DRAKE DISPERSING THE ARMADA.

3. Discovering flaws and amending¹ same. At intervals² term reports. Pollock died of his wounds, and was struck off the paper. Gave him an undertaking³.
4. A dies non. Poor Horne seized with lockjaw, and preparing for the long vacation.
[Pg 165]
5. Notice of action. Enemy’s Fleet put in an appearance, but non pros⁴. Horne demised⁵.
6. Joined issue with enemy’s flag ship. Wetherell killed by a ball lodging⁶ in the Inner Temple, and Denman subpœnaed by a bullet out of the main-top. Enemy attempted to put an officer and fifty men in possession—but we served them with an ejectment. Night coming on, agreed to withdraw a juror.
7. A violent storm, and a sail under a distress⁷. Taken in execution by a wave,—levied on longboat and three men, and all the hen-coops.
8. Fell in with a Portuguese⁸ brig, and lodged⁹ a detainer. Have not received my share of prize, but have got a cognovit.
9. Enemy moved for a new trial. Bore up and fired a broadside; replied to same. Admiral endeavoured, by intercepting¹⁰ the rear-most ships, to cut off the entail¹¹. Boarding again,—obliged to fight with all my Power of Attorney. Gave quarter to one man, he was such a special pleader. Verdict—drawn battle.
10. Chitty fell overboard from the mizen chains. Action of trover failed. Filed a bill of him in Ocean’s Chancery, and sent an office copy to his Widow.
11. Enemy brought a fresh action. Boarding again, and obliged to defend in person. Enemy nonsuited with costs.
To abbreviate¹² pleadings, you will see that our time has been Term time. Plenty of work at overhours, and I am sorry to say no extra charge. But I am not going to take a bill of exceptions. I comfort myself for the loss of my arm—I have lost that limb of the law, Dick—by reflecting that I am now like Nelson, except the blind eye, and that I do not follow the Hamiltonian system. Sometimes, however, as I look homeward,
[Pg 166]
 and remember “dear Morton,” I sigh to join you by a Surrey-joinder, and to taste your Surrey-butter. I think that is the legal mode of expressing it.
Nothing can behave better than our men—from the principals down to the juniors. They fight as if they belonged to Lyon’s Inn. However, a good many have been ticked off,—including Tyndale, Thessiger, Phillips, Spankie, Scarlett, Gurney, Wilde, Burney, and some others of our acquaintance, who have received a general release. For my own part——
[LETTER ENCLOSING THE ABOVE.]
SIR.
Am sorry to Say the man as writ¹³ the Inclosed letter, with a bit of a log, fell Down the Main Hatchway on the 16th instant at 2 P. M. Was carried down to Cockpit. But the Doctor pronounced it a Bad Job, and after saying O Law three times was a Corps¹⁴. He left no Will nor no property, and was Sowed up and heaved overboard, same day in lat. 41, 5 N., long. 8, 50 W.
I take the Liberty of writing This that you may inform Parents, provided there’s father or mother, as well as to his widow and children, if so be. Should you be encouraged to come out to us in your friend’s Place, you will be heartily¹⁵ welcome, and lots of as jolly good fighting as hearts can wish. So no more at present from
Your Humble¹⁶ Servant
THOMAS BENYON.
N.B. Go to the Duncan’s Head in Wapping, and Captain Bligh will tell you all about the Bounty¹⁷. That’s if you mean to ’list.

1 amending   

改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Amending acts in 1933,1934, and 1935 attempted to help honest debtors rehabilitate themselves. 一九三三年，一九三四年和一九三五年通过的修正案是为了帮助诚实的债务人恢复自己的地位。
• Two ways were used about the error-amending of contour curve. 采用两种方法对凸轮轮廓曲线进行了修正。

2 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

3 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

4 pros   

abbr.prosecuting 起诉；prosecutor 起诉人；professionals 自由职业者；proscenium （舞台）前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 )；赞成的理由；抵偿物；交换物

参考例句：

• The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 demised   

v.遗赠（demise的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The landlord demises unto the tenant the premises hereinafter called the demised premises. 地主转让给佃户的条件在下文中称作转让条件。 来自互联网

6 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

7 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

8 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

9 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 intercepting   

截取（技术），截接

参考例句：

• The police had been intercepting my mail, ie reading it before it was delivered. 警方一直截查我的邮件。
• We've been intercepting radio transmissions from Moscow. 我们已从莫斯科拦截到无线电信号。

11 entail   

vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要

参考例句：

• Such a decision would entail a huge political risk.这样的决定势必带来巨大的政治风险。
• This job would entail your learning how to use a computer.这工作将需要你学会怎样用计算机。

12 abbreviate   

v.缩写，使...简略，缩短

参考例句：

• She had lost the power to abbreviate the remaining steps of the way.她丧失了缩短这最后几步路的能力。
• It is seldom acceptable to abbreviate words in formal writing.在正式的书面语中使用缩写语通常是不能接受的。

13 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。

14 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

15 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

16 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

17 bounty   

n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与

参考例句：

• He is famous for his bounty to the poor.他因对穷人慷慨相助而出名。
• We received a bounty from the government.我们收到政府给予的一笔补助金。