Then out Will. Addle* ran, to know And saw the champions stout engag'd, "Hold your dead-doing hands," cry'd he, Ye bold and hardy wights: Know ye not these walls sacred are To peace, and peaceful knights. Should but Sir Blue-string chance to know You caus'd here these alarms, You would be ta'en in custody, Then company running between, Did farther harm prevent; God knows there how much precious blood Had otherwise been spent. * Wm. Pultney. But still his Lordship glowd with ire, On him who had him thus abus'd, Wherefore for pen and ink he call'd, Which by a brother Peer he sent, His second in this fight. "Meet me," said he, "thou recreant knave, "I mean thy blood to spill, "Because we will not parted be, "On Constitution-hill. "A second likewise with thee bring, "As I have one provided, "That all our quarrels there at once "May fairly be decided." The Peer straitway to th' Mitre goes, And for the lawyer sent, Who to him instantly repairs, Suspecting the event. Crowle having soon perus'd the scroll, Was not the least dismay'd; But, with a bold undaunted air, Thus to the Peer he said: "Go, tell my Lord, this challenge I "With as much joy receive, "As would a condemn'd criminal, "At Tyburn, a reprieve. "I'll meet him there without delay, "Arm'd with my trusty steel, "We soon shall see if he's a man "Whose arm my blood can spill." Then having ta'en a second bold, Unto the Park he flies, Where long he had not been before The two Peers he espies. "Welcome, proud Peer," quoth he, "our wrongs "Shall now revenged be, "Or by my fall or thine"--this said, He drew full manfully. The Peer that instant did the same, Then Crowle, indignant at delays, Straitway ran in and clos'd, And much blood had been shed, had not Their seconds interpos'd. |