Take you them, and I will bear witness against them; for I saw the scene with my own eyes.

Would to heaven that honest citizens could rid their streets of such spawn! "But I tell you, you mischievous scum, the day will come when we will no longer stand this swaggering and bullying.

We are a patient people; but you can provoke us too far.

I know you four right well.
I would sit you in the stocks in a row, or have you whipped at the cart's tail from Newgate to Tyburn; and perchance the day may come when--" But the miscreants did not wait to hear the end of this harangue.
They well knew that no tale of theirs could stand for a moment before the witness of a man respected as Master Cale the perruquier.

Fearful lest the watch, who had let go their hold of Tom, should in turn lay hands on them, they fled helter-skelter, but as they went they breathed out threats of being even with Tom another time, and he knew well that this encounter had changed them from the merely jeering enemies they had shown themselves at first into real antagonists full of bitter animosity and hatred.
The watch were never too eager to take up evildoers who were possessed of swords and were strong of body.