During this speech, which was much longer than I have given it, I noticed
that the king was restless, and I suspected that, in his heart, his
Majesty was cursing the judge for a fool.
When the judge sat down, the Grand Jury was summoned, and in a few
minutes the wheels of justice were ready to turn. In proceedings of this
nature, there is no prisoner at bar; therefore no one is in court save
the crown by its counsel, the purpose being only to obtain information
upon which a true bill or indictment may be found against some one
suspected of the crime under investigation.
After all was ready, the sheriff escorted Frances to the witness stand,
and the judge asked her to place her hand on the Bible. She did so and
made oath that she would true answers make to all questions that should
be put to her touching her knowledge of the robbery and murder of one
Roger Wentworth.
When she had made oath, the king's counsel said: "You may state to the
court whether you were acquainted with one Roger Wentworth, a tanner of
Sundridge, during his life." To which question Frances answered that she
had known Roger since her childhood.
The king's counsel then put several preliminary questions which led up to
the time of Roger's murder, after which he asked:--
"You may state to the court whether you saw the faces of any of the
highwaymen."
"I did," answered Frances.
"Are you acquainted with one George Hamilton?" asked the lawyer.
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