t of a few candles placed about the room I could see that
the Chamber of Horrors was packed by a dense crowd of sightseers, who
occupied seats on the floor of the court, and sat impatiently whispering
together, expecting my arrival.

As I stumbled up the steps of the Old Bailey dock (where room had been
made for me between Burke and Hare) the usual thrill of sensation passed
round the court. I could see Henry the Eighth and his wives opposite me
in the small dock, while the other crowned heads jostled one another on
the platform of the guillotine. There, too, was the old hermit peeping
out through the bars of his cage, and the warder in charge of the
condemned cell was sweeping his place out and changing the sheets on the
bed.

"Now then," said Henry the Eighth, when all the bustle had subsided,
"wire in, somebody! Let's begin."

"You'd better get a jury first," said King John. "That's one of the
first things I insist upon in Magna Charta."

"Order in the court!" cried Henry, "and Magna Charta be bothered! I
shall do as I like!"

"Do have a jury, love," said Catherine Parr; "it's _such_ fun when they
come in with their verdict!"

"Oh, all right; have it your own way. I should have thought, though, I
could come in with a verdict as well as they. Now then, you there!"
said he, addressing the convicts round me, "answer to your names."

And he proceeded to call the names out from the catalogue.

When a dozen had answered, Anne of Cleeves said, "That's enough, Henry
dear; we've got twelve."

"Oh, have we?" said he. "You can have more if you like, you know;
there's plenty left."

The ladies, however, decided that a dozen was enough, and the trial
began.

"Prisoner at the bar," said Edward the Black Prince, who was acting as
usher, "are you guilty or not guilty?"

"What's the use of asking him that," said Henry the Eighth, "when
everybody knows, eh?"

John here began to explain that he had arranged the matter in Magna
Charta, whereupon the judge exclaimed--

"Oh, gracious! if we're to have that up every two minutes I'll adjourn
the court! Now, you there!" said he to me; "why don't you answer?"

I tried in dumb show to explain that I was not aware what I was being
tried for; but as no one saw the point of my answer, I tremblingly
pleaded "Not guilty."

"Oh," said Henry, growing very red in the face, "all right! Now,
somebody, let's have the indictment!"

To my horror, I suddenly saw reflected on