416 AN INTERNAL TROUBLE.

they were all working in the field about their corn-land) knocked
the brute down. Another of the Englishmen, running at the same
time to help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard down; and then
two Spaniards more came in to help their man, and a third
Mnglishman fell in upon them. They had none of them any fire-
arms, or any other weapons but hatchets and other tools, except
this third Englishman; he had one of my old rusty cutlasses, with
which he made at the two last Spaniards, and wounded them both,
This fray set the whole family in an uproar, and more help coming
in, they took the three Englishmen prisoners. The next question
was what should be done with them. They had been so often
mutinous, and were so furious, so desperate, and so idle withal,
that they knew not what course to take with them; for they were
mischievous to the highest degree, and valued not what hurt they
did to any man; so that, in short, it was not safe to live with them,

The Spaniard who was governor told them in so many words,
that if they had been of his own country he would have langed
them, for all laws and all governors were to preserve society, and
those who were dangerous to the society ought to be expelled out
of it; but as they were Englishmen, and that it was to the generous
kindness of an Englishman that they all owed their preservation
and deliverance, he would use them with all possible lenity, and
would Jeave them to the judgment of the other two Knglishmen,
who were their countrymen.

One of the two honest Englishmen stood up and said they de-
sired it might not be left to them, “ For,” says he, Tam sure we
ought to sentence them to the gallows; ” and with that he gives
an account how Will Atkins, one of the three, had proposed to
have all the five Knglishmen join together and murder all the
Spaniards when they were in their sleep !

When the Spaniard governor heard this, he calls to William
Atkins, “ How, Seignior Atkins,” says he, “ would you murder us all?
What have you to say to that?’? That hardened villain was so
far from denying it that he said it was true, and swore if they
would not do it still before they had done with them. ‘ Well,
but, Seignior Atkins,” says the Spaniard,“ what have we done to you,
that you would kill us? And what would you get by killing us?