Monsieur Dessin said that, unless Sir William did afford him satisfaction, he would trounce him publicly as a coward, but that he had one other alternative to offer.

All were mightily surprised when he stated that this alternative was that he should write a letter to Mistress Holliday renouncing all claim to her hand.

This Sir William for a time refused to do, blustering much; but finally, having no stomach for a fight, and fearing the indignity of a public whipping, he did consent so to do; and Monsieur Dessin having called for paper and pens, the letter was then written, and the four gentlemen signed as witnesses.

The party then separated, Lord Pomeroy and Sir John Hawkes riding off without exchanging another word with Sir William Brownlow.
"Your lady mother was in a great taking when she received the letter, and learned the manner in which it had come to be written.
Monsieur Dessin left the town, with his daughter, two days later.
He came over to take farewell of me, and expressed himself with great feeling and heartiness as to the kindness which he was good enough to say that I had shown him.

I assured him, as you may believe, that the action he had forced Mistress Holliday's suitor to take left me infinitely his debtor.
"He promised to write to me from France, whither he was about to return.