pon
the 26th, and what answer was returned; he will tell you that
Tuesday was the time appointed for them to come, in the night,
and all the other circumstances. But withal, I must acquaint
your lordship, that this fellow, Dunne, is a very unwilling
witness; and therefore with submission to your lordship, we do
humbly desire your lordship would please to examine him a little
the more strictly.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--You say well: Hark you, friend, I would take
notice of something to you, by the way, and you would do well to
mind what I say to you. According as the counsel that are here
for the King seem to insinuate, you were employed as a messenger
between these persons, one whereof has already been proved a
notorious rebel, and the other is the prisoner at the bar, and
your errand was to procure a reception at her house for him.

DUNNE--My lord, I did so.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Very well. Now mark what I say to you,
friend: I would not by any means in the world endeavour to
fright you into anything, or any ways tempt you to tell an
untruth, but provoke you to tell the truth, and nothing but the
truth, that is the business we come about here. Know, friend,
there is no religion that any man can pretend to, can give a
countenance to lying, or can dispense with telling the truth:
Thou hast a precious immortal soul, and there is nothing in the
world equal to it in value: There is no relation to thy
mistress, if she be so; no relation to thy friend; nay, to thy
father or thy child; nay, not all the temporal relations in the
world can be equal to thy precious immortal soul. Consider that
the Great God of Heaven and Earth, before whose tribunal thou,
and we, and all persons are to stand at the last day, will call
thee to an account for the rescinding his truth, and take
vengeance of thee for every falshood thou tellest. I charge thee
therefore, as thou wilt answer it to the Great God, the judge
of all the earth, that thou do not dare to waver one tittle from
the truth, upon any account or pretence whatsoever: For though
it were to save thy life, yet the value of thy precious and
immortal soul is much greater, than that thou shouldst forfeit
it for the saving of any the most precious outward blessing thou
dost enjoy; for that God of Heaven may justly strike thee into
etern