O most reverend and just Judges, the thing which I propose to declare to
you is no small matter, but toucheth the estate and tranquillity of this
whole City, and the punishment thereof may be a right good example to
others. Wherefore I pray you most venerable Fathers, to whom and every
one of whom it doth appertain, to provide for the dignity and safety of
the Commonweale, that you would in no wise suffer this wicked Homicide,
embrued with the bloud of so many murthered citisens, to escape
unpunished. And thinke you not that I am moved thereunto by envy or
hatred, but by reason of my office, in that I am captain of the night
Watch, and because no man alive should accuse mee to bee remisse in the
same I wil declare all the whole matter, orderly as it was done last
night.

This night past, when as at our accustomed houre I diligently searched
every part of the City, behold I fortuned to espy this cruell young man
drawing out his sword against three Citisens, and after a long combat
foughten between them, he murthered one after another miserably: which
when hee had done, moved in his conscience at so great a crime hee ran
away, and aided by the reason of darknes, slipt into a house, and there
lay hidden all night, but by the providence of the Gods, which suffereth
no heynous offence to pass unpunished, hee was taken by us this morning
before he escaped any further, and so brought hither to your honourable
presence to receive his desert accordingly.

So have you here a guilty person, a culpable homicide, and an accused
stranger, wherefore pronounce you judgement against this man beeing
an alien, when as you would most severely and sharply revenge such
an offence found in a known Citisen. In this sort the cruell accuser
finished and ended his terrible tale. Then the Crier commanded me to