"Which I _will_ pay."

"You hear what this man says, Mounchensey?" Sir Giles cried. "You have
been guilty of the same offence as he. Why should you not be similarly
punished?"

"If I were so punished, I would stab my prosecutor to the heart,"
Jocelyn replied.

At this rejoinder, Lanyere, who had hitherto kept his eyes on the
ground, suddenly raised them, with a look of singular expression at the
speaker.

"Humph!" Sir Giles ejaculated. "I must proceed to extremities with him,
I find. Keep strict watch upon him, Lanyere; and follow him if he goes
forth. Trace him to his lair. Now to business. Give me the
letters-patent, Lupo," he added, turning to the scrivener, as Lanyere
retired. "These Letters-Patent," continued Sir Giles, taking two
parchment scrolls with large seals pendent from them from Lupo Vulp, and
displaying them to the assemblage, "these Royal Letters," he repeated in
his steady, stern tones, and glancing round with a look of
half-defiance, "passed under the great seal, and bearing the king's
sign-manual, as ye see, gentlemen, constitute the authority on which I
act. They accord to me and my co-patentee, Sir Francis Mitchell,
absolute and uncontrolled power and discretion in granting and refusing
licenses to all tavern-keepers and hostel-keepers throughout London.
They give us full power to enter and inspect all taverns and hostels, at
any time that may seem fit to us; to prevent any unlawful games being
used therein; and to see that good order and rule be maintained. They
also render it compulsory upon all ale-house-keepers, tavern-keepers,