"Dost think to escape hanging, varlet, and have no money?" exclaimed the other, sharply: "O' my life you be the shockingest villain I have met with this many a day."

"It be plain they be vagrom men," cried the first, "for it be well known of all, vagrom men be a horrible pennyless set."

"I have money, Master Constable," exclaimed Master Francis.

"There be some hope of you," quickly replied neighbour Braddle: "saving that you have fallen into abominable bad company, I would not utter a word to your disparagement. I doubt not it will be found upon enquiry you be a youth of a very marvellous honesty. Let me have the keeping of your money, honest youth, else it will stand a good chance of being stolen."

"I thank you, I would rather keep it myself," answered Master Francis.

"Out on you for a hardened young villain!" cried the other, looking exceeding wrath. "There can be no doubt of your being a couple of as infamous cutpurses as ever were put in the compter. Bring them along, neighbour Sheepface-to prison with them—they cannot help swinging for 't."

Master Shakspeare and his young friend were dragged along the whole length of the street, and they began to think their situation somewhat unpleasant. They attempted to remonstrate with

their captors upon the wrong they were doing, in hurrying to prison persons of their respectability for committing of no offence, and threatened them with the severest penalties of the law were they not released on the instant; but they received nothing but abuse in reply. They had scarce got into the next street when the whole party were met by four young men, who were coming along singing and catterwauling, and making of such a terrible racket, that some of the citizens were seen in their nightcaps looking out of window to know what horrible noise it was.

By Gog and Magog, Big Jack o' the Turnstile, here be two honest gentlemen in custody of the watch!" cried a well-known voice, as he approached within sight of them. "To the rescue, Peter Perriwinkle !—to the rescue, Long-legged Tom!— they be my true friends," shouted Harry Daring, as he recognised who they were. In a minute all four hurried towards the spot, evidently in that state in which legions of watch would have been cared for but little. "Ha! what Barnaby Braddle!" exclaimed Harry, in some sort of astonishment, as he stood before Master Constable; "take that for old acquaintance sake!" and the next moment Barnaby Braddle measured his length on the ground, knocked on the pate by his own bill, which Harry had wrested from him.

This appeared to be the signal for a general

fight. Master Shakspeare and his young friend were soon out of the hands of their captors, having each of them tripped up the heels of such of the watch as held them; and laying hold of the weapons of those who fell, they assisted Harry Daring and his companions with such good will, that in an exceeding brief space, their opponents took to their heels, or were laid with broken pates on the ground. However the noise of the disturbance and the outcries of those who ran away, soon fetched such numbers of the city watch, that, for all that they fought with the most determined resoluteness every one of them, Master Shakspeare and his party would have been overpowered, had not Harry Daring all at once raised the cry of "prentices! prentices! clubs! clubs!" in which he was so vigorously assisted by Big Jack o' the Turnstile, Long-legged Tom, and Peter Perriwinkle, that there presently were seen running in all directions some score of young men and boys, every one with a cudgel in his hand, who began laying about them so famously, it looked as if they were used to it. More of the watch continued to come, but the apprentices who had already taken part in the conflict soon drew such a number to their assistance, by shouting as loud as they could "prentices! prentices ! clubs ! clubs!" that the street became filled with them and the watch, to the amount of some hundreds, all fighting with one another as fiercely as dragons, with such

VOL. III.

I

furious outcries, that it brought the citizens, frightened out of their wits, to their windows.

It cannot be doubted but that Harry Daring was in the thickest of the fray. Indeed, though he got a few famous thumps from the bills of his opponents, he ceased not till he and his companions had driven them to seek safety in flight; and after seeing of Master Shakspeare to his lodgings, and bidding good night to his old schoolfellows, he went home with Master Francis, overjoyed that he had again participated in such "exquisite fine fun," as he had ever found in beating of the watch.

CHAPTER VII.

What things have we seen

Done at THE MERMAID; heard words that have been

So nimble, and so full of subtle flame,

As if that every one from whence they came

Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest !

BEAUMONT.

But that which most doth take my Muse and me,
Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine,

Which is THE MERMAID's now-but shall be mine;
Of which had Horace or Anacreon tasted,

Their lives, as do their lines, till now had lasted.

BEN JONSON.

Come, let us go while we are in our prime,
And take the harmless folly of the time.

HERRICK.

THE next day, Master Shakspeare proceeded, with Master Francis, to the scrivener's, determined, if it were possible, to make the old miser declare what he knew of his young friend's parentage: but Gregory Vellum was obstinate, nay, quite rude on the matter. He would have it he knew no more than he had already said; and could not be ever a wasting of his time in answering questions concerning the birth of one that was base born. In vain his nephew implored him to say all that he was