In a barge which was to follow us were several gentlemen of the court and a halfscore of the king's guardsmen.

Evidently the occasion was to be in the nature of a frolic; poor Frances to furnish the entertainment.
On thinking it all over, I was convinced that the investigation, whatever it should turn out to be, had been instigated by the king.
When we entered the barge, Frances clung to my hand and sat down beside me, but the king, who was sitting with the duchess on one hand and Castlemain on the other, beckoned Frances to sit beside him.

She went to him reluctantly, and he moved toward the duchess, making room for Frances between himself and Castlemain.

But that fair lady objected and moved up to the king, indicating by a nod that Frances might sit on the spot her Ladyship had vacated.
But the king said, "You are to sit by me, Mistress Jennings." "She'll do nothing of the sort," exclaimed Castlemain, with an oath.
"She'll sit on the other side of me or in the bottom of the barge, or in the river, I care not which." "You shall make room, or I'll have you put out of the barge," said the king, displaying a flash of temper.
Immediately a torrent of profanity and piercing screams came from her Ladyship.
"Let any man lay hands on me," she cried, turning to the king, "and this brat of yours goes into the water!" "Sit down, in God's name, sit down and have your way," said the king, waving his hand to the man on the wharf to throw the warps aboard.
The duchess laughed and offered to give her place to Frances, but of course my cousin refused and came back to me.
* * * * * When we reached the courtroom, we found it filled with men, women, and children, most of them belonging to the lower walks of life and all of them eager to see the king, whom they seemed to know was coming.
As we entered, the High Sheriff, in his gown, rose and cried: "Oyez! Oyez! His Majesty is now in presence!" Whereupon the audience rose and remained standing till the king left.
We had entered by the public door, the king doubtless wishing to display himself as fully as possible to the people.

As we passed down the aisle to the bar, I caught the eyes of a man garbed as a Quaker.