leafless　trees；　on　whose　summits　swayed　the　cawing　rooks；　until　servitude
  seemed　intolerable；　and　he　prayed　for　the　voice　of　the　bearward　that
  summoned　him　to　Southwark。　　And　when　the　chained　bear；　the　familiar
  monkey　on　his　back；　followed　the　shrill　bagpipe　along　the　curious　street；
  Briscoe　felt　that　blood；　not　ink；　coursed　in　his　veins；　forgot　the　tiresome
  impediment　of　the　law；　and　joined　the　throng；　hungry　for　this　sport　of
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  kings。　　Nor　was　he　the　patron　of　an　enterprise　wherein　he　dared　take　no
  part。　　He　was　as　bold　and　venturesome　as　the　bravest　ruffler　that　ever
  backed　a　dog　at　a　baiting。　　When　the　bull；　cruelly　secured　behind；　met　the
  onslaught　of　his　opponents；　throwing　them　off；　now　this　side；　now　that；
  with　his　horns；　Briscoe；　lost　in　excitement；　would　leap　into　the　ring　that
  not　a　point　of　the　combat　should　escape　him。
  So　it　was　that　he　won　the　friendship　of　his　illustrious　benefactress；
  Moll　Cutpurse。　　For；　one　day；　when　he　had　ventured　too　near　the
  maddened　bull；　the　brute　made　a　heave　at　his　breeches；　which　instantly
  gave　way；　and　in　another　moment　he　would　have　been　gored　to　death；　had
  not　Moll　seized　him　by　the　collar　and　slung　him　out　of　the　ring。　　Thus　did
  his　courage　ever　contradict　his　appearance；　and　at　the　dangerous　game　of
  whipping　the　blinded　bear　he　had　no　rival；　either　for　bravery　or　adroitness。
  He　would　rush　in　with　uplifted　whip　until　the　breath　of　the　infuriated　beast
  was　hot　upon　his　cheek；　let　his　angry　lash　curl　for　an　instant　across　the
  bear's　flank；　and　then；　for　all　his　halting　foot；　leap　back　into　safety　with　a
  smiling　pride　in　his　own　nimbleness。
  His　acquaintance　with　Moll　Cutpurse；　casually　begun　at　a　bull…　baiting；
  speedily　ripened；　for　her　into　friendship；　for　him　into　love。　　In　this；　the
  solitary　romance　of　his　life；　Ralph　Briscoe　overtopped　even　his　own
  achievements　of　courage。　　The　Roaring　Girl　was　no　more　young；　and
  years　had　not　refined　her　character　unto　gentleness。　　It　was　still　her　habit
  to　appear　publicly　in　jerkin　and　galligaskins；　to　smoke　tobacco　in
  contempt　of　her　sex；　and　to　fight　her　enemies　with　a　very　fury　of　insolence。
  In　stature　she　exceeded　the　limping　clerk　by　a　head；　and　she　could　pick
  him　up　with　one　hand；　like　a　kitten。　　Yet　he　loved　her；　not　for　any　grace
  of　person；　nor　beauty　of　feature；　nor　even　because　her　temperament　was
  undaunted　as　his　own。　　He　loved　her　for　that　wisest　of　reasons；　which　is
  no　reason　at　all；　because　he　loved　her。　　In　his　eyes　she　was　the　Queen；　not
  of　Misrule；　but　of　Hearts。　　Had　a　throne　been　his；　she　should　have　shared
  it；　and　he　wooed　her　with　a　shy　intensity；　which　ennobled　him；　even　in　her
  austere　regard。　　Alas！　she　was　unable　to　return　his　passion；　and　she
  lamented　her　own　obduracy　with　characteristic　humour。　　She　made　no
  attempt　to　conceal　her　admiration。　　‘A　notable　and　famous　person；'　she
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  called　him；　confessing　that；　‘he　was　right　for　her　tooth；　and　made　to　her
  mind　in　every　part　of　him。'　　He　had　been　bred　up　in　the　same　exercise　of
  bull…baiting；　which　was　her　own　delight；　she　had　always　praised　his
  towardliness；　and　prophesied　his　preferment。　　But　when　he　paid　her　court
  she　was　obliged　to　decline　the　honour；　while　she　esteemed　the
  compliment。
  In　truth；　she　was　completely　insensible　to　passion；　or；　as　she　exclaimed
  in　a　phrase　of　brilliant　independence；　‘I　should　have　hired　him　to　my
  embraces。'
  The　sole　possibility　that　remained　was　a　Platonic　friendship；　and
  Briscoe　accepted　the　situation　in　excellent　humour。　　‘Ever　since　he　came
  to　know　himself；'　again　it　is　Moll　that　speaks；　‘he　always　deported　himself
  to　me　with　an　abundance　of　regard；　calling　me　his　Aunt。'　　And　his　aunt
  she　remained　unto　the　end；　bound　to　him　in　a　proper　and　natural　alliance。
  Different　as　they　were　in　aspect；　they　were　strangely　alike　in　taste　and
  disposition。　　Nor　was　the　Paris　Garden　their　only　meeting…ground。
  His　sorry　sojourn　in　Gray's　Inn　had　thrown　him　on　the　side　of　the　law…
  breaker；　and　he　had　acquired　a　strange　cunning　in　the　difficult　art　of
  evading　justice。　　Instantly　Moll　recognised　his　practical　value；　and；
  exerting　all　her　talent　for　intrigue；　presently　secured　for　him　the　Clerkship
  of　Newgate。　　Here　at　last　he　found　scope　not　only　for　his　learning；　but　for
  that　spirit　of　adventure　that　breathed　within　him。　　His　meagre
  acquaintance　with　letters　placed　him　on　a　pinnacle　high　above　his
  colleagues。　　Now　and　then　a　prisoner　proved　his　equal　in　wit；　but　as　he
  was　manifestly　superior　in　intelligence　to　the　Governor；　the　Ordinary；　and
  all　the　warders；　he　speedily　seized　and　hereafter　retained　the　real
  sovereignty　of　Newgate。
  His　early　progress　was　barred　by　envy　and　contempt。　　Why；　asked　the
  men　in　possession；　should　this　shrivelled　stranger　filch　our　privileges？
  And　Briscoe　met　their　malice　with　an　easy　smile；　knowing　that　at　all
  points　he　was　more　than　their　match。　　His　alliance　with　Moll　stood　him　in
  good　stead；　and　in　a　few　months　the　twain　were　the　supreme　arbiters　of
  English　justice。　　Should　a　highwayman　seek　to　save　his　neck；　he　must
  first　pay　a　fat　indemnity　to　the　Newgate　Clerk；　but；　since　Moll　was　the
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  appointed　banker　of　the　whole　family；　she　was　quick　to　sanction　whatever
  price　her　accomplice　suggested。　　And　Briscoe　had　a　hundred　other　tricks
  whereby　he　increased　his　riches　and　repute。　　There　was　no　debtor　came　to
  Newgate　whom　the　Clerk　would　not　aid；　if　he　believed　the　kindness
  profitable。　　Suppose　his　inquiries　gave　an　assurance　of　his　victim's
  recovery；　he　would　house　him　comfortably；　feed　him　at　his　own　table；　lend
  him　money；　and　even　condescend　to　win　back　the　generous　loan　by　the
  dice…box。
  His　civility　gave　him　a　general　popularity　among　the　prisoners；　and　his
  appearance　in　the　Yard　was　a　signal　for　a　subdued　hilarity。　　He　drank　and
  gambled　with　the　roysterers；　he　babbled　a　cheap　philosophy　with　the
  erudite；　and　he　sold　the　necks　of　all　to　the　highest　bidder。　　Though　now
  and　again　he　was　convicted　of　mercy　or　revenge；　he　commonly　held
  himself　aloof　from　human　passions；　and　pursued　the　one　sane　end　of　life
  in　an　easy　security。　　The　hostility　of　his　colleagues　irked　him　but　little。
  A　few　tags　of　Latin；　the　friendship　of　Moll；　and　a　casual　threat　of　exposure
  frightened　the　Governor　into　acquiescence；　but　the　Ordinary　was　more
  difficult　of　conciliation。　　The　Clerk　had　not　been　long　in　Newgate　before
  he　saw　that　between　the　reverend　gentleman　and　himself　there　could　be
  naught　save　war。　　Hitherto　the　Ordinary　had　reserved　to　his　own　profit
  the　right　of　intrigue；　he　it　was　who　had　received　the　hard…scraped　money
  of　the　sorrowing　relatives；　and　untied　the　noose　when　it　seemed　good　to
  him。　　Briscoe　insisted　upon　a　division　of　labour。　　‘It　is　your　business；'　he
  said；　‘to　save　the　scoundrels　in　the　other　world。　　Leave　to　me　the　profit　of
  their　salvation　in　this。'　　And　the　Clerk　triumphed　after　his　wont：　freedom
  jingled　in　his　pocket；　he　doled　out　comfort；　even　life；　to　the　oppressed；　and
  he　extorted　a　comfortable　fortune　in　return　for　privileges　which　were
  never　in　his　gift。
  Without　the　walls　of　Newgate　the　house　of　his　frequentation　was　the
  ‘Dog　Tavern。'　　Thither　he　would　wander　every　afternoon　to　meet　his
  clients　and　to　extort　blood…money。　　In　this　haunt　of　criminals　and
  pettifoggers　no　man　was　better　received　than　the　Newgate　Clerk；　and
  while　he　assumed　a　manner　of　generous　cordiality；　it　was　a　strange　sight　to
  see　him　wince　when　some　sturdy　ruffian　slapped　him　too　strenuously　upon
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  the　back。　　He　had　a　joke　and　a　chuckle　for　all；　and　his　merry　quips；　dry　as
  they　were；　were　joyously　quoted　to　all　new…comers。　　His　legal　ingenuity
  appeared　miraculous；　and　it　was　confidently　asserted　in　the　Coffee　House
  that　he　could　turn　black　to　white　with　so　persuasive　an　argument　that　there
  was　no　Judge　on　the　Bench　to　confute　him。　　But　he　was　not　omnipotent；
  and　his　zeal　encountered　many　a　serious　check。　　At　times　he　failed　to
  save　the　necks　even　of　his　intimates；　since；　when　once　a　ruffian　was
  notorious；　Moll　and　the　Clerk　fought　vainly　for　his　release。　　Thus　it　was
  that　Cheney；　the　famous　wrestler；　whom　Ralph　had　often　backed　against
  all　comers；　died　at　Tyburn。　　He　had　been　taken　by　the　troopers　red…
  handed　upon　the　highway。　　Seized　after　a　desperate　resistance；　he　was
  wounded　wellnigh　to　death；　and　Briscoe　quoted　a　dozen　precedents　to
  prove　that　he　was　unfit　to　be　tried　or　hanged。　　Argument　failing；　the
  munificent　Clerk　offered　fifty　pounds　for　the