76 HEYWOOD IN PRISON. 
to the Divine will, under their load of misfor- 
tunes, almost too great for female nature to sup- 
port. And teach them to be fully persuaded 
that all hopes of happiness on earth are vain. 
On my own account I still enjoy the most easy 
serenity of mind, and am, dearest sir, your 
greatly indebted and most dutiful, but ill-fated, 
" PETEE HEYWOOD." 
It was natural for a young man, whose spirit 
had been well-nigh broken by sorrows of dif- 
ferent kinds, to view his case on the dark side. 
Many circumstances had, indeed, come out in 
his favour. Bligh, when writing to Colonel 
Holwell, an uncle of Peter's, said, " His conduct 
had always given me much pleasure and satis- 
faction." But then it had been alleged at the 
trial, that he had assisted in hoisting out the 
launch ; that he had been seen by the carpenter, 
resting his hand on a cutlass; and that he had 
laughed, on being called to by Bligh. His 
comments on these charges were forwarded by 
him to Lord Chatham, who then presided at the 
Admiralty. The explanations are very satis- 
factory, having the air of truth throughout. But 
he knew the unfavourable construction that 
might be put on doubtful acts ; and he was 
aware that he had been neutral on an occasion 
of trial and danger. 
Besides this, as a thoughtful person, he could 
not but be alive to the danger of his position, 
from the peculiar features of the offence of which 
he had been convicted. The year 1792 is memora- 
ble for the active exertions of revolutionists, and 
