London (England) -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
The only persons who now came to the cell were Lord Brockenhurst and Mr.
Dewberry the attorney, not to speak of the Governor of the Prison, who
came daily to ask after his fair prisoner's health. His Lordship let us
know day by day concerning the efforts being made on Jenny's behalf. The
reason why they were so slow was partly due to a feeling on the part of
the Judge that though the motive of the prisoner might be good she had
confessed to a heinous crime, and the Law must not be made ridiculous.
Therefore, a few weeks of prison should be allowed, whatever was done
afterwards, in vindication of the Majesty of the Law. 'But,' said Lord
Brockenhurst, 'he is at least on your side. So much I know for a fact.
It is a great thing to have the Judge on your side.' He also told us
that the Counsel for the Prosecution, a gentleman of great eminence in
the Law, was also very active on our behalf: that the Jurymen had drawn
up a petition and signed it unanimously for Jenny's pardon and release:
that the Queen was also reported to be interested in the case and in
favour of clemency, the whole circumstances being so unusual and the
behaviour of the prisoner so strangely actuated by filial affection even
towards an unworthy object: and that the general opinion of the people
was that it was impossible to suppose that a woman in Jenny's position,
commanding receipts of thousands every night of a masquerade, could
condescend to so low and miserable a business as receiving a bundle of
stolen goods, not worth a couple of guineas altogether, with the
assistance of wretched confederates whose evidence might hang her: and
further that the minds of the people being made up they thought no more
about the matter. In a word, that all was going well, but we must wait:
he could not tell us how long, and possess our souls in patience.
'If only we do not die of gaol fever,' Jenny sighed. 'Faugh! To die in
the reek and the stench of this place. My Lord, I am always your most
obliged servant. Perhaps the Judge would consider his opinion and give
me at least the choice of death. Let me die like my own people. They lie
down in a little tent which keeps off the cold rain and the hot sun: on
their backs they lie looking through the open front at the sky and the
clouds and presently they shut their eyes and their limbs grow cold.
Then they are buried in the hedge without coffin or winding-sheet.'
'And without prayers,' said his Lordship. 'Dear Madame, they are not
your people. There was never yet gipsy with fair hair and blue eyes. You
shall not die in a tent, but in a bed with those who love you weeping
over you. And you shall be borne to a marble tomb in the Church with the
singing men and the boys chanting the service for the good of your
soul.'
The doctrine was unsound, but the meaning of his Lordship was good.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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