mister Broothoft's manual sign declares
'That Mister such-a-one, on such a day,
'Hath got a rule of Court, and so re