OF MY TARRYING IN LONDON AND OF MY SAILING IN THE GOOD SHIP BOSCOBEL,
AND ALSO OF MY MAKING AN ENEMY IN MR VANE SPENDER.
’Twas in the month of January 1663-64,[8] that I rid away from
Ellswether, mounted on my father’s war-horse Gustavus, with our
servant Miles behind me, on a beast taken from the plough, and bade
farewell to my home for more than twenty long years. And looking back
for to view the Hall once more, I did see my cousin Dorothy waving her
handkercher, and heard her cry to me, “True knight for true lady,
Cousin Ned!” which words of hers did much move me, so that I rid in
silence for some time. But passing Mr Sternhold his house, there come
out that good attorney himself, and would ride with me some miles of
my way, parting from me at the last with much sorrow, and asking my
acceptance of a book of wise counsels (said he) for young gentlemen
that were going to foreign parts, called ‘The Merchant’s Avizo,’ which
I received with much thanks, and have often found cause to be grateful
for the same. And Mr Sternhold leaving us, we journeyed on without
remark nor disaster, and in process of time came to London town. Here
the first night I lay at an inn (whose name I have now forgot), and in
the morning I did send Miles for to acquaint my lord duke of my being
arrived, and to inquire when it should be convenient for me to wait
upon his grace, and testify my gratefulness for his kindness. But in
less than an hour Miles came back, not alone, but with him my lord
duke’s chaplain, Dr Ruthven, in his grace’s coach, for to carry me to
Belfort Place (which leadeth off from the Strand), there to abide
while as I should be in town. So I with the chaplain in the coach,
Miles following with the beasts, to his grace’s mansion, where I lay
so long as I remained in London, eating with the family,[9] and once
or twice at my lord duke’s own table, where his grace showed himself
mighty condescending towards me, and asked of my father’s health, and
likewise of that of Mrs Dorothy Brandon, his grace’s kinswoman.
“I had thought,” said he, “of having the young damsel here, for to
breed her up with my own little girls; but there was some that showed
me divers difficulties in the way.”
Methought, as I looked upon the visage of her grace the duchess, that
I saw who she was that had showed the difficulties, and truly Dr
Ruthven informed me thereafter that I was right.
“Well,” says my lord duke, more cheerfully, “there is plenty of time
yet. Perchance, should Mrs Dorothy wed suitably with her quality, we
may be able to provide her a marriage portion.”
But looking again upon the duchess, I foresaw that she would have her
say concerning this also, and indeed we have heard no more of the
marriage portion up to this present time of my writing.
Now in other matters also was my lord duke very gracious to me, in
especial in carrying me into his privy cabinet, where he was wont to
make experiment into the secrets of Nature, and did discourse to me
mighty ingeniously concerning humours and transmutations and efficient
and material causes and radical heat and the like, all which I do now
much regret that I set them not down at the time; but having once let
slip, the years between have blotted out the clear recollection
thereof. And at other times I was under the particular charge of Dr
Ruthven, that had known my mother, having been in the service of my
late lady duchess before that his grace the now duke had attained to
his title, and entreated me most gently for her sake. ’Twas with him I
paid a visit to that place of much resort, the New Exchange, where I
must needs buy for Dorothy her fan and her girdle, and truly I had not
believed that there could be so many fans in the world, and Dr Ruthven
and I were sorely troubled to choose one among ’em all. ’Twas also
with Dr Ruthven that I presented myself in Leadenhall Street, at the
house of the Honourable Company I should serve from thenceforth, and
having testified my thanks to the gentlemen of the Committee for their
acceptance of me, was enrolled on their books. Here, while I was
waiting in an outer room while Dr Ruthven visited upon one of his
friends, that was a clerk or factor in the house, I fell in with a
young gentleman, by name Mr Vane Spender, who wished to put a quarrel
upon me, and all because my nomination had been received before his
own. By this means I gained I know not what immunity or privilege, but
’twas such as made Mr Spender conceive himself deeply injured at my
hands. But I, foreseeing that if we should be _cameradoes_ (as the
soldiers say) in the Indies, we were well to endeavour ourselves to
live in peace, did address myself to speak him fair, so that his anger
cooled before we parted. And here again you shall see how false it is
to say that on my first falling in with Mr Spender, I incited him to
wrath by the arrogancy and haughtiness of my behaviour, since I did my
best to conduct myself handsomely towards him.
Some two or three days after this meeting was the 30th of January,
being the day set apart for ever for the remembrance and deploring of
that dreadful, bloody, and tremendous crime, the murder of our late
sovereign lord, King Charles the Martyr, which was then but lately
appointed as a fast-day by authority for the continual reprobating of
the same. So in the morning to his grace’s chapel, where was preached
a most moving sermon by Dr Ruthven, such as was like to teach us all
the horror and wickedness of rebelling against the Lord’s anointed.
And after dinner, it not being fit to go to see shows on such a day, I
was left idle, and chose to walk abroad in my mourning habit,
meditating in myself upon the observance of this day at home. For
there it had been my duty in the afternoon to read aloud to my father
the later chapters of that most truthful and pathetic book, the ‘Eikon
Basilike,’ until Dorothy and Mrs Skipwith was moved to tears, and Sir
Harry would look lovingly at his sword and armour on the wall. Walking
thus, I heard on a sudden my name called, and looking up, saw Mr Vane
Spender at the window of a tavern, bidding me come in and drink with
him. And I, answering that I had no list to drink that day, did walk
on, but in a moment come Mr Spender running after me, and cries--
“Nay, Mr Carlyon, sure you must come. Here is his lordship desires to
speak with you.”
Then I, being fain, as I have said, to keep well with Mr Spender, and
being moreover curious to know who his lordship should be, that
desired to speak with me, made answer that I would sit a while in
their company willingly, but would not drink. So he, and I after him,
to an upper room of the tavern, where was Mr Spender’s elder brother,
Mr Hampden Spender, and with him a gentleman in a very rich habit, as
little mourning as could well be worn that day by any loyal person.
“Come, sir,” says Mr Hampden Spender, “call for what you will.”
“I thank you, sir,” says I, “but with your permission I won’t drink.
Your brother hath fetched me in to pleasure his lordship yonder, which
I’m desirous to do so far as my power allow.”
“Oh, come,” saith he again, “even though your grandmother _be_ dead,
Mr Carlyon, there’s none here will carry home tales of your drinking
in a tavern on her funeral-day.”
“Sir,” said I, “’tis because this is a fast-day appointed that I don’t
drink, and if it wan’t, I trust I should be little like to forget what
happened thereon.”
“You are putting an affront upon me, sir,” cries Mr H. Spender, mighty
fierce. “Pray, are you too nice to drink with us? Do you know in whose
company you are, sir?”
“Sir,” says I, “you are seeking to put a quarrel upon me, as I call
his lordship to witness. If you desire me to settle this matter by
force of arms, I am ready to pleasure you, if his lordship will
certify me that I am right in so doing.”
I saw Mr Spender’s countenance change at this, as I had looked it
should, since, as I discovered afterwards from Dr Ruthven, his father
had been but an attorney, who, meddling with great business in the
troubles of the last reign, had gained for himself a high place and
some esteem among the rebels. This son of his, Mr Hampden Spender,
attained to a seat in the Commons’ House of that Parliament which was
jestingly called the _Rump_, and had showed himself exceeding eager in
the matter of the conferring upon my lord Duke of Albemarle of power
to treat with the king on behalf of his Commons. Now that his majesty
was happily returned, Mr H. Spender was in good favour with him, and
was wont to take occasion by this favour to aspire higher than his
original[10] might seem to us loyal gentlemen to warrant.
“Come, Spender, let the lad be,” says my lord, not ill-humouredly, on
our reaching this pass. “’Twas you brought him here; why should you
press him to drink? You han’t no cause to pick a quarrel, even if Mr
Carlyon thought fit to fight you.”
“I bow to your lordship,” says Mr Spender, and gulps down his wine
with an angry face.
“Pray, sir,” says his lordship, turning to me, “tell me whether I
ben’t speaking to the son of Sir Harry Carlyon of Ellswether?”
“You are, my lord,” says I.
“And pray, sir,” says he, “an’t it true that Sir Harry hath in his
family a young gentlewoman that is some kin to my late Lord Brandon,
that was ’headed ten years since?”
“You are right, my lord; he hath,” said I, much marvelling who this
might be that spake thus acquaintedly of Dorothy.
“And I trust, Mr Carlyon, that this Mrs Dolly or Mrs Molly, or
whatever her name be, is a young damsel of good conditions, and shows
herself dutiful towards her kind guardian?”
“I’m glad to be able to assure your lordship that Mrs Brandon gives
every satisfaction to those set over her,” says I. “But give me leave,
my lord, to ask who you may be that are so well acquainted with a
young gentlewoman’s family that you don’t scruple to mention her name
in a place of public resort? If you be one of Mrs Brandon’s kin,
permit me to say that after so many years of neglect you choose a
strange time and place for to show an interest in her welfare, and one
that justifies me to inquire your designs.”
Thus far I, in grievous fear lest while I was away in the Indies my
little cousin should be took away from my father at Ellswether, and
delivered unto some of her noble kin for to bring up.
“Tut, tut, Sir Spitfire!” saith my lord, but not unkindly; “go tilt
with windmills. As for my name, I don’t doubt Mr Spender will be
pleased to tell it you when I am gone. But you need have no fear that
I mean to claim little Mrs Brandon from Sir Harry. What should I do
with a modest, well-brought-up young damsel? ’Twould be worse than
Daniel in the den of lions. No, that an’t what I meant.”
“The lady among the rabble rout of Comus, perhaps, my lord,” I said,
as he hesitated; and he gave a great laugh, and vowed that I was as
much a Puritan as Mr Milton himself, and with that arose, and took up
his sword and beaver to depart, saying that the king should require
his attendance in an hour’s time.
“’Tis the usual way,” says Mr Hampden Spender, when his lordship was
departed. “My Lord Brandon drinks, and I pay.”
“Pray, sir,” says I, “is that my Lord Brandon?” and went to the window
and looked after him. This was the first and last time that I beheld
that nobleman, my cousin Dorothy’s kinsman, who was slain not long
thereafter in a duel, and the barony became extinct, the estates
thereof passing to the Crown.
“Ay, sir, indeed is’t,” saith Mr Vane Spender. “Pray who else should
be so kind and condescending, and recognise so abundantly the services
that my brother hath the honour to render him? Why, my brother is his
right hand in all he doth. At present he is his attorney in his case
of----”
“Oh, hush, my dear brother!” quoth Mr Hampden Spender; “the word hath
an ugly sound. Prythee, name it not in the ears of our dear young
friend here. Sure, I’ll never have it said of us that we corrupted
youth.”
“Sir,” said I, “I vow I don’t understand you. Do you wish to pick a
quarrel again?”
“No, sir,” saith Mr Spender, standing up mighty grand, but somewhat
fuddled with the wine he had drank. “We wish no quarrels with persons
too nice to drink with us, and too proud for our company, nor no
conversation with ’em neither.”
“Then, sir,” says I, “you’ll allow me to bid you good day, if you
please,” and so left the place before they could stop me. But to this
day I have never found myself able to determine whether these
gentlemen, the Messieurs Spender, were in reality desirous to put a
quarrel upon me, and having compelled me to fight first one and then
t’other of ’em, thus to rid themselves of me, or whether ’twas but the
natural heat of their temper that moved them to provoke me to a
dispute--a heat that hath led to many grievous troubles between us
since that time.
Now some days after this, my lord duke would carry me with him in his
coach to White Hall, there to wait upon the king, that I might thank
his majesty for his singular great kindness towards me. And on our
arriving, his majesty being in his Cabinet Council, we walked up and
down, and his grace did point out to me many ladies and gentlemen of
whom I had often heard speak, yea, and presented me to such as had
known my honoured parents in their youth, who treated me with great
gentleness, and wished me a short service and a great fortune. And
presently, the Council being up, his majesty come out, and my lord
duke did present me to him, who graciously allowed me to kiss his
hand. And thereafter was his majesty pleased to jest with me, saying
that he had heard by a sure hand that I was as much of a Puritan as
any rebel among ’em. And this to my much heat and grief, for I
perceived that the report of my adventure in the tavern (small though
it were), had gone ahead of me, so that I made bold to say to the king
that no man but he should have said such words to me, for that my
father had shed his blood for his majesty’s father, and that I asked
nothing better than to have occasion given me to do the like for
himself, and so took it hard to be likened to a rebel. Whereat his
majesty laughed prodigiously, and was good enough to say to me that I
was a proper fellow, and he had liever I were staying in England than
going forth to the Indies, for the realm had need of more such. And
speaking thus, and saying that he hoped I should ever keep strictly
the fast-day of the blessed King Charles the Martyr, and draw sword in
defence of the ladies when their names was lightly used, his majesty
left us, and my lord duke advised me to be proud and thankful for his
condescension. Which indeed I was, only feeling sorrowful that so
kindly a king should have so scant respect shown him, for verily among
his courtiers was none that accorded him any reverence, but all
elbowing and cursing one another as well in his presence as without
it. And from such disorder and looseness as I saw in the Court, good
Lord deliver us!
Now despite the good counsel of his grace and of Dr Ruthven, that
reproach did still rankle in me, that I should be called a Puritan,
and in order to the showing it untrue, I must needs go to the play.
And this notwithstanding that the aforesaid Dr Ruthven did much advise
me to the contrary, saying that I might well prove my loyalty to
Church and King in many other and more reputable ways, but finding me
set upon the thing, he desisted at last, considering that my
wilfulness should bring its own punishment. And this indeed it did,
for going with one of his grace’s gentlemen to the playhouse, we saw
presented a comedy newly translated out of the French; but so debased
was the sentiment, so indecent and unseemly the action of the piece,
so vile the painting and so immodest the clothes of the women that
played in’t (sure this in itself is a new thing, and of revolting
newness), that I was fain to leave the place before even the first act
was gone through. But this my companion would by no means suffer, so
that I turned my eyes from the stage to the company present, but found
little comfort there. For indeed, to see the gentlemen laughing hugely
at the wickedness and profaneness of the piece, and the ladies
feigning to cover their faces with their fans, as though it were to
hide their blushes (but truly there was but little need of this), when
the action was beyond ordinary unseemly, and yet peeping through holes
cut in these same fans, for to view the stage still, was monstrous
shameful. And in fine, when the play was finished, and I had refused
my companion’s proffer to carry me with him behind the scene and
present me to the lady that played the chief part (whose name is,
alas! too well known in this kingdom), I returned unto Belfort Place,
well determined never again to go to the play. And this resolve, so
made, I have kept.
And after this, the spring now coming on, Dr Ruthven and I made a part
of several parties of pleasure that were given by divers gentlemen and
gentlewomen of the doctor’s acquaintance, for to visit his majesty’s
palaces at Greenwich and Hampton, the docks at Deptford, and other
places. In all which I found myself well entertained, and did gain, I
hope, some knowledge that hath served me well since; but the time was
now drawing near when I must needs start for the Indies. I then
receiving one day a command to present myself on board of the Hon.
Company’s ship Boscobel, lying in the Thames, for to embark for the
factory at Surat, did make haste to bid farewell to their graces the
duke and duchess, thanking them humbly for their singular kindness,
and likewise to that curious scholar and good friend to me, Dr
Ruthven. Miles, also, I despatched back to Ellswether with the horses,
and such letters and gifts for my father and Dorothy, as well as for
Mrs Skipwith and the others of the family, as I had gat together, and
then gathered up my trunks, and took boat to Graves-End. At the which
place, as I had been advertised by the Committee, I found the ship,
whose master (his name Captain Freeman) received me with much
civility, desiring me to choose my cabin and my seat at table where I
might desire. For (says he to me), there’s another young gentleman
bound for Surat with us, but he an’t yet appeared, and ’tis _first
come, first served_, aboard of the Boscobel. Not to appear to slight
his goodness, I complied with this desire of his, and did choose my
place next to my kind captain’s own, which pleased him mightily, and
me no less, for he was a person of very curious discourse, and one
that had gone through infinite wanderings and perils.
And of these he was nothing loath to tell me, while as we lay
a-waiting in the river, for ’twas yet two full days before my
fellow-traveller come on board, so that the master swore we should
lose our convoy by this delay, and that he would tarry no longer--nay,
not for the President of the Indies himself. In these two days I was
much entertained in visiting all parts of the vessel, which was a fine
new ship of the Company’s own, and in learning from my good friend
Captain Freeman many of the duties of a supercargo. Moreover, this
good man did several times carry me with him in the ship’s boat, for
to wait upon divers merchants with whom he had to do, and did so
divert me with histories of his travels, that I vow this delay was no
sorrow for me, but rather a pleasure. But at last, when Captain
Freeman had but just now said that he would up anchor with the morning
tide, and wait no longer, my fellow-traveller arrived on board in a
monstrous rage, and cursing very loudly the waterman that brought him
off, and had lost (says he) one of his trunks. Methought I knew my
gentleman’s voice at once, and when I went on deck to assure myself of
the matter, sure enough ’twas my old acquaintance, Mr Vane Spender.
Who, seeing me, greeted me with an oath, and desired me bid the master
to have the waterman soundly cudgelled by the seamen, which on Captain
Freeman refusing, he was excessive vexed. And coming to us into the
cabin, when this affair was settled, he took umbrage again to find me
in the highest seat next to the captain, declaring that he was second
cousin to the Secretary of the Indies at Surat, and must needs sit
highest. Which I, for peace’ sake, was willing to suffer, but Captain
Freeman would not hear on’t, and I kept that chiefest place. And
herein also you shall see that I went not about to provoke Mr Spender,
but contrariwise, did all in my power to pleasure him.
So then the next day we left Graves-End, and in the Downs did fall in
with the East India fleet, which was ten in number, whereof six ships,
ours being one, carried letters of mart[11] for protection against
enemies. In our company was no king’s ships, for these use to meet
only the homeward-bound fleet at Sancta Helena, for the better
protecting of their incomparable rich cargoes; but we did believe
ourselves secure from any foe that was like to come against us. And in
this confidence were we well justified so long as we sailed in company
the one with the other, but when alone and separated, we were like to
have fallen an easy prey, as you shall hear. But of the exact history
of this matter I am not well informed, and for this reason. For while
we were yet in the Channel, Mr Spender was seized with that grievous
disease of seasickness, whereof none knows the misery that han’t felt
it, and did lie groaning in his cot, a-cursing at me if I did so much
as speak to him. Seeing which, I left him to himself, and did continue
to enjoy the ingenious discourse of Captain Freeman, the which did
much divert me. But when, leaving behind the Narrow Seas, we were
entered that great bay which is called from the Spanish province of
Vizcaya, or by our seamen, Biskay, the complexion of things changed,
so that Mr Spender arose and played the jolly sailor, whereas I was
obliged to yield myself to the dreadful malady. And this made it the
more irksome to me, that Mr Spender must needs come continually and
make a mock at me, casting in my teeth all manner of nasty jests such
as the seamen use to provoke one another withal, and deriding me in my
misery, who could not frame so much as to answer, much less to punish
him, until our good captain found him one day at his tricks, and
threatened him with divers pains and penalties, in case he should
annoy me again. And thereafter was I left in peace, though I was like
to wish to die, so long as the master told me the ship was flying
along with a fair wind, and making a fine course.
Yet, had I but known it, I had ought to have been thankful for that
rough progress of ours, but of this I never thought until it was
stopped. For one day methought I heard a prodigious great noise on
deck, running and trampling and setting of sails and the like, and
much loud talk and swearing. And in a moment in come Mr Spender with a
pale face, telling me that we had outrun our consorts in the night,
and were now chased by a Sallee rover, so that we were all like to be
taken and made slaves to the Moors. Now upon this, though it seem to
you a thing incredible, yet truly the disease, the which had
heretofore weighed me down, and made me to long for death, left me on
a sudden, so that I leaped up and dressed myself, and seizing my
sword, ran upon deck, Mr Spender following after with his pistols. And
upon deck I found the seamen busied in making ready the two cannons
that our ship carried, and Captain Freeman a-serving out cutlasses and
fusees.[12] Then looking behind, I saw the rover that chased us, the
which was a long vessel of a monstrous outlandish build, mighty low in
the water, and moving with a most marvellous swiftness. And asking our
captain whether we were like to escape, “Mr Carlyon,” says he, “we
have left our course and are now running for Tangier. If we can come
at it, maybe a king’s ship or two will put out to our aid and drive
off the black devils; but if not, I see no help but we shall end our
days in Barbary.”
Now this catching the ear of a young boy, that was on board for to
serve Captain Freeman in his cabin, he falls a-blubbering because the
master said we must all end our days in Barbary, and this being heard
by the seamen, they were taken with a mighty trembling and despair, so
as to leave handling the ropes and charging their pieces, and stand
gazing upon the rover. So that Captain Freeman, Mr Spender, and I were
fain to go among them with our drawn swords, and so force them to
return to their duty, which when they did we quickly made way upon the
rover. And upon this the pirates tried to knock away our masts with a
shot, but they was too far removed from us, and did but lose ground in
the trying, while as the Boscobel flew on towards the coast, which we
could now clearly discern. And now our captain caused the ship’s
cannons to be fired again and again, and that not so much with the
intent to hit the enemy, for of this, indeed, there was but little
hope, but that those in the harbour, hearing the noise, might perceive
our plight, and make haste to come to our help.
Now, as we learned thereafter, it chanced, in the great goodness of
God, that there was at this time lying in the port the Royal Charles
and the Navarre, king’s ships, whose captains, hearing the noise of
cannons and perceiving its cause, made haste to put to sea and come to
our help. We then, beholding these two great ships sailing towards us,
gave thanks to God for His mercy, and left firing at the rover, the
which was, indeed, no longer needful, since he, perceiving our
reinforcement of strength, did incontinent turn himself about and seek
to escape. But for all his subtlety and swiftness, our two ships were
better than he, and sailing in such a manner as to cut him off from
the port that he aimed at (I would I might describe this action in
seamanlike terms, but this lies not within my power), had the mastery
over him, and succeeded to bring him in and all his crew as captives.
Who, in due course, were set a-working in chains upon the ramparts of
the town of Tangier, a singular and worthy instance of God’s
confounding the designs of the wicked, in bestowing upon them that
very doom they thought to have prepared for us. And this all have
acknowledged, to whom I have told this history, though many of them
were (I fear) careless persons, and little like at ordinary times to
observe and admire the Providence of God.
But ’tis not alone on the account of this marvellous escape and
deliverance of ours that I shall always be mindful of this town of
Tangier, but for an evil chance that was like to have befell me there.
For we casting anchor in the port for to await our consorts, that were
all to take in water at this place, the master of the Boscobel did
grant to his seamen leave to go on shore, which leave we passengers
also enjoyed. And I going in a boat of the place with Mr Spender, he
met upon the landing-stage a gentleman of his friends among the
officers of his majesty’s troops there quartered, and tarried to drink
with him. But I, desiring to see somewhat of the city, went on apace,
and found it a mighty pretty town, standing on a fair bay, and
surrounded by fortifications of a tolerable strength, and that seemed
apt to resist a siege. But the streets of the place are extreme narrow
and dirty, so that one can scarce pass through them, from the great
multitude of camels, asses, and other beasts that dispute passage with
him. And the people of the city are so lazy and ragged as I had never
before beheld, and the crowds of beggars beyond belief.
Passing at last through all this nastiness, I came to the ramparts on
the land side of the place, whence was a fair prospect of desert and
remote hills, such as I then saw for the first time. And here I sat me
down for to examine and admire that I saw, and did watch the soldiers
at their exercises close under the city walls with much diversion, in
especial the Moorish part of them, whose riding and sword-play was
very pretty. Now, as I sat there, there come up Mr Spender, none the
better for the wine that he had of a rascally fellow, half Spaniard
and half Moor, that kept a tavern under pretence of an inn. And you
must know that ’twas now the 29th day of May, Royal Oak Day as we call
it, so long had I tarried in London before the ship sailed. In
remembrance, then, of the most miraculous happy escape, as on that
day, of his majesty King Charles the Second, I was arrayed in a brave
habit, with my cousin Dorothy’s badge on the forefront thereof, for to
testify to all men that loyalty whereof our house is proud. And Mr
Spender, coming up, did assail me suddenly with many evil words,
miscalling me a penniless knave and a beggarly Malignant and many
other such ill names. Nay, moreover, he gathered up dirt and cast it
at me, and did even spit upon my Royal Oak badge, insulting me and it
the while with such revilings as I won’t write down. And I, who was,
despite my good advice given to my little cousin, and my temperate
behaviour in London, but a youth, and hot-headed at that, was so
wrought upon with his reproaches as to draw my hanger and run upon him
with intent to slay him. And though now I am covered with shame to
have desired to take away a fellow-creature’s life on such a cause,
yet then I was ready to have killed him on the spot. And he, drawing
his sword also, was prepared to fight, and I make no doubt but there
should have been blood shed between us, had not Captain Freeman on a
sudden come up with another shipmaster of his acquaintance, and thrown
himself upon us.
“How, lads! young gentlemen!” cries he, mighty angry, “swords out?
What’s this? You would pink one another, for all the world like a
couple of Portugals or two Italian bravos in a play? And for what? For
a few bad words? Fight it out with your fists, like honest Englishmen.
Here’s Captain Branter and I will see fair.”
’Twas well indeed that they was there, for as I put up my sword, Mr
Spender, mad with passion and the wine he had drank, flew upon me with
his drawn blade, and I had much ado to defend myself. But Captain
Branter pulling him off, I was able to make ready, and we did set to
in good earnest. But, thanks to my fights with young rebels at school,
it was not long before I made him admit himself mastered, and caused
him take back all his naughty words. And Captain Freeman then
enjoining upon us to shake hands and have it over, the which was done
but with a poor grace on either side, we returned to the ship, so
ending this affair.