“I must remind you of the cause of your appearance here, Madame Bonaventure,” said Lanyere.

“You are required to depose before his Highness as to the exactions you suffered from Sir Giles and his partner.”

“His Highness shall hear all from me,” rejoined the hostess.  “I should have been reduced to beggary had I submitted to their extortionate usage.  I bore it as long as I could, but when absolute ruin stared me in the face, I had recourse to a noble friend who helped me in my extremity and delivered me by a, stratagem.”

“It was a fraudulent scheme,” cried Sir Giles;—­“a fraud upon his Majesty, as well as upon those who enjoyed the privileges conferred by his letters patent.”

“That I can contradict, Sir,” said Buckingham, “since I myself was present on the occasion, and stated in the hearing of the large company then assembled,—­several of whom are now before us,—­that his Majesty relinquished all share of the ruinous fine of three thousand marks imposed by you and your co-patentee upon this good woman.”

“And I trust you added, my Lord, that the King’s Highness would never knowingly consent to have his exchequer enriched by such shameful means,” said Charles, with a look of indignation.  “These monopolies were not granted by his Majesty for the wrongful profit of their holders; and, since they have been turned to such iniquitous use, I will take upon me to declare that they shall all be suppressed.  Do you attempt to deny,” he continued to Sir Giles, “that this outrageous fine was imposed?”

“It were useless to deny it,” replied the extortioner, with a malicious look at Buckingham; “but the noble Marquis has not always disapproved so strongly of my proceedings.  Nay, I can show that he himself has been secretly a party to like transactions.”

“Ah, villain!” exclaimed Buckingham,—­“do you venture to calumniate your protector?  I shall leave you to the fate you so richly merit.  Your foul and false assertions cannot affect me; but they are not likely to improve your case with his Highness, who, though aware of its impotency, will perceive the extent of your malice.  If you dared, I doubt not you would likewise assert that his Majesty himself was cognisant of your frauds and oppressions, and approved them.”

“I do assert, and will maintain it—­ay, and prove it, too—­that the King’s Highness was aware how these monopolies were managed, and derived a considerable revenue from them,” said Sir Giles.

“You hear him, Prince,” remarked Buckingham, with a disdainful smile.

“I would not have believed in such matchless effrontery had I not witnessed it,” replied Charles.  “You may retire, Madame,” he added to the hostess, who, with a profound reverence, withdrew.  “Have you aught further to declare, or any other witnesses to produce?” he continued to Lanyere.

“I have both, your Highness,” replied the promoter.

“What more false accusations have you to bring against me?” demanded Sir Giles, folding his arms upon his breast, and fixing his keen gaze upon Lanyere.