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.

568 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
breeches of quilted silk, so closely stitched, and of such thickness, as to be
proof against either bullet or steel; while a thick bonnet of the same materials,, with ear-flaps attached to it, and, on the whole, much resembling a
night-cap, completed the equipment, and ascertained the security of the
wearer from the head to the knee.
Master Maulstatute, among other worthy citizens, had adopted this singular panoply, which had the advantage of being soft, and warm, and
flexible, as well as safe. And he now sat in his judicial elbow-chair-a
short, rotund figure, hung round, as it were, with cushions, for such was
the appearance of the quilted garments; and with a nose protruded from
under the silken casque, the size of which, together with the unwieldiness
of the whole figure, gave his worship no indifferent resemblance to the sign
of the Hog in Armour, which was considerably improved by the defensive
garment being of a dusty orange-colour, not altogether unlike the hue of
those half-wild swine which are to be found in the forests of Hampshire.
Secure in these invulnerable envelopments, his worship had rested content,
although severed from his own death-doing weapons, of rapier, poniard, and
pistols, which were placed, nevertheless, at no great distance from his chair.
One offensive implement, indeed, he thought it prudent to keep on the table
beside his huge Coke upon Lyttleton. This was a sort of pocket-flail,
consisting of a piece of strong ash, about eighteen inches long, to which was
attached a swinging club of lignum-vitce, nearly twice as long as the handle,
but jointed so as to be easily folded up, This instrument, which bore at
that time the singular name of the Protestant flail, might be concealed under
the coat, until circumstances demanded its public appearance. A better
precaution against surprise than his arms, whether offensive or defensive,
was a strong iron grating, which, crossing the room in front of the Justice's
table, and communicating by a grated door, which was usually kept locked,
effectually separated the accused party from his judge.
Justice Maulstatute, such as we have described him, chose to hear the
accusation of the witnesses before calling on Peveril for his defence. The
detail of the affray was briefly given by the bystanders, and sdemed deeply
to touch the spirit of the examinator. He shook his silken casque emphatically, when he understood that, after some language betwixt the parties,
which the witnesses did not quite understand, the young man in custody
struck the first blow, and drew his sword before the wounded party had
unsheathed his weapon. Again he shook his crested head yet more
solemnly, when the result of the conflict was known; and yet again, when
one of the witnesses declared, that, to the best of his knowledge, the sufferer
in the fray was a gentleman belonging to the household of his Grace the
Duke of Buckingham.
" A worthy peer," quoth the armed magistrate-" a true Protestant, and
a friend to his country. Mercy on us, to what a height of audacity hath
this age arisen! We see well, and could, were we as blind as a mole, out
of what quiver this shaft hath been drawn."
He then put on his spectacles, and having desired Julian to be brought
forward, he glared upon him awfully with those glazen eyes, from under the
shade of his quilted turban.
" So young," he said, " and so hardened -lack-a-day!- and a Papist,
I'll warrant."
carry their provisions no farther; for truly they intended to be assailants upon fair occasion, and had for that
end recommended to them a certain pocket weapon, which, for its design and efficacy, had the honour to be
called a Protestant flail. It was for street and crowd work, and the instrument, lurking perdue in a coatpocket, might readily sally out to execution, and by clearing a great hall, piazza, or so, carry an election, by a
choice way of polling called' knocking down'''he handle resembled a farrier's blood-stick, and the fall
was joined to the end by a strong nervous ligature, that in its swing fell short of the hand, and was made of
lig.ltn-viite, or rather, as the poet termed it, morlis." —Examen, p. 173.
This last weapon will eremind the reader of the blood-stick so cruelly used, as was alleged, in a murder
committed in England some years ago, an-d for a participation in which two persons were tried and acquitted
at the assizes of autumn, 1830,