o which they must strike their
topsails on pain of being sent to the bottom; that, after having eyed him
for some time with astonishment, they clapped on all their sails, some of
them running under his stern, and others athwart his forefoot, and got
clear off; that, not satisfied with running ahead, they all of a sudden
tacked about, and one of them boarding him on the lee-quarter, gave him
such a drubbing about his upper works, that the lights danced in his
lanterns; that he returned the salute with his hop-pole so effectually
that his aggressor broached to in the twinkling of a handspike, and then
he was engaged with all the rest of the enemy, except one, who sheered
off, and soon returned with a mosquito fleet of small craft, who had done
him considerable damage, and, in all probability, would have made prize
of him, had n't he been brought off by the knight's gallantry. He said,
that in the beginning of the conflict Tom Clarke rode up to the foremost
of the enemy, as he did suppose in order to prevent hostilities, but
before he got up to him near enough to hold discourse, he was pooped with
a sea that almost sent him to the bottom, and then towed off he knew not
whither.

Crowe had scarce finished his narration, which consisted of broken hints
and unconnected explosions of sea terms, when a gentleman of the
neighbourhood, who acted in the commission of the peace, arrived at the
gate, attended by a constable, who had in custody the bodies of Thomas
Clarke and Timothy Crabshaw, surrounded by five men on horseback, and an
innumerable posse of men, women, and children, on foot. The captain, who
always kept a good look-out, no sooner descried this cavalcade and
procession, than he gave notice to Sir Launcelot, and advised that they
should crowd away with all the cloth they could carry. Our adventurer
was of another opinion, and determined, at any rate, to procure the
enlargement of the prisoners.

The justice, ordering his attendants to stay without the gate, sent his
compliments to Sir Launcelot Greaves, and desired to speak with him for a
few minutes. He was immediately admitted, and could not help staring at
sight of Crowe, who, by this time, had no remains of the human
physiognomy, so much was the swelling increased and the skin discoloured.
The gentleman, whose name was Mr. Elmy, having made a polite apology for
the liberty he had taken, proceeded to unfold his business. He said,
information had been lodged wi