We are desirous to do justice; and yet are unwilling, for the Lord
Fitz-Owen's sake, to bring the criminal to public shame and punishment.
We wish to find out a medium; we therefore desire Sir Philip to make
proposals for his ward, and let Lord Fitz-Owen answer for himself and
his brother, and we will be moderators between them."
Here every one expressed approbation, and called upon Sir Philip to
make his demands.
"If," said he, "I were to demand strict justice, I should not be
satisfied with any thing less than the life of the criminal; but I am a
Christian soldier, the disciple of Him who came into the world to save
sinners;-- for His sake," continued he, crossing himself, "I forego my
revenge, I spare the guilty. If Heaven gives him time for repentance,
man should not deny it. It is my ward's particular request, that I will
not bring shame upon the house of his benefactor, the Lord Fitz-Owen,
for whom he hath a filial affection and profound veneration. My
proposals are these:-- First, that the criminal make restitution of the
title and estate, obtained with so much injustice and cruelty, to the
lawful heir, whom he shall acknowledge such before proper witnesses.
Secondly, that he shall surrender his own lawful inheritance and
personal estate into the hands of the Lord Fitz-Owen, in trust for his
sons, who are his heirs of blood. Thirdly, that he shall retire into a
religious house, or else quit the kingdom in three months time; and, in
either case, those who enjoy his fortune shall allow him a decent
annuity, that he may not want the comforts of life.
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