appearance of the quilted garments; and with a nose protruded
from under the silken casque, the size of which, together with the
unwieldiness of the whole figure, gave his worship no indifferent
resemblance to the sign of the Hog in Armour, which was considerably
improved by the defensive garment being of dusty orange colour, not
altogether unlike the hue of those half-wild swine which are to be found
in the forest of Hampshire.

Secure in these invulnerable envelopments, his worship had rested
content, although severed from his own death-doing weapons, of rapier,
poniard, and pistols, which were placed nevertheless, at no great
distance from his chair. One offensive implement, indeed, he thought it
prudent to keep on the table beside his huge Coke upon Lyttleton. This
was a sort of pocket flail, consisting of a piece of strong ash,
about eighteen inches long, to which was attached a swinging club of
_lignum-vitae_, nearly twice as long as the handle, but jointed so as
to be easily folded up. This instrument, which bore at that time the
singular name of the Protestant flail, might be concealed under the
coat, until circumstances demanded its public appearance. A better
precaution against surprise than his arms, whether offensive or
defensive, was a strong iron grating, which, crossing the room in front
of the justice's table, and communicating by a grated door, which was
usually kept locked, effectually separated the accused party from his
judge.

Justice Maulstatute, such as we have described him, chose to hear the
accusation of the witnesses before calling on Peveril for his defence.
The detail of the affray was briefly given by the bystanders, and seemed
deeply to touch the spirit of the examinator. He shook his silken casque
emphatically, when he understood that, after some language betwixt the
parties, which the witnesses did not quite understand, the young man
in custody struck the first blow, and drew his sword before the wounded
party had unsheathed his weapon. Again he shook his crested head yet
more solemnly, when the result of the conflict was known; and yet again,
when one of the witnesses declared, that, to the best of his knowledge,
the sufferer in the fray was a gentleman belonging to the household of
his Grace the Duke of Buckingham.

"A worthy peer," quoth the armed magistrate--"a true Protestant, and a
friend to his country. Mercy on us, to what a height of audacity hath
this age arisen! We see well