BAILIFF.—"_Taste us! By the Lord, madam, they devour us._"—_p._ 292. ] BAILIFF. That's all my eye. The king only can pardon, as the law says; for set in case—— HONEYW. I'm quite of your opinion, sir. I see the whole drift of your argument. Yes, certainly our presuming to pardon any work, is arrogating a power that belongs to another. If all have power to condemn, what writer can be free? BAILIFF. By his habus corpus. His habus corpus can set him free at any time. For set in case— HONEYW. I'm obliged to you, sir, for the hint. If madam, as my friend observes, our laws are so careful of a gentleman's person, sure we ought to be equally careful of his dearer part, his fame. FOLLOWER. Ay, but if so be a man's nabbed, you know— HONEYW. Mr. Flanigan, if you spoke for ever, you could not improve the last observation. For my own part, I think it conclusive. BAILIFF. As for the matter of that, mayhap—— HONEYW. Nay, sir, give me leave in this instance to be positive. For where is the necessity of censuring works without genius, which must shortly sink of themselves: what is it, but aiming our unnecessary blow against a victim already under the hands of justice? BAILIFF. Justice! O, by the elevens, if you talk about justice, I think I am at home there; for, in a course of law— HONEYW. My dear Mr. Twitch, I discern what you'd be at perfectly, and I believe the lady must be sensible of the art with which it is introduced. I suppose you perceive the meaning, madam, of his course of law? MISS RICH. I protest, sir, I do not. I perceive only that you answer one gentleman before he has finished, and the other before he has well begun. BAILIFF. Madam, you are a gentlewoman, and I will make the matter out. This here question is about severity and justice, and pardon, and the like of they. Now to explain the thing— HONEYW. O! curse your explanations. _Aside._ _Enter_ SERVANT. SERVANT. Mr. Leontine, sir, below, desires to speak with you upon earnest business. HONEYW. That's lucky (_aside._) Dear madam, you'll excuse me, and my good friends here, for a few minutes. There are books, madam, to amuse you. Come, gentlemen, you know I make no ceremony with such friends. After you, sir. Excuse me. Well, if I must; but I know your natural politeness. BAILIFF. Before and behind, you know. FOLLOWER. Ay, ay, before and behind, before and behind. [_Exeunt_ HONEYWOOD, BAILIFF, _and_ FOLLOWER. MISS RICH. What can all this mean, Garnet? GARNET. Mean, madam? why, what should it mean, but what Mr. Lofty sent you here to see? These people he calls officers, are officers sure enough: sheriff's officers; bailiffs, madam. MISS RICH. Ay, it is certainly so. Well, though his perplexities are far from giving me pleasure; yet I own there's something very ridiculous in them, and a just punishment for his dissimulation.