WOMAN. My lord, said she, I was a while since at London, to see if I could get my husband's liberty; and there I spoke with my Lord Burkwood, one of the House of Lords, to whom I delivered a petition, who took it of me and presented it to some of the rest of the House of Lords for my husband's releasement; who, when they had seen it, said that they could not release him, but had committed his releasement to the judges at the next assizes. This he told me; and now I come to you to see if any thing can be done in this business, and you give neither releasement nor relief. To which they gave her no answer, but made as if they heard her not. CHESTER. Only Justice Chester was often up with this, He is convicted, and it is recorded. WOMAN. If it be, it is false, said she. CHESTER. My lord, said Justice Chester, he is a pestilent fellow; there is not such a fellow in the country again. TWISDON. What, will your husband leave preaching? If he will do so, then send for him. WOMAN. My lord, said she, he dares not leave preaching as long as he can speak. TWISDON. See here: what should we talk any more about such a fellow? Must he do what he lists? He is a breaker of the peace. WOMAN. She told him again, that he desired to live peaceably and to follow his calling, that his family might be maintained; and moreover said, My lord, I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind; and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people. HALE. Whereat Justice Hale, looking very soberly on the matter, said, Alas, poor woman! TWISDON. But Judge Twisdon told her that she made poverty her cloak; and said, moreover, that he understood I was maintained better by running up and down a preaching, than by following my calling. HALE. What is his calling? said Judge Hale. ANSWER. Then some of the company that stood by said, A tinker, my lord. WOMAN. Yes, said she, and because he is a tinker and a poor man, therefore he is despised and cannot have justice. HALE. Then Judge Hale answered, very mildly, saying, I tell thee, woman, seeing it is so that they have taken what thy husband spake for a conviction, thou must apply thyself to the king, or sue out his pardon, or get out a writ of error. CHESTER. But when Justice Chester heard him give her this counsel, and especially, as she supposed, because he spoke of a writ of error, he chafed and seemed to be very much offended, saying, My lord, he will preach and do what he lists. WOMAN. He preacheth nothing but the word of God, said she. TWISDON. He preach the word of God! said Twisdon--and withal she thought he would have struck her--he runneth up and down and doeth harm. WOMAN. No, my lord, said she, it is not so; God hath owned him, and done much good by him. TWISDON. God! said he; his doctrine is the doctrine of the devil. WOMAN. My lord, said she, when the righteous Judge shall appear, it will be known that his doctrine is not the doctrine of the devil.