The place where she went to them
was to the Swan Chamber, where the two judges and many justices and
gentry of the country were in company together. She then, coming
into the chamber with abashed face and a trembling heart, began her
errand to them in this manner.
WOMAN. My lord-directing herself to Judge Hale--I make bold to come
once again to your lordship to know what may be done with my
husband.
JUDGE HALE. To whom he said, Woman, I told thee before I could do
thee no good, because they have taken that for a conviction which
thy husband spoke at the sessions; and unless there be something
done to undo that, I can do thee no good.
WOMAN. My lord, said she, he is kept unlawfully in prison; they
clapped him up before there was any proclamation against the
meetings; the indictment also is false; besides, they never asked
him whether he was guilty or no; neither did he confess the
indictment.
ONE OF THE JUSTICES. Then one of the Justices that stood by, whom
she knew not, said, My lord, he was lawfully convicted.
WOMAN. It is false, said she; for when they said to him, Do you
confess the indictment? he said only this, that he had been at
several meetings, both where there was preaching the word and
prayer, and that they had God's presence among them.
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