That the spectacles plainly were made for the nose, And the nose was as plainly intended for them." Then shifting his side, as a lawyer knows how, He pleaded again in behalf of the eyes; But what were his arguments few people know, That whenever the nose put his spectacles on, VI. Henry V, condemning treason. THE mercy that was quick in us but late By your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd: You must not dare for shame to talk of mercy, For your own treasons turn upon your bosoms, As dogs upon their masters, worrying you. See you, my princes and my noble peers, These English monsters! my lord Cambridge here, You know how apt our love was to accord To furnish him with all appertinents Belonging to his honour; and this man Hath for a few light crowns lightly conspir'd, And sworn unto the practices of France To kill us here in Hampton. To the which, This knight, no less for bounty bound to us Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn. But Oh! What shall I say to thee, lord Scroop, thou cruel, Ungrateful, savage, and inhuman creature! Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels, That knewst the very bottom of my soul, That almost mightst have coin'd me into gold, Wouldst thou have practis'd on me for thy use? May it be possible that foreign hire Could out of thee extract one spark of evil That might annoy my finger? 'Tis so strange That though the truth of it stand off as gross As black and white, my eye will scarcely see it.. Oh, how hast thou with jealousy infected The sweetness of affiance! Shew men dutiful? Why so didst thou: or seem they grave and learned death: The taste whereof God of his mercy give We doubt not of a fair and lucky war, Cheerly to sea, the signs of war advance; VII. Accusation of Tertullus against St. Paul, before Felix. SEEING, that through thee, we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done for this nation, through thy prospicience, we accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldst hear me, of thy clemency, a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes; who also hath gone about to profane the temple; whom we took, and would have judged ac. eording to our law: but the chief captain, Lysias, came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee: By examining of whom thyself, thou mayest take know. tedge of all those things, whereof we accuse him. VIII. St. Paul's defence, before Felix, in reply to the accusation of Tertullus. FORASMUCH as I know that thou hast been for many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. Because that thou must understand that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem, for to worship; and they neither found me in the temple, disputing with any man, nor raising up the people, either in the synagogues, or in the city; nor can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law, and in the prophets; and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards men. Now, after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings; whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me, purified in the temple, neither with mul titude, nor with tumult; who ought to have been here before thee, and accuse, if they had ought against me. Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, when I stood before the council; except it be for this one declaration, which I proclaimed standing among them, "Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day." IX. St. Paul's defence before Agrippa. I THINK myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused of the.Jews; especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and ques tions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most rigorous sect of our religion," I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For this hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible to you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth: which things, I also did in Jesusalem; and many of the saints did shut up in prison; and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them; and I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, at mid-day, O king! I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them that journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying, in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads." And I said, "Who art thou, lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest; but arise, and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister, and a witness both of these things thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from this people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness. to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Whereupon, O king Agrippa! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea; and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having there. fore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come, that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto this people, and to the Gentiles. (And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said, with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad." But he said,--) I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness; for the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa! believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. (Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a christian." And Paul said,-) I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. |