I was not a little charm'd with the folemnity of the challenge, which ran thus ; I James Miller, Serjeant, (lately come frome the frontiers of Portugal) mafter of the noble feience of defence, bearing in most places where I have been of the great fame of Timothy Buck of London, maler of the faid fcience, do invite him to meet me, and exercife at the feve ral weapons following, viz. Back faword, Single fakhi on, If the generous ardour in James Miller to difpute the reputation of Timothy Euck, had fomething refembling the old heroes of romance, Timothy Buck return'd anfwer in the fame paper with the like fpirit, adding a little indignation at being challenged, and feeming to condefcend to fight James Miller, not in regard to Miller himself, but in that, as the fame went about, he had fought Parkes of Coventry. The acceptance of the combat ran in thefe words: I Timothy Buck of Clare Market, Mafter of the noblé Science of defence, hearing he did fight Mr. Parkes of Coventry, will not fail (God willing) to meet this fair inviter at the time and place appointed, defiring a clear fuge and no favour. Vivat Regina. I fhall not here look back on the spectacles of the Greeks and Romans of this kind, but must believe this cuftom took its rife from the ages of knight-errantry; from those who lov'd one woman fo well, that they hated all men and women else; from those who would fight you, whether you were or were not of their mind; from thofe who demanded the combat of their contemporaries, both for admiring their mistress or difcommending her. I cannot therefore but lament, that the terrible part of the ancient fight is preserved, when the amorous fide of it is forgotten. We have retained the barbarity, but loft the gallantry of the old combatants, I could wish, methinks, thefe gentlemen had confulted me in the promulgation of the conflict. I was obliged by a fair young maid whom I understood to be called Elizabeth Prefton, daughter of the keeper of the garden, with a glass of water; whom I imagined might have been, for form's fake, the general reprefentative of the lady fought for, and from her beauty the proper Amarillis on thele occafions. It would have ran better in the challenge, I James Miller, Serjeant, who have travelled parts abroad, and came laft from the frontiers of Portugal, for the love of Elizabeth Prefton, do affert, that the faid Elizabeth is the fairest of women. Then the anfwer; 1 Timothy Buck, who have flay'd in Great Britain during all the war in foreign parts, for the fake of Sufanna Page, do deny that Elizabeth Prefton is fo fair as the faid Sufanna Page. Let Sulanna Page look on, and I defire of James Miller no favour This would give the battle quite another turn; and a proper flation for the ladies, whofe complexion was difputed by the fword, would animate the difputants with a more gallant incentive than the expectation of money from the fpectators; tho' I would not have that neglected, but thrown to that fair one, whofe lover was approved by the donor. Yet, confidering the thing wants fuch amendments, it was carried with great order. James Miller came on first; preceded by two difabled drummers, to fhew, I fuppofe, that the prospect of maimed bodies did not in the least deter him. There afcended with the daring Miller a gentleman, whofe name I could not learn, with a dogged air, as unfatisfied that he was not principal. This fon of anger lowered at the whole affembly, and weighing himself as he marched around from fide to fide, with a ftiff knee and fhoulder, he gave intimations of the purpose he fmothered till he faw the ifue of this encounter. Miller had a blue ribbon tied round the fword arm; which ornament I conceive to be the remain of that cuftom of wearing a mistress's favour on fuch occafions of old. Miller is a man of fix foot eight inches heights of a kind but bold afpect, well fashioned, and ready of his limbs; and fuch readiness as spoke his eafe in them, was obtained from a habit of motion in military exercife. The The expectation of the fpectators was now almost at its height, and the croud preffing in, feveral active perfons thought they were placed rather according to their fortune than their merit, and took it in their heads to prefer themselves from the open area or pit, to the galleries. The difpute between defert and property brought many to the ground, and raised others in proportion to the highest feats by turns, for the space of ten minutes, till Timothy Buck came on, and the whole affembly giving up their difputes, turned their eyes upon the champions. Then it was that every man's affection turned to one or the other irrefiftibly. A judicious gentleman near me faid, I could methinks be Miller's Jecond, but I had rather have Buck for mine. Miller had an audacious look, that took the eye: Buck a perfect compofure, that engaged the judgment. Buck came on in a plain coat, and kept all his air till the inftant of engaging; at which time he undrefs'd to his fhirt, his arm adorned with a bandage of red ribbon. No one can describe the fudden concern in the whole affembly; the most tumultuous croud in nature was as ftill and as much engaged, as if all their lives depended on the firft blow. The combatants met in the middle of the ftage, and fhaking hands as removing all malice, they retired with much grace to the extremities of it; from whence they immediately faced about, and approached each other, Miller with an heart full of refolution. Buck with a watchful untroubled countenance; Buck regarding principally his own defence; Miller chiefly thoughtful of annoying his opponent. It is not eafy to defcribe the many escapes and imperceptible defences between two men of quick eyes and ready limbs; but Miller's heat laid him open to the rebuke of the calm Buck, by a large cut on the forehead. Much effufion of blood covered his eyes in a moment, and the huzzas of the croud undoubtedly quickened the anguifh. The affembly was divided into parties upon their different ways of fighting; while a poor nymph in one of the galleries apparently fuffered for Miller, and burst into a flood of tears. As foon as his wound was wrapped up, he came on again with a little rage, which itill difabled him further. But what brave man can be wounded into more patience and caution? The next was a warm eager onfet, which ended in a decifive ftroke on the left leg of Miller. The lady in the gallery, during this fecond ftrife, covered her face; and for my part, I could not keep my thoughts from being moftly employed on the confideration of her unhappy circumftance that moment, hearing the clan of fwords, and apprehending life or victory concerned her lover in every blow, but not daring to fatisfy herself on whom they fell. The wound was exposed to the view of all who could delight in it, and fewed up on the ftage. The furly fecond of Miller declared at this time, that he would that day fortnight fight Mr. Buck at the fame weapons, declaring himself the master of the renowned Gorman ; but Buck denied him the honour of that courageous difciple, and afferting that he himself had taught that champion, accepted the challenge. Is There is fomething in nature very unaccountable on fuch occafions, when we fee the people take a certain painful gratification in beholding thefe encounters. it cruelty that adminifters this fort of delight? Or is it a pleasure which is taken in the exercife of pity? It was methought pretty remarkable, that the bufinefs of the day being a trial of fkill, the popularity did not run fo high as one would have expected on the fide of Buck. Is it that people's paffions have their rife in felf-love, and thought themselves (in fpite of all the courage they had) liable to the fate of Miller, but could not fo eafily think themselves qualified like Buck? Tully speaks of this cuftom with less horror than one would expect, though he confeffes it was much abused in his time, and feems directly to approve of it under its first regulations, when criminals only fought before the people. Crudele gladiatorum spectaculum & inhumanum nonnullis videri folet; & baud fcio_annon ita fit ut nunc fit; cùm verò fontes ferro depugnabant, auribus fortaffe multa, oculis quidem nulla, poterat effe fortior contra dolorem & mortem difciplina. The fhews of gladiators may be thought barbarous and inhumane, and I know • not but it is fo as it is now practifed; but in those times when only criminals were combatants, the ear perhaps might receive many better instructions, but it is impoffible • that any thing which affects our eyes, should fortify us fa well against pain and death. T N° 437 Tuesday, July 22. Tune impunè hæc facias? Tune bic homines adolefcentulos, Ter. Andr. A&t. 5. Sc. 4. Shall you escape with impunity; you, who lay fnares for young men, of a liberal education, but unacquainted with the world, and, by force of importunity and promifes, draw them in to marry harlots ? T age HE other day paffed by me in her chariot a lady with that pale and wan complexion, which we fometimes fee in young people, who are fallen into forrow, and private anxiety of mind, which antedate and ficknefs. It is not three years ago, fince the was gay, airy, and a little towards libertine in her carriage; but, methought, I eafily forgave her that little infolence, which the fo feverely pays for in her prefent condition. Flavilla, of whom I am fpeaking, is married to a fullen fool with wealth: Her beauty and merit are loft upon the dolt, who is infenfible of perfection in any thing, Their hours together are either painful or infipid: The minutes fhe has to herself in his abfence are not fuf. ficient to give vent at her eyes to the grief and torment of his laft converfation. This poor creature was facrificed with a temper, (which under the cultivation of a man of sense, would have made the most agreeable companion) into the arms of this loth fome yoke-fellow by Sempronia. Sempronia is a good lady, who fupports herself in an affluent condition, by contracting friendhip with rich young widows, and maids of plentiful fortunes |