"
"Speak, then, without fear," said Charles.
"I repeat my question," said Lanyere, "and demand an explicit answer to
it. What was the nature of that deed?"
"It was a forgery," replied the scrivener. "Sir Ferdinando Mounchensey
had nothing whatever to do with it. His signature was imitated from
other deeds in the possession of my employers, and his seal was likewise
fabricated."
"What say you to this, Sir?" said Charles, to Sir Giles.
"I deny it, as I do all the rest," he replied. "'Tis a foul conspiracy
against me, as will appear in the end."
"This is only one amongst many such frauds committed by them, your
Highness," said the scrivener. "Since I have your gracious promise of
pardon, I will make a clean breast of it, and reveal all I know. Many
and many a fair estate has been wrongfully wrested from its owner in
this way--by forged deed or will. I will name all the parties to your
Highness."
"Hereafter, I will listen to thee," rejoined Charles, motioning him to
rise; "but I shall now confine myself to the case immediately before me.
Proceed, Sir," he added, to Lanyere.
"I have come to the saddest and darkest part of all," said the promoter.
"Your Highness has seen that a deed was forged to obtain possession of
the Mounchensey estates--and the fraudulent design was only too
successful. It was in vain Sir Ferdinando denied all knowledge of the
instrument--in vain he refused payment of the large sum demanded--his
estates were seized by the extortioners--and he was deprived of the
power of redemption.
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