Jud. I must tell you, mistress, that you give too much liberty to your tongue, and are guilty of as much injustice as that of which you complain, I should be sorry, indeed, if the young gentlemen of this school deserved the general character of liars. You will find among us, I hope, as just a sense of what is right and honourable, as among those who are older; and our worthy master certainly would not permit us to try offences in this manner, if he thought us capable of bearing false witness in each other’s favour.
Wid. I ask your lordship’s pardon, I did not mean to offend: but it is a heavy loss for a poor woman, and though I did not catch the boy in the fact, he was the nearest when it was done.
Jud. As this is no more than a suspicion, and he has the positive evidence of his schoolfellow in his favour, it will be impossible to convict him, consistently with the rules of justice. Have you discovered any other circumstance that may point out the offender?
Wid. My lord, next morning Jack found on the floor this top, which I suppose the window was broken with.
Jud. Hand it up—here, gentlemen of the jury, please to examine it, and see if you can discover anything of its owner.
Juryman. Here is P. R. cut upon it.
Another. Yes, and I am sure I remember Peter Riot’s having just such a one.
Another. So do I.
Jud. Master Riot, is this your top?
Riot. I don’t know, my lord, perhaps it may be mine; I have had a great many tops, and when I have done with them, I throw them away, and anybody may pick them up that pleases. You see it has lost its peg.