Our counsel assured us of a complete victory, and
that banishment would be the mildest award of the law on the
offender. Mark how different was the result! From the shifts and
ambiguities of a wicked Bench, who had a fellow-feeling of
iniquity with the defenders, my suit was lost, the graceless
libertine was absolved, and I was incarcerated, and bound over to
keep the peace, with heavy penalties, before I was set at liberty.
I was exceedingly disgusted at this issue, and blamed the counsel
of my friend to his face. He expressed great grief, and expatiated
on the wickedness of our judicatories, adding: "I see I cannot
depend on you for quick and summary measures, but for your
sake I shall be revenged on that wicked judge, and that you shall
see in a few days." The Lord Justice Clerk died that same week!
But he died in his own house and his own bed, and by what
means my friend effected it I do not know. He would not tell me
a single word of the matter, but the judge's sudden death made a
great noise, and I made so many curious inquiries regarding the
particulars of it that some suspicions were like to attach to our
family of some unfair means used.
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