they perfifted in their refolution, in arms; and that if he had the and his uncle would have begun hoftilities on his carcafe, had not he been prevented by Sir Launcelot, who exhorted Clarke to retire from the field, that he might not be involved in the confequences of the combat. He relished this advice fo well, that he had actually 'moved off to fome diftance; but his apprehenfion and concern for his friends co-operating with an infatiable curiofity, detained him in fight of the engagment. The two knights having fairly divided the ground, and the fame precautions being taken by the feconds, on another part of the field, Sycamore began to be invaded with fome fcruples, which were probably engendered by the martial appearance, and well known character of his antagonist. The confidence which he had derived from the reluctance of Sir Launcelot, now vanifhed, because it plainly appeared, that the knight's backwardnefs was not owing to personal timidity; and he forefaw that the profecution of this joke might be attended with very ferious confequences to his own life and reputation. He, therefore, defired a parley, in which he obferv. ed his affection for Mifs Darnel was of fuch a delicate nature, that fhould the difcomfiture of his rival contribute to make her unhappy, his victory muft render him the moft miferable wretch upon earth. He propofed, therefore, that her fentiments and choice fhould be afcértained before they proceeded to extremity. Sir Launcelot declared that he was much more afraid of combating Aurelia's inclination, than of ppofing the knight of the Griffin least reafon to think Mr. Sycamore, ed by her preference, he would inor any other perfon, was diftinguishftantly give up his fuit as desperate. At the fame time, he obferved that Sycamore had proceeded too far to retract; that he had infulted a gentleman, and not only challenged, but even purfucd him, and blocked up his paffage in the public highway; outrages which he (Sir Launcelot) would not fuffer to pafs unpunished. Accordingly, he infifted on the combat, on pain of treating Mr. Sycamore as a craven, and a recreant. was reinforced by Dawdle, who This declaration told him that should he now decline the engagement, all the world would look upon him as an infamous pol troon. These two obfervations gave a neceffary fillip to the courage of the challenger. The parties took their ftations: the trumpet founded to charge, and the combatants began their career with great impetuofity. Whether the gleam of Sir Launcelot's arms affrighted Mr. Sycamore's fteed, or fome other object had an unlucky effect on his eyefight; certain it is he ftarted, at about midway, and gave his rider fuch a violent shake as difcompofed his attitude, and disabled him from ufing his lance to the beft advantage. Had our hero continued his career, with his launce couched, in all probability Sycamore's armour would have proved but a bad defence to his carcafe: but Sir fpear unrefted, had just time to Launcelot perceiving his rival's throw up the point of his own, when the two horfes clofed with fuch a fhock, that Sycamore, already wavering wavering in the faddle, was overthrown, and his armour crashed around him as he fell. The victor, fecing him lie without motion, alighted immediately and began to unbuckle his helmet, in which office he was aflifted by the trumpeter. When the head-piece was removed, the hapless knight of the Griffin appeared in the pale livery of death, tho' he was only in a fwoon, from which he foon recovered by the effect of the fresh air, and the afperfion of cold water, brought from a fmall pool in the neighbourhood. When he recognized his conqueror doing the offices of humanity about his perfon, he clofed his eyes from vexation, told Sir Launcelot that his was the fortune of the day, tho' he himself owed his mifchance to the fault of his own horfe; and obferved that this ridiculous affair would not have happened, but for the mifchievous inftigation of that fcoundrel Dawdle, on whofe ribs he threatened to revenge his mishap. Perhaps captain Crowe might havé faved him this trouble, had that wag honourably adhered to the inftitutions of chivalry, in his conflict with our novice: but on this occafion, his ingenuity was more commendable than his courage. He had provided at the inn a blown bladder, in which feveral fmooth pebbles were inclosed; and this he flily fixed to the head of his pole, when the captain obeyed the fignal to battle. Instead of bearing the brunt of the encounter, he turned out of the ftraight line, fo as to avoid the launce of his antagonist, and rattled his bladder with ch effect, that Crowe's horfe pric king up his ears, took to his heels, and fled across fome ploughed land with fuch precipitation, that the rider was obliged to quit his fpear, and lay faft hold on the mane, that he might not be thrown out of the faddle. Dawdle, who was much better mounted, feeing his condition, rode up to the unfortunate novice, and belaboured his fhoulders without fear of retaliation. Mr. Clarke, feeing his kinfman fo roughly handled, forgot his fears, and flew to his affiftance; but, before he came up, the aggreffor had retired, and now perceiving that fortune had declared against his friend and patron, very honourably abandoned him in his diftrefs, and went off at full speed for London. Nor was Timothy Crabfhaw without his fhare in the noble atchievements of this propitious day. He had by this time imbibed such a tincture of errantry, that he firmly believed himself and his master equally invincible; and this belief operating upon a perverfe difpofition, rendered him as quarrel fome in his fphere, as his mafter was mild and forbearing. As he fat on horseback, in the place afligned to him and Sycamore's lacquey, he managed Gilbert in fuch a manner, as to invade with his heels, the pofteriors of the other's horfe; and this infult produced fome altercation, which ended in mutual affault. The footman handled the butt-end of his horfe-whip with great dexterity about the head of Crabthaw, who declared afterwards, that it fung and fimmered like a kettle of cod-fith: but the fquire, who underftood the nature of long lashes, as having been a carter from his intancy, Q92 infancy, found means to twine his thong about the neck of his antagonift, and pull him off his horfe half ftrangled, at the very instant his master was thrown by Sir Launcelot Greaves. Having thus obtained the victory, he did not much regard the punctilios of chivalry; but taking it for granted he had a right to make the most of his advantage, refolved to carry off the Spolia opima. Alighting with great agility, "Brother, (cried he) I think as haw yawrs bean't a butcher's horse, a doan't carry calves well-I'fe make yaw knaw your churning days, I wool-what yaw look as if yaw was crow-trodden, you do---now, you shall pay the fcore you have been running on my peate, you fhall, brother." So faying, he rifled his pockets, stripped him of his hat and coat, and took poffeffion of his master's portmanteau. But he did not long enjoy his plunder: for the lacquey complaining to Sir Launcelot, of his having been defpoiled, the knight commanded his fquire to refund, not without menaces of subjecting him to the feverest chastisement, for his injustice and rapacity. Timothy reprefented, with great vehemence, that he had won the spoils in fair battle, at the expence of his head and fhoulders, which he immediately uncovered, to prove his allegation but his remonftrance having no effect upon his mafter, "Wounds! (cried he) an I mun gee thee back the pig, I'fe gee thee back the poke alfo; I'm a drubbing ftill in thy debt." With these words, he made a most furious attack upon the plainff, with his horfe-whip, and before the knight could interpofe, repayed the lacquey with intereft. As an appurtenance to Sycamore and Dawdle, he ran the rifque of another affault from the novice Crowe, who was fo tranfported with rage, at the difagreeable trick which had been played upon him, by his fugitive antagonist, that he could not for fome time pronounce an articulate found, but a few broken interjections, the meaning of which could not be afcertained. Snatching up his pole, he ran towards the place where Mr. Sycamore fat on the grafs, fupported by the trumpeter, and would have finished what our adventurer had left undone, if the knight of the Crefcent, with admirable dexterity, had not warded off the blow which he aimed at the knight of the Griffin, and fignified his displeasure in a refolute tone: then he collared the lacquey, who was juft difengaged from the chaftifing hand of Crabshaw, and fwinging his launce with his other hand, encountered the fquire's ribs by accident, Timothy was not flow in returning the falutation, with the weapon which he ftill wielded: Mr. Clarke, running up to the affiftance of his uncle, was oppofed by the lacquey, who feemed extremely defirous of feeing the enemy revenge his quarrel, by falling foul of one another. Clarke, thus impeded, commenced hoftilities against the footman, while Crowe grappled with Crabfhaw; a battle-royal infued, and was maintained with great vigour, and fome bloodshed on all fides, until the authority of Sir Launcelot, reinforced by fome weighty remonstrances, applied to the the fquire, put an end to the conflict. Crabshaw immediately defifted, and ran roaring to communicate his grievances to Gilbert, who seemed to fympathize very little with his diftrefs. The lacquey took to his heels; Mr. Clarke wiped his bloody nofe, declaring he had a good mind to put the aggreffor in the Crown-office; and cap tain Crowe continued to ejaculate unconnected oaths, which, however, feemed to imply that he was almost fick of his new profeffion. "D-n my eyes, if you call this--start my timbers, brother---look ye, d'ye fee---a loufy, lubberly, cowardly fon of a--among the breakers, d'ye fee---loft my fteerage way.fplit my binnacle; haul away---O! damn all arrantry--give me a tight veffel, d'ye fee, brother-mayhap you may'nt---fnatch my-fea room and afpanking gale--odds heart, I'll hold a whole year's--fmite my limbs: it don't fignify talking..." Our hero confoled the novice for his difafter, by obferving, that if he had got fome blows, he had loft no honour. At the fame time, he observed that it was very difficult, if not impoffible, for a man to fucceed in the paths of chivalry, who had paffed the better part of his days in other occupations; and hinted that as the caufe which had engaged him in this way of life no longer exifted, he was determined to relinquish a profeffion, which, in a peculiar manner, expofed him to the moft difagreeable incidents. Crowe chewed the cud upon this infinuation, while the other perfonages of the Drama were employed in catching the horfes, which had given their riders the flip. As for Mr. Sycamore, he was fo bruifed by his fall, that it was neceffary to procure a litter for conveying him to the next town, and the fervant was difpatched for this convenience; Sir Launcelot staying with him until it arrived. When he was fafely deposited in the carriage, our hero took leave of him in these terms. "I shall not infift upon your fubmitting to the terms, you yourfeif propofed before this rencounter. I give you free leave to use all your advantages, in an honourable way, for promoting your fuit with the young lady, of whom you profefs yourfelf enainoured. Should you have recourfe to finifter practices, you will find Sir Launcelot Greaves ready to demand an account of your conduct, not in the character of a lunatic knight-errant, but as a plain English gentleman, jealous of his honour, and refolute in his purpose." To this addrefs Mr. Sycamore made no reply, but with a fullen afpect ordered the carriage to proceed; and it moved accordingly to the right, our hero's road to London, lying in the other direction. Sir Launcelot had already exchanged his armour for a riding coat, hat, and boots; and Crowe parting with his fkull-cap and leathern jerkin, regained in fome respects the appearance of a human creature. Thus metamorphofed, they pur fued their way in an eafy pace, Mr. Clarke endeavouring to amuse them with a learned differtation on the law, tending to demonftrate that Mr. Sycamore was, by his behaviour of that day, liable to three different actions, befides a commiffion of lunacy; and that Dawdle might 810 The Life and Adventures of Sir Lauucelot Graves. might be profecuted for having practifed fubtle craft, to the annoyance of his uncle, over and above an action for affault and battery; because, for why? The faid Crow having run away, as might be eafily proved, before any blows were given, the faid Dawdle by pursuing him even out of the high road, putting him in fear, and committing battery on his body, became, to all intents and purposes, the aggreffor; and an indictment would lie in Banco Regis. The Captain's pride was fo hocked at thefe obfervations, that he exclaimed with equal rage and impatience, "You lie, you dog, in Bilkum Regis-you lie, I fay, you lubber, I did not run away; nor was I in fear, d'ye fee. It was my fon of a bitch of a horse that would not obey the helm, d'ye fee, whereby I coudn't use my metal, d'ye fee -As for the matter of fear, you and fear my kiss my- So don't go and heave your ftink-pots at my character, d'ye fee, or agad I'll trim thee fore and aft with a-I wool." Tom protested he meant nothing but a little fpeculation, and Crowe was appeased. In the evening they reached the town of Bugden, without any farther adventure, and paffed the night in great tranquility. Next morning, even after the horfes were ordered to be faddled, Mr. Clarke, without ceremony, entered the apartment of Sir Launcelot, leading in a female, who proved to be the identical Mrs. Dolly Cowflip. This young woman advancing to the knight, cried, "O, Sir Launcelot! my dear leady, my dear leady”—but was hindered from proceeding by a flood of tears, which British the tender-hearted lawyer mingled with a plentiful fhower of fympathy. exclamation, "O heavens! (cried Our adventurer starting at this he) where is my Aurelia? fpeak, where did you leave that jewel of ment-I am all terror and impamy foul? anfwer me in a motience!" Dolly having recollected herfelf, told him that Mr. Darnel had lodged his niece in the new buildings by May-fair; that on the very warm expoftulation had paffed fecond night after their arrival, a between Aurelia and her uncle, who next morning difmiffed Dolly, without permitting her to take leave of her miftrefs, and that fame day moved to another part of the town, as the afterwards learned of the landlady, though the could not inform her whither they were gone. That when he was turned away, John Clump, one of the footmen, who pretended to have a kindness for her, had faithfully promifed to call upon her and let her know what paffed in the family; but as he did not keep his word, and she was an utter ftranger in London, without friends or fettlement, fhe had refolved to return to her mother, and travelled fo far on foot fince yefterday morning. the moft difmal tidings from her Our knight, who had expected lamentable preamble, was pleafed to find his prefaging fears difappointed; tho' he was far from be-ing fatisfied, with the difiniffion of Dolly, from whofe attachment to his intereft, joined to her influence over Mr. Clump, he had hoped to reap fuch intelligence as would guide him to the haven of his defires. After a minute's reflection, he |