"
This brought the people's eyes upon me again; I was very much irritated,
but I thought it improper to say anything. Another, looking savagely at
me, said to the mayor, "that he had known Captain Vicars a long time;
that he was an honourable man[A], and would not allow such usage in his
ship. There were always vagabonds to hatch up things;" and he made a
dead point at me, by putting himself into a posture which attracted the
notice of those present, and by staring me in the face. I could now no
longer restrain myself, and I said aloud, in as modest manner as I
could, "You, sir, may know many things which I do not; but this I know,
that if you do not do your duty, you are amenable to a higher court."
The mayor upon this looked at me, and directly my friend Mr. Burges, who
was sitting as the clerk to the magistrates, went to him and whispered
something in his ear; after which all private conversation between the
mayor and others ceased, and the hearing was ordered to come on.
[Footnote A: We may well imagine what this person's notion of another
man's honour was; for he was the purser of the Brothers and of the
Alfred, who, as before mentioned, sent the captains of those ships out a
second voyage; after knowing their barbarities in the former; and he was
also the purser of this very ship Thomas, where the murder had been
committed.
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