could indict, and confined him, without any intention to prosecute, till
he ransomed himself. They prosecuted the mayors and other magistrates of
the city of London, for pretended or trivial neglects of duty, long
after the time of the alleged offences; subservient judges imposed
enormous fines, and the king imprisoned during his own life some of the
contumacious offenders. Alderman Hawes is said to have died heartbroken
by the terror and anguish of these proceedings. [6] They imprisoned and
fined juries who hesitated to lend their aid when it was deemed
convenient to seek it. To these, Lord Bacon tells us, were added "other
courses fitter to be buried than repeated."[7] Emboldened by long
success, they at last disdained to observe "_the half face of
justice_,"[8] but summoning the wealthy and timid before them in private
houses, "shuffled up" a summary examination without a jury, and levied
such exactions as were measured only by the fears and fortunes of their
victims.--_Mackintosh's England_, Vol. 2.

[4] Bacon, iii. 409.

[5] Ibid. iii. 380.

[6] See examples in Bacon, iii.

[7] Bacon, iii. 382.

[8] E: Ibid. 381.


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