ch, and because no man alive should accuse mee to bee remisse in the
same I wil declare all the whole matter, orderly as it was done last
night.

This night past, when as at our accustomed houre I diligently searched
every part of the City, behold I fortuned to espy this cruell young man
drawing out his sword against three Citisens, and after a long combat
foughten between them, he murthered one after another miserably: which
when hee had done, moved in his conscience at so great a crime hee ran
away, and aided by the reason of darknes, slipt into a house, and there
lay hidden all night, but by the providence of the Gods, which suffereth
no heynous offence to pass unpunished, hee was taken by us this morning
before he escaped any further, and so brought hither to your honourable
presence to receive his desert accordingly.

So have you here a guilty person, a culpable homicide, and an accused
stranger, wherefore pronounce you judgement against this man beeing
an alien, when as you would most severely and sharply revenge such
an offence found in a known Citisen. In this sort the cruell accuser
finished and ended his terrible tale. Then the Crier commanded me to
speake, if I had any thing to say for my selfe, but I could in no wise
utter any word at all for weeping. And on the other side I esteemed not
so much his rigorous accusation, as I did consider myne owne miserable
conscience. Howbeit, beeing inspired by divine Audacity, at length I gan
say, Verily I know that it is an hard thing for him that is accused to
have slaine three persons, to perswade you that he is innocent, although
he should declare the whole truth, and confesse the matter how it was
indeed, but if your honours will vouchsafe to give me audience, I will
shew you, that if I am condemned to die, I have not deserved it as myne
owne desert, but that I was mooved by fortune and reasonable cause to
doe that fact. For returning somewhat late from supper yester night
(beeing well tippled with wine, which I will not deny) and approaching
nigh to my common lodging, which was in the house of one Milo a Citisen
of this city, I fortuned to espy three great theeves attempting to break
down his walls and gates, and to open the locks to enter in. And when
they had removed the dores out of the hookes, they consulted amongst
themselves, how they would handle such as they found in the house. And
one of them being of more courage, and of greater stature than the
rest, spa