affected little scruple concerning bribery. Pieces of plate and bags of
money were sent in presents to the king's counsel, to influence their
conduct, and poured forth, says a contemporary writer, like billets of
wood upon their floors, without even the decency of concealment.

In such times, it was not over uncharitable to suppose that the
statesman, practised in courts of law, and a powerful member of a
triumphant cabal, might find and use means of advantage over his less
skilful and less favoured adversary; and if it had been supposed that
Sir William Ashton's conscience had been too delicate to profit by these
advantages, it was believed that his ambition and desire of extending
his wealth and consequence found as strong a stimulus in the
exhortations of his lady as the daring aim of Macbeth in the days of
yore.

Lady Ashton was of a family more distinguished than that of her lord, an
advantage which she did not fail to use to the uttermost, in maintaining
and extending her husband's influence over others, and, unless she
was greatly belied, her own over him. She had been beautiful, and was
stately and majestic in her appearance. Endowed by nature with strong
powers and violent passions, experience had taught her to employ the
one, and to conceal, if not to moderate, the other. She was a severe
adn strict observer of the external forms, at least, of devotion; her
hospitality was splendid, even to ostentation; her address and manners,
agreeable to the pattern most valued in Scotland at the period, were
grave, dignified, and severely regulated by the rules of etiquette. Her
character had always been beyond the breath of slander. And yet, with
all these qualities to excite respect, Lady Ashton was seldom mentioned
in the terms of love or affection. Interest--the interest of her family,
if not her own--seemed too obviously the motive of her actions; and
where this is the case, the sharp-judging and malignant public are not
easily imposed upon by outward show. It was seen and ascertained that,
in her most graceful courtesies and compliments, Lady Ashton no more
lost sight of her object than the falcon in his airy wheel turns his
quick eyes from his destined quarry; and hence, somethign of doubt and
suspicion qualified the feelings with which her equals received her
attentions. With her inferiors these feelings were mingled with fear;
an impression useful to her purposes, so far as it enforced ready
compliance with her