How Harry Huff {160a}, lord of Albion, one of the greatest bullies of
those days, sent a cartel to Martin to fight him on a stage at Cudgels,
quarter-staff, backsword, &c. Hence the origin of that genteel custom of
prize-fighting so well known and practised to this day among those polite
islanders, though unknown everywhere else. How Martin, being a bold,
blustering fellow, accepted the challenge; how they met and fought, to
the great diversion of the spectators; and, after giving one another
broken heads and many bloody wounds and bruises, how they both drew off
victorious, in which their example has been frequently imitated by great
clerks and others since that time. How Martin’s friends applauded his
victory, and how Lord Harry’s friends complimented him on the same score,
and particularly Lord Peter, who sent him a fine feather for his cap
{160b}, to be worn by him and his successors as a perpetual mark for his
bold defence of Lord Peter’s cause. How Harry, flushed with his
pretended victory over Martin, began to huff Peter also, and at last
downright quarrelled with him about a wench. How some of Lord Harry’s
tenants, ever fond of changes, began to talk kindly of Martin, for which
he mauled them soundly, as he did also those that adhered to Peter. How
he turned some out of house and hold, others he hanged or burnt, &c.
How Harry Huff, after a deal of blustering, wenching, and bullying, died,
and was succeeded by a good-natured boy {161a}, who, giving way to the
general bent of his tenants, allowed Martin’s notions to spread
everywhere, and take deep root in Ambition. How, after his death, the
farm fell into the hands of a lady {161b}, who was violently in love with
Lord Peter. How she purged the whole country with fire and sword,
resolved not to leave the name or remembrance of Martin. How Peter
triumphed, and set up shops again for selling his own powders, plasters,
and salves, which were now declared the only true ones, Martin’s being
all declared counterfeit. How great numbers of Martin’s friends left the
country, and, travelling up and down in foreign parts, grew acquainted
with many of Jack’s followers, and took a liking to many of their notions
and ways, which they afterwards brought back into ambition, now under
another landlady {161c}, more moderate and more cunning than the former.
How she endeavoured to keep friendship both with Peter and Martin, and
trimmed for some time between the two, not without countenancing and
assisting at the same time many of Jack’s followers; but finding, no
possibility of reconciling all the three brothers, because each would be
master, and allow no other salves, powders, or plasters to be used but
his own, she discarded all three, and set up a shop for those of her own
farm, well furnished with powders, plasters, salves, and all other drugs
necessary, all right and true, composed according to receipts made by
physicians and apothecaries of her own creating, which they extracted out
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