"My noble Lord and benefactor, a worthy gentleman within our bounds of censure and controul, lodged a complaint with us against two of his servants that had been tempted by the devil to fall into lawless and sinful communication; and notwithstanding of all his admonitions and threatenings of church discipline, they not only continued in their mal-practices, but every day grew worse and more abandoned. He therefore prayed us to take cognizance of the offence, which, for the sake of their souls, and the general benefit of our community, we undertook. Accordingly, my lord, as he suggested, we went disguised as strangers, and at midnight we found this same young gentleman lying snugly in bed beside our friend's principal maid-servant, the very maiden to whom he had entrusted the care of his children, one of whom lay in the bed with them. Think of the atrocity of this my lord, and look at the man!" The judge did so, and could not help smiling. "What do you say to that master?" said he, "Is it truth?" "Yes," said I. This answer made him burst out a laughing. "Upon my word," said he, "you are a most extraordinary youth! Was the girl pretty, say you, monk?" "The woman was indeed very beautiful, my lord." "She has been blessed, however, with a singular taste. I think the stripling may almost be excused for this crime." The monk then related the circumstances of the stolen money having been found on me, at which the judge shook his head, and said, "Alak, it is all over with him. He is unfit to live. What do you say to this, sirrah? Is it true?" "Yes," said I. "True that you stole your master's money?" said he. "No, I never stole it, but it is true that it was there." "What? you found it I suppose? Tell me the truth, did not you find it?" "No, I never found it, nor ever saw it till it was taken out of my coat yesterday. I never had either gold or silver in my hand in my life." "Your woman took it and sewed it in for you, then, I suppose?" "I do not know who took it, or how it came there, but there it certainly was." "Did you ever part with your coat to your sweetheart? Did you ever lend her it to mend, or leave it at home with her?" "I have often on warm weather left my coat at home for three or four days rinning." "But you declare you did not take the money?" "I never saw the money, nor heard of it till yesterday." When I said this, he looked stedfastly on me as if he had discovered something he saw not before. There was no man on earth could discover truth like Lord William. "Who is this youth's accuser?" said he. They told him it was sleeky Tam.