Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 15.pdf/530

 Gloves. "Abraham Thornton was attached to answer William Ashford, who was the eldest brother and heir of Mary Ashford, deceased, of the death of the said Mary Ashford, etc., etc., etc., of which said choking, suffocating and drowning, she, the said Mary Ashford, then and there instantly died, etc., etc. And the said William Ashford, who was the eldest

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granted by consent until Monday, Novem ber i6th." ''November loth.—The appellee being brought into court, and the appellant being also in court, the count was again read over to him, and he was called upon to plead. He pleaded as follows: 'Not Guilty; and I am readv to defend the same by mv body.' And

SHAKESPEARE S GLOVES.

brother, and is heir of the said Mary Ashford, deceased, is ready to prove the said murder and felony against him, the said Abraham Thornton, according as the court shall direct, and hath found pledges to prosecute his appeal. "Mr. Reader, who was with Messrs. Rey nolds and Tindal, applied for time; the court

thereupon taking off his glove, he threw it upon the floor of the court, etc., etc." The battle, however, did not take place, the authorities took immediate measures for the repeal of an almost forgotten law, ter minating forever the trial by battle, a relic of the middle ages which had disgraced the Englsh Statutes for more than eight cen turies.