Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-06-13
Judicial Murder by Drunken" Judge.

The following is u spirited account of the triad
and conviction, before the notorious Judge JEFF
fries, of Lady Lise, noble English lady, of
high character, for the alleged crime of giving
shelter to persons -Presby bytcrians-uureasonabl
suspected in those tyrannieal times, of treason
to the King:
! 1t was hot September day, that the court at
Winchester was dcnsely throngcd, and yet, amid
that vast multitude Of agitated faces, there were
two, who, both from prominence aud contrast,
claimed instant attention as the priucipa prtson-
agrS One, clothed in scarlet and ermine, sat
unpn the judgment seat. The enormous wig
with its row o stiff gray curls, could not conceal
or soften the hery neaments of his massive faee
on ground work of purply crimson. a pair Of
enormous bushy eyebrows met over the swollen
nose. and shaded somewhat the keen elancps
of an eye that had hyena glare. Few could
| bear unmoved the gaze OF those terrible eyes
! Fierce hy nature, evil habits and bad passions,
combined with boundless ambition, had made their
possesser able to add to the terror they nsplr-
ed. He prided himself upon striking dismay iato
all hearts, and cultivated mode of speech that
ably seconded the terrors of his presence But
for once the prisoner atihe bar had not Quailea
as he fixed his dreadful eyes upon her. Her
calmncss was, to the full ms wonderful rs the
Judges rage. Men looked from the fiery meteor
on the bench to the lady. pale and calm her gray
hair neatly braided from her thoughtful brow, her
sOlb eyes pihCluiy HNcu NllU u look OF ply GU
the Judge, with knitted silk mittcns. folded before
her her whole figure us she sat ifor "A chair the
Judge had been shamed into granting hcr,) pre-
senting picture OF tranquility. Her caimncss
| stung him evidently, so that in questioning the
witnesses he was even more than ordinary herce
and it was well known that for his task of that
day he had primed himself with double portion
of alcoholic stimnlant. One witness. who was
called to prove that Lady Lisle had no fugitves
in her house, or meetings of suspected persons,
at or after the battle of Sedgemore, was 50 scared
by the looks of the Judge that he was struck
dumb and could not answer.
"Oh. how hard the truth is - roared the Judge,
" to come out OF II lying Prcshy yterian knave.--
How can one help ubhorring both these men aud
their religion Was there ever such an impudcnt
rascal? Hold the candle TO him that we may
see his brazen face"
And when Lady Lisc, in her defense, said she
knew Of the man rs man of peace, and divine
only, not as engaged in political strife Jeifries
roared, /" Show me II Presbyterian, aud III show
thee lying knave."
The jury sckened at the scene. retired. They
were already exhausted with the length of the
proceedings /; but, though they knew the Judge
was against the prisoner, they returned n verdict
of Not Guilty - on the lips of their foreman;
but the Judge brow-b beat them and sent them
back. They could not comprehend what crime
there was in her deed. But the Judge, furious
with wine and rage, would evidently receive
with foul words aud bitter threats. All England
was men In panic ui fear. The hnngings at
Taunton by Kirke and his troops, the sutfcrings
OF prisoners in pcstilenlial jals, had filled mems
minds with horror. No one knew where next
the hand of tyranny might strike. Sick and
iamshed The jury retired again and again they
sent messages of inquiry Lady Lslc had shell
tered the men--had known one long rs Il faithful
minister of God's word. She was the widow Of
m active parliamentary man in the old contest.
She was guilty OF all that, certainly. Aud so ut
length, harrnsscd, threatened and tormented,
they brought in verdict OF gully, though rs
they tried to explain, they knew not OF what
crime. 1t was enough-they bad sealed her
doom. While they were celebrating for four
hours, the accused, tired with the days proceed
ing1 had sunk into gentle slumber. Her
daughter stood by her aud hcld the aged
lady's headthe light fell upon the sleeping
face, calm us infancy. The word guilty sent
II thrill OF horror through the court. The
Judge knitting his terrible br0ws, proceeded to
pronounce the sentence with IL tiendish chucklG.
The Lady Lise was sentenced TO be burned. She
was rousod by the Judges command to hear tho
frighttul words She looked ut hm with pity
ing wonder, as ut some strange, fearful creature
whose existence was painful! mystery, then,
turning to the court, that sat In hush of horror.
she rose, dropped The slow, stately courtesy that
had been the fashion OF her day, to the bench,
aud, resting her hand on the arm OF the jailer,
withdrcw-a low moan, the conAuent sob OF the
whole assembly, followed her. Jeffries drank
deep that night. lie had to steel himself for
deeds that have made his name u by-word thro'-
out the land and ally was potent in the
odious Western Assze OF 1855 as brandy. One
lenily alone, after many cntreaties, was granted
to Lady Lisle-she was allowed TO be beheaded
instead of burned. Aud England witnessed the
atrocity Of virtu0us woman, seventy years Of
age, laying her gray head upon the block, for no
other fault than that o humane hospitnlity-a
al al
nounced hy the enemy of her husband, a re.
veugelul drunkard, aud condemned to u righlul
death by loathsome dguukard. The visitor "
The House Of Parliament may see among the
frescos that adorn its walls representation Of
the capture OF Lady Alice Lisle.