n archery, morris-dancing, and
other obsolete accomplishments. Proofs, however, were too strong.
Ready-Money Jack told his story in a straight-forward, independent
way, nothing daunted by the presence in which he found himself. He had
suffered from various depredations on his sheepfold and poultry-yard,
and had at length kept watch, and caught the delinquent in the very
act of making off with a sheep on his shoulders.

Tibbets was repeatedly interrupted, in the course of his testimony, by
the culprit's mother, a furious old beldame, with an insufferable
tongue, and who, in fact, was several times kept, with some
difficulty, from flying at him tooth and nail. The wife, too, of the
prisoner, whom I am told he does not beat above half-a-dozen times a
week, completely interested Lady Lillycraft in her husband's behalf,
by her tears and supplications; and several of the other gipsy women
were awakening strong sympathy among the young girls and maid-servants
in the back-ground. The pretty, black-eyed gipsy girl whom I have
mentioned on a former occasion as the sibyl that read the fortunes of
the general, endeavoured to wheedle that doughty warrior into their
interests, and even made some approaches to her old acquaintance,
Master Simon; but was repelled by the latter with all the dignity of
office, having assumed a look of gravity and importance suitable to
the occasion.

I was a little surprised, at first, to find honest Slingsby, the
schoolmaster, rather opposed to his old crony Tibbets, and coming
forward as a kind of advocate for the accused. It seems that he had
taken compassion on the forlorn fortunes of Starlight Tom, and had
been trying his eloquence in his favour the whole way from the
village, but without effect. During the examination of Ready-Money
Jack, Slingsby had stood like "dejected Pity at his side," seeking
every now and then, by a soft word, to soothe any exacerbation of his
ire, or to qualify any harsh expression. He now ventured to make a few
observations to the Squire, in palliation of the delinquent's offence;
but poor Slingsby spoke more from the heart than the head, and was
evidently actuated merely by a general sympathy for every poor devil
in trouble, and a liberal toleration for all kinds of vagabond
existence.

The ladies, too, large and small, with the kind-heartedness of the
sex, were zealous on the side of mercy, and interceded strenuously
with the Squire; insomuch that the prisoner, findi