declare the same, but to recite what words the accuser used in his
invective, what answer the defender made, the orations and pleadings of
each party, verily I am not able to doe: for I was fast bound at the
manger. But as I learned and knew by others, I will God willing declare
unto you. So it was ordered, that after the pleadings of both sides was
ended, they thought best to try and boult out the verity by witnesses,
all presumptions and likelihood set apart, and to call in the servant,
who onely was reported to know all the matter: by and by the servant
came in, who nothing abashed, at the feare of so great a judgment, or
at the presence of the Judges, or at his owne guilty conscience, which
hee so finely fained, but with a bold countenance presented himselfe
before the justices and confirmed the accusation against the young man,
saying: O yee judges, on a day when this young man loathed and hated
his stepmother, hee called mee, desiring mee to poyson his brother,
whereby hee might revenge himselfe, and if I would doe it and keepe the
matter secret, hee promised to give me a good reward for my paines: but
when the young man perceived that I would not accord to his will, he
threatned to slay mee, whereupon hee went himselfe and bought poyson,
and after tempered it with wine, and then gave it me to give the child,
which when I refused he offered it to his brother with his own hands.
When the varlet with a trembling countenance had ended these words
which seemed a likelihood of truth, the judgement was ended: neither
was there found any judge or counsellor, so mercifull to the young man
accused, as would not judge him culpable, but that he should be put and
sowne in a skin, with a dogge, a Cocke, a Snake, and an Ape, according
to the law against parricides: wherefore they wanted nothing but (as
the ancient custome was) to put white stones and black into a pot, and
to take them out againe, to see whether the young-man accused should be
acquitted by judgment or condemned, which was a thing irrevocable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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