the
proceeding of the court with much attention, and infinitely pleased with
that great appearance and solemnity which so properly accompanies such a
public administration of our laws; when, after about an hour's sitting, I
observed to my great surprise, in the midst of a trial, that my friend
Sir Roger was getting up to speak. I was in some pain for him, till I
found he had acquitted himself of two or three sentences, with a look of
much business and great intrepidity.

Upon his first rising the court was hushed, and a general whisper ran
among the country people, that Sir Roger was up. The speech he made was
so little to the purpose, that I shall not trouble my readers with an
account of it; and I believe was not so much designed by the Knight
himself to inform the court, as to give him a figure in my eye, and keep
up his credit in the country.

I was highly delighted, when the court rose, to see the gentlemen of the
country gathering about my old friend, and striving who should compliment
him most; at the same time that the ordinary people gazed upon him at a
distance, not a little admiring his courage, that was not afraid to speak
to the judge.

In our return home we met with a very odd accident[135]; which I cannot
forbear relating, because it shows how desirous all who know Sir Roger
are of giving him marks of their esteem. When we were arrived upon the
verge of his estate, we stopped at a little inn to rest ourselves and our
horses. The man of the house had it seems been formerly a servant in the
Knight's family; and to do honour to his old master, had some time since,
unknown to Sir Roger, put him up in a sign-post before the door; so that
the Knight's head had hung out upon the road about a week before he
himself knew anything of the matter. As soon as Sir Roger was acquainted
with it, finding that his servant's indiscretion proceeded wholly from
affection and good-will, he only told him that he had made him too high a
compliment; and when the fellow seemed to think that could hardly be,
added with a more decisive look, "That it was too great an honour for any
man under a duke"; but told him at the same time that it might be altered
with a very few touches, and that he himself would be at the charge[136]
of it. Accordingly they got a painter by the Knight's directions to add
a pair of whiskers to the face, and by a little aggravation[137] of the
features to change it into the Saracen's Head. I should not have