The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

496 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
vou blind to better principles, it might have at least taught you civility.
WVhat do you complain of? I am a magistrate; and I execute a warrant,
addressed to me by the first authority in the state. I am a creditor also of
yours; and law arms me with powers to recover my own property from the
hands of an improvident debtor."
"You a magistrate!" said the Knight; "much such a magistrate as Noll
was a monarch. Your heart is up, I warrant, because you have the King's
pardon; and are replaced on the bench, forsooth, to persecute the poor
Papist. There was never turmoil in the state, but knaves had their vantage
by it-never pot boiled, but the scum was cast uppermost."
" For God's sake, my dearest husband," said Lady Peveril, " cease this
wild talk! It can but incense Master IBridgenorth, who might otherwise
consider, that in common charity "
" Incense him i" said Sir Geoffrey, impatiently interrupting her; "God'sdeath, madam, you will drive me mad! Have you lived so long in this
world, and yet expect consideration and charity from an old starved wolf
like that? And if he had it, do' you think that I, or you, madam, as my
wife, are subjects for his charity?-Julian, my poor fellow, I am sorry thou
hast come so unluckily, since thy petronel was not better loaded - but thy
credit is lost for ever as a marksman."
This angry colloquy passed so rapidly on all sides, that Julian, scarce
recovered from the extremity of astonishment with which he was overwhehned at finding himself suddenly plunged into a situation of such extremity, had no time to consider in what way he could most effectually act
for the succour of his parents. To speak Bridgenorth fair, seemed the
more prudent course; but to this his pride could hardly stoop; yet he
forced himself to say, with as much calmness as he could assume, "Master
Bridgenorth, since you act as a magistrate, I desire to be treated according
to the laws of England; and demand to know of what we are accused, and
by whose authority we are arrested?"
"Here is another howlet for ye 1" exclaimed the impetuous old Knight;
"his mother speaks to a Puritan of charity; and thou must talk of law to
a roundheaded rebel, with a wannion to you! What warrant hath he,
think ye, beyond the Parliament's or the devil's?"
"V Who speaks of the Parliament?" said a person entering, whom Peveril
recognized as the official person whom he had before seen at the horsedealer's, and who now bustled in with all the conscious dignity of plenary
authority, - "Who talks of the Parliament?" he exclaimed. "I promise
you, enough has been found in this house to convict twenty plotters —Here
be arms, and that good store. Bring them in, Captain."
" The very same," exclaimed the Captain, approaching, "which I mention in my printed Narrative of Im1formation, lodged before the IHonourable
House of Commons; they were commissioned from old Vander Iluys of
Rotterdam, by orders of Don John of Austria, for the service of the Jesuits."
"' Now, by this light," said Sir Geoffrey, " they are the pikes, musketoons,
and pistols, that have been hidden in the garret ever since Naseby fight!"
"And here," said the Captain's yoke-fellow, Everett, " are proper priest's
trappings - antiphoners, and missals, and copes, I warrant you - ay, and
proper pictures, too, for Papists to mutter and bow over."
"Now plague on thy snuffling whine," said Sir Geoffrey; "here is a
rascal will swear my grandmother's old farthingale to be priest's vestments,
and the story book of Owlenspiegel, a Popish missal!'"
"But how's this, Master Bridgenorth?" said Topham, addressing the
magistrate; "your honour has been as busy as we have; and you have
caught another knave while we recovered these toys."
"I think, sir," said Julian, "if you look into your warrant, which, if I
mistake not, names the persons whom you are directed to arrest, you will
find you have no title to apprehend me."