the vengeance, the folly, or the covetousness of the hour. The law of the momentary feelings of lords spiritual or temporal is too liable to fluctuation and the influence of passion to be accepted even for an emergency.”
“You will answer the questions put to you,” replied Tobias.
“I will answer a formal accusation and none other” replied Nicolas.
After a short consultation Duke Nicolas said: “The cause of Nicolas Jaroslav is deferred for the present. He will be examined, however, as a witness in the cause of Zawis of Falkenstein. Is the person of Zawis of Rosenberg, called also of Falkenstein, before this tribunal?”
“The person mentioned, whether you know him under one name or the other, is present,” answered Zawis, “but I deny that the persons in my presence constitute a tribunal. The laws of this kingdom are too well known, and too long established to be infringed successfully by a body of self-constituted intruders. I observe not the king’s presence, and by no inferior authority can I be legally arraigned. I perceive here still further proofs that an alien and an illegitimate assertion of power have conspired first to degrade the kingdom by the abrogation of all judicial precedent, next to rebel against the king’s, authority by usurping his place and his prerogative, and last to commit a judicial murder under the pretended sanction of legal proceedings. The persons in my presence form only an insolent intrusion into
