This year (1833) Williamson, in consequence of a great many fellows being out of school with the Influenza, endeavoured to put a stop to our going on the water by sending a note to Roberts ordering him not to let out any boats to us. We however went on in a boat belonging to Searle as also the King’s Scholars.
Roberts told Williamson of it, who at first said he would pass it over in silence, but having altered his mind, the next day sent for the names of those who had gone on. These being given him, he set both KS and TBs 300 lines to learn by heart, kept us in at Easter, and made us shew ourselves every night at 6 oclock. He flogged our steerer (Astley) who was in the fifth, and when we went up to defend him, by saying, that it was not so much by his own as by our wish that he had gone on, he set us another 100 lines to learn. The names of the fellows in our boat were –
Penny
Warren
Sealy
Bromley
Astley for steerer
E U Sealy
Head Boarder