life,
certainly not more than thirty-five or six years of age, and from his
bold and erect carriage, seemed (as was the fact) to have been bred a
soldier. Upon the order to take off the shackles being complied with,
he cast a look of acknowledgment toward the speaker.

"Master Nowell," said the President, "read the accusation."

The person addressed, who was the Clerk or Secretary, rose hereupon
from his seat near the centre of the table, and read "the
information," which it is unnecessary to give at length, charging the
prisoner with using most foul, scandalous, indecent, defamatory, and
unseemly invectives, reproaches, and passionate speeches, toward and
against the worshipful magistrates and godly ministers of the colony,
thereby contriving and designing to bring into contempt, all law,
order, religion, and good government, &c., and to subvert the
authority of the magistrates and undermine the wholesome influence of
the godly ministers, &c., to the disgrace and ruin of the colony and
scandal of true religion, &c.

When the paper had been read, the President demanded--"Are you guilty
or not?"

"I am as innocent as the worshipful Governor himself, and whoever
wrote those lies, is a villain and a foresworn knave," replied the
prisoner.

"Enter that the prisoner says he is not guilty," said the President,
addressing the Secretary; "and do thou, Philip Joy, remember where
thou art, and express thyself in a manner more becoming this
presence."

"It is hard to be tied up like a mad dog and not get angry," replied
the accused.

"Sirrah!" cried the gentleman, whose appearance was described next
after the President, "dost thou bring a contumacious spirit here to
bandy words with the right worshipful Governor? Silence, and answer
peremptorily to the questions of thy betters."

"Nay, worthy Deputy Governor Dudley, the poor man is, I doubt not,
already sensible of his error, and sinned more out of ignorance than
design," observed the President.

"The honored Governor," spoke an assistant from near the bottom of the
table, "is, I fear, disposed to be too lenient in respect of these
foul-mouthed carrion."

"Our law condemns no man unheard; nor will I be more stern," answered
the mild Governor Winthrop, (for it was he). "It seems to me to be the
part of a judge to allow no harsh suspicions to enter his mind, lest
they throw baleful shadows over his decisions. Philip Joy," he added,
turning to the prisoner, "thou hast