ly, the chaplain of
Newgate--whose fortunate position gave him the advantage over most
persons: for he _dined at both these dinners_, and assisted in the
circulation of the wit from one party to another; so that what my
Lord Chief Justice had made the table roar with at five o'clock, the
Recorder and the Common Serjeant roared with at six, and were able to
retail at their family tables at a later period of the evening. It was
in that way so many good things have come down to the present day.

The reverend gentleman alluded to of course attended the court in
robes, and his only, but solemn, function was to say "Amen" when the
sentence of death was pronounced by the Judge.

There were curious old stories, too, about my lords and old port at
that time which are not of my own reminiscences, and therefore I shall
do no more than mention them in order to pass on to what I heard and
saw myself.

The first thing that struck me in the after-dinner trials was the
extreme rapidity with which the proceedings were conducted. As judges
and counsel were exhilarated, the business was proportionately
accelerated. But of all the men I had the pleasure of meeting on
these occasions, the one who gave me the best idea of rapidity in an
after-dinner case was Mirehouse.

Let me illustrate it by a trial which I heard. Jones was the name of
the prisoner. His offence was that of picking pockets, entailing, of
course, a punishment corresponding in severity with the barbarity of
the times. It was not a plea of "Guilty," when perhaps a little more
inquiry might have been necessary; it was a case in which the prisoner
solemnly declared he was "Not Guilty," and therefore had a right to be
tried.

The accused having "held up his hand," and the jury having solemnly
sworn to hearken to the evidence, and "to well and truly try, and true
deliverance make," etc., the witness for the prosecution climbs into
the box, which was like a pulpit, and before he has time to look round
and see where the voice comes from, he is examined as follows by the
prosecuting counsel:--

"I think you were walking up Ludgate Hill on Thursday, 25th, about
half-past two in the afternoon, and suddenly felt a tug at your pocket
and missed your handkerchief, which the constable now produces. Is
that it?"

"Yes, sir."

"I suppose you have nothing to ask him?" says the judge. "Next
witness."

Constable stands up.

"Were you following the prosecutor on the occasion when