When the judge sat down, the Grand Jury was summoned, and in a few minutes the wheels of justice were ready to turn. In proceedings of this nature, there is no prisoner at bar; therefore no one is in court save the crown by its counsel, the purpose being only to obtain information upon which a true bill or indictment may be found against some one suspected of the crime under investigation.
After all was ready, the sheriff escorted Frances to the witness stand, and the judge asked her to place her hand on the Bible. She did so and made oath that she would true answers make to all questions that should be put to her touching her knowledge of the robbery and murder of one Roger Wentworth.
When she had made oath, the king's counsel said: "You may state to the court whether you were acquainted with one Roger Wentworth, a tanner of Sundridge, during his life." To which question Frances answered that she had known Roger since her childhood.
The king's counsel then put several preliminary questions which led up to the time of Roger's murder, after which he asked:—
"You may state to the court whether you saw the faces of any of the highwaymen."
"I did," answered Frances.
"Are you acquainted with one George Hamilton?" asked the lawyer.
"Yes," answered Frances. And my heart almost leaped out of my mouth in fear that her next word would mean death to an innocent man.
"You may state whether George Hamilton was one of the highwaymen who attacked and killed Roger Wentworth."
Frances paused for perhaps ten seconds, but the time seemed an hour to me, and I remember wondering how the Quaker felt.