about the hour of twelve
The demand for silence was so far obeyed that there followed a hush within the enclosure of the court ; but there was no cessation of the buzz of voices and the tramp of footsteps in the hall , which mingled sounds seemed like the rise and fall of a human ocean , as heard within that panelled sanctuary . The lawyers took snuff , shuffled on their seats , nudged each other and whispered now and then , during the reading of the indictment ; but among Lady Fareham 's friends , and the quality in general , there was a breathless silence and expectancy ; and Lady Sarah would gladly have run her hat-pin into a snuffy old Serjeant close beside her , who must needs talk behind his hand to his pert junior . To her ladyship 's unaccustomed ears that indictment , translated literally from the Latin original , sounded terrible as an impeachment in the subterranean halls of the Vehm Gericht , or in the most select and secret council in the Venetian Doge 's Palace . The indictment set forth `` that the defendant , Richard Revel , Baron Fareham , on the 4th day of July , in the 18th year of our sovereign lord the King that now is , at the parish of St. Nicholas in the Vale , in the county of Bucks , falsely , unlawfully , unjustly , and wickedly , by unlawful and impure ways and means , contriving , practising , and intending the final ruin and destruction of Mrs. Angela Kirkland , unmarried , and one of the daughters of Sir John Kirkland , Knight -- the said lady then and there being under the custody , government , and education of the said Sir John Kirkland , her father -- he , the said Richard Revel , Baron Fareham , then and there falsely , unlawfully , devilishly , to fulfil , perfect , and bring to effect , his most wicked , impious , and devilish intentions aforesaid -- the said Richard Revel , Lord Fareham -LRB- then and long before , and yet , being the husband of Mrs. Hyacinth , another daughter of the said Sir John Kirkland , Knight , and sister of the said Mrs. Angela -RRB- , against all laws as well divine as human , impiously , wickedly , impurely , and scandalously , did tempt , invite , and solicit , and by false and lying pretences , oaths , and affirmations , unlawfully , unjustly , and without the leave , and against the will of the aforesaid Sir John Kirkland , Knight , in prosecution of his most wicked intent aforesaid , did carry off the aforesaid Mrs. Angela , she consenting in ignorance of his real purpose , about the hour of twelve in the night-time of the said 4th day of July , in the year aforesaid , and at the aforesaid , parish of St. Nicholas in the Vale , in the county of Bucks aforesaid , out of the dwelling-house of the said Sir John Kirkland , Knight , did take and convey to his own house in the county of Oxford , and did then and there detain her by fraud , and did there keep her hidden in a secret chamber known as the Priest 's Hole in his own house aforesaid , at the hazard of her life , and did oppose her rescue by force of arms , and with his sword , unlawfully , murderously , and devilishly , and in the prosecution of his wicked purpose did stab and wound Sir Denzil Warner , Baronet , the lady 's betrothed husband , from which murderous assault the said Sir Denzil Warner , Baronet , still lies in great sickness and danger of death , to the great displeasure of Almighty God , to the ruin and destruction of the said Mrs. Angela Kirkland , to the grief and sorrow of all her friends , and to the evil and most pernicious example of all others in the like case offending ; and against the peace of our said sovereign lord the King , his crown and dignity . '' The defendant having pleaded `` Not guilty , '' the Jury were charged in the usual manner and with all solemnity . `` If you find him ` guilty ' you are to say so ; if you find him ` not guilty ' you are to say so , and no more , and hear your evidence . '' The Attorney-General confined himself to a brief out-line of the tragic story , leaving all details to be developed by the witnesses , who were allowed to give their evidence with colloquial freedom and expansiveness .