Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

farther. No pains were spared to render
Nonconformists odious. They were branded with
vile names, they were loaded with the guilt of
murderous plots, their enemies being intent on
drawing upon them a tempest of popular
vengeance. The Government had no lack of
instruments for executing their base ends; but the
hour yielded another agent more monstrous than
any the court till now had at its service. This
monster in human form was Jeffreys. Regarding
neither law, nor reason, nor conscience, he was
simply a ruffian in ermine. "All people," says
Burner, "were apprehensive of very black designs
when they saw Jeffreys made Lord Chief Justice,
who was scandalously vicious, and was drunk
every day; besides a drunkenness in his temper that
looked like enthusiasm."[13] He made his circuit
like a lictor, not a judge; the business of his
tribunal was transacted with an appalling dispatch,
Nonconformity, at that judgment-seat, was held to
be the sum of all villainies; and when one
chargeable with that crime appeared there he could
look for nothing less fearful than death. Jeffreys
scowled upon him, roared at him, poured a torrent
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