“Such, sir,” said Mr. Eden, “is the law of England, and the men who laid down our prison rules were not so ignorant or unscrupulous as to run their head against the statute law of the land. Nowhere in our prison rules will you find any power given to our jailer to punish any but minor offenses, or to punish any prisoner more than once, or to inflict any variety of punishments. Such are this jailer's powers--now for his acts and their consequences--follow me.” “Evans, open this cell. Jenkyns, what are you in prison for?” “For running away from sarvice, your reverence.” “How often have you been punished since you came?” “A good many times, your reverence.” “By the visiting justices?” “No, sir! I was never punished by them, only by the governor.” “What have been your offenses?” “I don't know, sir. I never meant to offend at all, but I am not very strong, and the governor he puts me on a heavy crank and then I can't always do the work, and I suppose he thinks it is for want of the will, and so he gives it me.” “How has he punished you?” “Oh! sometimes it is clamming; nothing but a twopenny roll all day, and kept to hard work all the same; sometimes my bed taken away, you know, sir, but mostly the punishment jacket.” Mr. Lacy. “The punishment jacket; what is that?” Mr. Eden. “Look in the prison rules and see if you can find a punishment jacket; meantime come with me. Two gross violations of the law--repetition of punishment and variety of punishments. Evans, open this cell. What are you in for?” Prisoner (taking off his cap politely). “Burglary, gentlemen.” “Have you been often refractory since you came here?” “Once or twice, sir. But--” “But what?” “These gentlemen are the visiting justices?” “Yes!” “They would be offended if I told the truth.” Mr. Lacy. “I am here from the Secretary of State, and I bid you tell the truth.” Prisoner. “Oh! are you, sir; well, then, the truth is, I never was refractory but once.” Mr. Lacy. “Oh! you were refractory once?” Prisoner. “Yes, sir!” Mr. Lacy. “How came that?” Prisoner. “Well, sir! it was the first week. I had never been in a separate cell before, and it drove me mad; no one came near me or spoke a word to me, and I turned savage; I didn't know myself, and I broke everything in the cell.” Mr. Eden. “And the other times?” Prisoner. “The other times, sir, I was called refractory but I was not.” Mr. Eden. “What punishments have been inflicted on you by the governor?” Prisoner. “Well, sir! the black-cell, bread and water, and none of that; took away my gas once or twice, but generally it was the punishment jacket.” Mr. Lacy. “Hum! the punishment jacket.” Mr. Eden. “How long since you had the punishment jacket?” Prisoner. “No longer than yesterday.” Mr. Eden. “Strip, my man, and let us look at your back.” The prisoner stripped and showed his back, striped livid and red by the cutting straps.