Crime & punishment > Peveril of the peak, or, The days of Charles II

PEVERIL OF THE PEAK.
Act II.
I am not accountable for any of my actions. I am
a magistrate, and do but execute a warrant address-!
ed to me by the first authority in the state. s
Sir G. You a magistrate ! As much a magis-i
strate as old Noble was a king. But there never
was turmoil in the state but knaves had their ’van-]
tage by it—Never pot boiled but the scum was up¬
permost.
Top. Why ? how now, thou rebel of the first or-j
der ? Have we not proofs of thy connexion with
this abhorred plot ?. Are not there books up stairs
written in a vile, unintelligible, heathenish lan¬
guage, which none of us can decipher. And think!
you, like me, whose business it is to understand
acts of Parliament, could be puzzled by any thing
that’s written legally, and in our native vulgar
tongue—you traitor, you ?
Sir G. Traitor! You rascally, ignorant rounds
head—’Sdeath ! could I reach those ears of thine--
Top. Treasonous regicide! wouldst thou touch
the ears of an Usher of the Black Rod ? Seize
him, and bear him to—
The centre doors are thrown open, and Julian,
rushing down, liberates his father from the grasj
of the two guards, and places himself on guari
before him.
Jul. Villains ! unhand him.
Lady P. My son ! Then our misery is complete;
Sir G. My son, thou art come in the right time
Julian, strike me one good blow—cleave me tha
traitorous thief, from the crown to the brisket; anew
that done, I care not what follows.
Top. Upon him, guards !
( The guards rush upon Julian. Tof t -U
ceals himself under the table. During 1JM
scuffle Major Bridgenorth wrests Julian'jm