in, and make your claim. And see ye prove your title to the Flitch to the satisfaction of the Jury, and the Most Worshipful the Lord of the Manor, or it will not be delivered to you."

A smile pervaded the assemblage as Jonas and Nelly presented themselves in answer to the summons of the usher. Way being made for them to the platform by the official, Jonas helped his wife to mount it, and then skipping after her with unwonted activity, bowed profoundly to the Squire, and then to the assemblage generally. Nelly seemed a good deal abashed at first, and her cheek was suffused with blushes, but by degrees her timidity wore off, and she ventured a glance at the throng around her.

Jonas was not in the least discomposed. He never felt easier, or more at home in his life. The position in which he found himself, was exactly to his taste; and he only regretted that the ceremony must so soon be over. Casting a look at the Flitch, now overshadowing him, he regarded it as already his own.

After allowing a few minutes to elapse, Mr. Roper opened the

business.

"Jonas Nettlebed," he said, "the Court has received notice that you and your wife demand that the Flitch be delivered to you, according to the Custom of Dunmow? Is it so?"

"It is, sir," Jonas replied, bowing. "We do make the demandrespectfully, but emphatically make it."

You are aware of the oath prescribed for the occasion, and are prepared to take it ?"

"We are, sir."

"I require an answer from your wife?" the steward said.

"Now, Nelly, why don't you speak ?" Jonas whispered, nudging her. "You hear the question."

"Have you any hesitation in taking the oath, Nelly ?" the Squire remarked.

"Oh! none in the least, worshipful sir," she replied, courtseying"only I thought that came at the church."

"The oath will be there solemnly recited," Roper said "but your examination as to its substance takes place here. Well then, you are both able to swear-mind, to swear that you 'ne'er made nuptial transgression.' Look at me, Jonas, and lift up your eyes, Nelly.-You can both swear that?"

Both replied, we can.

"You can affirm that no household brawls or contentions' have ever

disturbed your peace?"

"We can affirm a great deal more than that," Jonas cried.

"Confine yourself to my question. You can solemnly declare you have never quarrelled ?"

"Oh, never quarrelled-never at all, sir," Nelly responded

"What a hurry you are in," Jonas whispered."We ought to answer together."

"It's you who are so slow," she replied.

"What's that I hear?" the Squire cried, sharply.

"Nothing, worshipful sir-nothing," Jonas replied. "We're both ready to swear we've not had a wrong word since we were married." "Quite ready to swear it," Nelly added.

"And have never offended each other?" Roper demanded. "Have I ever offended you, love?" Jonas said, turning to her. "Never," she replied. "Have I ever offended you, ducky?" "Never since you were born," Jonas rejoined. And here he thought of embracing her, but reflecting that such a demonstration might not be deemed respectful to the Court, he abstained.

"And you can conscientiously declare you never wished yourselves unmarried?" was Roper's next interrogation.

"I can conscientiously declare it, sir," Jonas said, with emphasis. “And you, Nelly?" the steward asked, appealing to her.

"Yes, sir-con-con-con-what's the word, Jonas?"

"No prompting," the steward interposed, severely. "Attend to me, Nelly. Have you ever wished your marriage dissolved?"

"Ever wished to be single again?" Jonas subjoined.

"Oh! dear no," Nelly cried. "I can swear I never wished that." "I must caution you, Jonas, that these interruptions cannot be permitted," the Squire said. "So far the Court rests satisfied with your conjoint declarations. What witnesses do you produce in confirmation of your statements ?"

"Here is a list of them, worshipful sir," Jonas replied, placing a paper in the cleft point of the usher's wand, by which means it was handed to the Squire, who, after glancing at it, gave it to the steward.

The first person called was the bailiff of Dunmow, and his evidence was deemed perfectly satisfactory, as was the testimony offered by each of the burgesses who succeeded him.

Tom Tapster, the next witness, said his master and missis was pleasure to live with, they was so fond of each other, and for ever billin' and cooin' just like two lovyers: an assertion that caused Jonas to simper, and Nelly to blush, and hang down her head.

The fat cook said she couldn't give 'em too good a character. They fulfilled their matterymoonial dooties in every pertikler; and havin' bin a married ooman herself, she parfitly understood what those dooties was.

Carroty Dick objected to be sworn, but a glance from Peggy, who was close at hand, quickly brought him to, and he gulped down his scruples. A very perplexing interrogatory was put to him by the Court. Had he ever known his master guilty of indiscretion ?" What maun I say to that, Peggy?" Dick roared, amid the general laughter of the Court." Speak the truth, of course," the steward rejoined, frowning. —“What be indiscretion, then?"—" Making love to a neighbour's wife," the Squire intimated.-"Oh, I never knowd master guilty o' that," the ostler answered, scratching his head.-This being all that could be extracted from Dick, he was sent down.

Peggy came next, and she looked at Mr. Roper with a confident smile, as much as to say, catch me if you can. She extolled her master and missis to the skies, and only hoped, if ever she married, she might find just such another husband as Mr. Nettlebed.-Did her master ever exhibit jealousy of his wife ?-Jealousy!-not he. There wasn't a patienter man breathing than Mr. Nettlebed. Was his patience ever tried, then? -Oh yes, he put up with a great deal.-A great deal of what scolding -ill-usage-bad temper what ?-Oh no, nothin' of that kind. Missis never scolded, and never was ill-tempered, and master submitted to everything.-Perhaps she considered submission a merit in a husband ?-The

greatest merit he could possess. Mr. Nettlebed never said "No" to his wife, and consequently was the best of husbands.-Did Mrs. Nettlebed ever make any unreasonable requests of her husband?-Unreasonable—

no.

Master never denied missis anythin' she asked. If he did grumble a bit it was behind her back. Then he did grumble occasionally?-Of course. It was human nature. Everybody grumbled. People couldn't live without it.—True. And therefore, perhaps, Mrs. Nettlebed sometimes grumbled?-A little, maybe, now and then. But, Lor' bless you, never before master. Missis never let him see a cross look, or hear a cross word, however much she might be put out.-Oh! then, she was put out sometimes. With her husband-eh ?-Lor' bless you, no-with Dick-with cook-with Tom Tapster-with me-never with master!

Mr. Roper declined to ask any more questions, and Peggy went down, fully satisfied with what she had done.

The Jury now consulted together, after which Simon Appleyard stood up, and said he had an observation to make, but the steward begged him to defer it until after the examination of the next witness.

Jonas had thought all was over, and was congratulating himself upon the triumphant manner in which the affair had been brought to a conclusion, when a knell to his hopes almost sounded in his ears as he heard Captain Juddock evoked by the usher, and directly afterwards, beheld that gigantic individual towering above the assemblage, as he stood in the witness-box.

Juddock had no longer anything of the Turk about him, not even the beard, which, as we know, had been left at the Old Inn, but appeared in his customary attire-a blue military coat with brass epaulettes, and brass buttons, and with the old brass-handled sword by his side, and the old funnel-topped boots on his legs. Glancing triumphantly at Jonas, who regarded him with mingled feelings of dismay and disgust, the giant awaited Roper's interrogations.

"Last winter, you passed a night at the Old Inn at Dunmow, Captain Juddock," the steward said. "Have you any remark to make on Mrs. Nettlebed's conduct towards you?"

"Her conduct was exactly what a landlady's should be. She was exceedingly attentive."

"Too attentive, perhaps?"

"I do not think so. Possibly, her husband might. I didn't give myself much concern about him."

"Did they strike you as being a happy couple?"

Undoubtedly. They managed to keep appearances extremely well." "Keep up appearances!" Jonas cried, unable longer to contain himself. "How dare you make such an insinuation as that, sir? Appearances' in your teeth, sir."

66

"I must call you to order, Jonas," the steward said. Any remarks you may have to make, must be addressed to me, and not to the witness." "Then tell him his testimony is worthless," the landlord cried.

"It will be for the Jury to decide on its value," Mr. Roper replied. you wish the examination to be pursued ?" addressing the Jury. The foreman answered they did.

"Do

"You are renowned for your gallantry, and for your conquests among the fair sex, I believe, Captain Juddock," Roper said, in continuation. "Pray, did Mrs. Nettlebed ever give you any encouragement ?"

4

"I must beg respectfully to decline answering that question, sir," the giant replied.

"Your refusal to reply will be considered tantamount to an admission of the fact," Roper remarked.

"I cannot help that, sir," Juddock said.

"I scorn the imputation," Nelly cried. "I never did give him encouragement, and when he wanted to kiss me, I slapped his great, fat, ugly face."

"Oh! he wanted to kiss you-did he?" Jonas exclaimed, surprised out of his caution. "You never told me so."

"So you keep secrets from your husband, Nelly, do you?" the Squire remarked.

"Nothing of any consequence, worshipful sir. I didn't think it worth while to trouble him about such a trifle as this."

"Oh, you call this a trifle:?" Roper cried. "Perhaps, it's a matter of every-day occurrence?"

"Oh no, it ain't, sir. It's very rarely anybody attempts to kiss me.Mr. Alured Fitzwalter, when he was Frank Woodbine, never did.”

Amidst the laughter occasioned by this reply, Jonas whispered to his wife-"You'll ruin our chance, if you don't mind."

"Well, I can't help it. I won't allow a pack of stories to be told of me," she rejoined.

"Concealment is not all on one side," Juddock observed. has secrets to keep as well as his wife."

"I thought so," Nelly whispered. "Now it's all coming out."

"Jonas

"Be quiet, my love, I implore of you," Jonas rejoined. "Prove your words, Captain Juddock-prove them, sir.”

"So I will," the giant replied. "I saw you, myself, very tender with pretty Peggy, your chambermaid.”

"I deny the charge-indignantly deny it," Jonas cried.

"Let Peggy be recalled," the Squire said. And as the chambermaid once more appeared in the witness-box, he continued-" You have heard what Captain Juddock has declared. Is there any truth in the assertion?"

"Master was always what a good master should be," Peggy replied. "I've no reason to complain of him."

"Very likely not," the Squire said, laughing. "But has your mis

tress ?"

"I should be sorry to think so, sir."

"Recal Carroty Dick," the Squire cried. And as the red-polled ostler reappeared, with a cloud upon his brow, he said to him-"Captain Juddock has affirmed that he saw some familiarities between your master and Peggy. What is your opinion as to the correctness of the statement?" "My opinion be that it's true," Dick replied, with gloomy rage. "I saw him kiss her mysel."

"Oh, indeed-when ?"

"Last Christmas, under the mistletoe-bough-but I've often seen him kiss her since."

"You have!" Nelly screamed. "Oh! the faithless little wretch." "There, now you have done it, Dick," Peggy cried; "and you've done for yourself too-for you shall never have me.'

"I dunna care, the ostler replied, sullenly-" I've had my revenge." May-VOL. CI. NO. CCCCI.

D

Seeing the Jury consult together, and fearing an unfavourable verdict, Jonas endeavoured to sustain his tottering cause by a vehement protest against Juddock's evidence.

"He is not a credible witness," he said-"he is an impudent and audacious vagabond. I have heard say and I appeal to two gentlemen here present to Sir Walter Fitzwalter and Sir Gilbert de Montfichet, to corroborate the assertion-that he has been a common gaming-house bully and sharper. I know him to be an impostor and stroller, who has absconded from his employers, Messrs. Sheepshanks and Swiney, owners of a booth now at Chelmsford."

"That's quite true, worshipful sir," the usher said, addressing the Squire. "Tim Tipcat, the beadle, has just been in to inform me that Mr. Swiney is now outside with Isaacson and Latcham, the bailiffs of Dunmow, waiting to seize the individual styling himself Captain Juddock, when he comes out."

"Show them in," the Squire rejoined. "Do not leave the witnessbox, sir," he added authoritatively to Juddock.

The next moment the trio were introduced. A little sharp-featured, high-shouldered man was Swiney, and clad in a light-brown square-cut coat. He had a hooked nose like a vulture, and looked altogether like a bird of prey. Fixing his keen eyes upon Juddock, he cried out in a shrill, and rather cracked voice-" There he is-that's my giant."

"Your giant?" the Squire said. "Do you claim a property in him, my good man?"

"An absolute property, worshipful sir," Swiney replied. "He is bound to me-bound hand and foot. I've exhibited him for many years at all the country fairs-and at Southwark and Bartlemy Fairs in Town. One year he was Plinlimmon, the Welsh giant-the next, Pennigant, the Yorkshire giant-the year after that, Tregonna, the Cornish giant." "Yes, I recollect seeing him as Tregonna at Chelmsford Fair," Nelly remarked.

"Another piece of concealment," Jonas whispered. "You never told me that." "Dare say you do recollect him, ma'am," Swiney pursued. "He was there last May twelvemonth-but he deserted soon after that, and took to bad ways-frequenting low gaming-houses and coffee-houses, and picking up a livelihood how he could, instead of living respectably with me and Sheepshanks. But he came back last winter, and has been with us ever since, until he bolted yesterday, and spoiled our performance of the Fall of Bajazet.' We lost ten pound, if we lost a shilling, by his sudden disappearance, worshipful sir."

May I put a question, sir ?" Montfichet observed, rising and addressing the Squire. And receiving a nod in reply, he went on-"Do you desire back again to Mr. Swiney, Juddock?"

to go

"I shouldn't mind, Sir G., if I weren't bound," the giant replied. "You shall have a release then," Montfichet rejoined. "What is your claim against him, Mr. Swiney ?"

"Why it should be a hundred pounds, Sir Gilbert-but we'll say seventy.

"Seventy be it--and henceforth the giant is a free agent. You may now withdraw, Mr. Swiney. All shall be settled with you presently." Hereupon the keeper of the booth and the bailiffs bowed and retired.