'Tis a brief tale, and quickly told.

Others of us have fared less hardly.

Stand forth, Yokel, Burns, and Hodge--show your adornments!" These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing their backs, criss-crossed with ropy old welts left by the lash; one turned up his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once been; another showed a brand upon his shoulder--the letter V--and a mutilated ear; the third said-- "I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and kids--now am I somewhat different in estate and calling; and the wife and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in--in the other place--but the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in ENGLAND! My good old blameless mother strove to earn bread by nursing the sick; one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my mother was burnt for a witch, whilst my babes looked on and wailed.

English law!--up, all, with your cups!--now all together and with a cheer!--drink to the merciful English law that delivered HER from the English hell! Thank you, mates, one and all.

I begged, from house to house--I and the wife--bearing with us the hungry kids--but it was crime to be hungry in England--so they stripped us and lashed us through three towns.