he should be
seized upon by the cruel grasp of lawless power: though poor, he thought
himself under the protection of the laws, and, as such, liable to no
punishment till they inflicted it. How far he thought right in this, let
the sequel tell. Going down to Topsham, and walking upon the quay there,
enjoying the beauties of a fine evening, meditating no harm, and
suspecting no danger, he was accosted by merchant D---y, accompanied with
several captains of vessels, in some such words as these: Ha! Mr. Carew,
you are come in a right time! As you came home for your own pleasure you
shall go over for mine. They then laid hands on him, who found it in
vain to resist, as he was overpowered by numbers; he therefore desired to
be carried before some magistrate, but this was not hearkened to, for
they forced him on board a boat, without the presence or authority of any
officer of justice, not so much as suffering him to take leave of his
wife, or acquaint her with his misfortune, though he begged the favour
almost with tears. The boat carried him on board the Phillory, Captain
Simmonds, bound for America with convicts, which then lay at
Powderham-castle waiting for a fair wind. Here, had my pen gall enough,
I would put a blot of eternal infamy on that citizen of liberty, who
usurped so much power over a fellow-citizen, and those who suffered a
brother of liberty, however undeserving, to be dragged to slavery by the
lawless hand of power, without the mandate of sovereign justice. Foolish
wretch! dost thou not know that thou oughtest to be more careful of
keeping all usurping power within its bounds, than thou wouldst the
raging sea ready to overflow and overwhelm them all; for thou who hast
consented to see power oppress a fellow-heir of glorious liberty, how
canst thou complain, if its all-grasping iron hand should seize upon
thyself, or whatever thou holdest most dear? then wouldst thou, too late,
bewail that thou hadst ever suffered power wantonly to set foot on the
neck of liberty.

But to return: Mr. Carew was no sooner put on board, than he was strictly
searched, and then taken between decks, where he was ironed down with the
convicts. There was at the same time a violent fever raging among them,
and Mr. Carew, by being chained with them night and day, was soon
infected, and taken very ill; however, he had not the liberty of sending
to his wife, nor any of his friends, though they lay three weeks in the
roads for a