they so drunk but what they could take roped men to prison.
In the morning, these two men were brought before the Justices of the
Peace: and now my wonderful luck appeared; for the merit of having
defeated, and caught them, would never have raised me one step in the
State, or in public consideration, if they had only been common robbers,
or even notorious murderers. But when these fellows were recognised,
by some one in the court, as Protestant witnesses out of employment,
companions and understrappers to Oates, and Bedloe, and Carstairs, and
hand in glove with Dangerfield, Turberville; and Dugdale--in a word, the
very men against whom His Majesty the King bore the bitterest rancour,
but whom he had hitherto failed to catch--when this was laid before the
public (with emphasis and admiration), at least a dozen men came
up, whom I had never seen before, and prayed me to accept their
congratulations, and to be sure to remember them; for all were of
neglected merit, and required no more than a piece of luck.

I answered them very modestly, and each according to his worth, as
stated by himself, who of course could judge the best. The magistrate
made me many compliments, ten times more than I deserved, and took good
care to have them copied, that His Majesty might see them. And ere the
case was thoroughly heard, and those poor fellows were committed, more
than a score of generous men had offered to lend me a hundred pounds,
wherewith to buy a new Court suit, when called before His Majesty.

Now this may seem very strange to us who live in a better and purer
age--or say at least that we do so--and yet who are we to condemn our
fathers for teaching us better manners, and at their own expense? With
these points any virtuous man is bound to deal quite tenderly, making
allowance for corruption, and not being too sure of himself. And to tell
the truth, although I had seen so little of the world as yet, that which
astonished me in the matter, was not so much that they paid me court, as
that they found out so soon the expediency of doing it.

In the course of that same afternoon I was sent for by His Majesty. He
had summoned first the good Earl Brandir, and received the tale from
him, not without exaggeration, although my lord was a Scotchman. But
the chief thing His Majesty cared to know was that, beyond all possible
doubt, these were the very precious fellows from perjury turned to
robbery.

Being fully assured at last of this,