Sir Thomas Colpepper, member for Maidstone; the Laird of Lamyrbau, which

is on the borders of Lothian, with Samuel Trefusis, of the borough of

Penryn; Sir Bartholomew Gracedieu, of the borough of Saint Ives, with

the Honourable Charles Bodville, who was called Lord Robartes, and who

was Custos Rotulorum of the county of Cornwall; besides many others.

Of the two combatants, one was an Irishman, named after his native

mountain in Tipperary, Phelem-ghe-Madone, and the other a Scot, named

Helmsgail.

They represented the national pride of each country. Ireland and

Scotland were about to set to; Erin was going to fisticuff Gajothel. So

that the bets amounted to over forty thousand guineas, besides the

stakes.

The two champions were naked, excepting short breeches buckled over the

hips, and spiked boots laced as high as the ankles.

Helmsgail, the Scot, was a youth scarcely nineteen, but he had already

had his forehead sewn up, for which reason they laid 2 1/3 to 1 on him.

The month before he had broken the ribs and gouged out the eyes of a

pugilist named Sixmileswater. This explained the enthusiasm he created.

He had won his backers twelve thousand pounds. Besides having his

forehead sewn up Helmsgail's jaw had been broken. He was neatly made and

active. He was about the height of a small woman, upright, thick-set,

and of a stature low and threatening. And nothing had been lost of the

advantages given him by nature; not a muscle which was not trained to

388

The Man Who Laughs