The Adventures of Jack Okham and Tom Splicewell.
AT the conclusion of the war Jack Okham and Tom Splicewell two sailors, who had been some time on shore, and had spent the produce of their last voyage; after a small time, their Wapping Landlady, who was called Mother DoubleChalk, began not only to look coldly upon them; but also according to custom, when their money was gone, to behave roughly towards them; and they not being entered again in any service, began to scheme how they should raise a little money for their present use; and, after several proposals made between them that still met with some objections, one of them at length said,—Zoons! messmate, what think you of a trip or two for a venture, o’privateering about there coasts a little? In my mind, we might pick up a prize or two, without firing a shot. Ay, replied the other, but suppose we should be taken; will not a court-martial hang us for pirates? Zoons! said the other, we must take what care we can not to be taken; and be sure to cruise out of this latitude, lest we should be known by our rigging. And if we should chance to be chaced, why, we must crowd all the sail that we can, and be sure never to strike as long as we can swim above water.
To be brief, after some little debate, they resolved upon a venture; and out they set, with no other weapons of offence, or defence than a couple of great broomsticks. When they were got into the fields, a little way from town, one of them seeing a gentlemen coming towards them, pretty well dressed, says to the other, Damn me, Jack! this is a prize worth boarding; shall we bring him to?—He seems well rigged and loaded. So he does, replied the other; and with that they both
