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ful admiration of Helen's intrepidity and pre sence of mind. Agreeably to her promise, Lady Trevanian and the remaining ladies soon after withdrew; Goldingham also, astounded at the discovery he had made, retired at an early hour, that he might deliberate how he should act in a dilemma not less puzzling than alarming; and the dining-room party were thus left to the uninterrupted prosecution of their Bacchanalian orgies,

Jeffreys was the first to set the example of deep potations to his boozing companions, although he affected at the outset a certain degree of moderation. "I remember," he said, exhi biting his ring, "that when his late blessed Majesty, who is now in Heaven, took this jewel from his own finger, he cautioned me, as the season was hot, not to drink too much; and I have ever since looked upon it as a Mentor, whose warning I must observe, or expect, like Prince Amurath, to be turned into a beast for neglecting it." The prickings, however, of this finger-conscience were soon disregarded, and the metamorphose he expected was fully realized.

A narrow flint glass, of a yard long, being produced, he filled it with wine, infused into it an intoxicating preparation of the late King's, known by the name of Charles's Salutiferous Drops, a custom which he said he had originally learnt from poor Tom Chiffinch; and going down upon his knees, very piously drank the health of his most sacred Majesty, James the Second. This example, followed by all the others, served as a prelude to a succession of deep, unflinching draughts, whose effects soon became audible in the screeching riotous merriment of the party. The Squire whooped, and roared out his drinking songs like a Stentor. Jeffreys laughed amain. Tobacco and pipes were introduced, and as the topers quickly got beyond wine, bottles of spirit of clary, and Nantz brandy, with tankards of flip and punch, were clamorously called for, and madly quaffed. A fellow of the name of Montfort, who had been a comedian, and was kept by Jeffreys to amuse him in his drunken moods with mimicry and buffoonery, was now introduced to play off his antics before him; Chinnery and this zany sang obscene

songs, or fawned upon him with the most fulsome flattery; and the great man, usually so haughty and distant even to his equals, pawed, and kissed, and slobbered these low wretches, with all the maudlin love of slavering and hiccoughing intoxication. Between one and two o'clock of the morning, such of the party as could still stand, a description which embraced only three or four besides Jeffreys and the Squire, got up to dance together. They reeled blindly about the room till they tumbled over one another; and the Lord Chief Justice was finally carried to bed by Lord Trevanian's servants, in a state of utter insensibility.

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CHAPTER IV.

My golden locks time hath to silver turn'd,

(Oh! time too swift, and swiftness never ceasing!) My youth 'gainst age, and age at youth hath spurn'd ; But spurn'd in vain; youth waineth by increasing.

My helmet now shall make a hive for bees,
And lover's lays shall turn to holy psalms;
A man-at-arms must now sit on his knees,
And feed on prayers that are old age's alms."

SUCH a jolly dog and egregious drinker as the Judge had proved himself at the end of this carousal was sure to win the heart of the Squire, who termed him an honest, brandy-faced wassailer, a fine, swaggering kill-cow, a hot Burgundian, and a glorious, rantipole, unflinching toper, who, when he was once in for a

his

drunken bout, saw the thing fairly out to the last. He would have gone over himself to Harpsden Hall, on the following morning, to pay his respects to such an exalted character, but that he had some engagement at home, and he therefore dispatched Chinnery to convey compliments, and make inquiries concerning his Lordship's health. The ambassador was illselected, considering the party to whom he was deputed; and the manner in which he acquitted himself of his mission was precisely the last he should have adopted. Presuming upon tipsy familiarity with which he had been hugged and kissed in their over-night's debauch, he ventured to address his Lordship in the same strain, complimenting him in slang language upon his powers of drinking, as well as his jovial freaks, and declaring that he had never laughed more heartily than when he saw him dancing about the room in his judge's wig.

Of whom, and to whom are you speaking, sirrah? What lewd ribald, what filthy buffoon, what low-lived sot is this?" said Jeffreys, knitting his terrible brows, and assuming a look

the

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