Excerpt from Micah Clarke: A Tale of Monmouth's Rebellion At that time I was close on one and twenty years of age, while my companion was one year younger. A great intimacy had sprung up be tween us, founded on mutual esteem, for he being a little undergrown man was proud of my strength and stature, while my melancholy and somewhat heavy spirit took a pleasure in the energy and joviality Which never deserted him, and in the wit which gleamed as bright and as innocent as summer light ning through all that he said