it as an additional obligation, if Mr.
Elmy will likewise superintend this retribution."

At the close of this address, the whole yard and gateway rung with
acclamation, while honest Crowe, whose generosity was not inferior even
to that of the accomplished Greaves, pulled out his purse, and declared,
that, as he had begun the engagement, he would at least go share and
share alike in new caulking their seams, and repairing their timbers.
The knight, rather than enter into a dispute with his novice, told him he
considered the twenty guineas as given by them both in conjunction, and
that they would confer together on that subject hereafter.

This point being adjusted, Mr. Elmy assumed all the solemnity of the
magistrate, and addressed himself to Prickle in these words: "Farmer
Prickle, I am both sorry and ashamed to see a man of your years and
circumstances so little respected, that you cannot find sufficient bail
for forty pounds; a sure testimony that you have neither cultivated the
friendship, nor deserved the goodwill of your neighbours. I have heard
of your quarrels and your riots, your insolence and litigious
disposition, and often wished for an opportunity of giving you a proper
taste of the law's correction. That opportunity now offers; you have, in
the hearing of all these people, poured forth a torrent of abuse against
me, both in the character of a gentleman and of a magistrate. Your
abusing me personally perhaps I should have overlooked with the contempt
it deserves, but I should ill vindicate the dignity of my office as a
magistrate, by suffering you to insult the bench with impunity. I shall
therefore imprison you for contempt, and you shall remain in jail until
you can find bail on the other prosecutions."

Prickle, the first transports of his anger having subsided, began to be
pricked with the thorns of compunction; he was indeed extremely mortified
at the prospect of being sent to jail so disgracefully. His countenance
fell; and, after a hard internal struggle, while the clerk was employed
in writing the mittimus, he said he hoped his worship would not send him
to prison. He begged pardon of him, and our adventurers, for having
abused them in his passion; and observed, that, as he had received a
broken head, and paid two-and-twenty guineas for his folly, he could not
be said to have escaped altogether without punishment, even if the
plaintiff should agree to exchange releases.

Sir Launcelot, see