470 
VAN ROYE'S DEFENCE, 
25 July, 
was the whole day with the oxen, though, he confessed, it was at a 
distance, and that it was the pursuit of some spring-bucks which took 
him away. On being asked how it happened that, contrary to express 
orders, any one besides himself had attended the oxen, he was 
unable to make a reply. Platje observing this, stepped forward 
and testified that, for his own part, no one had ordered him to take 
charge of the cattle, but that he went to attend them purely of his 
own accord. 
Perceiving how little hesitation these men had in fabricating 
any contradictory story which they thought could answer their pur- 
pose, and how little regard they had to truth, although they knew 
me to be already as well acquainted with the facts as they themselves 
were, I produced a Dutch Testament, and as Van Roye could read 
tolerably well, I bade him take notice what book it was. With 
some formality, I administered to him the usual oath to relate the 
truth ; relying on his being ignorant that the practice of courts of 
law did not require an accused person to make his defence on oath : 
but the present case demanded some departure from legal strictness. 
He then proceeded to relate his story and reply to my questions ; 
but, in so contradictory a manner, and with so much hesitation 
and prevaricatioji, that I failed in my endeavours to obtain from 
him the truth. 
Seeing this, I admonished him of the dreadful crime which he 
would commit by uttering a falsity at the moment when he called 
God to witness his veracity : I explained to him in the most solemn 
and impressive manner, the respect which he as a Christian ought to 
show to that book ; and that it was better he should at once condemn 
himself by confessing his fault in the presence of his companions, 
than by prevarication and wilful misrepresentation, pronounce his 
own condemnation in the presence of God, to whom all our actions 
and thoughts were known. 
These admonitions had their proper effect upon him ; I read in 
his countenance and manner, that he began to feel his error in per- 
sisting to defend conduct which he knew to be wrong, and that a 
few words more would decide him to confess that he was blameable. 
