when the watch came they said, "Gentlemen, why do you
walk with your swords drawn?" Says my Lord Mohun, "I am a
peer of England--touch me if you dare!" Then the watch
left them, and they went away; and a little after there
was a cry of "murder." And that is all I know, my lord.'

When at the close of the case Lord Mohun was asked if he had anything to
say in his defence, he answered:

"My lords, I hope it will be no disadvantage to me my not
summing up my evidence like a lawyer. I think I have
made it plainly appear that there never was any formal
quarrel or malice between Mr Montford and me. I have also
made appear the reason why we stayed so long in the
street, which was for Mr Hill to speak with Mrs
Bracegirdle and ask her pardon, and I stayed with him as
my friend. So plainly appeareth I had no hand in killing
Mr Montford, and upon the confidence of my own innocency
I surrendered myself to this honourable house, where I
know I shall have all the justice in the world."

The trial, which lasted five days, resulted in a verdict of
acquittal--sixty-nine peers voting Lord Mohun "Not Guilty," and fourteen
finding him "Guilty."

One would have thought that such a severe lesson and narrow escape would
have given Mohun pause in his career of vice and crime. On the contrary,
it seems merely to have whetted his appetite for similar adventures. He
plunged into still deeper dissipation; one mad revel succeeded another;
duel followed duel, all without provocation on any part but his own. He