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REVOLUTIONARIES IN THE FLEET 319
himself by dissipation, and at length had enlisted in
Edinburgh as a quota-man. 1 Richard Parker himself
had been a naval officer and a schoolmaster.
These are all examples of men who had lived in
comparative comfort and freedom on shore, and had
sunk to the station of common seamen. There are other
instances of sedition among mutineers whose earlier
history is unknown. Richard Layton, of the Ramillies,
in the Channel fleet, was reported to be in league with
revolutionaries in France. 2 When the imprisoned
mutineers were released after the battle of Camperdown,
Duncan was warned that a man named Edward Brown,
who was returning to his squadron, was of a dangerous
character. It was said that he had volunteered, as Lee
and Evans had done, with the direct purpose of spreading
disaffection. 3
A few weeks after the collapse of the Nore mutiny
information reached the Admiralty of a conspiracy on the
Gorgon frigate, to raise a new mutiny and hang two of
the lieutenants. John Slack, the steward of the Gorgon,
who was evidently privy to the plot, and was responsible
for spreading the rumour, was a member of the
Corresponding Society. John Hagan, of the Ramillies,
apparently a member of the same society, when he first
went on board, had taken with him a large supply of
inflammatory political pamphlets. 4 In October, 1798,
two men of the Diomede were tried by court-martial for
attempting to stir up a mutiny. One of the prisoners,
who was named Tomms, was found to be connected with
the Nottingham branch of the Corresponding Society.
He was supplied with news of the Society by a brother
who lived in Nottingham. 5 Daniel Price, of the
1. Captain Brenton to Nepean, 15 June, A.S.I. 1517. Brenton's letter
was probably written in answer to inquiries from the Nore.
2. Pro. A 19b, 4 July (Digest).
3. Minutes 122 (Digest).
4. Pro. W 259, 5 July (Digest).
5. Eeport of Secret Committee on Seditious Societies, u.s.