this
Offence indeed the Attorney was acquitted by not admitting the Proof of the
Party who was to avoid his own Deed, by his Evidence; and therefore no Witness,
according to those excellent Rules, called the Law of Evidence; a Law very
excellently calculated for the Preservation of the Lives of his Majesty's
roguish Subjects, and most notably used for that Purpose.
    But tho' by common Law the Attorney was honourably acquitted; yet as common
Sense manifested to every one that he was guilty, he unhappily lost his
Reputation, and of Consequence his Business; the Chagrin of which latter soon
put an End to his Life.
    This Prosecution had been attended with a very great Expence; for besides
the ordinary Costs of avoiding the Gallows by the Help of the Law, there was a
very high Article of no less than a thousand Pounds paid down to remove out of
the Way a Witness, against whom there was no legal Exception. The poor Gentleman
had besides suffered some Losses in Business; so that to the Surprise of all his
Acquaintance, when his Debts were paid there remained no more than a small
Estate of fourscore Pounds a Year, which he settled upon his Daughter, far out
of the Reach of her Husband, and about two hundred Pounds in Money.
    The old Gentleman had not long been in his Grave, before Trent set himself
to consider seriously of the State of his Affairs. He had lately begun to look
on his Wife with a much less Degree of liking and Desire than formerly; for he
was one of those who think too much of one thing is good for nothing. Indeed he
had indulged these Speculations so far, that I believe his Wife, though one of
the prettiest Women in Town, was the last Subject that he would have chose for
any amorous Dalliance.
    Many other Persons however, greatly differed from him in this Opinion.
Amongst the rest was the illustrious Peer of amorous Memory. This noble Peer
having therefore got a View of Mrs. Trent one Day in the Street, did, by Means
of an Emissary then with him, make himself acquainted with her Lodging, to which
he immediately laid Siege in Form, setting himself down in a Lodging directly
opposite to her, from whence the Battery of Ogles began to play the very next
Morning.
    This Siege had not continued long before the Governor of the Garrison became
sufficiently apprised of all the Works which were carrying on, and having well
reconnoitred the Enemy, and discovered who he was, notwithstanding a false Name,
and some Disguise of his Person, he called a Council of War within his own
Breast.