On Sunday morning, the 2d of November, the city was thrown into a state of violent ebullition—­like a little red-hot tea-kettle—­by the circulation of a rumor that got wind about the hour the burghers were preparing to go to church.  It was brought from Patuxent late in the previous night, and was now whispered from one neighbor to another, and soon came to boil with an extraordinary volume of steam.  Stripping it of the exaggeration natural to such an excitement, the rumor was substantially this:  That Colonel Talbot, hearing of the arrival of Captain Allen in the Patuxent on Thursday, and getting no message or report from him, set off on Friday morning, in an angry state of mind, and rode over to Patuxent, determined to give the unmannerly captain a lesson upon his duty.  That as soon as he reached Mattapony House, he took his boat and went on board the ketch.  That there he found Christopher Rousby, the King’s Collector, cronying with Captain Allen, and upholding him in his disrespect to the government.  That Colonel Talbot was very sharp upon Rousby, not liking him for old grudges, and more moved against him now; and that he spoke his mind both to Captain Allen and Christopher Rousby, and so got into a high quarrel with them.  That when he had said all he desired to say to them, he made a move to leave the ketch in his boat, intending to return to Mattapony House; but they who were in the cabin prevented him, and would not let him go.  That thereupon the quarrel broke out afresh, and became more bitter; and it being now in the night, and all in a great heat of passion, the parties having already come from words to blows, Talbot drew his skean, or dagger, and stabbed Rousby to the heart.  That nothing was known on shore of the affray till Saturday evening, when the body was brought to Rousby’s house; after which it became known to the neighborhood; and one of the men of Major Sewall’s plantation, which adjoined Rousby’s, having thus heard of it, set out and rode that night over to St. Mary’s with the news, which he gave to the Major before midnight.  It was added, that Colonel Talbot was now detained on board of the ketch, as a prisoner, by Captain Allen.

This was the amount of the dreadful story over which the gossips of St. Mary’s were shaking their wise heads and discoursing on “crowner’s quest law” that Sunday morning.

As soon as Major Sewall received these unhappy midnight tidings, he went instantly to his colleague, Colonel Darnall, and communicated them to him; and they, being warm friends of Talbot’s, were very anxious to get him out of the custody of this Captain Allen.  They therefore, on Sunday morning, issued a writ directed to Roger Brooke, the sheriff of Calvert County, commanding him to arrest the prisoner and bring him before the Council.  Their next move was to ride over—­the same morning—­to Patuxent, taking with them Mr. Robert Carvil, and John Llewellin, their secretary.  Upon reaching the river, all four went on board the