odily fear; that he afterwards saw
the said Crowe with a pole or weapon, value threepence, breaking the
king's peace, by committing assault and battery against the heads and
shoulders of his majesty's liege subjects, Geoffrey Prickle, Hodge Dolt,
Richard Bumpkin, Mary Fang, Catherine Rubble, and Margery Litter; and
that he saw Sir Launcelot Greaves, Baronet, aiding, assisting, and
comforting the said Crowe, contrary to the king's peace, and against the
form of the statute.

Being asked if the defendant, when he stopped them, demanded their money,
or threatened violence, he answered he could not say, inasmuch as the
defendant spoke in an unknown language. Being interrogated if the
defendant did not allow them to pass without using any violence, and if
they did not pass unmolested, the deponent replied in the affirmative.
Being required to tell for what reason they returned, and if the
defendant Crowe was not assaulted before he began to use his weapon, the
deponent made no answer. The depositions of farmer Bumpkin and Muggins,
as well as of Madge Litter and Mary Fang, were taken to much the same
purpose; and his worship earnestly exhorted them to an accommodation,
observing, that they themselves were in fact the aggressors, and that
Captain Crowe had done no more than exerted himself in his own defence.

They were all pretty well disposed to follow his advice, except farmer
Prickle, who, entering the court with a bloody handkerchief about his
head, declared that the law should determine it at next 'size; and in the
meantime insisted that the defendants should find immediate bail, or go
to prison, or be set in the stocks. He affirmed that they had been
guilty of an affray, in appearing with armour and weapons not usually
worn, to the terror of others, which is in itself a breach of the peace;
but that they had, moreover, with force of arms, that is to say, with
swords, staves, and other warlike instruments, by turns, made an assault
and affray, to the terror and disturbance of him and divers subjects of
our lord the King, then and there being, and to the evil and pernicious
example of the liege people of the said lord the King, and against the
peace of our said lord the King, his crown and dignity.

The peasant had purchased a few law terms at a considerable expense, and
he thought he had a right to turn his knowledge to the annoyance of all
his neighbours. Mr. Elmy, finding him obstinately deaf to all proposals
of