Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GBTMAI/DI. 203

ever, made to Sir Soulden Lawrence, one of the judges in the
King's Bench, and on the affidavits of Joseph Grimaldi and
Ms wife Mary Grimaldi, was Maekoull immediately enlarged.
Maekoull may now speak for himself:—

" Two or three days previous to the assizes, my witnesses,
Mr. Harmer, and myself, in all eighteen persons, left London
for Stafford; my mind filled with the most gloomy apprehen-
sions. ~Wb.en we arrived at Lichfield, Mr. Harmer determined
to finish the briefs before he went on to Stafford. Every
circumstance they could really prove was known to myself
and my solicitor; he had a plain statement of facts to narrate,
and though it ran to a considerable length the brief was drawn,
and two copies made nearly in one day, in the following manner.
As soon as Mr. Harmer had drawn a paragraph it was handed
to Mr, Grimaldi, who [read or] dictated, and myself, and a
young man we procured in the town wrote the fair copies for
counsel.

" Early in the morning of the commission day, Mr. Harmer
and myself went on to Stafford, leaving my witnesses to follow.
Mr. Grrimaldi was the first witness called on my behalf; he
stated exactly what had been set forth in his affidavit, and the
solemn manner in which he gave his testimony carried convic-
tion, and made a lively impression upon every one present. He
underwent the most strict examination; but the more he was
questioned, ihe more apparent was the truth of his evidence;
and those who expected to see the zany disgracing himself by
his buffoonery, beheld him deliver Ms evidence with a firmness,
which could only arise from conscious rectitude; yet still with
that caution and dignity which should characterize every honest
man, when asserting the cause of truth under the awful obliga-
tion of an oath.

" I should here perhaps mention, that I felt some apprehen-
sion, lest the prosecutor's counsel should endeavour, in the
cross-examination of Mr. Grimaldi, to throw him off his guard,utors driven matters,