he
court-room. [_He walks about and looks around him._] Here is the
court-room. I 'll go in. [_He enters and looks about._] Well, here are
the sheats, all arranged. While I 'm waiting for the magishtrates,
I 'll jusht sit down a minute on the grass. [_He does so._]

P. 226.10]

_Beadle._ [_Walks about in another direction, and looks before him._]
Here come the magistrates. I will go to them. [_He does so._]

[_Enter the judge, accompanied by a gild-warden, a clerk, and others._]

_Judge._ Gild-warden and clerk!

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ We await your bidding.

_Judge._ A trial depends to such an extent upon others that the task
of the magistrates--the reading of another's thoughts--is most
difficult.

Men often speak of deeds that no man saw,
Matters beyond the province of the law;
Passion so rules the parties that their lies,
Hide their offenses from judicial eyes;
This side and that exaggerate a thing,
Until at last it implicates the king;
To sum it up: false blame is easy won,
A true judge little praised, or praised by none. 3

And again:

Men often point to sins that no man saw,
And in their anger scorn the patient law;
In court-rooms even the righteous with their lies
Hide their offenses from judicial eyes;
And those who did the deed are lost to view,
Who sinned with plaintiff and defendant too;
To sum it up: false blame is easy won,
A true judge little praised, or praised by none. 4

For the judge must be

Learned, and skilled in tracing fraud's sly path,
And eloquent, insensible to wrath;
To friend, foe, kinsman showing equal grace,
Reserving judgment till he know the case;
Untouched by avarice, in virtue sound.
The weak he must defend, the knave confound;
An open door to truth, his heart must cling
To others' interests, yet shun each thing
That might awake the anger of the king. 5

[137.94. S.

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ And do men speak of defects in your
virtue? If so, then they speak of darkness in the moonlight.

_Judge._ My good beadle, conduct me to the court-room.

_Beadle._ Follow me, Your Honor. [_They walk about._] Here is the
court-room. May the magistrates be pleased to enter. [_All enter._]

_Judge._ My good beadle, do you go outside and learn who desires
to present a case.

_Beadle._ Yes, sir. [_He goes out._] Gentlemen, the magi