was that of orderly man at St. James's Palace; and as there were two more in the same situation, we agreed among ourselves to wait successively. During one of these intervals from duty, I waited on Lord and Lady Manners; and returning from Grosvenorsquare, I met the captain of my troop in the street, who immediately ordered a roll-call, with the pretence of ascertaining who was absent, though he had passed me within half an hour. On my return to the garrison, I was ordered into confinement by one of the officers; and the next day I was sent with a strong guard to head-quarters at Cranford Bridge. One of my friends in the regiment, understanding that they intended to punish me, advised me to write to some friend in London immediately. I wrote to Lord R. Manners, who came in his carriage the same evening, and desired the officer to place the whole of the blame to his account, as he had sent for me to Grosvenor-square; but the reply was, that they were determined to try me by a court martial. He then requested them to inform him when and where the court martial would be held, as he intended to be present.

"I was kept in confinement for twelve days after this, and heard not a word farther on the subject. Early in the morning of the thirteenth day, I received orders to proceed to the Bush Inn at Staines, there to be tried by a court martial; to which place the officers ordered me to be marched on foot, with my hands cuffed. When I arrived, I found the court

assembled; and after the accusation had been laid by the captain, I was asked if I had any one to speak in my behalf. I told them I had not, not being aware that Lord Robert had intended to be there, to whom they took care to send the information too late. I was then told that I had liberty to speak for myself. I began by saying, that the corporal of the guard had told us that if one of the three kept constantly in waiting, the others might be absent for an hour or two at a time. The chairman said, and what then? I answered, that if he would take down, word for word, what I had already said, I would tell them what then: for, finding that they intended to be severe with me, I determined to keep them strictly to the rules of the martial law. He then enquired, where were the persons who relieved guard with me; but as they had not been ordered on the trial, posthorses were immediately sent to head-quarters to bring the corporal into court. When they had asked him a few questions, which proved the truth of what I had stated, they found it necessary to have the man who relieved guard with me at St. James's Palace, before they could go on with the trial; post-horses were immediately ordered to fetch him. One of the officers, being apparently ashamed of the proceedings, and of the disputes among themselves, then shut the door; when another rose up and opened it, knowing that it was contrary to martial law to have the door closed. Just as the post-horses were going. for the other witness, one of the officers informed the

court that the man could not be in time, for they could not proceed with the trial, legally, after two o'clock. I was then called upon to give the remainder of my evidence against myself; after which I was remanded to head-quarters, with orders not to put the handcuffs on again.

"The next morning the troop was ordered to Lewisham in Kent, and I with them; and as nothing more was said to me on the subject, I concluded that the affair was closed. One of my comrades thinking the same, as we were walking together in the evening, congratulated me that all respecting the court martial was now over. The next morning, however, proved that we were mistaken; for about five o'clock orders were given to march me, as a prisoner, from West End into Lewisham; when two of my friends in the same troop came to me very much agitated, and enquired if I knew what was going forward; upon replying in the negative, they informed me that they were getting ready to picket me. I requested them not to alarm themselves, for I was confident they would not do it. Some time after this, during the day, the troops were marched into a meadow, and formed into a circle, with myself in the midst. The sentence of the court martial was then read to me ; which was, that I should be severely picketted. Every thing being ready, I was called up by the quartermaster to receive the punishment; but I neither moved nor spoke. Perceiving this, he called out to the guard to bring me up; and they, in obedience to

his orders, offering to seize me for that purpose, I declared I would not be picketted. The quartermaster said, 'O, you will not be punished then, will you? To which I replied, that I objected to the proceedings of the court martial as unjust, and therefore appealed to a general court martial. The officers appeared thunder-struck at my appeal; and the adjutant said, in a very serious tone of voice, 'Morris, as sure as you are a living man, you are wrong; and added, if you will go through the form of the punishment, upon my word and honour you shall not be hurt. To this I made no answer; but several of the men said, that, if it could be allowed, they would as my substitute receive the punishment for me. No reply was made to the offer; but I was marched back again to my quarters, where I had not been more than an hour, when another guard arrived to take me to Greenwich; there I was confined in a room at Salutation stairs, with a sentinel over me day and night. From the patience and composure which I had manifested, the clerk of the troop said, 'he should like to have seen me on the picket, for he thought I expected that the Lord would send one of his angels to deliver me.'

"I remained in this confinement four days, without hearing any more of the matter, when a letter was brought me, by a servant of Lord R. Manners, to enquire how I was, and when they intended to bring me to a general court martial, requesting me to give him the earliest information on the subject, I

returned for answer, that he might be assured they would not suffer me to know any thing about it, but that he might gain information by an application to the Judge Advocate. I waited in this situation about five days longer, when I received a message, that Lord R. Manners was waiting in his carriage, at the end of the lane. I accordingly went to his carriage, the sentinel accompanying me, in which I had a long conversation with his Lordship. Among other things, he asked me if any person had advised me to appeal to a general court martial. I told him that no person had given me advice on the subject; but I appealed because I thought they had acted very wrong towards me. He asked me, if I could say that I was sorry to give the officers unnecessary trouble, as he thought it would be acting like a Christian to make the acknowledgment? I answered, that I was sorry to give any gentleman trouble on my account; I only wished to defend myself against oppression. Four days after this, the corporal of the guard came to me, and informed me that I was set at liberty from my confinement, and was ordered to wait on the commanding officer at Lewisham. When I saw him, I asked if he knew that I was set at liberty; he said yes; and told me, farther, to go aud settle every thing with the regiment, for I was going to be discharged. Strict orders were given that my pay, and all money lent to the men, with every other demand on the regiment, should be paid up to that day.