Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/202

 officer, and one of the professional bravoes of the day, who had just before been directing their violence against the persons of those who were obnoxious to their employers. The attacks of Colonel Blood on the Duke of Ormonde and of Sir John Sandys on Sir William Coventry were still fresh in the public mind. Vernon appears to have been a shabby imitation of Blood, if not actually one of the satellites of that notorious adventurer, who, for occult reasons, was shielded at Court and enjoyed a dangerous impunity.

Vernon now commenced a series of insulting attacks against Sir William, who, exasperated at length by repeated provocation, and by the advice of those 'who pretended to understand the punctilio of such affairs,' determined to resent the affronts which this Alsatian knight continued to put upon him in London. He struck the Colonel in the street with a cudgel, and, drawing his own sword, desired him to draw also. The Colonel, however, who seems to have been as cowardly as he was insolent, took refuge 'in the Blue Posts Ordinary;' and, having bolted the doors, appeared at the upper windows and at that safe distance addressed the by-standers, accusing Sir William of cowardice. Then Vernon sent one East with a challenge, which Sir William accepted, and a day was fixed for a duel; but when the time arrived, the Colonel was nowhere to be found. In the events which followed, the Duke of Monmouth appears upon the scene on behalf of the Court, and sends for both Sir William and Colonel Vernon, with a view to reconciling the parties. Colonel Vernon, however, declines his advice, and files an information in the King' s Bench against Sir William; and Sir William is fined 200l. and costs. But before the time is over, Vernon, East, and their servants, violently assault Lady Petty's relative, Mr. James Waller, and a friend, Mr. Hughes, and East gets badly wounded in the encounter. Waller thereupon files an information against East; and the Colonel and his accomplice are on the point of being convicted, when the Crown enters a nolle prosequi. Then Sir William brings an action against Vernon for slander, but before the trial comes on, Vernon, accompanied by his brother, runs the pike of his cane into Sir William's left eye, ' who saw him not.' Then Sir