The Star-Chamber, Volume 1 | Page 5

W. Harrison Ainsworth
his bond. In this
instance, according to his own notion, he had acted with great leniency;
and certainly, judged by his customary mode of proceeding in such
cases, he had shown some little indulgence. In this line of conduct he
had been mainly influenced by his partner, who, not being insensible to
the attractions of the fair hostess, hoped to win her favour by a show of
consideration. But though Madame Bonaventure was willing enough,
for her own purposes, to encourage Sir Francis Mitchell's attentions
(she detested him in her secret heart), she by no means relied upon him
for security. A more powerful friend was held in reserve, whom she
meant to produce at the last moment; and, consequently, she was not so
ill at ease as she otherwise would have been, though by no means free
from misgiving.
Sir Giles Mompesson was a terrible enemy, and seldom thwarted in his
purpose. That she knew. But no man was more keenly alive to his own
interest than he; and she persuaded herself he would find it to his
advantage not to molest her: in which case she was safe. Of Sir Francis
Mitchell she had less apprehension; for, though equally mischievous
and malevolent with his partner, he was far feebler of purpose, and for
the most part governed by him. Besides, she felt she had the amorous
knight in her toils, and could easily manage him if he were alone.
So the case stood with respect to our pretty hostess; but, before
proceeding further, it may be well to give a more complete description
of the two birds of prey by whom she was threatened with beak and

talon.
The master-spirit of the twain was undoubtedly Sir Giles Mompesson.
Quick in conception of villainy, he was equally daring in execution.
How he had risen to his present bad eminence no one precisely knew;
because, with the craft and subtlety that distinguished him, he laid his
schemes so deeply, and covered his proceedings with so thick a veil,
that they had been rarely detected. Report, however, spoke of him as a
usurer of the vilest kind, who wrung exorbitant interest from needy
borrowers,--who advanced money to expectant heirs, with the intention
of plundering them of their inheritance,--and who resorted to every
trick and malpractice permitted by the law to benefit himself at his
neighbour's expense. These were bad enough, but even graver
accusations were made against him. It was whispered that he had
obtained fraudulent possession of deeds and family papers, which had
enabled him to wrest estates from their rightful owners; and some did
not scruple to add to these charges that he had forged documents to
carry out his nefarious designs. Be this as it may, from comparative
poverty he speedily rose to wealth; and, as his means increased, so his
avaricious schemes were multiplied and extended. His earlier days
were passed in complete obscurity, none but the neediest spendthrift or
the most desperate gambler knowing where he dwelt, and every one
who found him out in his wretched abode near the Marshalsea had
reason to regret his visit. Now he was well enough known by many a
courtly prodigal, and his large mansion near Fleet Bridge (it was said of
him that he always chose the neigbourhood of a prison for his dwelling)
was resorted to by the town gallants whose, necessities or extravagance
compelled them to obtain supplies at exorbitant interest. Lavish in his
expenditure on occasions, Sir Giles was habitually so greedy and
penurious, that he begrudged every tester he expended. He wished to
keep up a show of hospitality without cost, and secretly pleased himself
by thinking that he made his guests pay for his entertainments, and
even for his establishment. His servants complained of being
half-starved, though he was constantly at war with them for their
wastefulness and riot. He made, however, a great display of attendants,
inasmuch as he had a whole retinue of myrmidons at his beck and call;
and these, as before observed, were well paid. They were the crows that

followed the vultures, and picked the bones of the spoil when their
ravening masters had been fully glutted.
In the court of Star-Chamber, as already remarked, Sir Giles
Mompesson found an instrument in every way fitted to his purposes;
and he worked it with terrible effect, as will be shown hereafter. With
him it was at once a weapon to destroy, and a shield to protect. This
court claimed "a superlative power not only to take causes from other
courts and punish them there, but also to punish offences secondarily,
when other courts have punished them." Taking advantage of this
privilege, when a suit was commenced against him elsewhere, Sir Giles
contrived to remove it to the Star-Chamber, where, being omnipotent
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