Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/181

 Immediately on the adjomnment of the house oi' burgesseS;, a very full meeting of the citizens of Wil- liamsburg, convened on the call of Peyton Randolph, at the court house in that city, " to consider of the expediency of stationing a number of men there, for the public safety; as well to assist the citizens in their nightly watches, as to guard against any surprise from our enemies;'' whereupon, it was unanimously agreed (until the general convention should meet) to invite down from a number of counties^ to the amount of two hundred and fifty men. Meanwhile, until they arrived, the neighbouring counties, they say, were kind enough to lend them their assistance.

On the 29th of June, the Fowey ship, and Magdalen schooner sailed from York; on board the latter went lady Dunmore, and the rest of the governor's family, bound for England; and the colony was for a short time relieved by the report, that the Fowey carried lord Dun- more and captain Foy, on a visit to general Gage, at Boston. This report, however, was unfounded. The Fowey merely escorted the Magdalen to the capes, and then returned again to her moorings before York. The Otter sloop of war, commanded by capt. Squire, thereupon fell down to the mouth of York river, with the intention of cruising along the coast, and seizing all provision vessels; and soon became distinguished, at least, for the malignity of her attempts. The Fowey was relieved by the ship Mercury of 24 guns, John Macart-

the porch of the capitol, inscribed with his pencil on a pillar of the capitol, these prophetic Unes,froin Shakspeare:

" When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, and in rain; When the hurly-burly's done, When the battlers lost andivon^'

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