"As to that," I replied, "I have no complaints to offer. My grievance is that I have been brought here at all; for truly I know of nothing in the nature of treason that can be laid to my charge."
In reply to this Sir John Grenville handed Hugh Boscawen papers which he had been scanning, and on which I gathered the charge against me had been written.
"You shall yourself be the judge whether I, holding the commission I do, have not acted rightly in bringing you here; and I here repeat that nothing but respect for your name has kept me from making the matter public and treating you as others, acting as you have acted, have been treated all over the country. Indeed, I doubt whether I have done right in using the discretionary powers invested in me in such a way as to shield you from public calumny. If your conduct were bruited abroad, the brave fellows who have voluntarily armed themselves to fight for the King all up and down the country would without hesitation throw you into the deepest dungeon beneath Pendennis Castle, even if they did not at once kill you." This he said with, I thought, a sort of peacock pride, which made me, short of temper as I was, itch to make him swallow his words.
"It ill becomes one possessing your powers to condemn a man unheard," I cried hotly. "What is written on that paper I know not; this I know, if there is anything alleged against my loyalty, I will proclaim the man who wrote it a liar."
Hugh Boscawen seemed about to lose his temper, but he was restrained by Sir John Grenville, who seemed to regard me more favorably.
"Very well," he said at length, "I will relate the charges made against you. If you can clear yourself, well and good; if not, you must prepare for the consequences."
Knowing not what might be written, and fearing Otho Killigrew's cunning (for I felt sure I saw his hand in all this), I foolishly called out for a public trial.
"There is no need at present for a public trial," said Hugh Boscawen, who I could see was prejudged against me. "I am especially commissioned to deal with such as you."
"Up to about fourteen days ago," he continued, "you were known to live a useless and dissolute life. Instead of taking your part in the service of the country, your time was spent in gaming, drinking, and such like foolish pursuits. Do you deny this?"