her cause
than treason or felony, or refusing to give security to keep the
peace,' my inference being that as I was illegally imprisoned, I had
committed no illegality in escaping. I read to the jury a general
statement, on which they unequivocally expressed their conviction that
the trial had better not have been instituted, for that the punishment
already sustained was more than adequate to the offence alleged to
have been committed. The judge, however, interfered, and told the
jury that, as I had admitted the escape in my statement, they had no
alternative but to bring in a verdict of guilty, which was reluctantly
done, and judgment was deferred.

"After the trial I returned to my house in Hampshire, and not hearing
anything more of the affair, naturally concluded that, in the face of
the opinion expressed by the jury, the Government would be ashamed to
prosecute the matter further. Not liking, however, to trust to their
mercy, whilst their malevolence might be exercised at an inconvenient
season, or made to depend upon my political conduct, I directed my
attorney to inquire whether it was intended to put in execution the
sentence at Guildford. The reply was that no steps had been taken,
and the impression was, that Government would be against further
proceedings, lest they should tend to increase my popularity.
Considering that this might be a feint to put me off my guard, I went
to London for the purpose of attending a large political meeting, in
the conduct of which I participated. Shortly afterwards I received
a summons to appear at Westminster Hall and receive judgment on the
verdict; the judgment being that I was condemned to pay a fine of
100_l._ to the Crown.

"On my refusal to pay the fine, on the 21st of November, I was again
taken into custody, I alleging that the sentence would amount to
perpetual imprisonment, for that I would never pay a fine imposed for
escaping from an illegal detention.

"On my being taken back to prison, however, a meeting of the electors
of Westminster was held, at which it was determined that the amount
of the fine should be paid by a penny subscription, no person being
allowed to subscribe more. This plan was adopted in order that the
public throughout the kingdom might have an opportunity of manifesting
their disapprobation of the oppressive way in which I was being
treated. Though I knew nothing of the intentions of the committee at
the time, it was expected that the subscr