The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 214: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

188 THE COURT OF LONDON to do evil unto me. Never received I aught from the young woman; neither shekels of gold, nor shekels of silver; and as toucheth her chastity, if she be not a virgin, of a surety it is not I that have defiled her. I took her as mine hand- maiden to serve and minister unto me, at a wage of three pounds for each fourth part of a year. And forasmuch as she hath not yet tarried with me so long a period as three months, verily is her wage not due till the term cometh. She is wroth against me, because I have rebuked her for her too great forwardness touching a certain ungodly vessel whom men do call the pot-boy at the public-house which is nearest unto my abode. But I yield her my forgiveness; nay, more, I will even pay her her wage, albeit though not yet due, and I will send for Brother Unthank Snag and Brother Crick, and bid them come with money in their hands that they may present unto this widow the ten shekels which her niece did take from her. This will I do, thou interpreter of the law,”’ added Mr. Sneaksby, apostrophizing the magistrate, ‘‘ so that there may be peace between us, and I may gird up my loins and depart! ”’ ‘‘ Amen! ”’ said Ichabod Paxwax, in a deep solemn tone. ‘‘ Have you anything to urge in your own behalf?” de- manded the magistrate of this latter individual. ‘‘ T have said it,’ was the response. | ‘Then shall I proceed to adjudicate summarily in this matter,’’ continued the magistrate. ‘‘ It is through the vile hypocrisy, the wretched cant, and the foul immoralities of such men as yourselves, that the cause of true religion is injured. I care not whether an individual be a member of the Established Church, a Dissenter, or a Catholic; so long as he is sincere, honest, and true in his professions and his practice, he is worthy of esteem and respect. Indeed, I am well aware that taking the whole body of Dissenters generally, they are in every way deserving of admiration and praise. But there are hypocrites, maw-worms, false prophets, and canting impostors in all sects and all creeds; and under the respectable cloak of Dissent, do cheats and counterfeits like you, prisoners at the bar, succeed in preying upon the credulous and unwary, the weak-minded and the ignorant. Your offence against society is all the greater, because you are the real wolves in sheep’s clothing of whom the Holy Scriptures speak. You assume the most sacred COMM|EL NCC) S (E(@) m