ad withdrawn myself, for entire privacy,
into a little sequestered dell--had laid aside my cap, and was in the
act of kneeling when I was rudely attacked by my brother, knocked over,
and nearly slain. They asked my brother if this was true. He
acknowledged that it was; that I was bare-headed and in the act of
kneeling when he ran foul of me without any intent of doing so. But the
judge took him to task on the improbability of this, and put the
profligate sore out of countenance. The rest of his tale told still
worse, insomuch that he was laughed at by all present, for the judge
remarked to him that, granting it was true that he had at first run
against me on an open mountain and overthrown me by accident, how was
it that, after I had extricated myself and fled, that he had pursued,
overtaken, and knocked me down a second time? Would he pretend that all
that was likewise by chance? The culprit had nothing to say for himself
on this head, and I shall not forget my exultation and that of my
reverend father when the sentence of the judge was delivered. It was
that my wicked brother should be thrown into prison and tried on a
criminal charge of assault and battery, with the intent of committing
murder. This was a just and righteous judge, and saw things in their
proper bearings, that is, he could discern between a righteous and a
wicked man, and then there could be no doubt as to which of the two
were acting right and which wrong.

Had I not been sensible that a justified person could do nothing wrong,
I should not have been at my ease concerning the statement I had been
induced to give on this occasion. I could easily perceive that, by
rooting out the weeds from the garden of the Church, I heightened the
growth of righteousness; but, as to the tardy way of giving false
evidence on matters of such doubtful issue, I confess I saw no great
propriety in it from the beginning. But I now only moved by the will
and mandate of my illustrious friend. I had no peace or comfort when
out of his Sight, nor have I ever been able to boast of much in his
presence; so true is it that a Christian's life is one of suffering.

My time was now much occupied, along with my reverend preceptor, in
making ready for the approaching trial, as the prosecutors. Our counsel
assured us of a complete victory, and that banishment would be the
mildest award of the law on the offender. Mark how different was the
result! From the shifts and ambiguities of a