riall, their Advocates were commanded to plead their
causes briefly without preambles or motions of the people to pitty,
which were too long a processe. And if you demand how I understood all
this matter, you shall understand that I heard many declare the same,
but to recite what words the accuser used in his invective, what answer
the defender made, the orations and pleadings of each party, verily I
am not able to doe: for I was fast bound at the manger. But as I learned
and knew by others, I will God willing declare unto you. So it was
ordered, that after the pleadings of both sides was ended, they thought
best to try and boult out the verity by witnesses, all presumptions and
likelihood set apart, and to call in the servant, who onely was reported
to know all the matter: by and by the servant came in, who nothing
abashed, at the feare of so great a judgment, or at the presence of the
Judges, or at his owne guilty conscience, which hee so finely fained,
but with a bold countenance presented himselfe before the justices and
confirmed the accusation against the young man, saying: O yee judges, on
a day when this young man loathed and hated his stepmother, hee called
mee, desiring mee to poyson his brother, whereby hee might revenge
himselfe, and if I would doe it and keepe the matter secret, hee
promised to give me a good reward for my paines: but when the young man
perceived that I would not accord to his will, he threatned to slay mee,
whereupon hee went himselfe and bought poyson, and after tempered it
with wine, and then gave it me to give the child, which when I refused
he offered it to his brother with his own hands. When the varlet with a
trembling countenance had ended these words which seemed a likelihood
of truth, the judgement was ended: neither was there found any judge or
counsellor, so mercifull to the young man accused, as would not judge
him culpable, but that he should be put and sowne in a skin, with
a dogge, a Cocke, a Snake, and an Ape, according to the law against
parricides: wherefore they wanted nothing but (as the ancient custome
was) to put white stones and black into a pot, and to take them out
againe, to see whether the young-man accused should be acquitted by
judgment or condemned, which was a thing irrevocable.

In the mean season he was delivered to the hands of the executioner. But
there arose a sage and ancient Physitian, a man of a good conscience
and credit throughout all the City, that