CHAPTER XI.

BISHOP SHARPE (“THE BOLD SMUGGLER”)—1818–1826.

Bishop Sharpe, once a seaman in His Majesty’s navy, and subsequently known as a “long-shore man” in the neighbourhood of Woolwich, was as tough a specimen of the material of which our “old salts” were made as even Jack Scroggins himself.

Of the early career of Bishop Sharpe we have but little reliable account. He beat two unknowns, named Lester and the “Deptford Carrier,” and in his first recorded battle, on the 24th September, 1818, conquered Bob Hall in forty-five rounds, occupying fifty-five minutes, at Woolwich, after a determined contest. Battles with minor pugilists, in all of which he was successful, spread his fame. These we shall pass with a mere enumeration. On March 24th, 1819, he met, and defeated, on Woolwich Marshes, Dick Prior in twenty-five rounds, thirty-five minutes, for £25. In December, 1819, he beat John Street (an opponent of Josh Hudson), in one hundred rounds, 105 minutes, near Charlton, Kent. In February, 1820, John King surrendered to the Bishop in twenty-five minutes, during which twenty-five sharp rounds were fought, for £25 a-side, at Plumstead.

The contest between the “Bold Smuggler” and the “Slashing Gipsy,” as Jack Cooper was called, took place for £50 a-side, at the Old Maypole, in Epping Forest, on Tuesday, June 17th, 1823. The patricians of the West in the days of the Fourth George, as a general rule, were greatly averse to a ride over the London stones to witness any fight in North Kent or Essex. But the fame of the Gipsy, who had conquered every boxer opposed to him—West Country Dick, O’Leary, Dent, Scroggins, and Cabbage had succumbed—and the character for determination and lasting which had run before the Bishop, had travelled westward, and proved such an attraction that quite an aristocratic surrounding witnessed the merry mill.

The Old Maypole, as we have already said, was the rallying point, and the situation chosen to make the ring was delightfully picturesque. At a few minutes past one Sharpe, in a white wrapper and a yellowman, arm-in-arm with the John Bull Fighter, threw his beaver into the ring, followed by Phil Sampson. The Gipsy shortly afterwards appeared, in a blue coat, with a blue handkerchief round his neck, and repeated the token of defiance. Spring and Richmond were seconds for Cooper, and Hudson and Sampson officiated for Sharpe. Spring and Hudson tied the colours to the stakes, and betting was five to four on the Gipsy. The latter boxer, according to report, had the advantage in weight of eight pounds.

THE FIGHT.

Round 1.—Sharpe, immediately on shaking hands, appeared in a hurry to go to work, and made play with his opponent. The left hand of Sharpe told slightly. The Gipsy retreated. Some blows were exchanged, when, in closing, a severe struggle took place; Sharpe had the best of the throw, and the Gipsy was undermost. (Great shouting for Sharpe.)

2.—The right eye of Cooper was winking from a slight hit. Sharpe was confident, and the Gipsy retreated from him; the latter, at length, made himself up, and with a right-handed lunging hit he made Sharpe stagger, and he also went down on one knee, but jumped up again immediately. (“Well done, Cooper!”)

3.—Both ready—both offering—the Gipsy retreating, and Sharpe following. In closing, the Gipsy got the throw.

4 to 7.—A very small tinge of the claret appeared on the Gipsy’s lips. Sharpe rushed in, bored the Gipsy to the ropes, and threw him.

8 to 13.—Their blows did no execution—at least, they did not appear effective. It was bloodless up to the close of this round.

14.—Cooper showed off a little in his usual style in this round; he nobbed Sharpe, and also gave him a severe cross-buttock. (“It is of no use,” cried Josh. “I have seconded Bishop seven times, and none of the coves could ever make a mark upon him.”)

15 and 16.—Sharpe received a heavy blow under his listener, and went down.

17 to 26.—In the 25th round, Sharpe napped pepper, and the claret trickled down his face. (“I have fetched it at last,” said Cooper to Sharpe, laughing; “and plenty more will soon follow.” “Don’t be too fast,” replied Sharpe, putting in at the same time a severe blow on the Gipsy’s throat. The latter, however, bored Sharpe down.)

27 to 37.—The friends of the Gipsy felt quite at ease that he would win the battle; and the partisans of Sharpe were equally confident, asserting that “he could not lose it.” Yet the Gipsy did not make use of his severe right-handed hit, and kept always retreating from his opponent. The superiority of Sharpe in this round was so decisive, and his conduct so generous and manly, as to receive thunders of applause from every spectator round the ring. Sharpe hit the Gipsy so severely that the latter in retreating got between the ropes. Sharpe disdained to take advantage of this opportunity (what Randall would have termed giving a chance away), and walked back into the middle of the ring, beckoning with his hand for Cooper to follow him. Some exchanges took place, and the Gipsy received a heavy fall.

38 to 44.—Sometimes Sharpe had the best of it; at other times Cooper kept his friends in good humour; but nothing decisive appeared on either side as to victory; and several of the old ring-goers murmured that so little execution had been done, either by the tremendous hitting Gipsy or the heavy punishing Sharpe.

45, 46, 47.—In these rounds certain symptoms appeared that the Gipsy was going off, or, in plain terms, that he had had the worst of it; five to two, by way of chaffing, was offered against Cooper. Martin came up to the Gipsy while sitting on his second’s knee, and told him, if he won it, he should have £50, at the same time offering to back Cooper for £50.

48, 49, 50.—In the last round the Gipsy was bored to the ropes by the hitting of Sharpe, and also thrown heavily. (“It is all your own way, Sharpe; go in and finish him.”)

51.—A severe struggle at the ropes, and Sharpe went down.

52.—The Gipsy was hit down. The Sharpites outrageous in their applause and gestures. (“It is as safe as the day.”)

53.—The hitting of the Gipsy was gone, and his right hand appeared of no use to him. Here Spring whispered to Cooper “to use his right hand, and he must win it.” “I cannot use it,” replied the Gipsy; “I have hurt my shoulder.” The Gipsy fibbed down at the ropes. Another tremendous shout for Sharpe.

54.—The nob of the Gipsy appeared punished severely, and his right eye was cut. Both down.

55.—Sharpe now took great liberties with the head of his opponent, and fell upon him so heavily as nearly to shake the wind out of him.

56, and last.—This was short and sweet to Sharpe; he hit Cooper down, and when time was called victory was declared in favour of Bishop Sharpe. The battle occupied one hour twenty-five minutes.

REMARKS.—The judges called the above mill a bad fight—a long innings, and but little to show for it. The face of Sharpe had scarcely a mark upon it; and the Gipsy said “he was not hurt.” A medical man on the ground examined the shoulder of the Gipsy, and he pronounced “the clavicle to be fractured.” (Of course, this sounded more learned than to say “the collar-bone was broken.”) This fracture prevented the Gipsy from lifting his arm without experiencing a grinding of the bones, producing great pain. If the Gipsy had taken the lead instead of retreating from his adversary, it was thought he must have won it. Cooper missed several blows, and at various times did not follow up his success. This was observable in the tenth round, the ninth being a guinea to a shilling in his favour.

A second match with Jack Cooper was fought by Sharpe at Harpenden Common, on the 5th of August, 1823, with the like result, Sharpe proving conqueror in thirty-nine minutes, during which Cooper fought thirty rushing rounds. The two battles were so similar that a reprint would be mere repetition. At Blackheath Sharpe and Cooper met a third time, on November 14th, in the same year, for £100, and fought a draw, daylight closing in on the undecided contest.

On the 10th of May, 1825, Sharpe, after an absence of some twelve months in his seafaring occupation, got on a match for £25 a-side with an aspirant, one Ben Warwick, whom the Bold Smuggler polished off after a one-sided battle of considerable obstinacy in twenty-five minutes, being, as many said, at the rate of a sov. per minute. As Mr. Warwick, to whose credit some previous conquests of outsiders are placed, never again sported canvas in the P.R., we shall not report the battle.

Sharpe, by his victories over Cooper and his drawn battle with Alec Reid, already noticed, encouraged his friends to seek what was expected to be a decisive match with his scientific adversary the Chelsea Snob, more especially as the latter had in the interval beaten Jack Cooper, Jubb, and Savage. The stakes of £100 were made good, and on the 6th of September, 1826, the men met at the renowned battle-field of No Man’s Land, in Hertfordshire.

The “Bishop” set up his training quarters at the “Castle,” Highgate, while Reid took his breathings on Putney Heath, patronising the “Green Man.” In point of age Reid had the advantage, being twenty-four, while Sharpe numbered thirty summers. In the former fight the odds were quoted at six to four on Reid, but on this occasion five to four were laid on the Smuggler. On the Tuesday morning the lads of “the long village” were astir as early as five o’clock, and a lively succession of vehicles bowled along the great North Road.

When Reid met Sharpe in their first battle he complained, and not without reason, of the neglect of his backers. In the present case he had cause to be grateful for their attention. Every possible care was taken of him during his training, and preparations were made for taking him into the ring in “bang-up style.” His crimson favours were distributed liberally among his friends, and a dashing barouche and four, the post-boys wearing crimson satin jackets, and the horses’ heads decorated with crimson cockades, was prepared to carry him to the ground. Nothing was omitted which could add to his confidence, or give importance to the contest. A favourite candidate for a popular election could not have entered the field under more dashing auspices.

Shortly before one the men arrived on the ground, and soon after appeared within the stakes. Reid took the lead, accompanied by his backers, and Tom Cribb and Ben Burn as his second and bottle-holder. He was soon afterwards followed by Sharpe, who was waited upon by Josh Hudson and Peter Crawley. A trifling shower threw a slight gloom over the assembled multitude, but this soon ceased, and the remainder of the afternoon was favourable.

The men immediately peeled for action. They both seemed well; but it was thought the Bishop might have been better. The confidence of his backers, nevertheless, was unshaken, and in a very short time the odds were decidedly five to four in his favour. These odds were freely taken by some, but not so freely by many of the professed friends of Reid as might have been anticipated.

THE FIGHT.

Round 1.—On taking their positions, the Bishop, as usual, stood with his right leg foremost, presenting rather an awkward appearance. He did not deal long in postures, however, for he lost not a moment in going to work. He let fly right and left at Reid’s head, but was prettily stopped. Both now set to with activity, and a spirited rally followed, in which the Bishop planted his left on Reid’s frontispiece with great success. The Snob was awake, and countered slightly, but Sharpe was too sharp for him, and following up his bustling system, after a few interchanges, put in a tremendous left-handed clink on Reid’s proboscis, drawing first blood. In the close Bishop was hit down, and on being placed on his second’s knee, showed a trifling mark on his left eye. (Shouts from the East Enders.)

2.—Reid came up merry, but he was not allowed much time for reflection; the Bishop again went to work as if he meant mischief. Alec was ready, and successfully stopped his desperate left-handed hits. Another rally followed, in which facers were interchanged, but Reid had the worst of the hitting, and was again thrown, receiving before he went down two severe hits on the nose, from which a fresh flow of claret was extracted, and a trifling wound inflicted on its bridge. The confidence of the Bishop’s friends was increased, and their joy loudly expressed, while the Chelsea lads looked blue.

3.—Reid came up like the gory ghost of Banquo, but he was still jolly. The Bishop renewed his active system, and tried a left-handed lunge at Reid’s body. He was well stopped, and Reid delivered on his mouth and nose. The Bishop rushed to in-fighting, but Reid was awake, and hit him heavily on the body. The Bishop staggered, but instantly returned to his man, and a desperate rally followed, to the advantage of the Bishop, who hit his antagonist right and left, and dropped him heavily. (Six to four on the Bishop.)

4.—Reid came up nothing abashed, but the Bishop was soon with him, and attempted his favourite left-handed job. Reid stopped him, but he would not be kept off, and hit right and left, while the Snob countered with great severity, and gave him a gash under his right eye. At last the Bishop rushed to a close, and Reid was thrown. (Two to one offered from all parts of the ring on the Bishop.)

5.—On coming to the scratch the Bishop showed the effects of Reid’s last visitation to his phiz. Reid seemed to derive fresh spirit from this proof of his talent, and a desperate and courageous rally followed. The Bishop’s fearful attempts with his left were well stopped, and Reid put in two severe jobbing hits, right and left, which made a cutting impression. The Bishop was astounded, and Reid, seeing his advantage, lost no time in following up his handiwork; he pursued the Bishop, who retreated on the defensive, and repeated his blows; a fierce rally followed, in which there was some sharp counter-hitting, but at last the Bishop was hit down in admirable style. (An instant change took place in the betting, and from the distress exhibited by the Bishop, Reid was loudly cheered, and two to one offered in his favour. Many of the backers of the Bishop, in fact, forthwith commenced hedging.)

6.—Both came up steady, but Reid was the more confident. The Bishop was rather abroad, and his right eye began to close. Reid now took the lead in fighting, but he found the Bishop ready, and after a short rally Reid retreated. This ruse had the desired effect. The Bishop followed him, and as he came in Reid met him severely with the right and left. The Bishop bored him towards the ropes with wildness, while Reid, with great quickness, repeated his _primâ facie_ compliments. In the close both went down, Reid under.

7.—Reid still a decided favourite, and two to one freely offered. He came up with apparent confidence, and planted a left-handed jobber on Sharpe’s nob. Sharpe attempted in return to hit with his left, but was well stopped. A short rally followed, in which the Bishop napped it right and left; but in the close he threw Reid, and fell upon him.

8.—Sharpe came up looking serious, and the worse for wear; Reid was ready and active, and on Sharpe’s rushing to in-fighting, got away, stopping as he retreated; but at last put in a severe left-handed slap on Sharpe’s face. A close followed, and after a short struggle for the fall, both went down, Reid under.

9.—Sharpe came up a little on the piping order, but forthwith went to work. Reid stopped him as he advanced, and in getting away slipped down.

10.—Reid put in a teazer on Sharpe’s body, and jumped away; Sharpe followed him up, but Reid pursued his retreating system, and in the close both went down.

11.—Both came up distressed, but Reid was the fresher, and taking prompt advantage of Sharpe’s situation, he put in five or six tremendous blows on his nob, till at length the Bishop went down weak from want of breath. This was an excellent round as far as Reid was concerned, and showed his marked superiority in science. (Two to one on Reid. Josh thought his man was in Queer Street, and gave the office to an old pal, who offered his two to one in all directions in favour of Reid.)

12.—Sharpe came up groggy, and rushed at Reid for the close. Both went down by the ropes, and as Reid got up he patted Sharpe good-humouredly on the shoulder. (Four to one on Reid, and but few takers.)

13.—Sharpe was brought to the scratch somewhat more steady. He made several attempts to deliver his left on Reid’s body, but Reid got away. Sharpe at last delivered right and left handed facers, and received a poser in return from Reid’s left. He then rushed to a close, and a scrambling scuffle took place at the ropes, when both went down; and Reid again patted Sharpe on the shoulder, as if in compassionate consideration of his approaching defeat.

14.—Reid came up fresh, and on the alert. Sharpe seemed to have become more cautious. Reid fought first, and caught him a jobbing hit with his left on the dexter ogle. Sharpe hit short at Reid’s body with his left. Reid jumped away. Blows interchanged with mutual advantage. Sharpe succeeded in putting in a slight body blow; and on closing both went down, Reid under.

15.—Reid still the fresher man. Sharpe came up with boldness, and commenced by hitting short at Reid’s body; Reid got away; but returning to the assault, caught Sharpe heavily with his left on the nob. Sharpe again tried his body blow, but failed; and on Reid rushing to close fighting, he went down on the safe system. This was looked upon as an indication of cutting it, and the odds were again freely offered on Reid.

16.—Both men came up determined on mischief. Sharpe tried his left and right at Reid’s head, but found him at home; but at last, watching his opportunity, he succeeded in effecting that which he had so often attempted—namely, in catching Reid a tremendous blow in the wind. The effect was alarming; Reid was doubled up in an instant, and fell. Cribb, with great quickness, placed him on Ben Burn’s knee, and pushing his head in his stomach to stop his bellows, succeeded in bringing him to the scratch when time was called. He was, however, very groggy, and his friends began to anticipate that their hopes were at an end, and the betting became even.

17.—Sharpe, seeing the powerful effects of his last blow, instantly prepared to take advantage of his good fortune, while Tom Owen loudly called upon him to repeat the dose in the same place. Reid, however, to the astonishment of the ring, stopped the intended finisher, and countered well with his left. After a short rally Sharpe went down, while Reid had nearly recovered the effects of the previous round.

18.—Sharpe again attempted to throw in his right and left at Reid’s body, but Reid got away cleverly. Reid, who was now “himself again,” pursued Sharpe with an apparent determination to make a decisive impression, when Sharpe went down without a blow, thereby exciting a strong expression of displeasure on the part of Reid’s friends.

19.—Both men came up steady. Reid lost no time in going to work, and after some good counter-hitting Sharpe closed, and threw Reid cleverly. Even betting was the order of the day—Reid for choice.

20.—Sharpe hit short at Reid’s body. Reid attempted to place a left-handed job on Sharpe’s head, when the latter, having crept close, let fly with his left at a well-judged distance, caught him under the ribs, and he dropped as if he had been shot, drawing up his legs apparently in agony. The veteran Tom was again at his elbow, lifted him, as before, on Ben Burn’s knee, but he was not equally successful. Reid continued to writhe, as in great pain, and on “time” being called, being unable to go to the scratch, Sharpe, to the surprise of some, the joy of others, and the mortification of many, was declared the victor. Sharpe was immediately conducted out of the ring, and Reid was conveyed to his carriage, where he soon after recovered, and was subsequently enabled to walk about the heath but little the worse for his defeat; his punishment, in fact, was not so great as that of Sharpe. The fight lasted twenty-four minutes.

REMARKS.—By this fight it may be supposed that the comparative merits of Reid and Sharpe have been fairly decided, but this is by no means a general opinion, for it was openly stated, and boldly asserted by Reid himself, that but for the accidental blow which prevented his coming to time, he would certainly have won the battle; and when the game which he displayed in his late fight with Gaynor is considered it is only a matter of surprise that he should have been so soon and suddenly brought to a stand-still. He declared that for some time the effects of the blow rendered him utterly incapable of exertion. Having thus experienced the nature of the Bishop’s tactics, however, he says he feels satisfied that he could in future guard against them, and render victory certain. In the present instance, it is the opinion of the best judges that Reid has shown himself the better fighter; but he is blamed for not taking more advantage of the opportunities which Sharpe afforded him, by leaving his head unguarded while aiming at his body. Indeed, it is thought that if he had been awake to this, and met him as he came in, there could have been no doubt of the issue of the contest. It is pretty clear that Sharpe, in all his battles, never met with such an adversary before, and that he had the worst of it is obvious from his own friends’ betting two to one against him. It is said, however, that it is difficult to tell when he is beaten, and that at all times he is a dangerous customer. This character he has maintained on the present occasion, and he has also shown that his reputation for courage is well founded. The backers of Reid immediately declared their readiness to match him again against Sharpe, if the Smuggler should be disposed for another shy, a proof of their implicit belief in his honesty.

This victory placed Sharpe in the foremost rank among the middle-weight boxers of the day, and as Tom Gaynor had recently engaged with and beaten the same man, the Chelsea Snob, with great difficulty, while the Bishop had polished him off (so said his friends) with much more ease, a line was taken by which the Bishop’s superiority over Gaynor was assumed. Not so thought the admirers of the Bath Carpenter. They considered the match “a good thing” for Tom, so they closed at once with the proposal, and posted their half-hundred readily, fixing the day for the 5th of December, 1826, and the trysting-place at No Man’s Land, Herts. There, however, a move was necessary, owing to a magisterial interference, and a move was accordingly made into Bedfordshire. At Shere Mere, on the ground where Sampson and Jem Burn settled their difference, at two o’clock, the men met in battle array. Sharpe was attended by Josh Hudson and the veteran Tom Owen, while Gaynor had the services of Harry Holt and Tom Oliver. The colours being tied to the stakes, the men shook hands smilingly, the seconds retired to their corners, and the combatants held up their daddles for

THE FIGHT.

Round 1.—On standing up the contrast in condition was evident, and alarmed the layers of the odds of five to four on Gaynor, so that they went round to six to four on the Bishop, who looked hard, ruddy, and confident, while Gaynor was sallow, and bore the traces of a recent indisposition. After a few seconds spent in sparring, Sharpe let fly his left at Gaynor’s ribs, but missed, and swung round. Gaynor immediately closed, and threw him on his back, missing a good chance of punishing his man.

2.—Sharpe short with the right, Gaynor shifting quickly. Gaynor missed his counter-hit, and got it on the cheek. Sharpe closed, and there was a struggle for the fall; Gaynor was thrown. (Shouting for the Bishop.)

3.—Gaynor put in a slight nobber with his left; Sharpe, all alive, let go his favourite body hit, catching Gaynor a sounder on the mark; Gaynor returned on the chin, but could not keep his man out, who gave him another heavy bodier and closed, but failed in getting the fall; Sharpe undermost.

4.—A scrambling round; wild hitting on both sides; Sharpe under.

5.—Sharpe, quick and ready, got in right and left on Gaynor’s head, but with little visible effect; both down in the close.

6.—Sharpe bustled in: Gaynor shifted; Sharpe put in a left-hander, which Gaynor countered with the right on the Bishop’s mouth. Sharpe bored in, and sent a pile-driver on Gaynor’s ribs with such effect as to floor him instantly. (First knock-down for Sharpe.)

7.—The Bishop, brisk as a bee, forced the fighting, then closed, and had Tom down in a scramble.

8.—The Bishop fought rather wildly; Gaynor twice stopped his left, when Sharpe closed, and threw him, falling himself through the ropes.

9.—The marks of the body blows received by Gaynor were very visible, and his countenance showed they troubled him much in the freedom of his action. Still he was cheerful and ready. Sharpe missed a left-hander at the body, and Gaynor retorted with a sharp cutting hit over the Bishop’s right eye, which brought forth the claret instantly. (Cheers, and “first blood” for Gaynor.)

10.—Gaynor in the exchanges got in two more hits on the cheek, drawing more of the crimson; a short rally; both down.

11.—Both men slipped from the moist state of the ground. The Bishop rushed to a close, and threw Gaynor cleverly.

12.—Sharpe a little piping, but gay, lost no time in getting to work; after an exchange he got his man firmly, and threw him a heavy back fall.

13.—Gaynor came up laughing, delivered a slight facer, closed, and threw the Bishop cleverly. (“Bravo!” from Tom’s friends.)

14.—The Bishop tried twice for Gaynor’s body, and after some sparring, sent in a straight one at the mark. The blow told with terrific effect, doubling up Gaynor, who fell.

15.—Gaynor came up pale and serious, but game and steady. The Bishop, stopped twice, rushed in, closed, and threw his man.

16.—Sharpe put in a light body blow, but napped it sharply on the canister; Gaynor caught the Bishop twice in the head, but his blows did not seem to tell; he also got Sharpe down in the close.

17.—A wrestling round; both down from the slippery state of the ground.

18.—Gaynor, busy, put in two or three toppers on the Bishop’s nob, who at last got in a straight one on Gaynor’s throat, flooring him instantly. (Shouts for the Bishop.)

19.—A good rally and exchanges. Sharpe twice on Gaynor’s jaw and neck; Tom on the Bishop’s eyes and mouth, which were considerably painted. Both down.

20.—Sharpe still trying for the body, Tom feeling for the head; in the rally Sharpe gave Gaynor a severe hit in the mouth, and Tom went backward through the ropes.

21–38.—In all these rounds a similar style of fighting was pursued, each man gallantly coming to the scratch, the hitting being nearly equal, and most of the rounds ending by Sharpe gaining the throw.

39.—A busy round of rather longer duration. Gaynor tried his best for a turn. He fought with both hands at the head, disregarding the Bishop’s lunges, and finally threw him heavily. (Tom’s friends cheered, but it was clear that the Bishop was the fresher man.)

40.—Gaynor came up shaky. A wrestling round. Both down, Gaynor undermost.

41–53.—Gaynor, though contesting every round, did not seem to hit effectively, while Sharpe’s frequent misses and short blows at the body were equally indecisive. Each round ended in a scramble but the slippery mud, for such it was, foiled their efforts. In the 53rd round Sharpe, by the advice of old Tom Owen, changed his tactics, and commenced fighting at Gaynor’s upper works with his left. He soon after succeeded in putting in a chattering hit on Tom’s ivories, closed, and threw him out of the ropes.

54.—Gaynor came slowly from his second’s knee at the call of “time.” In a rally the Bishop hit him down. (A pigeon was here let off for town, announcing the winning of the fight by Sharpe, in 54 rounds. To the general surprise, Gaynor jumped up briskly at the call of “time.”)

55.—Gaynor rallied all his energies. He let go his left, catching Sharpe lightly on the nose; a good rally followed; Sharpe slipped in delivering a blow, and fell. (Cries of “Gaynor’s not beaten yet!”)

56.—Another good fighting round on the part of Gaynor; some good exchanges; Gaynor got Sharpe down and fell on him.

57.—Gaynor made several lunges at Sharpe’s nob, but missed; in the close Sharpe’s superior strength was shown in the style in which he lifted and threw Gaynor.

58–72.—Gaynor, willing but weak, came up in all these rounds with less and less chance of pulling through. In the 68th round Sharpe again hit Gaynor down by a blow on the throat. (In the 72nd round a quarrel took place between Harry Holt and Tom Owen, in consequence of some over-zeal of Harry towards his principal. Owen pushed Harry, who in return sportively knocked off Owen’s stupendous Jolliffe hat. This indignity to the “Sage of the East” was “most intolerable, and not to be endured,” so he administered a backhander to the irreverent Orator, whereupon a merry skirmish followed. Josh Hudson, however, interposed, stopped the bye-battle, and the belligerents went back to their men, who had fought out the round during this supplementary set-to.)

73–78.—In all these rounds poor Gaynor received the larger share of the punishment, but would not say “no,” though advised to give in by his seconds. In the 78th round Sharpe caught Gaynor a flush hit in the mouth, and he dropped. This was the finisher, and poor Tom was alike deaf to the call of “time” and the cheering of the victorious Bishop’s partisans. Sharpe walked firmly across the ring and possessed himself of the colours, placing them round his neck with evident satisfaction. Gaynor remained for a short time in a sort of stupor, but soon recovered himself, and returned to town the same night.

REMARKS.—That the fighting was fast, may be told from the fact that seventy-eight rounds were got through in one hour and ten minutes. They were, however, in almost every instance terminated by a close. Indeed, there was as much wrestling as fighting. The men were both undoubtedly game and unflinching; but Gaynor did not seem to take advantage of his opportunities, and threw away his superior length by allowing his shorter-reached and sturdier adversary to get in on his body, and then accepting the struggle, in which, as the battle went on, he got the worst. It is true Sharpe’s peculiar method of setting-to with his right foot foremost puzzled Gaynor a little, but this does not account for Tom’s bad tactics throughout. As to Bishop Sharpe, he deserved every praise. His daring mode of going in, and chancing consequences, combined with his powers of hitting, made him exceedingly dangerous to any but a first-rate boxer of the Spring, Ward, or Young Dutch Sam school. Gaynor could not defend his body against his rushes, nor keep him at a distance for out-fighting, and hence the Bold Smuggler’s yard-arm to yard-arm tactics were triumphant.

Both men showed at Gaynor’s benefit at the Tennis Court on the Thursday. Sharpe displayed few marks of heavy punishment, and Gaynor’s chief injuries were from body blows and the failure of his left hand. The battle-money was paid over to Sharpe at Josh Hudson’s on the Friday.

Early in 1827, after a failure in making a renewed match with his old opponent Alec Reid, at a sporting dinner which took place at jolly Josh’s, “Half Moon,” Leadenhall Market, on the 1st of August, 1827, a proposal was made for a meeting for a cool hundred between Young Dutch Sam, then rising into fame, and Bishop Sharpe. Ten pounds were deposited, and the day named the 2nd of October, to meet in the same ring as Ned Neale and Jem Burn. The matter, however, ended in a withdrawal of stakes and a forfeit by Sam. A month afterwards a new match was made for £100 a-side, and the 25th of October appointed. As the successive deposits were made good, the odds in betting on the Bishop rose from five to six to four; but at the final deposit at the “Sol’s Arms,” Wych Street, Sam, who showed up in excellent condition, despite sinister rumours as to his health, brought the betting down to even. Of the farce which followed on the Tuesday, and Sam’s mysterious arrest, we have already written. Tom Belcher, who held the stakes, after some indignant comments, resolved to give them up to Sharpe, leaving “Sam’s backers, who had served him with legal notice, to take such steps as they might think proper for their recovery.” Sharpe was complimented for his prompt and ready appearance in the ring, and pocketed the hundred pounds amidst the congratulations of his friends. Sam’s match with our hero having thus fallen through, Tom Gaynor again offered himself to the Bishop’s notice, for £100 a-side, money ready at Harry Holt’s. This, however, came to nothing, owing to Gaynor’s match with Gybletts. (See Life of GAYNOR, _ante_.)

Sharpe’s old antagonist Alec Reid, having set up a sparring-booth at Epsom Downs, as was the custom of those days, and a difference of opinion having occurred on a bout with the mufflers, the Bishop proposed a match, in which he said he could get backers for £50, and would “bet a hundred.” To this the bold Alec replied by doubting the latter, but offering to meet the Smuggler in the roped lists for “a hundred, if he could get the money.” The parties met on the following Monday at Josh Hudson’s, and there and then signed articles for a mill on the 15th of July next ensuing. How the Bishop fell before the arm of the conquering Alec, after ninety-one rounds of “the most game and determined fighting we ever witnessed” (we quote _Bell’s Life_, of July 20th, 1827), may be read in the memoir of the victor.

From this time the Bishop, after an unsuccessful attempt to get backed once more for £100 against Reid, who declined to fight for a less sum, fell into obscurity, his name only appearing in sparring benefits, or as a second in minor battles. Bishop Sharpe died in 1861, aged sixty-two years.