he exclaimed, "but I have seen you before, my friend, an
I could but think where; but my memory is not worth a bean, since I have
been obliged to use it so much of late, in the behalf of the poor state.
But I do know the fellow; and I have seen him amongst the Papists--,
I'll take that on my assured damnation."

"Why, Captain Dangerfield," said the Captain's smoother, but more
dangerous associate,--"verily, it is the same youth whom we saw at the
horse-merchant's yesterday; and we had matter against him then, only
Master Topham did not desire us to bring it out."

"Ye may bring out what ye will against him now," said Topham, "for he
hath blasphemed the warrant of the House. I think ye said ye saw him
somewhere."

"Ay, verily," said Everett, "I have seen him amongst the seminary pupils
at Saint Omer's--he was who but he with the regents there."

"Nay, Master Everett, collect yourself," said Topham; "for as I think,
you said you saw him at a consult of the Jesuits in London."

"It was I said so, Master Topham," said the undaunted Dangerfield; "and
mine is the tongue that will swear it."

"Good Master Topham," said Bridgenorth, "you may suspend farther inquiry
at present, as it doth but fatigue and perplex the memory of the King's
witnesses."

"You are wrong, Master Bridgenorth--clearly wrong. It doth but keep them
in wind--only breathes them like greyhounds before a coursing match."

"Be it so," said Bridgenorth, with his usual indifference of manner;
"but at present this youth must stand committed upon a warrant, which
I will presently sign, of having assaulted me while in discharge of my
duty as a magistrate, for the rescue of a person legally attached. Did
you not hear the report of a pistol?"

"I will swear to it," said Everett.

"And I," said Dangerfield. "While we were making search in the cellar,
I heard something very like a pistol-shot; but I conceived it to be the
drawing of a long-corked bottle of sack, to see whether there were any
Popish relics in the inside on't."

"A pistol-shot!" exclaimed Topham; "here might have been a second
Sir Edmondsbury Godfrey's matter.--Oh, thou real spawn of the red old
dragon! for he too would have resisted the House's warrant, had we
not taken him something at unawares.--Master Bridgenorth, you are a
judicious magistrate, and a worthy servant of the state--I would we had
many such sound Protestant justices. Shall I have this young fellow
away with his parents--wha