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 "I'Ao
 
 LIBRARY 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 or ILLI NOI5 
 
 8-23 
 
 B438c 
 v./
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 By lee gibbons, 
 
 STIDENT OF LAW. 
 
 Truth severe, by fairy fiction drest. Gray. 
 
 JN 2HREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR 
 
 J.ONOMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, 
 
 PATERN'OSTER-ROW. 
 
 1821.
 
 ^Z3 
 
 TO MY VERY DEAR FRIEND, 
 
 C G 5 Esq, 
 
 My dear C , 
 
 1 HAVE, for the last three months, been 
 an inhabitant of the little town of Cha- 
 pel-en-le-Frith, situate in the Hundred 
 of High Peak, one of the most moun- 
 tainous and most romantic tracts in the 
 Derby Hills. You well remember our 
 journey, a few summers back, into Wales, 
 and how delighted we were at the sight 
 of those stupendous mountains, which 
 appeared (like the Alpine rocks) to be 
 the cradles of Freedom, and monuments 
 of Independency. The hills of Derby- 
 shire are, to my mind, incomparably 
 more magnificent, although they may not^ 
 perhaps, exceed those of the principality 
 in magnitude ; but the latter are, for the 
 most part, well wooded j whilst here, from 
 Mam Tor to Kinder Scout, and Eccles 
 Pike, you scarcely see a tree of any 
 A 3
 
 VI 
 
 girth or ahitude. This very peculiarity, 
 which, in the eyes of most, would give 
 a decisive advantage to the Welsh sce- 
 nery, is the very charm which causes my 
 predilection for that of the Peak. It is 
 the very circumstance, tliat KinderScout 
 and Mam Tor are more sterile and more 
 gloomy than the mountains of North 
 Wales, which inclines me to think them 
 more grand and majestic. They stand 
 alone in awful wildness, unsheltered by 
 aught, save the canopy of Heaven, and 
 their dark huee forms are laid before the 
 observer at one view, without any break 
 or interruption or forest or thicket. 
 When on their tops, you might well ima- 
 gine you were in the desert ; you may 
 look around and see nothinc; but moss 
 and sky. Kinder Scout, of which the 
 old rhythm says, 
 
 " Ch'inlev Churn an* Kinder Scout, 
 Arc the highest hills about," 
 
 is a mountain, not only of immense 
 height and terrific wildness, but is also 
 of vast extent, for its huge back bears 
 away towards Yorkshire, and joins that
 
 va 
 
 chain of hills, which, running through 
 the north of England, is connected with 
 the Cheviots. So high is its apex, that 
 when you are upon it, you seem to be 
 above the elements of this world ; and I 
 have heard it related, by persons of cre- 
 dible authority, that it is fio uncommon 
 thing for the sun to be shining in a clear 
 atmosphere on the top of Kinder Scout, 
 when, in the vallies below, a thunder- 
 storm is raging with great violence. It 
 is indisputable that you may frequently 
 see clouds come sailing up the vallev. and 
 attach themselves to some point of the 
 rock, where they hang until the sun or 
 wind disperses them. These are, how- 
 ever, sure forerunners of rain in the val- 
 lies, and with great complaisance act the 
 part of running footmen to inform the 
 farmers of Madame Rain's near approach 
 — a warning never disregarded. I am 
 told that summer is not the time to behold 
 this scenery in all its majesty, and more 
 especially for those lovers of the roman- 
 tic, who, like myself, prefer the naked 
 A I
 
 Vlll 
 
 barrenness of a desert region, to any ap- 
 pearance of shelter or cultivation. ** Win- 
 ter/* say some of my friends here, who 
 have not only visited the Welsh moun- 
 tains, but also the Alps and Appeninesv 
 the Pyrenean and the river Po, — ** Win- 
 ter is the season for beholding the 
 Derby hills in their sublimity ; the 
 warm aspect of summer softens down 
 their rugged features, and covers them 
 with a purple bloom, whilst the snows 
 of winter, falling on their unsconced 
 heads, make them show as desolate and 
 cheerless, as they are wild and extrava- 
 gant. To the Welsh mountains," they 
 continue, " these hills are as the Alps 
 to the Appenines, the Cordilleras to the 
 mountains of Carpathia : these are bleak, 
 desert, vast, and inhospitable ; those are 
 large and majestic, but sheltered with 
 wood, and cultivated where cultivation 
 is admissible." 
 
 The word Derby is derived from desa- 
 bri, unsheltered; andin sober truth, never 
 had country a more fitting appellation. 
 
 Having thus given you some general
 
 idea of this savage scenery, (though fully 
 to appreciate it, you must behold with 
 your own eyes,) I will proceed to detail 
 to you, somewhat particularly, a few 
 events of a romantic cast, w^hich have 
 occurred since my residence here. Blair, 
 his Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian, 
 attributes the superstition and conceited 
 creduhty of the Scots Highlanders to 
 their inhabitancy of a mountainous and 
 romantic country ; and corroborates 
 his hypothesis by the examples of the 
 mountaineers of other nations, who are 
 every way as full of conceits, and as ad- 
 dicted to the marvellous, as his own coun- 
 trymen. 1 was inclined, before my visit 
 to this place, to think his proposition fan- 
 ciful ; but, I assure you, I no longer have 
 a doubt of its correctness. The common 
 people, in all countries, are sufficiently 
 foolish and credulous ; but here, not only 
 the shepherds and husbandmen are sla- 
 vishly bound in the trammels of super- 
 stitious fear; but people of superior 
 habits and knowledge of the world are 
 A 5
 
 wedded to the opinions and belief of 
 their forefathers. I was somewhat asto- 
 nished at being told, one day, by a gen- 
 tleman of considerable property, that if 
 I were to put my ear to a fissure in a 
 rock near Castleton, I should hear a peal 
 of bells ringing, as if for church, when, 
 to my own knowledge, there is no peal 
 within many miles of the place. On ex- 
 pressing my wonder at this singular phe- 
 nomenon, (for you must know I was too 
 polite to express any doubt of his vera- 
 city, though I had my own thoughts on 
 the matter,) he told me, that what he 
 had related was one of the least marvel- 
 lous aberrations from nature witli wiiich 
 the High Peak abounded. I may, at 
 some future time, furnish you witli a full, 
 true, and particular account of the many 
 stories told me by this gentleman ; but at 
 present I should be scant of room, and 
 you must therefore stay your appetite 
 with the sop above. 
 
 I had not been more than a week at 
 Chapel-en-le-Frith, when a very worthy 
 and learned gentleman took me with him
 
 XT 
 
 to Bradshaw Hall, formerly belonging to 
 the notorious John Bradshaw, lord high 
 president of that illegal assembly which 
 condemned our first Charles to the 
 block. My friend, although no admirer 
 of the president's latitude of principle, 
 has still some kind of veneration for his 
 honesty and independence ; both the 
 which he preserved against all the arts 
 and power of the usurper Cromwell. As 
 we neared the old mansion, which stands 
 on a beautiful elevation, overlooking one 
 of the sweetest scenes in Europe, my 
 friend and I stopped to breathe ourselves, 
 and to enjoy the lovely view which spread 
 itself before our sight. 
 
 ** You will see few finer landscapes than 
 this is,'* said he ; " though we must con- 
 fess it has been much adorned by the esta- 
 blishment of the reservoir, and therefore 
 all this beauty is not entirely natural." 
 
 " Is not this piece of water a natural 
 lake ?" replied I. 
 
 " By no means," cried my friend. "It 
 was made by the proprietors of the Peak 
 A 6
 
 Forest Canal, and serves as a reservoir to 
 supply their navigation." • 
 
 *' It is a matter of little moment,*' said 
 J, " by what means, or for what purpose, 
 this water was created : here it is; and 
 every one must acknowledge it adds ma- 
 terially to the beauty of the scene." 
 
 '* Why, Sir," cried my friend, (turning 
 on his heel, and leisurely pursuing his 
 walk, I followed of course,)** Dr. St — k — f, 
 
 professor at the university of , in 
 
 Germany, who has favoured us with his 
 company for a few days, assured me, on 
 his honour, that in no part of Europe 
 had he seen a more beautiful landscajjc. 
 There was a scene, indeed, which might 
 equal this one, and that was in Switzer- 
 land, where he had lately travelled." 
 
 " In Switzerland ?" 
 
 ** In Switzerland ; but certainly not 
 bebide Mont Blanc or the heights of 
 Jura." 
 
 • This account I aftcnNards found to be erroneous : 
 our readers will perceive, in the course of the following 
 pages, that a lake did there exist nearly two ages before 
 this period, although it might have been deepened and 
 extended by the canal proprietors.
 
 Xlll 
 
 . *< I should fancy/' cried I, " it must 
 be one of those scenes so well described 
 by Rousseau, in his Nouvelle Heloise." 
 
 ** It includes a view of the lake of 
 Geneva," replied my friend ; " but I have 
 not read any of the works of Rousseau ; 
 they are unbecoming a serious reader, or 
 a good man." 
 
 " The composition is delightful," said 
 I, wishing to extract his reasons. 
 
 ** Say no more : it is a bad topic," 
 answered my friend. 
 
 By this time we had arrived at the 
 house, which my friend entered without 
 ceremony ; and we found the farmer, 
 (who now occupied it,) and his wife, just 
 risen from dinner. After the usual sa- 
 lutations, my companion said, " Well, 
 farmer, I've brought a friend of mine to 
 look through the old house." * 
 
 " He's mighty welcome," replied the 
 farmer. ^* Walk in, walk in, gentle- 
 men. It would seem as though this 
 house were of great value, by folk wish- 
 
 * In the following page*, the exterior is very fally de, 
 fcribed.
 
 ing to see it ; but an ]\Ir. 1 — rw — d 
 would build me one about halt* the size, 
 it would be as good agen to me.'' 
 
 ** You are not short of room/' said my 
 friend, smiling. 
 
 " >so, no; I tell ye,'' cried the 
 farmer: ** I've rather too much. It's 
 the room I complain on : it's meet like 
 an old castle, wi' long landin's to each 
 lot o' chambers ; an they're as wide an' 
 as high as so many bairns. But come, 
 gentlemen, follow me, an' it like ye." 
 
 He then led us through the hall, 
 (which had been converted into a kitch- 
 en), and along a zigzag kind of passage, 
 which brought us to several large rooms 
 fronting the reservoir. 
 
 " When I came here first," said the 
 farmer, leading us into one, ** the door- 
 ways into 'em were not high enow to let 
 a man in without stoopin': they had round- 
 ed tops, an* great heavy frames, orna- 
 mented wi' carved work. So ye see, as 
 they were old-fashioned, 1 took 'em 
 down, an' had these square doors put uj)
 
 XV 
 
 i'th* stead ; an' they look ten to one bet- 
 ter than t' others. Beside, t'others were 
 like the papish church carvin', an' I've 
 no kindness for any thing o' the sort." 
 
 My friend turned to me, and smiled : 
 I returned his glance. The farmer ob- 
 served not ; for he was busied in brush- 
 ing away the dust, with his pocket-hand- 
 kerchief, from some old framed wood- 
 cuts of naval battles, with which the 
 sides of the antique chamber were hung, 
 and which he, no doubt, thought much 
 more worthy of scrutiny and observation 
 than the whole house put together. 
 
 " I remember th' day," pursued the 
 farmer, ** when we came first into this 
 house. It had been then shutten up for 
 no one knows how long. My wife axt me 
 to try if I could open th' door o'this 
 room, but I'd no sooner put my shouther 
 to't, an' forc'd it back o' th' hinges, but 
 I was knock'd flat o' my back by some- 
 what rushin' out upon me." 
 
 " Indeed !'* said I, in expectation of 
 something wonderful. " What could it 
 be?"'
 
 XVI 
 
 <* Why," cried the farmer, '* would ye 
 believe it ? it was a flock of owls. The 
 room was full on 'em, an' no doubt they'd 
 bred there for twenty years an* more; we 
 found a matter o' three score every day, 
 for weeks after. The house was like th' 
 place where yer grand gentlemen keepen 
 brids. I thinken they ca' it an avery." 
 
 '* An aviary," said my friend. " But 
 you have cleansed it now, farmer?" 
 
 ** Oh, ay, ay," answered he, ** we have 
 not an ullart i'th' house. Ye may find 
 a stray brid i' the bairn happen, for 
 they're cute in catchin* varment, an' we 
 let 'em stay on that account." 
 
 We quitted this room, and peeped into 
 another adjoining, which was its counter- 
 part. Thence, through a number of 
 twisting passages, the ends of which, like 
 those at Stoke Pogeis, might lead to no- 
 thing, we came to the bottom of a flight 
 of stairs,^ which did lead to the upper 
 rooms of the mansion. The stairs were 
 broad enough to admit the ascent of two 
 horses abreast; and the materials of which 
 1
 
 XVll 
 
 they were formed were quite solid enough 
 to sustain such a burthen ; in fact, they 
 were of English oak, and seemed to have 
 been constructed for the purpose of bear- 
 ing a greater weight than the fine ladies, 
 and finer gentlemen, of modern times. 
 If we consider well, the onus of a man 
 clad in complete armour was no feather, 
 and required a power of strength in the 
 composition of house^building, which 
 those of modern fashion want. But to 
 pursue our investigation : we ascended 
 the stairs, and at their head was a kind of 
 square gallery or guard-room (choose ye 
 whether), the ceiling of which was fret* 
 ted and relieved after the fashion of 
 Queen EHzabeth's time. But instead of 
 the compartmental figures, usually exe- 
 cuted in relief, the ornaments were of a 
 kind entirely puritanical, and showed at 
 once that the builder of the mansion was 
 one of ^the reformed church, according 
 to the strictest sense of that term. Be- 
 neath the ceiling, all round the gallery, 
 ran a broad moulding, upon which were
 
 XVIU 
 
 carved, in conspicuous characters, two 
 grave proverbs. 
 
 ** Love God and not goulJ." 
 
 7'his filled one side of" the parallelo- 
 gram, and the three others were occupied 
 with the following versification : 
 
 " He that loves not mercy, 
 Of mercy shall miss ; 
 But he shall have mercy 
 That merciful is/* 
 
 " By my faith, farmer," said T, *< you 
 ought to be the most humane man alive, 
 having such a w^arning as this staring 
 you in the face as you go to bed every 
 night, and as you get up every morning." 
 
 " Why, ay," he replied, *' I thought 
 much on it w hen I first came ; but 1 don't 
 see it now, save when gentlemen like 
 ye come to put me i' mind o't a bit." 
 
 " This gallery," said my friend, " is a 
 pretty piece of antiquity, and is deserving 
 of some pains in the preservation." 
 
 " Oh ! bless you," cried the farmer, 
 ** my landlord thinks as much o't as I
 
 XIX 
 
 should of a peck o' gowd. He Iiad it 
 branly white-wash t as ye see, an' bid me 
 ta*e care that the letters had no harm 
 come by. It's my belief he wad not sell 
 this place, for as much as would get him 
 twice th' lot o' land, an' a new house 
 i' th' bargain ; for he talks about some 
 old fellow that liv'd, the Lord knows how 
 long ago ; for whose sake ye see he's fond 
 o' th' spot." 
 
 " I should imagine," said I, " since 
 the place is of so great antiquity, that 
 you might at some time find objects 
 cotemporary with the first inhabitants." 
 
 " Oh ! have ye never heard, Mr. ," 
 
 cried the farmer, " that a big silver 
 cross was found i' diggin for marl ? It 
 was a matter o' half a yard long, an more 
 than a pound i' weight ; — ay, an' mony 
 other things I know not the names on." 
 
 We now examined the chambers, 
 (each suite of which had a gallery or 
 anti-chamber to itself,) and they were, 
 indeed, very lofty and roomy ; but their 
 very extent, as it was but ill-defined by
 
 XX 
 
 the wretched quantity of. light atlmijLted 
 through the narrow windows, served but 
 to render them more comfortless. Tlie 
 anti-chambers were still darker, ;ind more 
 gloomy, for they were without windows 
 of any kind, and had, indeed, no light 
 but what shot through the door-ways 
 from the several chambers which opened 
 into them. You may easily fancy the 
 little light they had to spare could afford 
 no extraordinary illumination, though 
 each room contributed its mite. After 
 we had taken a full view of every thing 
 above stairs ; and, I must confess, the 
 only one worth naming was that of the 
 scenery in front of the house, which we 
 saw to great advantage from the cham- 
 ber-window ; we descended to the hall, 
 and were about to take our leave, when 
 
 the farmer said, ** Stop, stop, ]\Ir. , ye 
 
 havn't seen all yet : ye've long, I know, 
 had a wish to see the vaults ; but they 
 were not fit to go into till lately ; an' th* 
 place we found behind th' binn, ye never 
 saw that."
 
 XXI 
 
 V*J O^! I had -forgotten, indeed,'* 
 cVfed my fnexii'^ <* We shall be under 
 great obhgations to you, farmer, if you 
 can, without trouble, show us that se- 
 cret vault you discovered some time 
 ago." 
 
 " Trouble ! it's no trouble, Mr. ," 
 
 replied our host; '* but ye'll, may be, ta'e 
 a glass o' my home-brew'd ? The vault's 
 but cowdish like." 
 
 " I don't care if I do," answered my 
 friend ; and I readily joined him. The 
 good wife soon supplied us with a foam- 
 ing jug of October 1810, which I 
 must acknowledge was deserving of sin- 
 gular commendation. And we did justice 
 to the hospitality of our landlord, by emp- 
 tying it of its contents. We then went 
 into the court'-yard, where the farmer in- 
 formed us, that at some period there had 
 been four wings to the house, which had 
 been built in the form of a cross ; but 
 some one had found it necessary or con- 
 venient to pull down the northern wing, 
 which had destroyed its uniformity. The
 
 XXII 
 
 entrance to the vaults was under the 
 western wing ; and, assisted by a huge 
 key, (of a fashion perfectly antique,) we 
 made our way into the cellars. The 
 farmer left us for a minute, and returned 
 to the house to procure a lantern, with 
 which he speedily rejoined us, and, by 
 the light of the candle therein, we dis- 
 cerned a door at the further end of the 
 cellar in which we stood. We passed 
 on : the farmer pushed that door open 
 with his foot, and we entered another 
 vault, which was surrounded with binns 
 for wines and liquors : these were of 
 oak, strongly built, and appeared of very 
 considerable age, for the worm was now 
 in them, and in many places they had 
 fallen to pieces. The farmer called our 
 attention to a part of the cellar, where, 
 upon the removal of the back part of 
 a binn, which came out at his touch, 
 we discovered a low door, impassable by 
 any full-grown person but in a double 
 posture. This door was ajar; and the 
 farmer leading the way, we followed.
 
 XXlll 
 
 On recovering an erect position, we 
 found ourselves in a small square vault, 
 floored and wainscotted like the parlours 
 above : there were several articles of fur- 
 niture, and, among the rest, a long sofa 
 or wooden settle, fastened to the wall on 
 one side, and several old stools of various 
 descriptions ; but all bearing the marks of 
 antiquity and decay. Upon the settle 
 waa^ a kind of mattress, covered with lea- 
 ther, which, upon examination, I found 
 to buckle at the ends. I sat down, and 
 found the seat by no means uncomfort- 
 able. Curiosity, or I know not what fa- 
 tality, induced me to unbuckle the straps 
 which fastened up the leathern covering 
 of the seat-cushion, and it was with no 
 little difficulty that I succeeded in with- 
 drawing the tongue of the buckle, which 
 was clogged up with rust. However, I 
 did achieve tjie undertaking; and I had 
 no sooner opened the leather, than (be- 
 lieve it if you can) out dropped a bundle 
 of papers closely tied, and indorsed *< The 
 Cavalier.^' " Here was a discovery !'*
 
 XXIV 
 
 thought I; and so I believe did our host, 
 though not of the kind it proved upon 
 examination ; for by his solicitude and 
 anxiety to get possession of the prize, I 
 have a great notion he imagired it was 
 sterling money. My friend, in whom 
 the farmer had great confidence, untied 
 the string, and exposed to our view a 
 number of memoranda, written in a sort 
 of ancient court hand, similar to that 
 used by the lawyers when legal proceed- 
 ings were in French and Latin ; but, to 
 our host's inexpressible disappointment, 
 there was not the shadow of any kind of 
 money. Not satisfied, however, but that 
 there might be, somewhere concealed, he 
 begged my assistance to draw off the 
 covering of the cushion, which I readily 
 afforded him ; but all our further inqui- 
 ries were without fruit j we could not, 
 after a long time spent in the search, 
 discover any thing more. At length we 
 adjourned to the house, replacing the 
 binn in statu quo, and locking up the 
 door of the vault, which the farmer said,
 
 XXV 
 
 at some future opportunity, he would 
 thoroughly examine. 
 
 ** As for those papers," cried he to 
 me, *'ye're welcome to 'em, on one con- 
 dition.'* 
 
 " And what is that, farmer ?" I re- 
 plied. 
 
 " Why, Sir," returned he, « ye'll 
 doubtless read 'em o'er, an' if ye should 
 find any cue to th' treasure, ye shall let 
 me know't." 
 
 " With all my heart! a bargain," cried 
 I, giving him my hand. I accepted the 
 terms, and the papers are mine. 
 
 I placed them in my pocket ; we took 
 leave of the farmer and his wife, and 
 returned to Chapel-en-le-Frith. 
 
 No sooner had I gained the privacy 
 of my chamber, than I drew the MS. 
 from my pocket, and began, with avidity, 
 to examine its contents. I found that it 
 contained a kind of memoir of Colonel 
 Charles Sydenham, son of Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, of Banner Cross in this county, 
 a Cavalier engaged in the struggles of 
 
 VOL, I. a
 
 XXVI 
 
 Charles the First and his son, with his re- 
 bellious subjects ; but who Lord Falcon- 
 ridge was, or where Banner Cross was 
 situate, I had never heard. At length, 
 as I dived deeper into the papers, 1 dis- 
 covered that what was Banner Cross 
 formerly, is now Castleton, a little town 
 adjoining the celebrated cavern of the 
 Peak. The MS. contains many names 
 which are not mentioned in Clarendon 
 or the other historians; but it also has 
 others which are of no common fame. 
 It took me the whole of that evening to 
 regulate and peruse; and I then per- 
 ceived, that it did not give an entire 
 history of the Cavalier's life, but only of 
 several and separate eras in which he 
 was personally engaged ; and unfortu- 
 nately these eras had no sort of connec- 
 tion with each other. However, whether 
 fired by the difficulty of the task, or in- 
 stigated by the desire of knowing more 
 of the Cavalier than what the MS. re- 
 vealed, or moved by that fatality which 
 had led me to its discovery, I know not ; 
 but I resolved to endeavour at its ar-
 
 xxvu 
 
 rangement in such a manner, as might 
 fit it for publication. To this end, I 
 have made many journeys, both on horse- 
 back and a-foot ; I have visited all the 
 mountains and fastnesses mentioned in 
 the MS. ; I have wearied all the country 
 round with inquiries tending to its 
 elucidation ; I have examined every part 
 and parcel of the old Castle of Banner 
 Cross (now Castleton) ; I have pertina- 
 ciously applied to the descendants of the 
 president Bradshaw, many of whom are, 
 in poor circumstances, spread over the 
 country between this place and Marple 
 in Cheshire ; — in short, I have (to use a 
 familiar expression) left no stone unturn- 
 ed, which could afford me any intelligence 
 or satisfaction ; and the result you will find 
 in the pages following my letter. I am 
 not, indeed, satisfied with the production 
 as it stands ; many and very formidable 
 objections may be made to its matter, 
 as well as its arrangement : the first and 
 principal is certainly that of those im- 
 mense gaps or intervals which intervene 
 a 2
 
 XXVlll 
 
 in the process of the work. These in- 
 tervals I have endeavoured to supply 
 with such general traditions as my in- 
 dustry could gather ; but I must confess 
 there is much wanting in this particular, 
 although, had I been enabled to have 
 noted down the events of the Cavalier's 
 life during the intervals, as particularly 
 as the MS. recites them, the task would 
 have taken me, I believe, the best part of 
 my life, and at least one thousand volumes. 
 Another charge against us will be, 
 that the whole story is a galaxy of 
 battles, sieges, and skirmishes ; '* for 
 which reason," our critics will say, " one 
 might as well read the Gazette, and pre- 
 ferably, because there one has a list of 
 the killed and wounded." And, indeed, 
 this is a charge which I cannot well 
 get over : the only excuse for it is, that 
 the times in which Colonel Sydenham 
 was an actor were days of **riot and 
 misrule," blood and slaughter; and it 
 would be impossible to give the memoirs 
 of a Cavalier, without relating a few of
 
 XXIX 
 
 those engagements which, most likely, 
 formed epochas in his life. 
 
 Again, it will be said that our MS., in 
 making use of scriptural language so 
 freely as it hath done, does not suffi- 
 ciently regard that excellent maxim, 
 
 Nee Deus intersit nisi dignus vindice nodus. 
 
 Nay, some will say that I am inculpated, 
 and that I am absolutely without respect 
 for the sacred volume. But this latter 
 charge (should such be made) I utterly 
 deny ; for you, I think, will bear me out 
 in saying, few are more penetrated with 
 reverence and awe for real religion than 
 I am, and that I would not willingly 
 cast upon it the slightest mark of irre- 
 verence or disrespect. Morever, it does 
 appear to me, that the compiler of this 
 MS. had no intention of ridiculing re- 
 ligion itself, nor, indeed, any sect there- 
 of; but that he meant merely to show 
 the real and unfeigned characters of the 
 puritans of the commonwealth and pro- 
 tectorate. All the works, the sermons, 
 the public harangues of that day, abound
 
 XXX 
 
 with texts of Scripture; and we are in- 
 formed, by more books of authority than 
 one, that it was accounted unsaintly and 
 unbecoming to speak but in Scripture 
 phrase. It would, therefore, have been 
 no easy matter to have held ** the mirror 
 up to nature" in this instance, without 
 preserving that mode of phraseology, 
 which, it cannot be denied, was ever 
 uppermost in those times of hypocritical 
 precision. I know of no other striking 
 objections, except such as may be brought 
 against the dramatis personam ; and they, 
 as their lives are " on a cast, must stand 
 the hazard of the die." Whatever faults 
 may attach to the arrangement of the 
 work, are mine own solely, for the memo- 
 randa were in regular unbroken succes- 
 sion ; and if there be any merit in the 
 task of selecting heads for the different 
 chapters, to me the praise is due. To 
 the public I leave it to say, whether 
 this work hath any merit at all, or 
 whether it be damned by such a load of 
 vices as render it a tissue
 
 XXXI 
 
 " De longs sermons, tous couches par ecrit, 
 De madrigaux, des chansons sans esprit." 
 
 If Messieurs the Critics are of the latter 
 opinion, you perceive I furnish them witli 
 epithets gratis. Undoubtedly the MS. 
 might have fallen into abler hands ; but it 
 is humbly submitted to the public, (to 
 use the words of the learned editors of 
 Peere Williams' Reports, and Cooke's 
 Bankrupt Laws,) with " hopes that the 
 merit of the original work may not be 
 lessened by my interference." 
 
 With every sentiment of regard, 
 
 I am, dear C 
 
 Your sincere friend, 
 
 and humble servant, 
 
 LEE GIBBONS. 
 
 Ch apeUen-te-Fnlh, 
 Ausust, 1820.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 " His was a race for valour thrice renowned : 
 
 Whene'er the British lion inov'd to war, 
 
 Whether embarked for that holy land 
 
 By blood of valiant knights made slippery, 
 
 Or nearer home the burly sport was rife. 
 
 With Edward or with Henry march'd they forth." 
 
 Old Contention of Yorke and Lancaster. 
 
 Maurice Sydenham, Baron Falconridge 
 of Banner Cross, in the north-west part 
 of the romantic county of Derbyshire, 
 generally called the High Peak, was the 
 descendant of a line of noble progenitors, 
 Y.hose common ancestor, Aben Sevd 
 Namrah, a Saracen leader of great valour, 
 had accompanied Richard of the Lion's 
 Heart, on his return from the Holy 
 Land, 
 
 VOL. I. ' B
 
 2 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 When SalacUn, incited by (that second 
 JuHan) the Count of Tripoh, made war 
 upon Guy of Lusignan, then king of 
 Jerusalem, Aben Seyd and many other 
 chiefs (rather than conform to the 
 usurped authority of the Sultan) chose 
 to throw themselves into the arms of the 
 Christians. They were received by Lu- 
 signan with welcome and lionours ; and 
 ardent in their hatred of Saladin, brought 
 him a considerable body of troops upon 
 his taking the field. At the fatal battle 
 of Tiberiad, the monarch of Palestine, 
 betrayed by his nobles, was beaten ; and 
 he himself, together wdth his marshal, 
 bearing the standard, with the wood of 
 the true cross, were made prisoners by 
 the hand of Tokeddin, the nephew of 
 Naladin. By a desperate charge at the 
 close of the battle, the standard was re- 
 taken, and brought oii', by Aben Seyd, 
 wlio withdrew to Tyre, and performetl 
 miracles of chivalry, when that town was 
 beleaguered by Saladin. Tlie resolute 
 defence made by the besieged, obligcil
 
 THE CAVALIER. O 
 
 the Sultan to draw off his forces ; and 
 Aben Seyd was publicly greeted by the 
 Marquis Conrad, governor of Tyre, as 
 one of the principal and most gallant 
 defenders of that bulwark of Palestine. 
 
 He continued, in conjunction with tlie 
 other leaders, to maintain a desultory 
 warfare against Saladin ; and although, 
 from the paucity of their numbers, they 
 were able to make little impression upon 
 his overgrown power, yet they still kept 
 the fire alive by their valour and pertina- 
 city ; and upon the arrival of Richard 
 and Phihp of France, Aben Seyd and his 
 friends joined those monarchs with all 
 their forces. It were dehors our subject- 
 matter, to relate here the many feats of 
 valour performed by the noble Saracen 
 under the eye of Coeur de Lion ; it is 
 sufficient to say, that his services won 
 him the entire friendship of the English 
 king ; and when Richard was on the 
 point of embarking for his native coun- 
 try, he made an offer to Aben Seyd 
 Namrah, of exchanging his hope of being
 
 i THE CAVALIER. 
 
 reinstated in his Oriental possessions, 
 for the certainty of an equivalent in 
 England, should he be disposed to follow 
 him. .The noble Saracen replied, that 
 he had but one objection to so princely 
 an offer, and that was the difference of 
 their creeds ; but Cceur de Lion, wlio 
 was known to reck little about spirituals, 
 soon laughed him out of his qualms of 
 conscience ; and Aben Seyd consented 
 to quit for ever the land of his nativity. 
 We shall but shortly notice, that the 
 Saracen was the only attendant Richard 
 selected to accompany him, when he 
 resolved to pass through Germany ; that 
 when the noble hero was so basely incar- 
 cerated, by that horrid traitor Leopold 
 of Austria, Aben Seyd chose rather to 
 submit to a vile imprisonment, than quit 
 his royal friend ; that on the return of 
 that darling of his peo])le to England, 
 Richard conferred upon Aben Seyd a 
 magnificent grant of lands in tiie county 
 of Derby ; the same on which his de- 
 scendants continued to reside at this
 
 THE CAVALIER. 5 
 
 epocha. A short time after Richard's 
 arrival in England, whether out of grati- 
 tude to the King, or moved by the force 
 of example, or incited by the arguments 
 of the priesthood, or out of any other 
 motive, Aben Seyd Namrah conformed 
 to the Christian faith. He took the 
 name of the monarch, who stood his 
 god-father ; and upon the completion of 
 the ceremony, his sovereign knighted 
 him under the name of Sir Richard 
 Seydnam : he was then created Baron 
 Falconridge of Banner Cross, which title 
 descended, cum terris, to his posterity. 
 
 The son of Sir Richard, also of that 
 name, (being called so after the King,) 
 proved a staunch zealot in religion ; and 
 accordino; to the fashion of the times, 
 
 built and endowed a religious house, 
 which he called, from his own castle, the 
 Abbey of Banner Cross. The order 
 professed was that of Saint Benet ; and 
 from the private history of the abbey, 
 with which that of the founder was inter- 
 woven, (for on the suppression of the 
 B 3
 
 6 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 monasteries by Henry the Eighth, the 
 abbey and its archives were re-granted, 
 by letters patent, to the heirs of the 
 founder) not only what is before recited 
 is extrauglit, but also all other jjetits 
 contes hereafter related, up to the time 
 of the present epocha ; and, among the 
 rest, the following legends are trans- 
 lated, 7not pour mot, from the Latin his- 
 tory of the pious monks of Banner Cross 
 Abbey. 
 
 " Richard Seydnam, Lord Falconridge, 
 had two sons, Uctred and Norman, both 
 of whom (but the latter more especially) 
 were, in war and all knightly feats of 
 arms, renowned and celebrated. Sir 
 Norman had attended prince Edward, 
 son of Henry the Third, in his croisade 
 to the Holy Land ; had returned with 
 that hero, by way of France, to England, 
 on the death of his father ; and in the 
 tourneys and plays with which Edward 
 was entertained in that country, he, next 
 to the monarch liimself, bore away tlie 
 prize. When they were passing through
 
 THE CAVALIER. 7 
 
 Burgundy, the Count of Chalons invited 
 Edward and his retinue to a tournament, 
 where Lewis de Grand Pre, Lordof Cha- 
 rent, who had witnessed with great jealousy 
 the chivalrous exploits of this second 
 Arthur and his knights, challenged Ed- 
 ward to meet him, with equal numbers, 
 in the lists. Edward, who was the soul 
 of chivalry, and the stoutest knight of his 
 age, (as his celebrated combat with 
 Adam de Gourdon, during the Troubles^ 
 had evinced,) immediately gaged his 
 battle; and having selected tw^elve of 
 his followers (of whom Sir Norman Seyd- 
 nam was one) he appointed the day of 
 meeting. All Burgundy was congre- 
 gated at Chalons. 
 
 *' The lists were marked out in the 
 public square, and surrounded with seats 
 for the spectators. Those houses which 
 overlooked it w^ere superbly hung with 
 tapestry and painted devices; embla- 
 zoned pennons and silken streamers glit- 
 tered to the sun ; and all the magnifi- 
 cence of Burgundy the magnificent, all 
 
 B 4f
 
 t> Tin: CAVALILK. 
 
 tJ>e beauty, the fashion, the courage, tiic 
 rehgion, the tout ensemble y graced on that 
 day the grand square of Clialons. At an 
 early hour the seats were taken, the 
 windows of the adjacent houses occupied, 
 and all impatiently awaited the arrival of 
 the Count of Chalons, who was appointed, 
 by the parties mutually, the marshal, or 
 umpire of the field. A raised seat, at 
 the upper end of the lists, surmounted 
 with a canopy, over which floated his 
 household banner, was prepared for the 
 marshal ; and at the other end was the 
 throne of that beauty, chosen to dispense 
 the rewards of valour, and the prizes of 
 chivalric superiority. The seat was in- 
 closed by silver-gilt pillars, which su])- 
 ported a canopy of white velvet, and 
 above which a silken flag, bearing a Vir- 
 gin Mary, embroidered on a field blmic, 
 encompassed with the rays of the sun 
 argent, streamed in unison with the ban 
 ner of the marshal ; the pillars were en- 
 twined with garlands of flowers j and the 
 whole was executed in that style of ele-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 9 
 
 gance, for which the Burgundians were 
 even then admu'able. Beatrix, daughter 
 of the Count of Chalons, was appointed 
 queen of the Hsts ; and from a fairer 
 hand Sir Tristram himself would not 
 have desired to receive the palm of vic- 
 toiy. The marshal having arrived and 
 taken his place, commanded the usual 
 proclamations to be made ; after which 
 the barriers were thrown open and the 
 trumpets sounded. They were answered 
 from without, as well on the part of the 
 King as on that of the Lord of Charent ; 
 and immediately Edward galloped into 
 the lists, attended by his knights, at one 
 barrier, as did Lewis de Grand Pre and 
 his friends at the other. The King of 
 England (although his beaver was closed) 
 was as easily distinguishable from his 
 knights, as they were from the enemy ; 
 not so much by richness of armour, or 
 even majesty of figure, (for they were all 
 men of gallant persons,) as by the length 
 of his legs, (from which he derived the 
 surname of Longshanks,) and the incon- 
 B 5
 
 10 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ceivable grace and ease with which he 
 managed his weapons and his battle-horse. 
 His lance, though by the laws of arms 
 obliged to be of equal length with those 
 of his adversaries, was much thicker, and 
 required the arm of the vanquisher of De 
 Gourdon to wield it. His horse, sixteen 
 hands to the full, and of a bone and 
 muscle seldom seen in France, could 
 alone be governed by his matchless rider j 
 and his hauberk, made more for need 
 than show, proclaimed him a son of 
 battle, not a petit maitre of the tourna- 
 ment. The only mark of his royalty was 
 a slight golden coronet set around his 
 head-piece ; otherwise he was accoutred 
 as his companions, who wore scarves, 
 decorated with the red cross of tlie croi- 
 saders, to designate them from tlieir 
 rivals. 
 
 " The Lord of Charent and his friends 
 wore jointed armour, (^^ hicli began about 
 that time to be tlic fashion,) riclily orna- 
 mented with golden studs and chasings ; 
 and their helmets, instead of the griflin
 
 THE CAVALIER. 11 
 
 dragon, or lion crests, usually worn, were 
 decorated with plumes of party-coloured 
 feathers. 
 
 ** The trumpets having sounded a 
 charge, and the word being given by the 
 marshal, each knight fixed his lance in his 
 rest, slackened his curb, and gave the 
 spur to his horse. The King met De 
 Grand Pre in the midst of the career, 
 and the concussion was so strong, that the 
 Count's horse reeled under his rider ; 
 many of his friends were no less unhappy, 
 several more so ; for Sir Norman Seyd- 
 nam, vSir Reginald Bigod, and Sir Hugh 
 Molyneux, w^hether by the goodness of 
 their horses, or the superiority of their 
 skill in arms, bore down their antago^ 
 nists ; and the former jousted with force 
 so great, that he carried his rival, (Philip 
 de Grand Pre the brother of the Lord of 
 Charent,) nearly a dozen yards from his 
 horse. The contest now became animated > 
 but the French knights perceiving their 
 inferiority in the career, threw aside their 
 lances, and to the astonishment of all 
 B 6
 
 12 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 present, attacked Edward and his friends 
 with sharp and deadly weapons, contrary 
 to all the laws of honour and chivalry. 
 At this sight the marshal exclaimed ; 
 but not having a force sufficient to 
 second his authority, his remonstrances 
 were disregarded : the ladies on all sides 
 flew from their seats ; an universal up- 
 roar and confusion ensued ; and this band 
 of assassins, knowing the English to be 
 provided but with blunt weapons, set 
 upon them with sword and battle-axe. 
 It w^as in this dilemma that Edward 
 showed himself in his true colours ; the 
 gentleness, the majesty, and equanimity 
 of his kingly character, upon this piece 
 of treachery, fled to heaven ; and in their 
 stead, remained only the hot passion, 
 san^xuine fearlessness, and decision of the 
 warrior. He reined up his steed until 
 the animal reared nearly upright, and 
 waving his hand, as a signal to hi3 com- 
 panions, they, in an instant, formed in 
 line, at the upper end of the lists, pre- 
 senting a resolute front to their deceitful
 
 THE CAVALIER. 13 
 
 enemies. Hence he called to those of 
 their party without the lists, to furnish 
 them with arms! which order heiim heard 
 by Grand Pre, he judged it expedient to 
 fall on before the King and his knights 
 were prepared. 
 
 «* He therefore encouraged his party ; 
 and they setting up the cry of war, ^Mont- 
 joie, Saint Denis y^ dashed into the English 
 rank ; which, not disturbed by their on- 
 set, sustained and repulsed it. By this 
 time. Sir Norman Seydnam, who had 
 caught his battle-axe, thrown over the 
 lists by his squire, threw away his lance, 
 and leaving the rank, spurred his horse 
 into the midst of the French. His anta- 
 gonist in the tourney he first selected as 
 the object of his vengeance ; and rising in 
 his stirrups, he dealt that knight so heavy 
 a blow, that he clove away the plume from 
 his cascjue, and laid him senseless on the 
 saddle bow : upon this success he reiter- 
 ated his blows so teavily and successfully, 
 that he found the whole of the Burgun- 
 dians sufficient employment, until the
 
 14 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 King and his friends were completely 
 armed, who, as they received their wea- 
 pons, entered into the combat. The 
 traitors now began to perceive the proba- 
 ble rewardof their treachery ; andGrand 
 Pre cried aloud to his friend to open the 
 barriers ; but several English knights 
 and squires in the suite of the King, 
 stood guard over them, with the concur- 
 rence of the marshal, who declared, that 
 as the Lord of Charent and his party had 
 begun so base a work, they must now 
 go through with it, for they should nei- 
 ther have escape nor assistance. 
 
 "Edward, in the mean time, having seen 
 all his friends provided, before he would 
 accept a weapon, now drew that famed 
 sword which had chastised the rebel 
 Montfort, and quelled the pri<^.e of the 
 valiant De Gourdon. He advanced like 
 the lion rejoicing in tlie pride of his 
 strength, or the ravenous eagle pursuing 
 the hunter who has ?' Jen her young. 
 For a moment, with a smile of joy, he 
 surveyed the combatants engaged ; but
 
 THE CAVALIER. 1.5 
 
 perceiving Sir Nomian Seydan oppressed 
 by Lewis de Grand Pre, and several others 
 of their enemies, he galloped into tlie 
 meleey and attacking the traitor, drew 
 him from Sir Xorman. The combat 
 lasted not long ; Edward- with one blow 
 clove the helmet of the Lord of Charent, 
 who fell dead from his horse ! and in the 
 space of a few minutes, out of the twelve 
 who commenced the treacherous strife, 
 three only remained, who threw down 
 their arms and beesced the Kincr's mercv. 
 Edvrard, learning that they were insti- 
 gated by Grand Pre to this horrid 
 treachery, who had paid for it with his 
 own life, and those oi many of his friends; 
 and thinking that sufficient blood had 
 been shed for the trespass ; and on their 
 desrradation from knidithood bv the 
 Count of Chalons, in whose territories 
 their tiefs were situate, remitted their 
 further punishment to him. 
 
 ^' The King, shortly after this rencontre, 
 returned to England ; and if the English 
 Justinian could be said to have afavoiirite.
 
 16 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Sir Norman engaged, until his death, the 
 regard and esteem of his sovereign in a 
 greater degree than any other. A few 
 years after their return from Palestine, 
 Sir Norman fell in love with Adeline de 
 Molyneux, sister of the same Hugh de 
 Molyneux, who was one of the King's 
 knights at Chalons, and his own par- 
 ticular friend. Her father, William de 
 Molyneux, of Derby in Lancashire, of 
 Norman origin, possessed a vast extent 
 of demesnes by grant from the crown, 
 and expected a greater match for his 
 daughter than the second son of a minor 
 baron ', so that, although her brother was 
 privy to their attachment, they were 
 obliged to keep it secret from all other 
 persons. The etiquette of those times 
 would not admit of marriages mstante7\ 
 as at the present day ; but a lover was 
 obliged to consume the full measure of 
 seven long years, before he could obtain 
 the hand of his mistress, however beloved. 
 It was so in this case ; and the term of 
 probation was drawing to a close, when
 
 THE CAVALIER. IJ 
 
 Edward commenced that war, by which 
 the Welsh were eventually reduced to 
 subjection. Sir Norman w^as of course 
 to join the King's standard, not only 
 out of affection to the monarch, but as 
 leader of the Radmen, or knights-riders 
 of his father, bound by the military te- 
 nure of his fief to attend the Sovereign 
 in his wars. Previous to their marching 
 to the place appointed by the King for 
 the general rendezvous. Sir Norman rode 
 with all haste from Banner Cross to 
 Derby, with the intention of taking leave 
 of his mistress. He had frequently met 
 her by moonlight, in the ruins of an old 
 abbey near to Croxteth, and adjoining the 
 mansion of her father ; and he now sent 
 on his squire before, as if with a message 
 to Sir Hugh, but in fact with a token to 
 his beloved Adeline, that he would meet 
 her at midnight in the ruins. Sir Norman," 
 pursues the manuscript, ** was not only an 
 accomplished knight, but (what was 
 singular in those days) he was a good
 
 18 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 scholar, and a poet, having been taught 
 by the monks of Banner Cross, with all 
 the care, and all the assiduity, necessary 
 for a person likely to be of dignity in 
 the church, to which his father had at 
 first resolved to dedicate him ; but, upon 
 his arrival at years of judgment, his 
 martial spirit broke forth with such lustre, 
 that the baron judged it improper to 
 confine his ardent soul within the walls 
 of a cloister, or the pontificals of a bishop ; 
 and thought (though much addicted to 
 the priesthood) that a warrior's head-piece 
 would better become the figure of his 
 son, than even the hat of a cardinal. 
 In the first battle with the Welsh, he com- 
 manded the van division under Edward, 
 and routed the mountaineers with great 
 slaughter ; but to the great grief of the 
 King, and all true Knights, he was himself 
 slain by an arrow, shot at random by 
 the enemy, on the close of the fight. 
 He was observed to be thoughtful, and 
 almost wild in his demeanour, from the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 19 
 
 time that he joined the King at the ren- 
 dezvous ; spoke little to any one but his 
 friend Sir Hugh Molyneux, who was 
 much in the same condition; and if ques- 
 tioned with too much pertinacity, he 
 turned fiercely on the querist, or fled 
 without speaking. In his burgonet, he 
 wore the beautiful tresses of a lady's hair; 
 and frequently he was seen stamping on 
 the ground, and muttering to himselfi 
 as if in a fit of frenzy. He became 
 more sedate on the evening previous to 
 the battle, and requested the command 
 of the van division from Edward, who 
 granted it, with a caution to take care 
 of himself. He smiled bitterly, and re- 
 tired. The next morning, he was * stir- 
 ring with the lark,' and had attacked 
 and routed the enemy, and was brought 
 in a corpse, before the King had ima- 
 gined he had marched from the ren- 
 dezvous.'* * 
 
 ♦ After his death, his friend Sir Hugh Moly- 
 neux, in stripping him of his armour, found an
 
 ^0 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 The monkish history then proceeds 
 to notice the other members of this noble 
 iamily ; that Sir Uctred Seydnam per- 
 
 esquisse, of which the following is a translation, 
 carefully placed in his breast : — 
 
 The moonshine sparkled on the wall. 
 On the wall of the abbey that's ruin'd and bare; 
 And the dusky light in the desart hall, 
 Show'd that she I lov'd was there. 
 
 I flew to my own dear Adeline ; 
 
 My Adehne welcom'd her faithful knight ; 
 
 We reposM by the side of Saint Cuthbcrt's shrine, 
 
 And we talk'd of the coming fight. 
 
 Ah ! how shall I live when tbcv art gone ? 
 To-morrow's wind thy plume Mill wave; 
 And yon bright moon that sees us now, 
 May light my Norman's grave. 
 
 I smiled whilst I watch'd the playful beam ; 
 The beam as it shot through the broken wall, 
 For it danced on the shrine of the patron saint. 
 And spangled his sable pall. 
 
 Hark! hark! Do you hear? cried Adeline, 
 'Tis the groan of Death that comes from the tomb ; 
 Again ! now a third ! see, behold the shrine ! 
 Ah ! it opens its yawning womb ! 
 
 I beheld with afli-ight the tomb was rent. 
 And the corpse of St. Cutlibert T dimly descried; 
 In his hand was the crosier in life he swayed. 
 Whilst hollowly thus he cried : —
 
 THE CAVALIER. 21 
 
 formed good service in the Scottish wars ; 
 that his grandson, Walter Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, when only twenty-two, was made 
 knight banneret on the field of Cressy, 
 by Edward the Third, and was the com- 
 panion in arms of the renowned Black 
 Prince, throughout the whole of his emi- 
 nent career, in the service of his country; 
 that Sir Humphrey Sydnam (as the name 
 was at this time written) fought at Azin- 
 cour, and upon the death of the gallant 
 
 *' Sir Norraan, prepare to meet thy doom ; 
 Thy doom will in battle, with victory come ; 
 Neither mail of proof, nor a maiden's love, 
 Can shield thee from the tomb." 
 
 The spectre sank and the marble clos'd ; 
 I'he monument clos'd on his boneless head ; 
 I turn'd to seek my life's best hope; 
 God ! my Adeline was dead ! 
 
 Sir Norman was seen in the battle's roar; 
 In the battle's roar, 'raid the bloody tide ; 
 His knightly plum/g was red with gore, 
 He conquered, but he died. 
 
 The last verse was added by the Father Adrian, 
 his tutor and friend, and his body was embalmed 
 and magnificently interred at Banner Cross Abbey. 
 ^Author of the MS.
 
 22 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Henry the Fifth, the kniglit continued 
 to serve under tlie Regents Bedford and 
 York, until the English were expulsed 
 from France ; his son, John Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, took the unfortunate side of Henry 
 in the civil wars of the Roses, and was 
 slain at the battle of Tewksbury, leaving 
 a wife and infant son ; tliat on the de- 
 position of Henry the Sixth, Joan Lady 
 Falconridge fled with her cliild to 
 France, and the possessions of the family 
 were confiscated to the crown, and con- 
 ferred by Edward the Fourth on his. 
 favourite, Hastings ; that on the arrival 
 of the Earl of Richmond, afterwards 
 Henry the Seventh, in England, Henry 
 Sydnam Lord Falconridge returned to 
 his native country with that leader, fought 
 at Bos worth, and on the success of Henry 
 was restored to his lands and title. On 
 the demise of Lord Henry, his sou 
 Charles succeeded him, who was alive at 
 the period of the dissolution of the mo- 
 nasteries, and it was to him that the 
 abbey (cum pertinentiis) was regranted by
 
 THE CAVALIER. To 
 
 Henry the Eighth. The family of Falcon- 
 ridge, in the reigns of Edward the Sixth, 
 Mary, Elizabeth, and James the First, 
 seem to have bounded their ambition to 
 the administration of their domestic con^ 
 earns ; for we have not heard of any 
 member of that house fulfilling any emi- 
 nent station, either civil or military, 
 under any or either of those sovereigns. 
 But to return from this digression, 
 (which we in some measure thought ne- 
 cessary, as it gives a succinct genealogi- 
 cal account of the family of Sydenham,) 
 and to proceed as we began, the present 
 Lord Falconridge, Maurice Sydnham, 
 or, (as it had now become pronounced 
 euphonice gratia,) Sydenham, was an 
 elderly man at the commencement of the 
 disputes between Charles the First and 
 his Scottish subjects. Though not active, 
 be was yet tolerably skilled in the avoca- 
 tions of parliamentary business, having 
 been Speaker in the house of peers for 
 many successive parliaments, and had 
 the character of a ready and sound orator.
 
 24 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Having married l^itc in life, he bad only 
 one son, at this time a youth of fifteen 
 years of age, upon whom the doting- 
 father lavished all his care, and all his 
 tenderness. His mother also was equally 
 fond of him. She had been a fine lady 
 in the court of Anne of Denmark, wife 
 of James the First -, but upon the death of 
 that king, and the consequent abrogation 
 of the queen's court, she had willingly re- 
 tired with her spouse from public circles, 
 with the intention of spending the rem- 
 nant of her days quietly and happily at 
 the family seat. Of a religious cast, she 
 was a bigot to the forms of protestant 
 cluirch government ; and no part of the 
 proceedings of his Majesty's advisers 
 was by her more approved, than the ri- 
 gorous enforcement of the use of the 
 book of Common Prayer. The name of 
 puritan stank in her nostrils ; and she 
 would have infinitely preferred the uni- 
 versal father's resumption of his spiritual 
 sway over England, than that so hypo- 
 critical a sect, (as she termed that of the 
 4
 
 THE CAVALIER. 25 
 
 puritans,) should have encouragement or 
 toleration. In this spirit she was for- 
 tified and abetted by the family-chaplain. 
 Dr. Jeremiah Grostete, a man of more 
 learning, than wit or judgment, and 
 more bigotry than either ; an indomi- 
 table advocate of the divine right of 
 kings, and one who went so far beyond 
 any of the advocates of the " royal prero- 
 gative," that his maxim was that of the 
 civilians, ** Quod prmcipi placuerit, legis 
 hahet vigor em,^' 
 
 When the young Charles vSydenham 
 was withdrawn from the nursery, and 
 had attained an age fitted to imbibe in- 
 struction, he was placed under the tuition 
 of the Doctor ; and as the latter was really 
 fond of his pupil, Charles managed by 
 the help of good natural abilities, to 
 pick up sufficient knowledge for that 
 station to which it pleased the Almighty 
 to destine him. It is no wonder, (hav- 
 ing a tutor like Grostete,) that Charles 
 Sydenham should acquire those princi- 
 pies of attachment, and absolute devotion 
 
 vox. I. c
 
 26 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 to his sovereign, wliich he afterwards 
 elicited so conspicuously ; but although 
 the Doctor laboured with all his eloquence 
 to impress upon his pupil the almost 
 papistical infallibility of the English 
 established church, and its political inse- 
 parability from the true interests of the 
 state, he could seldom obtain a patient 
 hearing from Charles, who, little inclined 
 to listen to his drowsy harangues on theo- 
 logical subjects, begged him to relate the 
 wars of the Croisaders, and the gallant 
 feats of his chivalrous ancestors. On 
 those subjects, Grostete, who was some- 
 thing of an antiquarian, (being well read 
 in monkish history,) never failed to ex- 
 patiate, to the great delight of his ardent 
 pupil, whose custom it was to promise 
 absolute attention to his next lecture on 
 divinity, on condition of hearing the 
 legend of Sir Norman, or some other 
 warrior, which promise (when his own 
 desires were gratified) he thought proper 
 to banish entirely from his remembrance. 
 They were one day engaged in a convers-
 
 THE CAVALIER. £7 
 
 ation of this nature, when Grostete let 
 fall the word episcopacij, which, although 
 often uttered by him before, had never 
 dra\vn the attention of his pupil. — "What 
 is the meaning of the word episcopacy ?^* 
 said Charles : " you have frequently 
 flown that hawk, but I never thought it 
 worth while to bring him down." 
 
 ** If you will have a little more re- 
 verence for your tutor, master Charles, 
 and will speak as I can understand you, 
 peradventure I may condescend to give 
 you information touching your enquiry ; 
 but while you speak the language of a 
 falconer, I wot it befits me to leave you 
 in your ignorance." 
 
 " Take as much of my sentence as 
 ye list, tutor of mine," said the youth ; 
 " but I shall believe what I fancy." 
 
 <' And what is that?" enquired the 
 Doctor. 
 
 ** Why, your Reverence, 1 must even 
 conclude that you cannot give any ex- 
 planation of .episcopacy, or I'm a Dutch- 
 c 2
 
 28 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 man if you would not, seeing it touches 
 the church." 
 
 ** Cannot thou, perverse one, but lis- 
 ten ? Episcopacy is that form of church- 
 government now blessedly established, 
 by Divine Mercy, in this happy king- 
 dom ; the good effects of which are felt 
 throughout the land : and it is but meet 
 that, like unto brothers, church and state 
 should go hand-in-hand, the one assisting 
 the other : for, of a certainty, whilst one 
 flourishes, both will flourish ; and when 
 one decays, the other will be cut ofl) like 
 a withered branch, and burnt for fuel.'* 
 
 ** But yet, my good Doctor, you leave 
 me-in the dark ; I enquire of you, what 
 is the meaning of episcopacy ? and you 
 reply, that form of church-government 
 now in England established ; but you do 
 not say, how, and in what way that form 
 is established ; you tell me that episco- 
 pacy is the established form of church- 
 government, but not what episcopacy 
 
 is." 
 
 Grostete rejoiced within himself, to
 
 THE CAVALIER. 29 
 
 have engaged his pupil in this enquiry, 
 and was resolved to pursue it j he there- 
 fore continued — *' Episcopacy, in its 
 abstract sense, means the government of 
 God's holy church by bishops.'* 
 
 " What do you mean by abstract?*^ 
 enquired Charles. 
 
 ** Pooh ! you chatter-box ; you fly off 
 too quick." 
 
 " Oh! by my troth," shouted the 
 quick boy, ** you've got among the fal- 
 coners yourself 5" and he danced, and 
 roared with laughter. 
 
 When the Doctor had calmed him a 
 little, he proceeded with a grave counte- 
 nance. " I certainly had no intention 
 of giving that sense to the words I last 
 spoke, that you apparently impute to 
 them ; I only meant to say — " 
 
 " Don't beat that bush again, father," 
 cried Charles, still laughing ; *' go on 
 with episcopacy. Episcopacy means 
 church-government by bishops ; and, as 
 I may gather from your former discourse 
 the King's throne would totter, if the 
 c 3
 
 so THE CAVALIER. 
 
 bishops were to rule no more. Did not 
 your Reverence so mean ?" 
 
 " Exactly so." 
 
 ** Waur hawk! waur hawk!" cried 
 Charles, with a sly eye. *' Doctor Gros- 
 tete wants to be a bishop." 
 
 " And if I do, my ambition is not 
 culpable : were I to attain a station so 
 eminent, I trust I should prove a good 
 shepherd to my flock." 
 
 " But, w^ould ye not fleece them ?" 
 
 " Out on you, for a knave 1 What 
 wretch of a puritan has taught you such 
 irreverence to the church ? Better had 
 -your mother never felt the pains of travail, 
 than that you should peril your immortal 
 soul, by oppugning the doctrine of the 
 church. It becometh you, diaries Syd- 
 enham, sprung from a noble stock, to 
 learn that doctrine which maintaineth 
 the established regimen, both in church 
 and state ; for, as I have before imparted 
 to you, * no church, no king ;' and if the 
 royal power were here oppressed, where 
 would be the honours, the privileges,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 31 
 
 the glory of the nobihty, of which the 
 king is the spring and fountain ? Con- 
 sider these things, my good child: it is 
 your duty, if I may apply the expression 
 of the poet, 
 
 * Nocturna versare manu, versare diurna : ' 
 
 Ponder and cogitate ; reflect and turn 
 over in your mind, what a singular, an 
 awful, a degrading catastrophe, would it 
 be, were not only the king and church 
 overthrown, but the descendants of all 
 those lines of noble and gallant progeni- 
 tors, whose courage and patriotic endea- 
 vours have, with the blessing of heaven, 
 raised our country to its present pitch.'* 
 
 " Waur hawk i " cried Charles. 
 
 ** No interruptions, young man. I 
 sa}% how horrible an event it would be, 
 if the present race of nobility was de- 
 prived of the accumulated honours and 
 rewards of a thousand years' achieve- 
 ments. Avert the stroke, merciful 
 Power!" continued Grostete j ** let not 
 the rude factions, of the wicked and 
 c if
 
 S2 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ill-minded, triumph over thy servants ! 
 ' Est aliquid sacri in antiquis iiecessitudi- 
 nibus ;' and how long, and how happily, 
 has this kingdom been governed in its 
 present relations?'* 
 
 The dinner-bell happening to ring at 
 this moment, put an end to the invoca- 
 tions of the Doctor, and the impatience 
 of his pupil, who both hastened to the 
 hall, leaving abstract speculations for 
 enjoyments more substantiaL
 
 THE CAVALIEK. 33 
 
 CHAP. 11. 
 
 Down with your arms, ye vile rebellious hinds ! 
 Have ye no foes to glut your rage withal. 
 But ye must turn your weapons on your chief? 
 Mutinous Milains ! to the death with them. 
 
 Siege of Candy, 
 
 1 HOSE of our readers, who have visited 
 the grand c ivern C'l the Peak, will not 
 need to be leminded of the strength and 
 beauty of the site, whereon stood the 
 castle of Banner Cross 5 its ruins are 
 now seen, hanging over the yawning 
 ravine which leads immediately into the 
 Devil's Cave: but, for the benefit of those 
 who are strangers to the romantic scenery 
 of the High Peak, we will endeavour to 
 sketch an outline of the picture. 
 
 On a hill of very steep ascent stood the 
 Castle y its outer walls crowning the en- 
 tirety of its summit : of what order its 
 c 5
 
 34t THE CAVALIER. 
 
 architecture had been, when first erected, 
 it was now difficult to determine ; for 
 additions and alterations of various kinds, 
 according to the convenience, or fancy, 
 of its different lords, liad been made 
 without any respect to taste or unifor- 
 mity. Its form was that of a parallelogram, 
 flanked at each corner with a strong 
 square tower ; having only one entrance, 
 the ascent to which was by a winding 
 pathway round the eastern base of the 
 hill : on the western side, was a liorrible 
 fissure, which appeared to have been 
 formed by the shock of an earthquake, 
 rending the hill in two 5 and upon tlie 
 very brink of this ravine, the bold archi- 
 tect had built one of the castle-towers, 
 above a precipice of several hundred 
 feet, so that on this side it was inacces- 
 sible. At the base of the reck, was the 
 entrance to the celebrated cavern of the 
 Peak; an archway of thirty feet in height, 
 and nearly twice that extent in breadth: 
 and with inexpressible labour, a subter- 
 raneous passage had been hewn through 
 3
 
 THE CAVALIER. 85 
 
 the solid rock, from the castle into the 
 jaws of the cavern. Beneath the fortress, 
 was a small village called the Castle-town, 
 composed of the feodal tenants and vas- 
 sals of the lords of Banner Cross, where 
 was situate all that remained of the abbey, 
 —the parish church, of which Dr. Grostete 
 was parson ; and beyond the town, the 
 beautiful and fertile Dale of Hope ex- 
 tended for several miles east and west, 
 bounded on the north-west by the re- 
 nowned shivering mountain called Man 
 Tor, or the mother rock, and nearer the 
 castle, by the outer gorge of the Winnets, or 
 Winyates; the northern and eastern extre- 
 mities touching the feet of an immense 
 amphitheatre of rock and mountain, 
 termed the East Moor. This dale was 
 also inhabited by the tenantry of Lord 
 Falconridge, who, by their reliefs, sup- 
 plied the castle with all its necessaries. 
 
 Our readers, who are learned in the 
 
 history of the eventful times we are now 
 
 entered upon, will be instructed, that 
 
 King Charles deemed it prudent to sum- 
 
 c 6
 
 36 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 mon all the nobility to attend him in his 
 expedition against the Scotch, who had 
 raised an army for the avowed pur- 
 pose of opposing the establishment of 
 episcopacy in their country. Lord 
 Falconridge being at this time laid up 
 with the gout, his attendance was dis- 
 pensed with on the King's first expe- 
 dition ; but it being perceived, that the 
 Scots were only to be overcome by arms, 
 King Charles a second time summoned 
 his nobility, and mustered his troops. 
 Among the rest Lord Falconridge received 
 a missive from his Sovereign, requiring 
 his attendance at York, with his feodal 
 retainers, at a day therein specilied ; 
 which command he made preparation to 
 obey. The castle of Banner Cross was 
 now all bustle. The clink of the smiths' 
 and armourers' hammers, and the neigh- 
 ing of horses, gave " dreadful note of 
 preparation." Lord Falconridge himself 
 was not a fighting man, neither did he 
 understand the technicalities of exerciser 
 it was therefore necessary to employ some
 
 THE CAVALIER. 37 
 
 officer of experience, to discipline and 
 command the men. For that purpose 
 the Baron wrote to a friend in London, 
 desiring him to engage some person who 
 had served abroad, and who might now 
 act as adjutant to himself. In the course 
 of a fortnight, during which time the 
 Baron had contrived to harness his men 
 and horses, the Adjutant arrived, attended 
 by a servant. He came in the evening, 
 mounted on a stout hackney, clad in his 
 back, breast and head pieces, and wear- 
 ing his side-arms. His servant (also 
 completely armed) rode a broken-down 
 roadster, leading the charging horse of 
 his master. 
 
 The Adjutant appeared to be about 
 the age of forty years, had a good rough 
 soldier-looking countenance, and was 
 about five feet eight, stoutly made; and 
 his whole appearance gave an indication 
 of his having seen much service. As 
 soon as he alighted, he paid his duty en 
 militaire to the Baron, who, with Charles 
 and the Doctor, came out to receive him.
 
 38 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 He then presented letters to Lord Pal- 
 conridge, from his friend in London, 
 which gave liim a liigh account of the 
 Adjutant's miUtary skill. 
 
 ** After you shall have refreshed your- 
 self, Captain," said Lord Falconridge, 
 ** I shall be glad to talk with you on the 
 state of our troop. In the mean time, 
 allow me to welcome you to Banner 
 Cross, and to conduct you to my Lady." 
 
 He then gave orders to the house- 
 steward to accommodate the horses and 
 servant of the Adjutant, and leading the 
 way into the castle, was followed by the 
 Doctor, the Adjutant, and Charles. 
 
 The orderly of the Adjutant stood ibr 
 some time, expecting that master Heavy- 
 side, the major doiiw, would obey orders, 
 and provide for his accommodation ; but 
 seeing him return into the castle, without 
 any motion of that kind, he began to lose 
 his patience, and thundered out in a 
 mixture of French and English for some 
 person to show him the stables. 
 
 « Hola ! Monsieur! Hola ! — Mort
 
 THE CAVALIER. iSQ 
 
 de ma vie ! — Mynheer's cheval de 
 guerre ! he vil catch his des de froid. — 
 Hola ! Diable ! — Vat, 1 am to catch my 
 des aiissi, wid standing ici all night in 
 my suit of iron. — Tarn tese coquins. — 
 Messieurs ! etes-vous sourd ? — Ah ! 
 sacre ! — Hola !" 
 
 He continued to cry out until Heavy- 
 side, fearing the Baron might hear him, 
 came out. — *' Why dost thou make so 
 confounded a noise, fellow ?" said he. 
 
 " Fellov/ ! by gar, vat le diable, am I 
 here to remain ? mon maitre's cheval de 
 guerre vil be in a pickel grande." 
 
 ** "What dost thou want ?" cried the 
 steward. 
 
 " Vat do 1 vant ! — tres bon ! — vy, 1 
 vant vat you call de stable pour mes 
 chevaux, and I vant de meat and drink 
 pour moi-meme." 
 
 " Oh ! that's what thou wantest, is it? 
 — Here, Rowland, show this mounseer 
 the stable." 
 
 " Oui, Monsieur Rowland, alloiis, 
 marchons."
 
 iO Tin: CAVALIKR. 
 
 «« Mairch!" said Rowland; "nay, we 
 minna mairch now, man ; it *1 be time 
 enow to mairch wlien we canna longer 
 stay/' 
 
 " Eh ! qu'est-ce que vous dites, mon- 
 sieur ?" said tlie orderly. 
 
 " Ditty ! oh, if ye're i' want of a ditty, 
 I can sing yc pK^nty : — did*st ever hear 
 the Roup o* Kiniler?** 
 
 The Frenchman stood staring in Row- 
 land's face, and Rowland in his; the 
 former not understanding one word of 
 the latter's dialect, and the latter ex- 
 pecting an answer from Picard ; until 
 Heavyside, who was watching them, 
 burst into a roar of laughter ; and the 
 orderly, thinking that the steward 
 laughed at some ridiculous thing which 
 Rowland had uttered, shrugged up iiis 
 shoulders, smiled, and gently shook his 
 head. 
 
 '* Why, thou fool!" cried Heavysic^e; 
 " he's a Mounseer ; he does not under- 
 stood English." 
 
 " Ah ! mais monsieur," retorted Pi-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 41 
 
 card, " vous etes in de wrong, car J€ 
 connois de Englis tres bien ; dat is to 
 say, I know de Englis ver well." 
 
 ** Ha ! ha ! ha ! why dost not speak it 
 then ? we are all English here," an- 
 swered the steward. 
 
 " Vy don't I speak it ! Je parle de 
 Englis a present j dat is to say, I speak 
 it now." 
 
 " Yes, mounseer! but your English 
 is so larded wi' some other language, 
 that we cannot understand ye." 
 
 " Ah ! mais mon maitre says, dat je 
 parle de Englis aussi bien qu'un An- 
 glois. Mais allons. Monsieur Rowland, 
 to de stables, apres mes chevaux sont 
 put to der bed, I vill speak to you 
 again." 
 
 " This way," cried Rowland, leading 
 him across the court-yard. Picard fol- 
 lowed with the horses ; and having 
 placed them in their respective stalls, 
 Rowland (who was a good-natured fel- 
 low) said, ** Mounseer, seeing ye've yer 
 iron on, ye*d best go into the servants'
 
 42 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ha' and draw it ; beside, ye'll have need 
 o' sumniat, after being o* ^it-back a' 
 day.'* 
 
 Picard, after some consideration, 
 managed to eke out tlie sense of this 
 j)roposal, 
 
 " Qui, mais monsieur, mes chevaux!" 
 said he, pointing to them. 
 
 ** Oh, dinna fash yer head about tlie 
 bosses. I'll see they wanten for nowt." 
 He rung the stable-bell, and two grooms 
 appeared. ** John, do ye unharness 
 these tits, rub 'em down, and gi' 'em 
 their mangers full o' oats. Do ye like 
 meshes, mounseer ?" 
 
 ** Meshes — vat is de meshes ? Oh, 
 oui, je connois ; oui, oui ; dat is to say, 
 yez, yez." 
 
 ** Let the beasts have 'em, John." 
 
 " Et mon gar9on,'^ said Picard to 
 the stable boy ; ** j)renez grand soin de 
 ce cheval," pointing to the charger. 
 
 The boy understood, by the motion 
 and earnestness of tlic speaker, wliat lie 
 could not have gathered from the Ian-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 43 
 
 guage, and nodded in compliance. 
 Picard then took the pistols from the 
 saddle-holsters, and the portmanteau 
 from the saddle-peak, and Rowland led 
 the way into the castle. He had scarcely 
 been introduced to his fellows of the 
 lower house, the female part of whom 
 he saluted with the true French gout and 
 familiarity, when he was summoned by 
 his master to unarm. 
 
 The Adjutant, having paid his respects 
 to the lady of the castle, had been con- 
 ducted by Dr. Grostete to the apartment 
 designed for his peculiar inhabitancy, 
 whither Picard was ordered to repair, in 
 order to disencumber his master of his 
 martial habiliments. On Picard's arrival, 
 the Doctor quitted the room ; and the 
 trusty valet released his superior from his 
 mail. Whilst the Adjutant was engaged 
 in selecting from his portmanteau a suit 
 of clothes to replace the leathern doublet 
 worn under his armour, he enquired 
 from Picard, whether he had seen to the 
 horses ?
 
 44 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** Ah ! non mynheer ; mais Monsieur 
 Rowland, who is un bon homme, did give 
 de ordre to de grooms, pour })rendre le 
 grand soin des chevaux, et premierement 
 de Conde." 
 
 «* Is the stable good ?'' 
 
 *< Oh ! mais mynheer, c'est tres bonne." 
 
 ** In the morning, examine Conde's 
 ofF-rear-leg ; I tliought, as wc crossed 
 the bridge, your hackney kicked liim — 
 and, do ye hear, Picard, burnish my arms ; 
 tlie water, as we swam the Mersey dashed 
 over me : set a new plume in my head- 
 piece, and get the saddler to close the 
 pommel of my field-saddle." 
 
 <* Oui, mynheer!" 
 
 ** Have you seen any of our troops ? 
 are they likely fellows ? have any of 
 them served ?" 
 
 '*J'ai vu un ou deux; mais mynheer, 
 lis sont campagnards, d'une bonne taille, 
 mais sans aucune connoissancede guerre." 
 
 ** What kind of horses ? Have you 
 seen any ?" 
 
 *< Oh ! mais mynheer, les chevaux sopt 
 le^ meilleurs quej'ai vu."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 45 
 
 "And their arms — after what fashion 
 are they clad ?" 
 
 " Oh mynheer 1 de pied en cap ; vat 
 you call, iron to de teese." 
 
 '* Good ! — what length of sword do 
 the buUies carry ?" 
 
 *' Aussi long que celle de Mynheer." 
 
 " Mine ?'* 
 
 " Oui, mynheer." 
 
 " Prepare them for my inspection to- 
 morrow. Have they a trumpet ?" 
 
 ** Je ne scais pas.*' 
 
 *' A cornet ?" 
 
 " Je ne scais pas." 
 
 " A lieutenant ?" 
 
 " Je ne scais pas." 
 
 ** What the devil ! are they a savage 
 clan ?" 
 
 " Je ne scais pa?." 
 
 ** Chariot Picard, open your mouth 
 wider, and be curst to you : can you say 
 nothing but * Je ne scais pas ?* What 
 dress had I better wear to-day ?" 
 
 ** Oh ! Mynheer a la bonne mine, et 
 il n'apasbesoindes beaux habits pour — "
 
 46 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** Hold your nonsensical gibberisli, 
 and give me a plain answer." 
 
 ** Eh bien, mynheer ! — Le habit de 
 noir velours est tres beau, et avcc de 
 blanches bottes, vous avez Tair d'un 
 prince." 
 
 <* Where is my dress-sword?" 
 ** Ici, mynheer !" (handing a rapier.) 
 The Adjutant was soon clothed, and 
 appeared a handsome man ; he took up 
 his feathered hat, and returned to the 
 grand hall, where he found the family 
 prepared for supper, and only awaiting 
 liis re-appearance. After each member 
 thereof had taken her or his place at 
 table, and a grace, or invocation of bless- 
 ing liad been uttered by Doctor Gros- 
 tete, they fell to their meals ; and the 
 luxury of the table not having then at- 
 tained that height for whicli those of our 
 more modern nobiUty are remarkable, 
 they managed to have a clear board, 
 with the exception of wine and liquors, 
 about an hour after commencing supper.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 47 
 
 Lord Falconridge being (what was even 
 then called) a good fellow, was in the 
 habit of making merry with Doctor 
 Grostete, (who was too good a classic to 
 be a foe to wine,) and his other friends y 
 and generally had the hall to himself and 
 companions after supper ; my lady not 
 relishing their boisterous mirth. She 
 retired as usual, on this evening ; leaving 
 her Lord, his son Charles, Doctor 
 Grostete, and the Adjutant. 
 
 The Baron, in order to do the more 
 honour to his new retainer, ordered the 
 boteler to produce his family creche or 
 drinking cup ; a huge silver vase, gilt 
 and adorned with goldsmith's work, and 
 which had been the poculum charitatis 
 to strangers, during many generations. 
 On the front of it were engraven the 
 arms of Falconridge ; and round the 
 upper rim were set many large stones of 
 value. The cover was crested with a 
 golden falcon, having its wings extend- 
 ed ; and in the interior of the cup were 
 those small notches or pins, which w^ere
 
 4^ THE CAVALIER. 
 
 introduced in the wassailings of the 
 Danes, as marks whereby to regidate the 
 depth of drinking ; and whence it was 
 said commonly, ad pinnas liberie. From 
 tliis circumstance it would seem that the 
 Baron's creche had been an ecclesiastical 
 utensil ; the clergy having succeeded the 
 intemperate Danes in their use and cus- 
 tom of drinking to the pin, which was 
 forbidden by the council of London, 
 A. D. 110-2. ^^ Presbyteri non eant ad 
 potationes, nee ad pinnas bihant." It is 
 therefore probable, that the vase had be- 
 longed to the abbey of Banner Cross ; 
 and that, on the sequestration* of the 
 monasteries, it had fallen, with the other 
 personalties of that foundation, into the 
 hands of the Lords Falconridge. 
 
 Notwithstanding the ordinance of the 
 council of London, which Dr. Grostete 
 considered papistical and superstitious, 
 that worthy divine had frequently, in 
 concert with his patron, the Baron, 
 drained from it the spiced wine with 
 incalculable pleasure ; and his eyes emit-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 49 
 
 ted an animated scintillation when the 
 boteler placed it on the table. On rais- 
 ing the cover, an incense, resembling that 
 arising from tlie thuribulum or censer 
 used in the Popish rites, arose from the 
 creche, and spread around a most grate- 
 ful and fragrant odour, which was caused 
 by the admixture of spices with the rich 
 Canary intended for their potation, 
 Grostete smacked his lips, while the bo- 
 teler slowly moved the vessel \\ith an 
 undulating motion, in order to blend the 
 Hquor \\TLth the spices, which might have 
 sunk to the bottom. AVhen this opera- 
 tion had been some time performed, the 
 boteler closed the cover, and replaced 
 the cup on the table. The Baron first ^ 
 attacked it, and drank a welcome to the 
 Adjutant ; Grostete followed, with the 
 Hke compliment ; Spandyke succeeded, 
 ^vith thanks, and health to the noble Lord 
 and his household. The Baron then re- 
 sumed with his favourite toast, " Church 
 and King," in which he was rapturously 
 joined by the Doctor, and heartily by 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 5iX THE CAVALIER^ 
 
 the Adjutant. After a succession of 
 loyal and patriotic toasts, Span dyke, at 
 the request of Lord Falconridge, gave 
 them a brief history of his campaigns. 
 As this history is impertinent to our sub- 
 ject, we shall not give our readers even 
 the abstract which he related ; but we 
 shall only state, that he had served a 
 considerable time under Bernard, Duke 
 of Saxe- Weimar, the friend and fellow- 
 in-arms of the renowned Gustavus Adol- 
 phus. He had been made prisoner by 
 the Austrians, and confined at Gratz, in 
 Bohemia, whence he escaped with three 
 Scotch officers, in the Swedish service, to 
 Flanders, and thence to Holland. In- 
 duced by the offers of the Dutch, he had 
 thrown up his commission in the Swed- 
 ish army, and accepted a superior one in 
 that of the States ; to do which he was 
 the more agreeable, as, in tlie pay of 
 Sweden, he had received more blows 
 than coin, whilst tlie States were well 
 spoken of as excellent paymasters of 
 their troops. In their service he had
 
 THE CAVALIER. 51 
 
 remained until the commencement of the 
 present disturbances ; when thinking, as a 
 man of honour, that the benefit of his 
 experience in arms more properly be- 
 longed to his own country than any 
 other, and supposing that he might 
 easily find a command where good sol- 
 diers were in request, he had tendered 
 his resignation to the States, who had 
 received it with great regret, and had 
 set out for London, where he arrived a 
 few days previous to his engagement by 
 the Baron's friend. During his recital 
 of these particulars, Charles was all si- 
 lence and attention : he hung upon the 
 accents of the narrator, as though he had 
 been Demosthenes or Cicero : indeed, 
 those masters of eloquence would never 
 have found a charm equal to that pos- 
 sessed by this veteran for enchanting the 
 faculties of the young patrician. ** The 
 pomp and circumstance of glorious war" 
 were to him more touching than all the 
 splendour of oratory, and all the inge- 
 D 2 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 LIBRARY
 
 52 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 nuity of argument. The harangues of* 
 Demosthenes would have been unheard ; 
 the divine eloquence of Cicero would 
 have been unlistened to, when put in 
 competition with the artless but animated 
 narrative of the Adjutant. He seemed 
 to act a part in each battle and skirmish 
 which Spand} ke recounted ; at the word 
 of command he shouted the battle-cry, 
 and charged at the head of a Swedish 
 squadron ; he toiled with the Adjutant 
 and his companions, in their attempts 
 to escape from their confinement in 
 Bohemia ; and rejoiced (as if he had 
 been really a party) in the success of 
 their endeavours. In short, he iden- 
 tified himself with the happiness or 
 misery, the triumph or misfortunes, the 
 enjoyments or the sufferings of the nar- 
 rator ; and, on the termination of his 
 story, sat absorbed in cogitation, acting 
 over again in his imagination the exploits 
 which he had listened to, and wishing 
 himself a soldier.
 
 THE CAVALIER, 53 
 
 The Adjutant, soon after the conclu- 
 sion of his tale, begged to withdraw to 
 his apartment, pleading the fatigue 
 arising from his jo'urney as an apology 
 for his secession : Grostete followed his 
 example ; and the Baron and his son re- 
 tired to rest, highly pleased with the ad- 
 dition which their family had received in 
 the accession of Spandyke. 
 
 By an arrangement made between the 
 Lord Falconridge and his officer, it had 
 been fixed that the troop raised by the 
 Baron should be drawn out in full har- 
 ness, and ready for entering upon the 
 duties of the parade, by the time break- 
 fast was ended at the castle ; and orders 
 to this effect were directed to be com- 
 municated to the men by Picard, the 
 follower of Spandyke. 
 
 They had scarcely sat down to table, 
 and the Adjutant was beginning to dis^ 
 sect a cold roasted fowl, when Picard 
 entered the room, and after making a 
 military obeisance to each person, he ad- 
 D 3
 
 54t THE CAVALIER* 
 
 dressed his master: "Ah! Mynheer ! mais 
 les fripons." 
 
 " What fVipons ?*' 
 
 ** Les campagnards ! la compagnie !*' 
 
 ** The troop, what of it ?" 
 
 " lis disent, qu'il est contre leur de- 
 voir pour venir." 
 
 ** Against their duty to assemble: wliat 
 is the meaning of all this ? Perhaps, my 
 Lord, you can explain ?'' 
 
 ** I can," replied Grostete : ** I am 
 sorry to aver that tliat heterodox, 
 wicked, and fanatical spirit of puritanism 
 hath again erected its serpent-like crest 
 in your Lordship's demesnes ; but so it 
 is ; and I have even cause to fear, that 
 in your very house, this instrument of 
 the devil hath constructed a tabernacle : 
 your tenants and retainers are infected 
 with it ; and hence arises their unwil- 
 lingness to assemble in arms against 
 those whom they call their brethren of 
 Scotland." 
 
 ** Cent mille maudissons," muttered 
 Spandyke, whilst his black eyes flashed
 
 THE CAVALIER. 55 
 
 fire, and he curled his moustache with 
 his finger. «* My Lord, have I your com- 
 mission ?" 
 
 ** Certainly, although I would not, 
 that my tenantry should be oppressed ; 
 yet my Sovereign's affairs may not be 
 ruined by their perverse wills." 
 
 "Chariot Picard," said Spatldyke, 
 quietly sitting down again to the table, 
 <* tell those coquins I shall take a quar- 
 ter of an hour to my breakfast. If each 
 man be not armed, mounted, and in 
 troop, before I come to drill, the best 
 among them had better be this day match 
 for a saker." 
 
 *« Oui, da!" said Picard, and retired. 
 
 A very few minutes had elapsed, when 
 an uproar was heard without the castle. 
 Charles, having withdrawn to learn the 
 cause, the report of a pistol alarmed 
 the company, and presently the youth 
 rushed into the hall, and informed them, 
 that the men had set upon Picard on his 
 delivering the Adjutant's message ; that 
 
 D 4f
 
 56 THE CAVALIEK. 
 
 he was now defending himself, and tliat 
 one of the troop liad fired upon him. 
 
 The Adjutant snatched up his broad 
 sword, whicli lay with his other arms 
 ready for assumption, and hastened out 
 of the castle, followed by Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, Dr. Grostete, and Charles. 
 
 AVhen they got into the court, they 
 found the orderly, with his back against 
 the wall, defending himself valiantly, 
 against nearly a dozen of the troop •, and 
 when he saw the Adjutant, he cried 
 aloud, ** Ab, coquins ! mon m ait re." 
 
 Spandyke, without waiting for assist- 
 ance, rushed upon them with his drawn 
 sword, and in the space of half a minirte, 
 with his single arm, had prostrated all 
 the assailants. It was a happy circum- 
 stance for them, that they were armed 
 with defensive mail -, for the Adjutant 
 made no second stroke, each blow 
 brought dowi) its man, and most of them 
 were severely w ounded. 
 
 " Ground your arms !*' cried he to 
 the rest of the troop assembled in the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 5^ 
 
 court ; " throw down your weapons, or, 
 by the sun's splendour, I'll hang ye all." 
 
 The men instantly obeyed, except one, 
 who brandished his broad sword, and 
 cried out, *' Is Israel a servant ? Is he 
 a home- born slave ? Who shall force us 
 to rip up the bowels of our brothers, and 
 plant mourning in the house of our 
 fathers ?" 
 
 " Rebel !" cried Spandyke, " submit." 
 
 " I am not of thy father's house, nei- 
 ther did I suck of the breast of thy mo* 
 ther. Rebel am I not ; but rebels are ye 
 to the glory of the Lord and the peace 
 of his servants." 
 
 The Adjutant said no more, but re- 
 solving to strike terror into the hearts of 
 all the company, he struck the weapon 
 out of the hand of the fanatic, and 
 ])lunged his own into his breast : the 
 man expired immediately. 
 
 An universal groan succeeded this 
 act of necessary severity ; the men cried 
 for mercy, and promised, with deep as- 
 severations, to be dutiful and obedient. 
 D 5
 
 58 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 They implored the commiseration of 
 their Lord, begging him to show favour 
 to his unworthy servants. 
 
 The Baron was moved by their cries, 
 and consented, upon consultation with 
 the Adjutant and Doctor Grostete, to 
 pardon all except him who fired upon 
 Picard ; and they were unanimous, that 
 that cowardly assassin deserv^ed no 
 mercy. Picard was desired to point him 
 out, upon whicli the orderly said, ** Ah ! 
 Mynheers, il est mort !" for, in fact, 
 it was the dead man who had fired his 
 pistol. 
 
 The Adjutant ordered such of them, 
 as were not wounded, to mount their 
 horses, (their arms being restored by the 
 Baron,) and draw^ out of the castle-yard, 
 into the park beyond the town ; which 
 order \vas immediately obeyed. He next 
 equipped himself with his offensive and 
 defensive arms, and, mounting lu's 
 charger, rode after them. 
 
 He v.as soon joined by Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, mounted on a fine grey hunter.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 59 
 
 and Charles on a pretty Andalusianjen^ 
 net 5 the Doctor preferred a sight of the 
 manoeuvres from the rampart of the 
 castle. 
 
 The troop consisted of about forty 
 men, half a dozen of whom, being 
 wounded by the Adjutant, the Baron had 
 directed to be conveyed into the castle, 
 to have their wounds dressed. Adjutant 
 Spandyke, with the approbation of the 
 Baron, proceeded to appoint a serjeant 
 and two corporals ; and having chosen for 
 Serjeant the son of a respectable farmer, 
 who had refused to engage in the late 
 mutiny, he appointed Picard, and Ralph 
 Jellott, another retainer of the Baron, 
 corporals of the troop. Charles was 
 promised the cornetcy, so soon as he 
 could guard the standard. 
 
 ** By my faith," said the brave boy^ 
 *' I would keep it now, as long as I 
 could guard my head." 
 
 The troop went througli such a portion 
 "of evolutions, as the Adjutant thought 
 sufficient for one day's equestrian exer- 
 D 6
 
 60 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 cise, he having appointed an afternoon 
 drill, for their instruction in the manage- 
 ment of their weapon^. 
 
 The good folks met at supper with a 
 high opinion of the Adjutant's spirit; and 
 Lord Falconridge enquired what he 
 thought of the appearance of the troop. 
 
 ** Their appearance, my Lord, is excel- 
 lent; it cannot be surpassed ; but in their 
 present state, haK-a-dozen of Conde's 
 own would rout the whole forty. — They 
 must be disciplined — they are too high 
 fed — good living begets laziness and 
 cow^ardice; and, with your permission, 
 we will put them on a ration." 
 
 ** And me also," cried Charles. 
 
 ** Any thing to become a trooper,'* said 
 Lord Falconridge : " very w^ell ; when my 
 son is their companion in abstinence, they 
 may not grumble. But, prithee, Doctor, 
 how did this wretched fanatical fury re- 
 vive among my tenantry ? I held them 
 reformed, since the expulsion of their 
 teacher CalHiill, in the late reign. What 
 s now their end? what do they profess?'*
 
 THE CAVALIER. 6l 
 
 "Nothing less, my good Lord and Lady, 
 than the entire reformation of the church ; 
 the abolition of episcopacy in England, 
 and the establishment of a presbytery, 
 similar to the one set up in the sister 
 kingdom." 
 
 Lady Falconridge lifted up her eyes 
 and hands, and devoutly blessed herself. 
 
 " But how do they intend to effect 
 it," said Lord Falconridge ; "seeing the 
 King, the nobility, and the better part 
 of the gentry in England are opposed to 
 them ?" 
 
 ** By a conjunction with the Scots," 
 replied Groteste; "and, indeed, the heads 
 of the faction (as I have lately learned) 
 have had great overtures from the pres- 
 byters in Scotland." 
 
 " It is time," said the Adjutant, " that 
 sharp courses were taken with the Scot- 
 tish rebels ; methods more peaceable 
 have been tried, and failed. They must 
 feel the sword 'ere they will dread its 
 edge." 
 
 " I am of your opinion. Captain Span- 
 3
 
 G2 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 dyke," replied the Doctor. *' Ovid says 
 truly, 
 
 * Cuncta prius tentanda, sed immedlcabile vulniis, 
 Ense reddendum est, ne pars sincera trahatur.* 
 
 Now all things in a peaceful guise have 
 been tried, but in vain, to mollify and 
 assuage the irritations, the factions, and 
 ambition of the Scottish presbyters : they 
 are an ^ iiJimedicabi/e viilrms,' and ^iiepars 
 siJKera trahatury * ensc reddendum ^^ to 
 be cut out with the sword. — When the 
 head, which is the plotter and principal 
 of the mischief, shall be cut off and de- 
 stroyed, the members, which are but ac- 
 cessaries thereto, shall be quiet, and rest 
 in peace." 
 
 ** But do ye imagine, Captain Span- 
 dyke," said Lord Falconridge, " that the 
 Scottish rebels will be able to make any 
 head ?" 
 
 " When 1 left London, my Lord, the 
 common report was, that they had raised 
 a considerable force, under the command 
 of General Leslie, an officer who has 
 seen service abroad. This army must
 
 THE CAVALIER. 63 
 
 perforce consist of raw and undisciplined 
 levies ; and if the King enter upon vi- 
 gorous measures, march his troops with 
 all expedition into the north, and show 
 a determined face, they w^ill sink before 
 him like the night-dew before the sun of 
 Heaven.*' 
 
 " Yes,'* said the Doctor, " doubtless 
 you are correct; nathless, I am disturbed 
 as to the event of this struggle. The 
 King is too humane, too forgiving, too 
 full of the milk of human kindness, to 
 carry things with a high hand, even 
 against rebels. — Were he to conform 
 himself entirely to the direction of our 
 worthy and pious metropolitan Laud, we 
 might have better hopes, more certain 
 and defined expectations j but he is sur- 
 rounded with the enemies of his house, 
 and I fear they will turn his cup of joy 
 into vinegar and gall." 
 
 " The Lord protect him 1" was the 
 pious ejaculation of Lady Falconridge. 
 
 " And shield him from the fury of 
 fanatics and rebels," coi;itinued Grostete.
 
 G4 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " May he have power to persuade 
 them to seek again the righteous path !*' 
 pursued Lord Falconridge. 
 
 ** Or exterminate them from the face 
 of the earth !" said Spandyke. 
 
 ** Amen ! amen !'' concluded all. 
 
 The Adjutant continued to exercise the 
 troops daily, both on horseback and on 
 foot; and in the evolutions, Picard always 
 acted as drill and riding master, posts 
 for which, from his skill in the parade, 
 arising from long practice, he was emi- 
 nently fitted. 
 
 Notwithstanding their docility, it must 
 be confessed, poor Picard had much 
 trouble in bringing many of the troopers 
 to ride with a firm seat. Having been, 
 used, in going to the neighbouring mar- 
 kets, to ride without saddle, they had 
 acquired many habits inconsistent with 
 the proper government of a managed 
 horse. Appurtenant to the castle, was a 
 very good riding-house, in which Picard 
 was accustomed to exercise his pupils ; 
 and his manner of commanding, so diffi-
 
 THE CAVALIER. C}5 
 
 Gult of- interpretation to the raw country 
 fellows, occasioned infinite laughter to 
 the spectators. 
 
 They were one morning assembled, 
 the Baron and most of his household 
 being seated in a gallery, fixed around 
 the building, when Picard had more than 
 ordinary trouble, with a man of the name 
 of John Morrice. In the first place, he 
 turned his toes so much out, that his 
 armed heels, coming in contact with the 
 horse's flank, made him exceedingly res- 
 tive. This put Picard in sucli a fret, that 
 he cried out with more than his usual 
 vehemence. 
 
 " Jean Morrice, turn out vos eperons." 
 
 Morrice looked at him inquisitively, but 
 continued his feet in the same position. 
 
 " Diable ! coquin ! entendez-vous ? 
 Jean Morrice, etes-vous un sot ?" 
 
 " I dinna know what you say, Cor- 
 poral." 
 
 The Adjutant, who was observing them, 
 explained: " Don't you see, Morrice, that 
 your spurs gall your horse's flank j turn
 
 66 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 your thigh and leg round to the saddle, 
 keep your knee-joint straight, turn your 
 toes well in, and sink your heels." 
 
 The man obeyed, and the horse in- 
 stantly recovered his temper ; but Mor- 
 tice, in performing his orders, sunk nearly 
 all of a lump upon his horse's back, and 
 let his head fall between his shoulders. 
 Tlii^ could not fail to incense Picard, 
 who had for some time been teaching 
 him to keep himself erect. 
 
 " Ah, la bete! Morbleu, Jean Morrice, 
 vous etes le prince de stupidite. Levez- 
 vous la tete — dat is to say, your tick 
 skull hold up." 
 
 Morrice raised his head, but kept his 
 body in the same bad position as before. 
 
 " Oh, Sacre ! voici ! regardez son 
 corps," said Picard, extending his arms. 
 
 " Plold your body erect, Morrice," said 
 the Adjutant; " sit back in your saddle, 
 keep your chest forward, and your shoul- 
 ders back — there." 
 
 *' Et votre skull," said Picard. 
 
 " Hold your head up," pursued the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 6? 
 
 Adjutant, finding his drill-master abso- 
 lutely needed an interpreter. 
 
 In process of time, however, the 
 troopers became very expert, not only in 
 the management of their horses and use 
 of their weapons, but in the performance 
 of every movement ordered by their com- 
 mander. 
 
 When they were able to perform the 
 exercise at speed, the Adjutant went 
 through the review each day, Picard act- 
 ing as fugleman. — At the sound of 
 the trumpet, they could form division, 
 open or close files, wheel, march, attack, 
 or defend, with the utmost precision ; and 
 if good soldiership lay in the exactness of 
 the parade, these men might have been 
 confidently calculated upon as good sol- 
 diers. 
 
 The day now drew near for the Ba- 
 ron's appearance at York, the place of 
 rendezvous appointed by the King for his 
 army to assemble at. He therefore 
 made every thing ready for his march ; 
 and having been importuned by Charles,
 
 68 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 to suffer him to accompany the troop, 
 he at length gave his consent, though 
 against the wishes of my Lady his mo- 
 ther, who feared his youth would be ra- 
 ther of trouble than assistance to Lord 
 Falconridge ; but nothing could over- 
 come the ardour of the young hero, so 
 that by dint of importunity he gained his 
 end. 
 
 " But of what service can you be to 
 your father?" said the Doctor to Charles. 
 " He must attend the King, and you will 
 not be allowed to follow him into the 
 presence of his august Majesty." 
 
 ** Sir," replied the youth, ** I do not 
 follow my father, to behold the glitter of 
 courts, but to prepare myself for the 
 profession of arms, the glorious employ- 
 ment of my ancestors, and I only wish 
 to attend upon my iiather's troop. 1 
 doubt not Captain Spandyke will shield 
 me under his redoubtable wing, until 
 I can defend myself." 
 
 " That I will," said the Captain; 
 ** and if you pass from the tuition of a
 
 THE CAVALIER. 69 
 
 gownsman, to that of a rough soldier, 
 you will find the new branch of your 
 education not neglected: whatever know- 
 ledge of the military art I possess, shall 
 be fully opened to you, my brave boy ; 
 your courage will do the rest. Rejoice, 
 my Lord, that Heaven has blest you with 
 such a son, who, if I mistake not, will 
 become a most renowned Captain." 
 
 ** If he be an honest man, and loyal to 
 his sovereign, I shall be content," re- 
 plied Lord Falconridge. 
 
 The Baron appointed the following 
 day for quitting Banner Cross, and the 
 next morning he found the troopers, at 
 an early hour, accoutred, and ready for 
 the march. After they had taken leave 
 of the Lady Falconridge, and Dr. Gros- 
 tete, (the former shedding abundance of 
 tears over her son, it being his first de- 
 parture from the paternal roof; and the 
 the latter giving him his benediction, and 
 much sage advice, with a very concerned 
 countenance), the Adjutant ordered the 
 men to mount and draw up in line in
 
 70 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 the court-yard. Here they fired a salut- 
 ation of three rounds ; and the Baron 
 and his son being mounted, the Adjutant 
 gave the word — " Rear rank, take close 
 order. Close your files. By single files, 
 to the right-about, march." And they 
 rode off at a regular slow pace, being 
 watched by those left at the castle, until 
 they were hidden from their sight by a 
 projecting hill.
 
 THE CAVALIER. Jt 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Na}', such a day of battle, my good Lord, 
 
 I ne'er have seen since I became a soldier. 
 
 Women, Italians, who for days together 
 
 Will fight without the loss of life or limb. 
 
 Have done full gallantly when raatch'd with these. 
 
 Old Contention of York and Lancaster. 
 
 The events which transpired on the road 
 from Banner Cross to York were not so 
 important as to need commemoration 
 here; it is enough to say, that Lord 
 Falconridge arrived with his troops at 
 the said city, within three days from that 
 of his quitting the castle. Charles was 
 infinitely delighted with the journev ; 
 every thing was new to him j the country 
 more even and more woody than that 
 he had left ; the rivers bolder and more 
 rapid. Before this change of scene, he 
 had never seen more water together, than 
 what arose from the combination of
 
 72 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 shallow rivulets, when tlie heavy rains, 
 gathering them into one stream, as they 
 rolled from the mountains, formed an 
 impetuous and considerable river ; but 
 in his passage through Yorkshire, he was 
 surprised and enchanted with the magni- 
 tude and beauty of the Don, the Dearn, 
 the Ouse, the Air, and the other streams 
 of that county. — The little wood that 
 grew on his native hills consisted of firs 
 and other hardy trees, sprinkled here and 
 there in scanty quantities ; but now, 
 groves of imperial oak nodded over him 
 as he rode along, forming a shade for 
 miles ; and with a foliage of the utmost 
 luxuriance, giving a warmer and more 
 cheerful aspect to the country. 
 
 Lord Falconridge quartered himself 
 and his troop at the King's Head, an inn 
 having good accommodations for his 
 troopers, and in the vicinity of the court, 
 the King being already arrived. — The 
 morning following his arrival, he waited 
 upon his Majesty, and was of course 
 graciously received, the Monarch know-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 73 
 
 ing him to be a staunch adherent to the 
 crown. Here he also met with the 
 Earls of Northumberland and Strafford, 
 appointed by his Majesty generals of 
 the expedition, and the other military 
 and civil officers, with many of the nobi- 
 lity and clergy. 
 
 When the whole army was congre- 
 gated at York, the King ordered a day 
 of general review, and found, upon 
 muster, that his forces amounted to 
 twenty-one thousand men, horse and. 
 foot, besides a small park of cannon. 
 With these troops he marched towards 
 Scotland ; and, in a short time, an ad- 
 vance of the English army, commanded 
 by the Lord Conway, came in sight of 
 the Scots, at Newburn. 
 
 It cannot fall to the lot of the annalist 
 or historian to recount a scene more dis- 
 graceful to any nation or age, than the 
 execrable figlit, or rather rout, (which 
 took place near that village) was on that 
 day to the English. 
 
 The battle of Guingastc, or that of 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Preston, where the Duke of Hamilton 
 commanded in the subsequent troubles^ 
 were better fouglit, more fiercely dis- 
 puted. The spirit wliich had warmed 
 the English hearts at Poictiers, at Azin- 
 cour, and at Flodden, seemed to be de- 
 parted from their breasts, and, in its 
 stead, they appeared to have taken up 
 the fear, the panic fear of their van- 
 quished and despised enemies. A day 
 so fatal to England could never have 
 happened " had they not fought from 
 Heaven, had not the stars in their courses 
 fought against them," as Cromwell said 
 on another occasion ; and it is certain 
 that the issue of this paltry skirmish was 
 the ruin of the King, and the downfall 
 of the constitution. 
 
 The immediate consequence of the 
 rout of Newburn, as every one knows, 
 was the adoption of ])eaceable proceed- 
 ings ; so that instead of the armies 
 coming to a trial of strength, (for which 
 neither of them were anxious,) the dis- 
 putes between the two nations were
 
 THE CAVALIER. 75 
 
 settled by the commissioners who met at 
 Rippon ; but as these matters do not 
 come within the pale of our design, and 
 are elucidated with great clearness by 
 my Lord Clarendon, and other able his- 
 torians, we shall proceed no further in 
 their mention. The King, having re- 
 turned to York, the greater part of- the 
 army was disbanded, and, in particular, 
 that part of it which was composed of 
 the nobility and their feodal retainers, 
 who not being obliged to continue their 
 attendance longer than forty days, took 
 advantage of the close of that period to 
 return to their respective homes. 
 
 The Lord Falconridge, however, sig- 
 nified to his Majesty, that if it would be 
 for his Majesty's service, he would 
 readily, at his own charge, keep up his 
 troop in arms, and in attendance ; but 
 this was not thought necessary by the 
 King, who, returning the Baron thanks 
 for his offer, desired him only to have 
 his men in such discipline, as to be ready 
 
 for service on instant summons. The 
 E 9,
 
 7^ THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Baron undertook that they should be so, 
 and having received several special marks 
 of his sovereign's favour, he drew off* 
 from York on his return to Banner 
 Cross. 
 
 The troop of Lord Falconridge, hav- 
 ing been in attendance upon the King 
 himselfj as part of the body guard, had 
 escaped the disgrace of being parties in 
 the rout of Newburn ; and Charles being 
 near his royal namesake, had the ad- 
 vantage of hearing the names and reput- 
 ation, and acquiring a knowledge of the 
 persons of the most eminent and dis- 
 tinguished of the nobility ; in which he 
 was greatly assisted by Captam Span- 
 dyke, who passed for his father. Picard, 
 also, had ingratiated himself with the 
 young trooper, as well by his assiduity, 
 cheerfulness, and polyglot manner of 
 speaking, as by his equestrian skill and 
 knowledge of practical tactics. When 
 the Adjutant and Lord Falconridge, on 
 the march, were engaged in any serious 
 conference, (which was frequently the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 77 
 
 case,) Picard rode up to Charles, and 
 endeavoured to divert him with all the 
 address of a true Frenchman. 
 
 " Do I sit my horse properly, Picard?" 
 said Charles to him, about an hour after 
 they left York ; the Adjutant and Lord 
 Falconridge having dropped behind. 
 
 "Oui, Milord; mais— " 
 
 " You never approve without a huW 
 
 " Oh Milord Charles, il s'assied tres 
 bien, mais trop avance sur la selle." 
 
 " Too far in the saddle ! if I sit further 
 back, my stirrups will be too long.'* 
 
 " II est bien facile for to make dem 
 plus court," replied he, smiling. 
 
 " Why ay, that's true," said Charles 
 laughing ; and he shortened them as he 
 rode along, Picard holding his bridle-rein. 
 — When he had adjusted himself i he re- 
 covered his rein, but so abruptly that 
 with the check his horse reared. 
 
 *' Prenez garde, Milord, it is ver dau- 
 gereuse to give de check to votre cheval ; 
 feel his mouse, but don't make trop usage 
 de votre gourmette." 
 E 3
 
 78 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 '* What do you mean by gourmette ? 
 my French lias not led me into the terras 
 of the stable?" 
 
 *« Vy, Milord, gourmette is vat you 
 call de curb." 
 
 ** "Were you ever at the leaguer of a 
 strong town, Picard ?" 
 
 *« Oh, Milord!" replied he, with a smile 
 of reproach ; ** j'ai plusieurs fois." 
 
 " And pray is it your opinion that 
 York could stand a siege?" 
 
 *' York !" repeated he very sharply. 
 
 ** Yes, that city we have just left." 
 
 ** Oh, mais non, Milord j cette ville n'a 
 pas des fortifications." 
 
 " It has a Wall and gates." 
 
 " Une muraille, oui, mais ni escarpeni 
 contrescarpe, et portes, mais sans aucun 
 ravelin." 
 
 ** Pray what are the scarp and coun- 
 terscarp ? 
 
 " EUes sont les defences de la muraille 
 dedans et dehors." 
 
 " And the ravelin ?" 
 
 '< C'est soutcnir la porte. — De wall
 
 THE CAVALIER. 79 
 
 of la ville de York il seroit renverse dans 
 une heure par une batterie de vingt 
 pieces de canon j — mais quand nous 
 sommes arrive, nous munirons le chateau, 
 si Milord le Baron est d'accord." 
 
 Charles was greatly pleased with this 
 proposal, and undertook that his father 
 would have no objection, seeing that it 
 would secure the Castle without defacing 
 it : and his father at that moment coming 
 up with Span dyke, he actually asked per- 
 mission. — Lord Falconridge smiled, and 
 looked at the Adjutant, who nodded in 
 return, signifying that there was some 
 understanding between them w^ith which 
 this design harmoniously chimed ; and 
 indeed the truth of the matter is this, 
 that his Majesty had given a commission, 
 (commonly termed a commission of array, 
 and one subject of dispute between the 
 King and Parliament,) to Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, as Deputy of the Lord Lieutenant 
 of Derbyshire, to raise and keep up a 
 standing force of 100 men, and at the 
 same time to put his Castle into a state 
 E 4
 
 80 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 of defence, and fit it for the reception of 
 a garrison. — To communicate this im- 
 portant affair to the Adjutant, (for whom 
 the Baron had obtained tlie rank of Major 
 in the small regiment he was about to 
 raise,) was the reason of their falling 
 back ; and as they had already come to 
 the conclusion which was sought for by 
 Charles, Lord Falconridge allowed him 
 all the merit of the proposal, and con- 
 sented thereto, to his infinite joy and 
 delight. 
 
 When Lord Falconridge arrived at 
 Sheifield, he sent an express to his Lady, 
 to inform her at what hour he should 
 reach Banner Cross ; so that when the 
 troop came to the entrance of the Park, 
 they were met by the tenantry, headed 
 by Dr. Grostete. After loud and con- 
 tinued acclamations, the Doctor ad- 
 vanced towards the Baron, and, with 
 his usual formality, thus addressed him. 
 " My good Lord, I, in the name of your 
 tenantry, here assembled, do give the Al- 
 mighty great thanks, that he hath vouch-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 81 
 
 safed, in his owngood time, to restore unto 
 us your Lordship ; that according to his 
 ordinances, your way-faring hath been 
 pleasant, and your paths unstrewed with 
 thorns ; we rejoice that health and all 
 worldly blessings, have been continued 
 unto you and yours ; and we trust, that 
 as the past, so the future may be or- 
 dained full of peace and blessedness. — 
 We thank him that governeth all, that 
 tho* he hath armed your hands, and girt 
 every man with the sword of slaughter, 
 yet he hath preserved ye undefiled by 
 blood, unstained by the slaughter of your 
 sinful brethren — brethren are they still, 
 though sinful." — He would have pro- 
 ceeded, and doubtless continued for the 
 next half hour, had not the Baron inter- 
 rupted him. 
 
 " My good Doctor, we thank you, and 
 all of you, for your kind attention unto 
 us; and if we do not now stay to express 
 our affection unto ye more at large, we 
 beseech ye to consider it not as springing 
 out of disrespect or dislike to your duti- 
 E 5
 
 8^ THE CAVALIEK. 
 
 f'ul greetings, but arising from the weari- 
 ness of ourselves and our horses. We 
 have marched far this morning, and the 
 weight of our defences onerate heavily 
 upon us; weintreatye, therefore, to meet 
 us early on the morrow at our Castle, 
 where, peradventure, we may disclose 
 something, of consequences important to 
 ye, and all honest men — and so, my good 
 people, fare ye well, and a good night." 
 
 The Baron bowed low, and pricked 
 his horse onwards, followed by the troop, 
 and the renewed acclamations of the 
 tenantry. Charles drew his rein until 
 the Doctor had mounted his sorrel pony, 
 when they followed the troop also, greeted 
 by the blessings and shouts of the people. 
 In half an hour they arrived at the Castle; 
 and Lady Falconridge again beheld her 
 T^ord and her darling son, who seemed 
 more dear to her for this short separation. 
 
 After supper, as usual, a conversation 
 ensued between Lord Falconridge, the 
 Doctor, and Major (as we shall now call 
 him) Spandyke.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 83 
 
 " Then, after all this numbering of 
 armed men, this congregating of chiefs, 
 and expence of treasure," said the Doc- 
 tor, " the Scots are likely to re-establish 
 their wicked presbytery, to the indubi- 
 tate detriment of the established church/* 
 
 ** Even so," replied his Lordship. 
 
 " It will be the worst day for England, 
 that England ever saw; but what says 
 the King ?" 
 
 *' He says, Doctor, that now the Scots 
 have what they sought for, and they will 
 of course return to their homes, and be at 
 peace." 
 
 " Of course ! would the necessity were 
 as likely as it is forcible. No, my Lord, 
 they will never leave — they will never 
 desist until they have brought the 
 three Kingdoms to ruin; until they 
 have reduced the Sovereign unto as 
 much subjection to their wicked do- 
 minion, as the German Frederick was 
 in to the Pope Adrian; and I fear, if their 
 fanatic power be not speedily repressed, 
 it will be said of our Sovereign as it was 
 of the degraded Emperor : 
 E 6
 
 84 THE CAVALIKR. 
 
 * Rex venit ante fores jurans prius urbis honores 
 Post homo fit papa, sumit quo dante coronam*.'* 
 
 "I hope not," said the Major; "I trust 
 there are still loyal and valiant hearts in 
 England, ready to sacrifice their blood 
 for their royal master." 
 
 *' I trust there are," repeated the Baron; 
 ** false to themselves must be our nobility, 
 if they see the King sink, without stretch- 
 ing out an arm to save him." 
 
 "And yet, my Lord," said the Doctor, 
 " it is whispered that the nobility were 
 not hearty in this expedition." 
 
 " Truly, Doctor," replied the Baron, 
 '* 1 fear me we have traitors among us." 
 
 ** It may easily be credited," pursued 
 Grostete. " Tares will grow amid the 
 wheat, and it is difficult to separate 
 them ; but are these children of Judas 
 guessed at? Hath your Lordship heard 
 of no clue to their detection ?" 
 
 *' Alas ! " replied he, " the days when 
 disaffection lurked under a cloak are 
 days long past. Her votaries now stand 
 forth in the broad face of day, and, in- 
 stead of seeking privacy and conceal-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 85 
 
 ment, they blazon forth the charms of 
 their goddess with unspeakable assurance, 
 abetting each other in their malignancy, 
 and making a prey of the weakly-minded. 
 To give you a plain answer, the Lords 
 Say and Brook, who refused to sign the 
 declaration lately proposed by his Ma- 
 jesty, are more than opined to be the foes 
 of his government." 
 
 "And hath the King no remedy against 
 their contumacy?" 
 
 <* He is either too tender of their 
 persons, or best knowing the limits of 
 his power, is aware of its insufficiency 
 to punish them ; they are surrounded 
 and upheld by the puritan faction, which 
 is now become wonderfully potent ; and 
 it might be dangerous to the interests of 
 the state, by a too enforced rigour, to in- 
 cense that body of people." 
 
 " But what intends King Charles ?" 
 said the Doctor. 
 
 " To call a Parliament. Indeed that 
 measure hath been too long deferred," 
 replied Lord Falconridge.
 
 86 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** To do good now, it liatli," said 
 Grostete. 
 
 " His Majesty is of that guess," re- 
 turned the Baron, *» which is perceptible, 
 not by his confession, but by more sad 
 proofi his granting commissions unto his 
 tried friends, to raise and keep up stand- 
 ing forces." 
 
 ** Hath he so done?" enquired the 
 Doctor. 
 
 «*Most assuredly; and among those 
 whom he hath honored by his commands, 
 I am one ; I have his Majesty's commis- 
 sion (delivered with his own hand) to 
 raise one hundred men, and to put Ban- 
 ner Cross into a state of defence. 
 
 "To fortify the Castle?" said Dr. 
 Grostete ; and Lady Falconridge and 
 Charles both looked at the Baron, await- 
 ing some further explanation j but the 
 former, perceiving her Lord not inclined 
 to proceed, said, ** Is his Majesty appre- 
 hensive of a rebellion, that he thus takes 
 measures for his security ?" 
 
 <* It is scarcely proper, my dear Isabel,"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 87 
 
 answered the Baron, " to express one's 
 opinion on a subject so important ; for 
 were that opinion to take air, rumour 
 might blow it into certainty ; and so in 
 the event, that which we fondly spoke 
 of as apprehension o?iIj/, might, by our 
 means, though innocent, become fixed 
 and actual.*' 
 
 " May Heaven avert so awful a cala- 
 mity from this hitherto happy country !" 
 said the Doctor. " Merry England will 
 it be no more ; England the sorrowful 
 would better match the times' complexion. 
 — Alack for his most sacred Majesty 
 and the established church." 
 
 «* Major," said Charles, pulling Span- 
 dyke by the elbow, who sat in his large 
 armed chair asleep, or something very 
 like it ; — " Major, cannot you manage to 
 amuse us with some battle or leaguer, 
 some heroic achievement, or some dread- 
 ful massacre ? Any subject is better 
 than the ruin of one's country; come, 
 rouse ye." 
 Spandyke started up, snatched his glass,
 
 88 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 and cried, «< Well, friends, here's fine girls 
 and free quarters;" but instantly recol- 
 lecting himself, said, " that is the toast 
 of a mere soldier : I will give ye one 
 of a loyal Englishman, King Charles!" 
 
 It was pledged with enthusiasm by 
 Lady and Lord Falconridge, and the 
 Doctor ; even Charles was allowed to 
 drink the loyal toast ; but when he had 
 got half through his glass, he stopped, 
 and looking at the Major with great arch- 
 ness, he cried, "Fine girls and free quar- 
 ters ;" which put Spandyke a little to the 
 blush, and raised the laugh of the com- 
 pany against him. 
 
 The next morning, at an early hour, 
 the court-yard of the Castle was thronged 
 by the tenantry, and suitors to the ba- 
 ronial court of Banner Cross, which was 
 on that day to be holden. They dis- 
 coursed in groups of three or four toge- 
 ther, wherein some man, more notable 
 than his fellows, had the greatest share 
 of the discourse to himself. In parti- 
 cular, Master Mark Green, an attorney,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 89 
 
 and the steward of the baronial court, a 
 man of an acute and penetrating phy- 
 siognomy, had at least half a dozen of 
 his neighbours ranged around him, gaping 
 in stupid astonishment at his apparent in- 
 telligence ; to whom he delivered his 
 hints and opinions with admirable self- 
 importance. 
 
 «' Pray, Maister Mark,'' said one of the 
 bumpkins to the orator, " what dun ye 
 think ma' be the news my Lord the 
 Baron's gaen to tell us ?" 
 
 " What do I think ?" replied Green ; 
 '* news will it be, indeed, when I tell you 
 my mind on that subject ; ye'll learn it 
 soon enow, for matter o' that." 
 
 " Ma' be it's summat o' the wars ?" 
 said the rustic. 
 
 " No, ye're wrong," answered the 
 steward. 
 
 " O' the puritans ?" continued the en- 
 quirer. 
 
 "Na, but ye're wrang there too,'* cried 
 an old man in the circle. 
 
 " Perhaps no," said Green 5 «« the pu-
 
 90 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ritans, Solomon, are no lily-white hens 
 that never laid astray; they're e'en cute 
 enow to raise trouble, whatever may be 
 their make face o' godliness." 
 
 '« Mark! Mark !" replied the old man, 
 **dunnotyeblacken the white o'onymon's 
 eye; the puritans are a godly race, 
 marked out from the rest o' men by 
 their piety and godliness ; they're na 
 time-servers and prelatists; na papists 
 nor arminians: they dunnot hanker after 
 lordly dignities for the church o' God ; 
 nor are they wrapped up in superfluous 
 vanities and needless ceremonies ; they 
 are na delighted wi' tlie people's miseries, 
 but they seeken to destroy the corrupt 
 courts, and a' vexing slaveries. They 
 abhor, wi' a heart o' grace, a' fruitless 
 shadows and hypocritical formalities ; 
 they stand forth armed, in the might o' 
 truth, against a' illegal proceedings and 
 oppressing tyrannies ; they detest and 
 despise the sinful synods wi' their priests 
 and blasphemies, their Jesuits and papis- 
 tical favourites."
 
 THE CAVALIEfi. 91 
 
 '' Whist, whist, hear him ! hearken to 
 the old hell-wether! here's sedition with 
 . \ engeaiice ; why, pr'jthee, what dost 
 thou know of s\Tiods and Jesuits? We 
 7 r work here when my Lord 
 c - - JUT speech-making. — 
 
 Ir ve*\e a y love lor your head, Solomon 
 Suell, veil make a clean pair of heels." 
 
 '• An. : bat should I run, Maister 
 Steward ? for what should I hide my face? 
 Am I a felon - w'.. ; ,- ,'oods have I stolen ? 
 Ami a -•-:■:?.--: ' ■:''..[:'. -' -y \: .:':.: ^'i 
 have I 'icii ^'i' ..:- .::z '■ T:.z:^ oe li-ni/se 
 in the Castle t:.:.: ::tt;^t ;;:.-v,-er to God 
 i:: : c; : : r . .oughtheybe on earth 
 above p.;::;-/..f.r::t. The blood of Heze- 
 hiJi JV'..:: sthl c:ic^ :-.:t :::-v----:::f = 
 AV:e :: :- .If -hy :,;,-. 1 . ■; ". the herceiul 
 h^..:: :: f:.t: :/...: ^.::.t t.-c liic-olood o* 
 
 " Saint !" said Mark, laughing. " He 
 was a saint of a right queer stamp, that 
 Hezekiah White, to fire upon a naked 
 man with a charged pistol, as he did on 
 Mounseer Pickard/*
 
 95 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " The spirit witliin him did incite him 
 to that act," replied Snell. '' It was the 
 ordinance of Heaven, and he might not 
 say nay.' 
 
 <« Solomon ! Solomon !" cried Green, 
 thy wisdom hath departed from thee, per- 
 haps like thy namesake's, with keeping 
 concubines." 
 
 This jest upon the old man set the 
 hearers in a roar of laughter, and made 
 him quit them in affright, lest, as he said, 
 the thunderbolt of Heaven should over- 
 whelm them all for so horrid a blas- 
 phemy. 
 
 In another place, Ralph Jellott, one of 
 the corporals of the troop, who was stand- 
 ing guard in his complete armour, had 
 collected a posse of the younger sort at 
 his levee ; some of them admired his 
 arms ; others enquired how he liked his 
 military life ; all looked up to him as a 
 being now raised above their station. Some 
 country girls, led by curiosity, on a desire 
 to see those they knew at the Castle, had 
 taken the advantage of the court-day, 
 and came with their relations to the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 9S 
 
 Castle : among the rest, was a pretty 
 girl, named Betsy Norman, who had for- 
 merly admitted the addresses of Jellott ; 
 but having been led to imagine, by the 
 steward of the castle, Heavyside, that 
 she was not indifferent to him, she had 
 given up her more youthful, but less 
 wealthy lover, in accordance with the 
 old maxim, — 
 
 " Be sure to be off with the old love. 
 Before you are on with the new." * 
 
 But, unfortunately, she had, in this in- 
 stance, broken with her old love, before 
 she was secure of the other ; for it proved 
 on the part of Heavyside an attachment 
 merely " en passant.*' She, therefore, 
 set her wits to work, to recover her 
 quondam sweetheart, and resolved (hav- 
 ing dressed herself out to the best ad- 
 vantage) to accompany some of her 
 female companions to the Castle. As she 
 came through the castle-gate, Jellott 
 
 * The sense of the maxim was exactly similar to these 
 verses, which the reader will perceive are an editorial 
 interpolation. L. G.
 
 94 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 espied her, and having now acquired suf- 
 ficient self-importance, to place a proper 
 value on his personal appearance, (which 
 was far from contemptible,) he deter- 
 mined to take no notice of her. He 
 raised his sheathed broadsword under his 
 left arm, and as he talked to those about 
 him, jingled his spurs one against the 
 other, in imitation of his superior officers. 
 The females all crowded around him, ex- 
 cept Betsy, who stood at a distance, ex- 
 pecting that he would notice her in pre- 
 ference to the rest. But to the inexpres- 
 sible delight of her companions, (many 
 of whom had sighed for the now dashing 
 corporal,) and to her as great mortification, 
 he laughed with and kissed the other girls, 
 without seeming to remember his former 
 flame. At length, she could bear it no 
 longer, but w^alking up to him with as 
 smiling a countenance as she could as- 
 sume, she said — 
 
 " What Ralph ! han ye forgot yer owd 
 acquaintance ? It's a fine thing, I see, to 
 be a sodger. 
 
 7
 
 THE CAVALIER. 95 
 
 *' Your i' the right, Betsy, for once," 
 replied Jellott ; " it is a fine thing to be 
 a sodger for more 'casions than one — 
 a man does na knowhimsen till he mounts' 
 guard." 
 
 " Besides," said one of the girls, " a' 
 lasseslove a sodger, theylukkenlike lords, 
 \vi' their arms sa shining and their fine 
 hosses. It does one's heart good to see 
 em." 
 
 *' Ye're a good wench," said the cor- 
 poral ; ** ye bear witness to the song : — 
 
 " Wi' fife and drum, we sodgers come, 
 
 To cheer the hearts now faint wi' fear; 
 
 Wi' arms so bright, and hearts so light. 
 
 We never dream that death is near : 
 
 We drink a' day, at night we plaj'. 
 
 And laugh and kiss each pretty lass ; 
 
 Naught fears each lad, but th' awkward squad. 
 
 And no loss but the loss of his glass." 
 
 " Bravo ! Bravo 1" cried the lads and 
 lasses. 
 
 " Ye were a' ways a good voice, Ralph," 
 said the same girl that spoke last, ** but 
 now ye're a clean singer. — Ah Bessy ! 
 Bessy 1 foo' were ye to be fause to his 
 company, ye'll na snap his like in a 
 hurry."
 
 90 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 This consolation so much enraged the 
 damsel to whom it was addressed, that 
 she coloured very deeply, and drawing 
 herself up, replied, " It's may be well, 
 Mary Styles, that I had some lover to be 
 fause to ; ye canna say the like wi' your 
 breezen face." 
 
 " He was e'en too good for the like o' 
 ye," retorted Mary, " ye were ever han- 
 kering after every mon that wad gi' ye 
 his pains and praise." 
 
 " Wha ever praised ye, Mary ? ye wad 
 give the best ribbon i' yer cap to have a 
 mon say ye were na ornary." 
 
 " Nay, but ye're a fause and ligging 
 harlot," said Mary Styles ; " and woe be- 
 tide the poor mon that gets such a lack 
 o' grace as ye be for his bounden wife." 
 
 Jellott, who had listened to this dispute 
 with true military " sajig Jroidy" now 
 thought it decent to put an end to it; and 
 therefore said, " What need ye strive 
 about, my bonny wenches; dinna fight for 
 the palm of beauty ; ye're one as good as 
 t'other ; the devil mark the difference."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 97 
 
 This speech, instead of terminating, 
 increased the quarrel, so that he was 
 obh'ged to use manual intercession, to pre- 
 vent the fair adversaries from coming to 
 open combat. 
 
 At this moment Picard came up to 
 relieve guard, Jellott drew his sword, 
 made his conge, and sheathed it] again. 
 The Frenchman proved a new subject of 
 admiration to the rustics, and especially 
 to the females, to whom he took off his 
 head-piece, and bowed with great observ- 
 ance. *« These are friends of mine, 
 comrade," said Jellott. *« If you want a 
 pretty girl, here are enow for yer turn 5 
 which will you have ?" 
 
 "Ah, Monsieur," replied Picard, " dese 
 ladies are aussi charmantes dat I cannot 
 tell vere to choose. — Elles sont roses of 
 beauty." 
 
 "Roses of beauty ! ay, ay, and pinks 
 of perfection ! What do you think of this 
 cherry-cheeked lass?" said Jellott, chuck- 
 ing Betsy Norman under the chin. 
 
 " Ah ! par ma foi, mais elle est comme 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 9B THE CAVALIER. 
 
 une deesse ! dat is to say, as beautiful a? 
 a goddess," 
 
 " Kiss her man," continued the cor- 
 poral, wishing Betsy to learn that he had 
 no jealousy, and consequently that she 
 had lost her power over him. — *' Buss 
 her heartily." 
 
 " Oh, de tout mon coeur," saidPicard ; 
 and catching her suddenly in his arms, 
 he made her lips report the fierce encoun- 
 ter of his own, to the great amusement 
 of the by-standers. When Betsy had 
 got away from him, Jellott asked her, 
 "how she liked French kisses?" To which, 
 perhaps out of a design to repay biiik 
 in kind for his present indifference, she 
 replied, " that for aught she could per- 
 ceive, they were just as good as English 
 ones." 
 
 ** Oh, non," said Picard, ** de English 
 kisses are de best ; j'ai baise de. women 
 in France, Spain, Germany, and Flanders, 
 mais it is necessahe to confess, dat I have 
 tasted de kisses aussi sweet as dese 
 never."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 99 
 
 ^* Haven't you a true love token, com- 
 nide!" said Jellott spitefully, ** for this 
 new sweetheart of yours ?" 
 
 <* Vat do you call a true love token ?" 
 
 " A pledge, a gift, a " 
 
 " Oh, oui, je comprends, jecomprends ; 
 mon signe de couleur," said he, taking 
 off his green scarf, an ornament worn by 
 all the troop, it being the colour of the 
 House of Falconridge. " Ici, ma jolie 
 demoiselle ! Prenez mon echarpe," and 
 he tied it round Betsy's waist. 
 
 This was going further than Jellott in- 
 tended, whose brow began to knit when 
 he observed Betsy rather elated with her 
 new acquisition. 
 
 " But, comrade, what will you do for a 
 badge, if Betsy has yours?" said Ralph. 
 
 " N'importe, n'importe. It has de 
 look round de waist de la jolie pucelle, 
 aussi bien que round de shoulder d'un 
 chevalier." 
 
 " But what will you do on parade ? the 
 Major is woundily particular, you know." 
 
 Picard laughed. " Vy, comrade, 1 vill 
 
 F ^
 
 100 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 tell Monsieur le Major, dat I did present 
 mon echarpe to ma maitresse comme a 
 love token vat you call." 
 
 *' But what excuse is that?** said 
 Jellott. 
 
 ** Ah, comrade ! Monsieur le Major est 
 un soldat trop galant to punish a man 
 for pleasing sa maitresse.** 
 
 From this piece of generosity, by which 
 Jellott a second time lost his mistress, 
 the character of Picard rose greatly into 
 favour with the female part of the ten- 
 antry, and the more especially, as, al- 
 though he was dark and sun-burnt, yet 
 he had a fine eye, and good-looking 
 countenance ; his being a foreigner was 
 forgotten, and his politeness, good-hu- 
 mour, and generosity, were alone remem- 
 bered. The manners of the other 
 members of the troop, not even except- 
 ing Jellott*s, were, contrasted with those 
 of the Frenchman, much in his favour ; 
 and in a short time he had more autho- 
 rity in the Castle Tovm, by means of his
 
 THE CAVALIER. 101 
 
 credit with the women, than even Mr. 
 Heavyside himself. 
 
 The Baron now entered the court- 
 room, which was in one wing of the cas- 
 tle, specially reserved for judicial matters, 
 for above the court were prisons for the 
 reception of those adjudged for debt or 
 civil causes within the jurisdiction of the 
 baronial court. 
 
 The room itself w^as of considerable 
 size, capable of containing two or three 
 hundred persons, with a bench for the 
 judge, and boxes on each side for the 
 jury. Lord Falconridge seated himself 
 on the bench ; whilst Doctor Grostete, 
 the Adjutant, and Charles (who followed 
 him) occupied the front row of one of 
 the jury boxes ; and the back rows, and 
 the other box, were filled by the superior 
 domestics of the castle. The plain un- 
 seated part of the room, contained the 
 suitors of the court, together with the 
 soldiers, and most of tlie country girls, 
 who managed to press in with the rest. 
 When the crier of the court had ordered 
 F 3
 
 102 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 silence three times, the Baron rose from 
 his seat, and addressed his auditors in 
 tlie following words : — 
 
 ** My very worthy friends 1 it rejoiceth 
 me greatly to see so many of ye here 
 assembled ; not only as it is an evidence 
 of your health of body, but also, in- 
 somuch as it denoteth the soundness of 
 your hearts, and the integrity of your 
 loyalty ; for I can scarce believe, that 
 any one, who loveth not the cause for 
 which myself and troop have gone forth 
 to war, would willingly be present at, 
 and witness of, the rejoicings made by 
 you for our safe return. — I say, friends, 
 I cannot believe that he who is not the 
 friend of his Sovereign, can be true and 
 leal to his natural Lord : my interest is 
 identified with the King's ; with it, it 
 must stand and fall. — I say to ye, 
 friends, the state is in danger; I tell 
 ye, that the religion of our ancestors 
 is shaken, by the rude attacks of u 
 fanatical and puritanical faction, which 
 threatens, in its flood, to carry away our
 
 THE CAVALIER. 103 
 
 King, and the venerable fabric of our 
 constitution. Need I say more, to nerve 
 every man's hand, to inspire every man's 
 heart, to open and satisfy every man's 
 eyes and understanding, that by our re- 
 sistance to this powerful madness, that 
 by our determined opposition to this 
 dreadful mania, we can alone preserve 
 our own and the nation's rights and 
 liberties. If we begin to take the build- 
 ing of the constitution to pieces, where 
 shall we end ? If we raze down one part 
 thereof, who can tell what ought to re* 
 main ? No, my fellow-countrymen ; let 
 us gird our swords on our thighs ; let 
 us stand forth like so many Davids, to 
 combat the fanatical Goliah that seeketh 
 to destroy every thing ancient, honour- 
 able, and respected. Let us not wait 
 until the first blow be struck on their 
 part, but let us show them a countenance 
 so firm, so determined, so prepared, that 
 it may strike fear into their rebellious 
 hearts, and so save them from their 
 premeditated evils. His Majesty hath 
 F 4
 
 104 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 thought it proper to grant commissions 
 to divers of his friends, to raise forces 
 and fortify their houses; and he hath 
 distinguished me, though humble, by 
 this mark of his confidence j the com- 
 mission shall be read to ye by the crier." 
 
 He then sat down, and handing a sealed 
 parchment to the crier, that officer thus 
 proceeded, — 
 
 ** Oyez ! oyez ! oyez ! Charles, by the 
 grace of God, King of England, Scot- 
 land, France, and Ireland, Defender of 
 the Faith, and so forth. To our trusty 
 and well beloved Maurice Sydenham,, 
 Baron Falconridge, of Banner Cross, 
 in the county of Derby, greeting. — 
 Whereas it appeareth plainly to us, that 
 divers evil-disposed and malignant per- 
 sons, out of their malice to us, and the 
 government in church and state estab- 
 lished, have sought for, and do seek for, 
 to raise, cherish, and provoke rebellion 
 and disturbances in our said kingdoms : 
 Now know ye, that we, having the safety 
 of our said kingdoms much at heart, and
 
 THE CAVALIER. 105 
 
 being advised and counselled by our 
 privy council, for this purpose assembled, 
 to put our said kingdoms in such a state 
 of defence, by all ordinary and extra- 
 ordinary measures, as shall seem needful 
 unto us; do hereby give and grant unto 
 our trusty cousin aforesaid, our leave 
 and authority, by and with and in our 
 name, to call together all and whatso- 
 ever such troops of horse and foot as 
 shall to you seem expeiiient, so that the 
 same exceed not iu number one hundred 
 men : and we do also hereby authorise 
 you, with what authority we may and 
 can, to fortify and defend, or cause and 
 procure to be fortified and defended, 
 your castle, or mansion-house, called 
 Banner Cross, in such way, manner, and 
 form, as shall be necessary and fit, to 
 stand and sustain siege or leaguer against 
 troops regularly appointed ; and for your 
 so doing, this shall be your sufficient 
 warrant and authority. 
 
 << York, 1639. " Charles, K. 
 
 (Countersigned) ** Strafford.*' 
 F 5
 
 106 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 AVhen the crier had made an end, the 
 Baron rose again, and thus pursued : — 
 
 ** This is my commission, worthy fel- 
 low-countrymen ; and although from it 
 I may have power to force ye unwillingly 
 into this service, yet so far is such a 
 thought from my design, so unwilHng am 
 I to use any constraint, or to be served 
 by ye against your minds, that I here 
 declare in the face of heaven, that my 
 late troop is hereby dissolved; that it 
 shall be lawful for every man thereof, 
 and every man here, to return to his 
 home freely and peacefully, without 
 trouble or molestation. It is my desire 
 to raise a band of volunteers, who, upon 
 principle, will stand by me, and the con- 
 stitution established in church and state. 
 Such of ye as are lovers of your King, 
 loyal to your Lord, obedient to the state, 
 and attached to the church, will, I am 
 sure, enter into our regiment ; — of such, 
 I am persuaded, there are here sufficient, 
 and more than sufficient^ to make up our 
 number J — of those who are inclined to a
 
 THE CAVALIER. 107 
 
 contrary disposition, as we dislike tlie 
 feelings, so we need not the services. 
 That I may not be a restraint upon any 
 man, I shall now retire ; and those who ~ 
 wish to serve his Majesty will enrol their 
 names with Major Spandyke, who will 
 sit here attended by my steward Green, 
 for their reception, I thank ye heartily ! 
 heartily! most heartily! my good and 
 worthy tenantry, and vassals, for your kind 
 reception of me on my return home ; and 
 I shall take care to merit your affection, 
 your filial affection, by my paternal 
 government, and unchangeable care for 
 3^our welfare.'* 
 
 The good Baron retired, attended by 
 Dr. Groteste, amid peals of applause 
 and cries of joy. In less than an hour 
 the number of men required for the 
 regiment was enrolled, all the old troop, 
 to a man, having stuck to their colours. 
 
 F 6
 
 108 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Along this narrow valley you might see 
 
 The wild deer sporting on the meadow ground, 
 
 And here and there, a solitary tree. 
 
 Or mossy stone, or rock with woodbine crown'd. 
 
 Oft did the cliffs reverberate the sound 
 
 Of parted fragments tumbling from on high ; 
 
 And from the summit of that craggy mound 
 
 The perching Eagle oft was heard to cry, 
 
 Or on resounding wings to shoot athwart the sky. 
 
 Beattif.'s Minstrel. 
 
 That part of Banner Cross Park which 
 diverged westwardly from the Castle, was 
 a continued chain of highlands or moun- 
 tains, among which many of the lord's 
 vassals and tenantry resided in small 
 cabins or cottages ; their ostensible rea- 
 son for living in that inhospitable region, 
 was the benefit of sheep-feeding, (the 
 grass growing on the limestone rocks 
 being admirably nutritious for all man-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 109 
 
 ner of cattle) ; but those who were in 
 the secret knew, and it is fully developed 
 hereafter, that they suffered all the pri- 
 vations of a mountainous and bleak situ- 
 ation, without society, without even the 
 immediate necessaries of life, for a matter 
 to them of more consequence than sheep 
 or shed, steer or stedding. — In fact, it 
 was their religion which impelled them 
 to seek refuge in the rocks and caves, 
 from the persecutions of their potent 
 adversaries, the churchmen. At this 
 time, the Court of High Commission 
 raged, under Archbishop Laud, in all 
 its fury; and no puritan or non-conformist 
 was safe from its inquisitorial power. In 
 the latter end of the reign of King James, 
 a conventicle had been established by the 
 puritans in the Castle Town ; but Dr. 
 Grostete coming down from London with 
 Lord Falconridge, received notice of it, 
 in consequence whereof, the minister and 
 several of the elders came under the 
 notice of the high commissioners, and 
 their meetings were, of course, for that
 
 110 THE CAVALIER* 
 
 time, put an end to. But although their 
 assembly was dissolved, their affection to 
 what they considered the true and gospel 
 church of Christ, w^as by no means im- 
 paired; and rather than strain their con- 
 sciences, to attend the parish church, and 
 be witnesses of ceremonies they held im- 
 pious and anti-christian, they preferred 
 withdrawing from the fertile vale of Hope, 
 and retiring into the region of storms, the 
 bleak and uncultivated ridges of the Der- 
 by hills. " The sun shines as comfortably 
 on the hills," said they, ** and the sun of 
 righteousness much brighter ; it is better 
 to go and dwell in Goshen, find it where 
 w^e can, than tarry in the midst of this 
 Egyptian bondage." Here they had 
 hitherto maintained their spiritual liberty 
 without interruption, taking great pains 
 to conceal their devotions from the prying 
 eye of curiosity, and as, so far, during the 
 reign of the present monarch, ihey had 
 remained undisturbed, they began to fan- 
 cy themselves, if not outof the jurisdiction 
 of the high commission, at least beyond its
 
 THE CAVALIER. Ill 
 
 reach. It was their custom to meet at the 
 cottages of the several elders in rotation, 
 where they practised those ceremonies 
 only, peculiar to their church. It may per- 
 haps be as well here, to digress into a brief 
 explanation of the difference between 
 the established and puritan churches, 
 for the better understanding of those 
 technical (if we may use the expression) 
 terms, which may be hereafter sprinkled 
 throughout this work in relation to purit- 
 anism. On the accession of Queen Eliza- 
 beth to the English throne, it was gene- 
 rally expected, that the church govern- 
 ment, to be established here, would be 
 regulated by that of the best reformed 
 churches abroad, and particularly by the 
 church of Geneva, of which the re- 
 nowned Calvin was minister. But it was 
 soon perceived, that a reformation so 
 entire was the farthest thing possible 
 from the intention of Elizabeth, who pre- 
 ferred popery itself (when accompanied 
 by the pomp attendant on that form of 
 worship), to the plain, unornamented,
 
 112 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 and simple culture of the presbyterian 
 churches. Instead, therefore, of tho- 
 roughly cleansing religion from the pa- 
 pistical ceremonies, she made up a 
 worship, half popish, half reformed, dis- 
 carding the superstitious part of the 
 Romish church, but retaining its gran- 
 deur and imposing magnificence. On 
 the other hand, the Puritans (as the 
 court party termed them, and who con- 
 sisted of the most learned and eloquent 
 divines of the reformed worship) cried 
 out for a thorough reformation, for an 
 entire abolition of all popish supersti- 
 tions, ceremonies, rituals, and habits ; the 
 latter of which were termed relics of the 
 Amorites, Aaronical garments, and idola- 
 trous gear. They objected to the Book 
 of Common Prayer, as established by the 
 Queen's authority, not in toto, but in 
 particular parts, which they considered 
 to savour of popery : for instance, they 
 would make no use of the cross in bap- 
 tism, nor the ring in marriage; they 
 would not kneel in receiving the com-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 113 
 
 munion of the Lord's supper, holding it 
 to be a feast rather than a solemn typical 
 partition of our Holy Saviour's body and 
 blood ; with other points, not only of 
 ceremony, but of doctrine. But, in fact, 
 their chief desire was to new-model the 
 church, to set up presbytery, or the go* 
 vernment of each separate church by its 
 own bishop or presbyter, deacons, and 
 elders ; and it may be easily perceived, 
 that if the puritans had gained the latter 
 and more principal object, the other 
 points would have followed of course. 
 However, the Queen was determined to 
 effect her purposes ; and for the more 
 sure establishment of the church under 
 her own regulations, she renewed the 
 Court of High Commission, first instituted 
 by her father, Henry VHI., giving an 
 authority to certain commissioners to see 
 her discipline perfectly executed, and 
 arming them with powers so arbitrary, and 
 referring every thing to their own expo- 
 sition of what the non-conformists called 
 the interminable gulph of the canon law.
 
 114 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 that the court of the inquisition itself 
 was never conducted in a way so tyranni- 
 cal and mischievous. At the shrine of 
 this despotic establishment, numbers of 
 valuable men, whose consciences would 
 not allow them to conform to the politi- 
 cal theocracy, were hunted to death by 
 the churchmen and commissioners, until, 
 in this reign, the court became so univer- 
 sally detested, as to be one of the means 
 of the ruin of the king and state. Sed 
 revertere. At the distance of about a mile 
 and a half from Banner Cross, situate in 
 a glen, formed by two stupendous hills, 
 called " Yarn'sNeeze,''(or Heron's nest,) 
 and <« Mam Tor,'' (or the Mother-rock,) 
 was a solitary cottage, surrounded by a 
 small patch of garden. Its front faced 
 the Heron's nest, a high shelving ridge of 
 rock throwing up a dorsum, or back, of 
 several miles extent ; and the rearward 
 part of the cabin looked upon ** Mam Tor," 
 which rose nearly perpendicular for seve- 
 ral hundred feet, its front composed of 
 sheal, continually shivering and falling
 
 THE CAVALIER. J 15 
 
 into the glen. The Tor dale, sheltered 
 by these hills, was tolerably warm, and 
 productive of vegetation 5 but, as it has 
 been before remarked, the inhabitants 
 were all shepherds, preferring the ma- 
 nagement " of flocks and herds," to the 
 cultivation of the earth, which with great 
 labour, so scanty was the soil, would at 
 best have remunerated them very poorly- 
 The inhabitant of the cottage was So. 
 lomon Snell, whom we have before seen 
 at the castle. He had been an elder of 
 that church which was dissolved on the 
 coming of Grostete to Banner Cross, and 
 had been among the first to quit his low- 
 land farm, and remove into the moun- 
 tains, in order to enjoy, unshackled and 
 undisturbed, his ** light of the gospel.** 
 He was an old man, at this time nearly 
 fourscore, the patriarch of a numerous 
 family of children and grandchildren, 
 many of the latter of whom were middle- 
 aged people. Being an illiterate man,, 
 he had imbibed with his enthusiasm of 
 puritanism a bigotry as determined
 
 Il6 ' THE CAVALIER. 
 
 against the episcopalians as he judged 
 they had against the puritans ; and was> 
 therefore, ready to concur with any plan 
 in derogation of the present ecclesiastical 
 authority. Hence he had artfully worked 
 upon the troop, through the medium of He- 
 zekiah White, one of his pupils, to protest 
 against marching to Scotland, under the 
 plea, that the Scots were their brethren ; 
 and had it not been for the spirited be- 
 haviour of Adjutant Spandyke (as we 
 have before seen), he would probably 
 have effected his aim. White perished, 
 but Solomon Snell said truly to the 
 steward, " that his blood cried out for ven- 
 geance ;" for although the soldiers were 
 quieted, the rest of them, being lowland- 
 men, and not puritans, yet the old man so 
 worked upon the spirits of the moun- 
 taineers, several hundreds of whom were 
 sprinkled through the hills, that they all 
 cried out from Scripture, " Blood defileth 
 the land, and the land cannot be cleansed 
 of the blood that is shed therein, but by 
 the blood of him that shed it," and vowed
 
 THE CAVALIER. 117 
 
 to appease the ghost of their brother, by 
 the sacrifice of his murderer, as they term- 
 ed the Major. Their wrath was, however, 
 deprecated by their pastor, Mr. Abel 
 White, brother of the deceased, a devout 
 man, and very powerful in prayer ; who 
 taught them that revenge was utterly 
 anti-christian, and reminded them of the 
 Scripture, " If a man smiteth thee on one 
 cheek, turn thou unto him the other." 
 
 Shortly after the return of Lord Fal- 
 conridge, the puritans, according to cus- 
 tom, on the sabbath, which they kept 
 strictly holy, met at the cottage of Solo- 
 mon Snell, and after the performance of 
 divine worship, all, except the elders, 
 were dismissed by the pastor. It was 
 usual for the minister and elders to 
 sup with that one, whose turn it was, in 
 their appointed rotation, to entertain the 
 sabbath at his cottage ; and accordingly 
 sat down to supper with their host. After 
 their frugal meal was concluded, they 
 began to converse about their brethren 
 scattered throughout England, and they 
 were internally rejoicing at the increase
 
 lis 
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 of Puritanism, when Mr. White said, 
 **Xav, but brethren, peradventure ye are 
 ignorant that we all now stand in jeo- 
 pardy ; the rod hangeth over us ; the 
 bolt is uplifted ; may the Lord avert the 
 stroke, and defend his children." 
 
 This speech entirely put an end to 
 their pleasing reflections, and they en- 
 quired what danger awaited them, with 
 evident signs of alarm. 
 
 *' Know ye not,'' continued the minis- 
 ter, " that 1 was this last week at the 
 county town ?** 
 
 " Yea,*' replied Snell ; ** you went to 
 meet our brethren, and confer on the 
 welfare of the Lord's flock." 
 
 " Yea, I did so. Our brethren and I 
 had been at Derby but two days, when 
 the prelate of the diocese arrived there, 
 and summoned several of the ministry 
 before his diabolical court. Through 
 mercy, I escaped from the hands of the 
 poursuivant, and made haste hitherward. 
 Blessed be the Lord, that we have an 
 AdullamI a refuge from the persecutors ! 
 — though in rocks and caves, in moun-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 119 
 
 tains and deserts, in sorrow and solitude, 
 yet better are we, with our privations, 
 than the followers of the Romish beast, 
 with all their sinful and soul-destroying 
 enjoyments. — Oh 1 ye poor deluded 
 ones, that on this holy Sabbath eve are 
 engaged in pastimes, in dancing, fenc- 
 ing, feasting, and revelling ; that are 
 calling on the Lord to empty the vial of 
 his indignation on your defenceless heads; 
 that are preparing for yourselves an eter- 
 nity of torment, a perpetual wailing and 
 gnashing of teeth, an eternal exile from 
 our Father which is in heaven. Know 
 ye not, that your governors are your se- 
 ducers ? that your lordly prelates are the 
 devils which do tempt ye ? that the Book 
 of Sports, is a book composed by demon- 
 iacal inspiration, written for the express 
 ruin of your poor souls? Alas! ye are 
 ignorant ; the Lord hath poured out 
 upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and 
 hath closed your eyes ; he hath led ye 
 into the valley of the shadow of death ; 
 he hath darkened the li2:ht of vour un-
 
 120 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 derstandings, that seeing, ye may see, 
 and not perceive ; that hearing, ye may 
 hear, and not understand; lest at any 
 time ye should be converted, and your 
 sins should be forgiven ye.'* 
 
 The pastor was here interrupted by a 
 confused noise without the house, and 
 presently a loud rapping was heard at 
 the door. The minister and elders start- 
 ed up, and Solomon enquired who it w^as 
 that wanted admittance. *' It's me," 
 quoth a voice without. 
 
 << Who bin ye ?" said Solomon. 
 
 « Know ye not my voice, Solomon 
 Snell?" 
 
 " What bin it Mark Green ?" 
 
 <* Ay, ay, open the door ; here's the 
 officer of my lord the bishop in search of 
 some of your puritan parsons." 
 
 " The Philistines are upon us !" ex- 
 claimed Mr. White. 
 
 " Shall we make defence ? Here are 
 weapons at hand," said Snell. 
 
 ** No, not for worlds," replied the 
 pastor J ** let our only defence be the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 121 
 
 righteousness of our cause. The Lord 
 will protect his servants." 
 
 " Come, open the door, Solomon, and 
 don't keep us here all night." 
 
 Snell opened the door, and Mark 
 Green entered, attended by a pursuivant 
 and three inferior officials. The pur- 
 suivant enquired which was Mr. White ; 
 and the pastor, without hesitation, con- 
 fessed he was the person. 
 
 ** I have a warrant for your apprehen- 
 sion," said the man. 
 
 «« Am I a felon ?" said White. 
 
 " For aught I know ye may be," re- 
 plied the pursuivant. 
 
 " I demand a sight of your warrant," 
 said the pastor. 
 
 " You shall have it," said the man, 
 sitting down, and taking a paper from 
 his pocket; ** you shall have it, and I will 
 read it for you ; perhaps your tears may 
 obstruct your eye-sight." 
 
 " The Lord will strengthen me," re- 
 plied the pastor meekly. 
 
 The pursuivant read as follows : — 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 *< To all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, con- 
 stables, headboroughs, and all others the 
 king's officers, to be aiding and assisting 
 to the bearer, (our messenger,) with the 
 best means they can devise, to apprehend 
 one Abel White, a puritan minister, 
 wheresoever he be within the realm, 
 and to bring him before us with a suffi- 
 cient guard, to answer us his Majesty's 
 commissioners in causes ecclesiastical, 
 for his misdemeanors in matters of reli- 
 
 gion. 
 
 "Derby, 1640. 
 
 " John, Lichfield and Coventry." 
 
 " Canna we be his bail ?" said Snell. 
 " Mark wil tell ye that some on us are 
 men o' substance." 
 
 " The bishop will decide upon that," 
 replied the officer ; <« but it must first be 
 determined whetner ye oe not all incul- 
 pated ; I found ye in prayer, or close con- 
 ference." 
 
 " What !" cried the elders. *« We ? 
 Mercy be our portion 1 but we come here
 
 THE CAVALIER. 123 
 
 to talk on our own 'casions ; and woe the 
 w^hoile that honest men and free should 
 be rebuked for speaking on the health of 
 their souls." 
 
 " I am no puritan," returned the pur- 
 suivant, *« therefore I can't preach. — 
 Excuse me. Sirs. — Come, parson, we 
 must away." 
 
 *< Whither ?" enquired Mr. White. 
 
 " Toward Banner Cross. The bishop 
 will open his commission to-morrow at 
 the Castle," replied the officer. 
 
 " To-morrow ! then, prithee, let me 
 abide with this good man to-night; 
 to-morrow, I pledge ye my Christian 
 word, I will faithfully attend at Banner 
 Cross." 
 
 The man smiled, and looked at Green. 
 '' Master Steward, did ye ever hear 
 of so modest a proposal ? By the rood 
 of St. Sepulchre, these puritans are un- 
 matched for praying and impudence. — 
 No, Master White, it would cost me 
 more than I would lose for my brother, 
 to let you escape ; but if any person here, 
 G 2
 
 124 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 that Master Green approves, will bond 
 and covenant for his appearance to- 
 morrow, I may allow myself to be per- 
 suaded, on payment of the regular fees, 
 to indulge the parson so far." 
 
 " Most readily will I/' said Snell ; 
 ** and I trow Mark Green will no say nay 
 to my assurance." 
 
 *' No, Solomon, ye'U do well," an- 
 swered the seneschal. The pursuivant 
 then produced a bond, ready drawn and 
 sealed (it being usual to carry blank 
 ones to meet exigencies) ; and Snell 
 having executed it, and the fees (after 
 some altercation as to their exorbitancy) 
 being discharged. Green and his fol- 
 lowers departed. Presently afterwards 
 the elders followed, and left the mini- 
 ster and his surety to confer on such 
 points of ecclesiastical observance as they 
 imagined w^ould be put to him by the 
 high commissioner on the morrow. 
 
 But now let us return to the Castle, 
 where Major Spandyke, and his drill- 
 master (now Serjeant Picard), had been 
 
 7
 
 THE CAVALIER. 12 J 
 
 busied, since the day of eiirolinent, in 
 organizing and disciplining their volun- 
 teer corps. In this work, the old troop- 
 ers were of essential service, each man 
 being capable of instructing a number of 
 the raw volunteers, both in the use of 
 their weapons, and the management of 
 their horses. On the Monday morning 
 subsequent to that Sabbath on whicli 
 Mr. White was apprehended, the castle 
 was in a bustle with the expected arrival 
 of the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry 
 He was one of the high commissioners, 
 and notoriously zealous in the persecu- 
 tion of the puritans. On examination 
 of one of the ministers at Derby, the 
 puritan pastor had been so weak, as to 
 confess the names and residences of all 
 his brethren who had assembled at 
 Derby, and among the rest those of Mr. 
 Abel White j and the bishop being far- 
 ther instructed that the neighbourhood of 
 Banner Cross swarmed with nonconform- 
 ists, he resolved (having an acquaint- 
 ance with Lord Falconridge; to transport 
 G 3
 
 126 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 himself to the castle. To this end he 
 wrote to the baron, signifying the rela- 
 tions he had heard, and intimating his 
 desire to visit him ; to which his lord- 
 ship returned a polite reply ; though, 
 but for his devotion to his sovereign's 
 *will, he would willingly have dispensed 
 with lending his honourable counte- 
 nance to a court, which he even con- 
 fessed to be illegal and tyrannical. 
 
 About ten o'clock, one of the bishop's 
 servants, clad in black and yellow, and 
 well mounted, arrived at the castle, pro- 
 claiming the approach of his lordship j 
 and in less than half an hour, the prelate 
 drove up the ascent into the court-yard, 
 in a close carriage drawn by four fine 
 grey horses, his postillions and out-riders 
 wearing the same livery as the avant 
 couriers, attended by several gentlemen 
 and canonical officials in sable suits on 
 horseback, the bishop's chaplain par- 
 taking the ease and splendour of his 
 master. 
 
 The Lord Falconridge and Dr. Gros- 
 tete came out to do the churchman ho-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 1^7 
 
 nour, and conducted him and his chap- 
 lain into the castle ; Heavy side having 
 directions to make proper provisions for 
 the bishop's suite. His lordship had been 
 long acquainted with the lady baroness, 
 and therefore needed no introduction, 
 and with Dr. Grostete he was also fami- 
 liar. After the formal ceremonies of 
 reception were over, and the bishop and 
 his chaplain had refreshed themselves, 
 his lordship and the baron conversed on 
 his visitation of the diocese. ** I only 
 regret, my lord,'* said the bishop, " that 
 I have delayed my visitation so long. I 
 hear it spoken from authority most un- 
 doubted, that except the metropolis, no 
 part of England is so corrupted by the 
 precisians as Derbyshire. The business 
 of the convocation hath rendered my 
 absence necessary, and the schismatics 
 have taken advantage thereof to promul- 
 gate their heretical doctrines ; but, by 
 the light of heaven, I will unravel their 
 filthy webs, and root out the pestilence 
 they have communicated to my flock.'' 
 G 4
 
 128 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 '* I am fearful," said Lord Falcon- 
 ridge, " that my own barony is not 
 quite clear ; heterodox principles had 
 infected my soldiery, but by the admi- 
 rable conduct of my worthy major, their 
 leader was quelled, and we have since 
 heard no more of them." 
 
 " You have a man of the name of 
 White resident in your demesne," said 
 the prelate. 
 
 " No ; I had, before we marched to 
 York," replied the baron. 
 
 <« And he deserted you?" pursued the 
 bishop. 
 
 " He did worse. Having incited the 
 men to mutiny, under the notion that 
 we were marching to attack their bre- 
 thren of Scotland, he, with his own 
 hand, fired upon a subaltern, sent to 
 communicate orders ; my major was 
 obliged to recur to desperate measures to 
 restore discipline ; but upon command- 
 ing White to throw down his arms and 
 submit, he not only refused, wath many 
 contumelious expressions, but brandished 
 his sword against his officer."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 129 
 
 " He deserved death," said the bishop. 
 
 *< He met it," replied the baron, *« but 
 in a way more honourable than he de- 
 served ; the major came to equal points 
 with him, and he fell under the hand of 
 his superior, rebellious even unto death." 
 
 " Was his name Abel White?" en- 
 quired the churchman. 
 
 ^* No, my lord, Hezekiah ; his brother 
 Abel is, I have heard, a minister of their 
 worship, but he doth not, to my know* 
 ledge, reside within the Castle Town, or 
 my demesne." 
 
 " If he doth not, he is frequently 
 among your tenantry, and those espe- 
 cially who live amid the mountains. He 
 was lately at Derby. I missed him 
 there, but the weakness of one of his 
 brethren hath put their whole ministry 
 into our hands. I gave orders to a 
 pursuivant to have the puritan before 
 me here, about this time." 
 
 " I will enquire if he be in waiting," 
 said the baron. 
 
 G 5
 
 ISO THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " I thank your lordship," returned the 
 prelate. 
 
 The baron summoned an attendant, 
 who, upon enquiry, found that Mr.White 
 had been in attendance several hours, 
 and that the court-room was prepared 
 for their lordships' reception. The bishop 
 therefore adjourned thither, attended by 
 the Baron, Dr. Grostete, and his own 
 chaplain, Dodshawe. Having taken their 
 stations upon the bench, and Mr. White 
 being put to the bar, the following dia- 
 logue took place :* 
 
 ** What is your name ?" 
 
 " Abel White." 
 
 ** White ! as black as the devil." 
 
 " Not so, my lord ; I am one of God's 
 children." 
 
 ** What fault dost thou find in the 
 book of Common Prayer ?" 
 
 *' Let them answer to whom it apper- 
 taineth." 
 
 * Our learned readers will perceive that the whole of 
 this dialogue is copied from Neale's History of the Puri- 
 tans.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 131 
 
 *< What Scripture have you to ground 
 your conscience against the garments ?'^ 
 
 " The whole Scriptures are for destroy- 
 ing idolatry, and every thing that be- 
 longs to it." 
 
 ** These things neyer served to ido- 
 latry.'' 
 
 " They are the same which heretofore 
 were used to that purpose." 
 
 ^* Where is the place where these are 
 forbidden ?" 
 
 "^In Deuteronomy, and other places, 
 the Israelites are commanded, not only to 
 destroy the altars, groves, and images, 
 with all thereto belonging, but also to 
 abolish the very names ; and the Lord, 
 by Isaiah, commandeth not to pollute 
 ourselves with the garments of the 
 image, but to cast them away as an abo- 
 mination." 
 
 ** These things are commanded by 
 parliament ; and in disobeying the laws 
 of your country, you disobey God." 
 
 *' I do it not of contempt, but of con- 
 G 6
 
 132 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 science ; in all other things I am an obe- 
 dient subject." 
 
 " Thou art a contemptuous fellow, 
 and will obey no laws. The king's ma- 
 jesty was overseen, not to make you of 
 his council, to make laws and orders for 
 i-eligion.'^ 
 
 " Not so, my lord ; I am to obey laws 
 warranted by God's word." 
 
 " Do the king's laws command any 
 thing against God's word ?" 
 
 " I do not so say, my lord." 
 
 *' Yea, marry do you,, and there I will 
 hold you." 
 
 *< Only God and his laws are perfect ; 
 all men and their laws may err." 
 
 •* I tell thee what ; I will not say 
 -Any thing of affection, for I know thee 
 not, saving by this occasion ; but thou 
 art the wickedest and most contemptu- 
 ous person that hath come before me 
 since I sat in this commission. What 
 if the king were to command to wear a 
 grey frize gown, would you come to 
 church then ?"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 133 
 
 " That were more tolerable, than that 
 God's ministers should wear the habit of 
 his enemies ?" 
 
 " How, if he should command to wear 
 a foof s coat, and a cock's comb ?" 
 
 " That were very unseemly for God's 
 ministers." 
 
 " You would have no laws ?*' 
 
 *' If there were no laws, I would live 
 a Christian, and do no wrong. If I re- 
 ceived any, so it were — '* 
 
 " Thou art a rebel." 
 
 " Not so ; I am a true subject." 
 
 ** Yea, I swear by God thou art a very 
 rebel ; for thou wouldst draw thy sword 
 and lift up thy hand against thy prince, 
 if time served." 
 
 *« I thank my God, my heart standeth 
 right towards God and my prince, and 
 the Lord will not condemn, though your 
 lordship hath so judged." 
 
 <' Take him away." 
 
 " I would speak a word, which I am 
 sure will offend, and yet I must speak it. 
 I heard the name of God taken in vain j
 
 134 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 if I had done it, it had been a greater 
 offence than that which I stand here 
 for." 
 
 <* I may swear in a matter of charity." 
 
 " There is no such occasion. Let me 
 have justice; lam unjustly committed. 
 I desire a copy of my presentment.'' 
 
 " You shall have your head from your 
 shoulders. — Have him to prison." 
 
 Mr. White was then taken from the 
 bar, and committed to the pursuivant, 
 for the purpose of being sent to^ the 
 county gaol, whither the officer and his 
 followers proceeded to conduct him. 
 The bishop, trusting now that their pas- 
 tor was in custody, the flock would be 
 scattered, shortly afterwards left the 
 castle on a new quest ; but from this 
 time, the puritans met more frequently 
 than ever ; and whereas they before 
 had but one preacher, now eacii elder 
 took upon himself the office of prophet ; 
 and (according to the Scripture, <' Ye 
 may all prophesy one by one, that all 
 may learn, and all be comforted,") ex-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 135 
 
 pounded the word in their nightly assem- 
 blies. In order to secure themselves 
 against sudden surprise, each man se- 
 cretly procured weapons of defence, with 
 which he went covertly armed to their 
 places of congregation : and what time 
 they could spare from their daily avoca- 
 tions, they employed in training them- 
 selves (by the assistance of a disbanded 
 puritan soldier) to arms. When they 
 were at prayer in the dead of the even- 
 ing, they placed a sentinel at the door of 
 the house where they met, and an out- 
 post at the distance of three hundred 
 yards, who, by a discharge of his car- 
 bine, might give notice of the enemy's 
 approach ; upon which signal, the meet- 
 ing was dissolved, and each man provid- 
 ed for his safety, with the like precau- 
 tions when they were employed at drill. 
 So secretly were all these operations 
 conducted, that they were not for a 
 long time heard of at the castle ; nor 
 did Mark Green himself smell them out,
 
 136 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 which was considered by the puritans as 
 no less tlian the finger of Providence 
 stirring in their behalf; so acute was the 
 steward's penetration. 
 
 But, in fact, their chief defence lay in 
 the distance of their situation from the 
 castle, and it§ extreme ruggedness and 
 sterility ; for which reasons, those parts 
 were seldom visited ; and if they had 
 been more so, as every thing was quiet 
 in the day-time, and no sign of arms or 
 puritanism, it would have been difficult 
 to detect them, unless they had betrayed 
 themselves. However, the vanity of a 
 young puritan had one day nearly disco- 
 vered all. Jonathan Snell, grandson of 
 the patriarch, being one day at the castle, 
 had with other young men entered the 
 riding-house, where Picard and Jellott 
 were hard engaged in giving equestrian 
 instructions to some of the troopers. 
 One of the men exercised by Jellott, rode 
 with his legs lapped round the horse's 
 flank, which the corporal not observing,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 137 
 
 Snell cried out to him, " Why, Tim, 
 Jellott's learning thee to ride like a 
 tailor." 
 
 The corporal turned round to him 
 fiercely, " What do you know about rid- 
 ing, you puritan whelp ? If ye dinna 
 spank off, PlI make ye ride the wooden 
 horse." 
 
 Snell set up a loud laugh at this 
 threat, and said, " What, mon ! I'm no 
 sodger ; ye need not fash yersell wi* hec- 
 toring to me ; I dinna matter your blus- 
 tering gabat three straws ; if ye'll come 
 ofFyer tit, and get a pair o' your basket 
 cudgels, 1*11 have a bout wi' ye, tho' ye 
 be a corporal ?" 
 
 ** I'll cudgel yer brains out, ye fool- 
 hardy rip," said Jellott, striking him 
 with the flat part of his sword ; but 
 before he could repeat the blow, Snell 
 seized it by the hilt, and twisted it 
 out of his hand, the knot breaking 
 in the struggle. Jellott immediately 
 sprung off his horse with the intent 
 of recovering his weapon, but Snell
 
 138 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 opposed the point to liis breast, and cried, 
 <* Let your corporalship advance a foot, 
 and I'll make your own steel bite into 
 your heart's blood." 
 
 All the soldiers came up to be wit- 
 nesses of this affray, and Jellott tak- 
 ing a sword from one of them, at- 
 tacked Snell with desperate fury ; but 
 he, as if a veteran, with a cool head, 
 and judging eye, marked and parried 
 all his blows and thrusts, and when 
 the corporal had wearied himself in the 
 assault, in his turn took the offensive with 
 great vigour. 
 
 At this moment Major Spandyke, fol- 
 lowed by Charles Sydenham, entered the 
 riding-house ; and scandalised at so un- 
 soldier-like a tumult, with a voice of high 
 authority called to them to desist at 
 the peril of their lives ; *« What mean 
 ye by this scandalous broil ?" said he. 
 " How dare ye make this place a scene 
 of rude quarrel ? What, Corporal Jellott ! 
 you set a pretty example to the troop ; 
 but I will make ye one to it. Take him
 
 THE cavalier; ISg 
 
 to the guard-house. And you, sir, who 
 are you that come here to break the dis- 
 cipline of our troopers ? What do ye 
 here ?" 
 
 Sneil spoke not a word, but throwing 
 down the sword with a sullen air, shook 
 his head as he glanced furiously upon 
 Jellott, and was going to retire. 
 
 ** Stay, stay, my man," cried the 
 Major, whose blood waxed warm, " we 
 part not so. Who are you ? Answer, or 
 by my soul's honour, I'll reward ye with 
 a dozen at the leaping bar." 
 
 " Jonathan Snell," cried he. 
 
 "Jonathan Snell! and pray, brother 
 Jonathan, what bringeth thy body into 
 this riding-house ?" 
 
 " My legs, I reckon," replied the 
 puritan. 
 
 " Villain !" said the Major, seizing him 
 by the throat, and shaking him until he 
 was nearly choked. " Dog ! I'll learn 
 ye better manners ; seize him." The 
 soldiers obeyed. 
 
 ** Bring out the colt my Lord presented
 
 140 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 to me yesterday, they are fit companions 
 for each other, and shall be tamed toge- 
 ther." 
 
 Snell eyed all around him with a look 
 not only of indomitable fierceness, but of 
 sovereign contempt ; the Major observed 
 it, but was now calm. ** Ay, ay, Mr. 
 Snell, pull what pretty faces ye have 
 a mind to; I'll quell your fantasies, or I am 
 110 soldier.'' 
 
 Picard led into the riding-house a 
 beautiful black horse colt, nearly sixteen 
 hands high, perfectly wild, as he had been 
 suffered to run at large from his foaling 
 in the park, with all his honoui's of mane 
 and tail unclipt and unshorn : he was 
 about four years old, full of bone and 
 muscle, and intended by the Major for 
 his charging horse. 
 
 *• Now, Sir," said the Major to Snell, 
 ** will you please to mount ? Or must 
 my men give ye a lift, and strap ye to his 
 back ?" 
 
 The puritan deigned not to ans^ye^, 
 but walking up to the animal, clapt him
 
 THE CAVALIER. 141 
 
 on the breast, and sprung upon his back. 
 He had scarcely time to seat himself, be- 
 fore the horse, frighted, flew with the 
 rapidity of lightning to the extent of the 
 leading cord, which Picard held in his 
 hand; and the Adjutant himself, on the 
 instant, applying the whip to him, he lost 
 all temper, and commenced rearing, kick- 
 ing, and plunging, (without being able to 
 rid himself of his burthen, Snell keeping 
 his seat with great skill,) until at length 
 he reared upright, and came down on his 
 back, the rider with inconceivable agility 
 throwing himself on one side. When the 
 colt rose, and found himself unencum- 
 bered, he gave himself a hearty shake ; 
 but Snell, without allowing him time for 
 self-congratulation, again mounted him. 
 The old scene was renewed, but with 
 less effect j for Picard, having given the 
 rein to another man, followed the horse 
 with his whip so closely, and applied it 
 so smartly, that he kept him on the top 
 of his speed at the extent of the cord, and 
 continued the exercise until the black
 
 142 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 coat of the gallant horse was covered 
 with thick flakes of foam, and he held his 
 rider, (who sat him to the admiration even 
 of Picard) without fret or uneasiness. 
 
 The man's courage awakened the 
 mercy of the Major, and he ordered him 
 to dismount. 
 
 '* Your courage, young man," said 
 he, '* deserves admiration ; but in future, 
 let it be less brutal." Here's to re- 
 ward ye, offering him a broad piece. 
 
 «« Am I free ?" said Snell. 
 
 " As air," replied Spandyke. 
 
 " Then I am bold to tell ye. Sir, that I 
 would fainer receive the devil's catch- 
 soul gould, than money from the man that 
 has wronged me. I have been struck by 
 that corporal, whose life ye saved by yer 
 coming; I have been trampled on and 
 throttled by yersel ; I shall watch for a 
 day of reckoning for ye both : ye know 
 me not ; there are few that do ; but by 
 the right hand of power, I'll make ye 
 rue this day in tears of blood." Not- 
 withstanding this threat, the Major
 
 THE CAVALIER. 143 
 
 allowed him to depart, and then made 
 strict enquiry into the quarrel : upon 
 learning all the particulars, he not only 
 confined Jellott, but threatened to call a 
 court-martial and degrade him to the 
 ranks ; but by the intercession of Charles, 
 to whom the corporal's friends applied 
 for his favour, he was in a few days dis- 
 charged without further punishment.
 
 144 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 O, beware of Jealousj ; 
 
 It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock 
 
 The meat it feeds on. 
 
 Othello. 
 
 It will be necessary for us, in order to 
 the true developement of our history, to 
 descend to minor personages, and to state 
 that corporal Jellott, having introduced 
 Picard to his mistress, Betsy Norman, 
 began to be possessed with the green 
 devil Jealousy, on account of" the favour 
 with which that fair damsel received the 
 Frenchman's gallantry. — We might here 
 (in accordance with the practice of other 
 WTiters) enter into a long and learned 
 disquisition of the infinite evils which 
 " jealousy, with rankling tooth,'* hath 
 brought, and doth continue to bring, upon 
 its votaries ; but we are not quite of that 
 mind which distinguishes many writers, 
 that a good thing, " decies rej^etita place-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 145 
 
 bit,'^ and we are moreover ** in diihio^^' 
 whether such a disquisition be a good or 
 serviceable thing at all — we shall, there- 
 fore, (leaving a learned commentary upon 
 this passion to be made by others who 
 have more time and less squeamishness,) 
 proceed to the common-place detail of 
 matter of fact. 
 
 Chariot Picard, now serjeant in his 
 Majesty's horse, the Lord Falconridge 
 Colonel^ was one of that kind of men, 
 said to push their fortunes. He never 
 received the notice of a superior, but he 
 ever after endeavoured to improve his 
 liking ; he never caught the smile of a 
 handsome female, but he sought by all 
 means to establish himself in her good 
 graces. He was as vain as a Frenchman 
 could be, but he knev/ how to turn his 
 vanity to good account ; and by throwing 
 the dust of flattery into the eyes of his 
 fellows, he maintained an ascendancy over 
 tnem. Ourreaders will easily believe, then, 
 that having such a testimony of the iavour 
 of Jellott's mistress, as the wearing ofnis 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 X46 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 scarf, he resolved to pursue his acquisi- 
 tion ; and for that purpose, with all possi- 
 ble effrontery, enquired his way to her fa- 
 ther's cottage, who was a farmer living 
 in Hopedale, about half a mile from the 
 Castle. 
 
 The old man and his wife, with Betsy 
 and several other daughters and sons, 
 were sitting down to their supper, when 
 our man of war rapped at the door. 
 
 <* Who bin ye ?*' exclaimed Betsy 
 sharply. 
 
 *' Je suis un gentleman," replied Pi- 
 card. 
 
 " Oh, my gracious !*' exclaimed all the 
 younkers, ** it's the Frenchman that 
 gied our Betsy the silk sash." 
 
 , Betsy ran and opened the door, and ad- 
 mitted Monsieur Picard, who (dressed 
 in a faded French suit of velvet, some- 
 thing of that colour called " Brun de 
 Brisac," a hat of the same material, sur- 
 mounted with a plume of cocks* feathers, 
 together wi4:h silk stockings, rosetted 
 shoes, and a silver-hilted rapier, most
 
 THE CAVALIER. 147 
 
 probably the plunder of some day,) cut 
 in his own conceit a very splendid figure, 
 and bowing with all the etiquette of 
 French hienseance, he followed his con- 
 ductress into the midst of the family. — 
 Giles Norman, the father of Betsy, rose 
 and offered him a_ seat, saying <« Sarvant, 
 sir, sarvant; ye're welcome, sir, to my poor 
 cottage ; take a seat, sir, an it please ye." 
 
 Picard made his due obeisance to all 
 in company, not forgetting to salute the 
 whole of the females, except the old dame; 
 and when he had acquitted himself to his 
 own satisfaction, he took a seat next to 
 the fair Betsy, and with very little invi- 
 tation (like a true soldier) joined the fa- 
 mily at supper. JHe had scarcely cut 
 himself a luncheon of bread and cheese, 
 of which the family repast consisted, when 
 the door opened, and Ralph Jellott walked 
 into the cottage. Picard turned round 
 to him with a laughing face, and said* 
 " Ah 1 Monsieur le corporal, you see dat 
 je suis in de ver good quarters." 
 
 Jellott made no reply, but without a 
 H 2
 
 148 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 word to any person, and a brow as black 
 as thunder, seated himself" on a bench 
 near the cottage-door. 
 
 " Wunna ye join us, Ralph ?'' said tlic 
 old man. 
 
 ** No," replied he surlily. 
 
 " Wun ye tak a horn o' yalc ?" 
 
 *' D — n the drop." 
 
 " Hoo, Ralph !" said Betsy, '' the car- 
 rion crow han flown o'er ye on yer way 
 here." 
 
 ** Or le diable has trown his club over 
 him, asde Englis say," said Picard. 
 
 ** Why, as for the carrion crow," said 
 Jellott, " he seems to have last lighted on 
 the Serjeant's hat, and left some of his 
 feathers behind liim." 
 
 Picard held his hat at a distance, say- 
 ing, ** Mon chapeau! mon chapeau!" and 
 then, with an air very grave and half-of- 
 fended, " de plume of mon chapeau is 
 de feathers of dc coq and not of de crow, 
 Monsieur le corporal." 
 
 <* Cock's feathers! ay, they may be, 
 but it's been o' the dunghill breed."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 149 
 
 " Come, come, Ralph," said Betsy's 
 mother, ** dinna ye be queasy ; drink, 
 man ! I see ye're na' at easej drink! a cup 
 o* good yale wun drown yer sorrow." 
 
 ** Sorrow!" cried Jellott, his eyes dart- 
 ing fire and defiance upon Picard; but who 
 happily was too attentive to Betsy to ob- 
 serve it — *' Sorrow ! may the next slip o' 
 Mam Tor cover me with its shealing, but 1 
 am as free and as light-hearted as the best 
 o' ye :" — and he broke into the song — 
 
 *' May the man that is sad, have a glass of good sack, 
 And the puritan dog a stout whip at his back; 
 Then drink all good fellows, be merry and jolly, 
 For pleasure is wisdom, and thinking is folly." 
 
 Here's English hearts, and d — n the 
 mounseers." 
 
 ** Ah ! par ma f'oi," cried Picard, spring- 
 ing up, and drawing his rapier, <* you 
 are un rascal, un coquin, and shall give 
 me de satisfaction. Je suis un gentil- 
 homme, and dat I vill prove upon your 
 lousy corps." 
 
 *' Ye'd better provide yourself with a 
 H 3
 
 150 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 better weapon than that toasting fork, or 
 it will hardly stand a cross wi' my broad- 
 sword," said Jellott, drawing it, and put- 
 ting himself on his guard. 
 
 " Le diable take you and your broad- 
 sword ensemble,'' cried Picard, assaulting 
 him. 
 
 Giles Norman and his sons now at- 
 'tempted to separate the enraged combat- 
 ants, but without effect; Picard continued 
 his assault, until Jonathan Snell, who was 
 passing the cottage, attracted by the cries 
 of the women and the clashing of the 
 swords, rushed in at the door, and strik- 
 ing up their weapons with his ashen 
 cudgel, stood between them. 
 
 <* I charge ye, peace," cried the puri- 
 tan, " in the name of God; I swear by 
 the persecution of my fathers, that the 
 first o' ye that breaketh it, had better 
 walk darkling on the edge of Kinder." 
 
 The fierce tones, and stalwart appear- 
 ance of this energetic peace-maker, awed 
 the souls of Jellott and Picard into obe- 
 dience. His height was at least six feet,
 
 THE CAVALIER. lol 
 
 with a body of proportionate strength ; 
 his face denoted that kind of reckless 
 fearlessness, wliich will own no superior, 
 or rather endure no equal ; a constant 
 exposure to the sun and wind, had tanned 
 his hard features to the colour of a Moor's j 
 and the continual avocations of a shep- 
 herd's life amid the mountains, had 
 taught him to endure and contemn the 
 summer sun blaze and the winter snows. 
 The men of war soon perceived they were 
 no match for him, although naked, and 
 they therefore sheathed their swords j 
 Picard saying, " Je suis ver sorry, mes 
 bonnes gens, to break your quiet and re- 
 pose ; mais il est ver necessaire to confess 
 dat Monsieur le corporal did begin dis 
 affray, by cursing mes compatriotes, vich 
 is une injure dat no soldat can put up. 
 
 <* What I have said," cried Jellott, 
 ** rU say again ; d — n the mounseers." 
 
 " Tres bien, tres bien," said Picard, 
 grinning horribly ; '* vous etes en surete 
 a present, mais par le nez de St. Denis, 
 I vill have grande satisfaction." 
 H 4
 
 152 THE CAVALIER, 
 
 ** Seek elsewhere, thou trafficker in 
 blood,'* said Snell ; ** seek thou else- 
 where for thy accursed satisfaction ; 
 carry thy tawdry rags whither they are 
 more valued. Tell thy proud master, 
 that I have not yet forgot, I owe him 
 something, and that I yearn until I do 
 pay him." 
 
 " La dette, monsieur, fut contractee 
 wid Monsieur le corporal ; and if you 
 pay him, it will be tout-a-fait correct." 
 
 " A mischief on thy deceit !" said 
 Snell 5 " a murrain on thy double-tongued 
 malice ! Here's my hand, Ralph — our 
 strife was fair, though it might have been 
 deadly. On your officer be a' the blame, 
 and let him pay a' the forfeit, Haman 
 trampled on Mordecai, but the Everlast- 
 ing changed his neck-chain of jewels 
 to the gallows rope." 
 
 *' I have not Phonneur to know Mon- 
 sieur Haman or Monsieur Mordecai ; 
 mais Monsieur le major est un soldat, et un 
 homme d'honneur; and he will never, par 
 ma foi, die, mais com me a brave gentil-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 153 
 
 homme — et aussi, messieurs ! bon soir. 
 Mademoiselle Betsy! bonne nuit, ma jobe 
 pucelle ! Monsieur le pere ! and Madame 
 la mere ! and mesdemoiselles and mes- 
 sieurs, les soeurs and freres, j'ai 1' hon- 
 neur to wish you un ver good soir." So 
 saying, Picard, with great gaiety and 
 importance, replaced his hat, and adjust- 
 ing his rapier, walked off. When he 
 had quitted the cottage, Snell, who had 
 eyed him with great contempt whilst he 
 made his salutatory flourishes, said to 
 Betsy — 
 
 '* It is said, Betsy, that ye favour this 
 miserable swash buckler, but I cannot 
 credit it." 
 
 " Ye e'en may," replied the damsel ; 
 " though he be a Frenchman and a 
 foreigner, he's as good as the like of ye." 
 
 '' It may be so, for it 's sinful to trust 
 } to the arm o' flesh ; but there is na a deer 
 i in Derbyshire, if he be na a coward." 
 ! ** Hoo ! yer fause, ye lang-gabbed 
 ; puritan," cried Betsy in a rage. 
 ' H 5
 
 154 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " Better be augiit than a papist, 
 replied Jonathan. 
 
 " Who says Monsieur Picard's a pa- 
 pist?'* said Betsy. 
 
 " There is na a Frenchman living, 
 who is na. They are a gang of Jesuitical 
 hypocrites, that come over here to tear 
 and devour God's poor sheep; they 
 would rend off our flesh, they would 
 break our bones, and chop us in pieces, 
 as flesh to the cauldron." 
 
 " Ay, ay, we know, Jonathan ; that's 
 a'ways the owd song, that ye and yer 
 fathers ha' canted this mony a day." 
 
 " And it's the song of truth, Betsy 
 Norman ; it shall be heard wherever the 
 winds blow, and the sun shines ; the old 
 man shall repeat it to his children, the; 
 mother to her babe ; she shall rock its 
 cradle with the song ; and it shall be the 
 war-cry of a host in battle." 
 
 " Whisht, whisht, mon ! dinna l>e 
 crazy ; ye frighten my fayther and 
 mother — see yc, how his hair stands, 
 and his eyes peak out on his head !"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 165 
 
 " I tell ye," pursued Snell, ** the 
 wailing of desolation is heard among 
 our rocks, and among our hills ; the yarn 
 hears it, as he seeketh his daily food in the 
 waters, and flies inland ; the northern 
 eagle plumeth his wing, and sharpeneth 
 his beak, to ravin on the carcases of the 
 dead 5 the tramp of marching hosts is 
 heard upon the mountains in the dead 
 night ; the blast of the trumpet rings 
 tlirough the Tor Dale, awakening the 
 sleepers from their hours of rest ; the 
 cry of battle and the uproar of charging 
 squadrons are pealed from the Pike to 
 Cliinley ; from Chinley to Kinder ; from 
 Kinder to the Mother Rock: — who 
 doubteth these warnings ? they are the 
 signals of heaven j they are the denun- 
 ciations of wrath ; they are the fore- 
 runners of strife, of blood, and ruin.'' 
 
 His auditors stood listening in silence, 
 and when he had concluded, no one 
 offered to speak 5 his words had made a 
 deep impression upon all, and most upon 
 the females. Jellott, who was a shrewd 
 H 6
 
 156 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 man, perceived Snell meant more thai 
 he said ; yet wondered he was so bok 
 before him, it being in his power to re 
 port his words to the Baron, and so havt 
 him laid fast ; but he liad no time t( 
 form any conclusion, ere Snell said 
 ** Til is house is too warm -, I am going u 
 the Castle Town; will you walk, llalph ?' 
 The corporal rose, bid the family goo( 
 night, and they departed. It was on( 
 of those lovely nights, (so frequent ii 
 Italy, and the South of Europe ; but s( 
 seldom seen amid the wild hills of Derby 
 shire,) which Virgil paints so beautifulh 
 in his ^neis: — 
 
 " Aspirant aiirae in noctcni, ncc Candida cursui 
 Luna negat." 
 
 Not a cloud obscured the brilliancy o 
 the moon, as she sat in her lonelines 
 over the bannered towers of the castle 
 which, throwing their large shadows ove 
 the town beneath, robbed it of the Jigh 
 of her countenance. There was scarcel 
 air suilicient to move the sunken fold 
 of the banner, which, ibr lack of winti
 
 THE CAVALIER. J 57 
 
 hung drooping around the colour-staff; 
 the hoarse tones of the castle-clock, as 
 it struck the hour of ten, could be dis- 
 tinctly heard, from Mam Tor to the 
 eastern end of Hope Dale ; and Jellott 
 and Snell could have sworn, that, when 
 the last toll upon the castle bell had 
 struck, it was answered from afar by 
 the swelling note of a bugle. They 
 stopped and listened ; the note, clear 
 though distant, again came sweetly to 
 their hearing, and shortly after a third 
 blast, plainer and more distinct, rung 
 over the dale. 
 
 " There are hawks abroad," said 
 Jellott. 
 
 ** What can be their work at the castle 
 at this late hour?*' said his companion. 
 
 " At the castle, mon! that trumpet's 
 na from Banner Cross ; it rung up the 
 Dale, from Yarn's neeze." 
 
 " Whisht, Ralph ! hark !" 
 
 They again stopped and listened, but 
 to no purpose ; the sound was not re- 
 iterated, and they proceeded.
 
 158 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " It's a sign of war and trouble to the 
 land,'* said Snell. 
 
 « It's a sign of mischief : that ye may 
 swear ; but it's na unnat'ral ;" returned 
 Jellott. 
 
 The puritan now found it time to shift 
 the conversation. — " Ye dinna mean to 
 be bawk'd o' Bess by the Frenchman, I 
 trow, Ralph?" 
 
 " An 1 do, may the fiends o' hell flay 
 and devour me." 
 
 " Who bedizen'd her wi' that green 
 scarf? it must be some o' ye troopers." 
 
 '« It was the d — d serjeant. An I 
 had appeared on parade without mine, as 
 he did, the Major would have given me 
 another turn at the fortification." 
 
 " Why was the papist made serjeant ?" 
 
 " Gualter was promoted, from being 
 serjeant in the old troop, to the lieu- 
 tenancy of the new, and so Mounseer 
 Picard took his place." 
 
 " He was only corporal before ?" 
 
 *^ No." 
 
 " And so were ye ?"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 159 
 
 « Ay." 
 
 ** Then why might ye not claim the 
 serjeancy, as well as the Frenchman ; 
 and more, as yer fayther is well to do in 
 the Lord's barony?*' ' 
 
 ** Jonathan, I never thought o' this 
 afore ; it is plain I have been scurvily 
 treated among 'em." 
 
 " An ye dunnot resent it, ye are no 
 man." 
 
 " An I dunnot, may the devil pitch 
 me from the castle wa' over the peak 
 cliff; pity it were, Jonathan, ye parted 
 us ; my broad sword would have drunk 
 his best blood afore now." 
 
 "Ye would have been hang'd, man, 
 had ye kill'd him. Let's talk again o' this, 
 when time serves; I'll put ye on revenge 
 as deep and terrible as are your sad, sad 
 injuries; satisfaction from Picard is 
 nought, ye shall have it from his master, 
 or he shall wash out yer wrongs in his 
 heart's blood. Keep yer own counsel ; 
 speak the Frenchman fair; ye may hold 
 a wax-light to the devil, till ye are
 
 160 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 prepared to throw off the mask. Fare ye 
 well, Ralph/' said he, shaking Jellott by 
 the hand ; '* fare ye well." 
 
 They had reached the entrance of the 
 town, and Snell departed, taking his 
 way towards Mam Tor. Jellott crossed 
 the town, and ascended the Castle Hill, 
 when he was challenged by the sentinel. 
 
 ** Who goes there ?" 
 
 " Jellott,'' answered he. 
 
 *' Corporal," said the man, ** have ye 
 heard a trumpet from the Tor Dale ?" 
 
 " Ay, I heard it as I came from Giles 
 Norman's; it seem'd from the top o' 
 Yarn's neeze." 
 
 " What may it be, think ye ? Belot 
 says he has heard it nightly." 
 
 " The devil may be amusing himself 
 wi' a country dance," replied Jellott 
 laughing. 
 
 " The devil he stood in the mid, 
 His imps they danc'd around; 
 And for lack of a horn or a fid', 
 Wi' his club he thump'd the ground." 
 
 Jellott then left him, and turned into
 
 THE CAVALIER. iGl 
 
 his quarters ; and shortly after, Picard, 
 who was that night the subaltern on 
 guard, came round to visit the sentinels ; 
 when the soldier informed him of this 
 singular occurrence. " Corporal Jellott 
 heard it on his way here from old Nor- 
 man's." 
 
 *« From vere did de son come ?*' 
 
 « The son !" 
 
 " De son, yes, de trumpet son/' 
 
 ** Oh, the sound !*' 
 
 *« Oui, de sound." 
 
 ** It came from the Tor Dale." 
 
 <* Vat is dat, vich you do call de Tor 
 Dale r 
 
 " Ye see Mam Tor," said he, pointing 
 to the mountain of that name, which w^as 
 nearly opposite to the Castle at the dis- 
 tance of three quarters of a mile, and 
 upon which the moon strongly reflected ; 
 ** ye see that rock, wi' its shealing front?" 
 
 " Oui da, ver veil." 
 
 *« Well then, the Tor Dale is meet be- 
 hind it." 
 
 " Ver well, de Baron and Major of
 
 162 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 dis must be told. Bon soir. Keep debon 
 vatch," and he departed. 
 
 The next morning, as soon as the Ma- 
 jor was stirring, Picard went to him, and 
 related what he had heard. 
 
 <* Did'st hear it thyself?" said Span- 
 dyke. 
 
 "Me, mynheer ; non ; mais Monsieur le 
 corporal Jellott, and les soldats Watts and 
 Belot, il fut entendu par eux." 
 
 ** You say the sound came from the 
 valley behind Mam Tor ?" 
 
 " Oui, mynheer." 
 
 " I will speak to the Baron upon it ; 
 have Jellott and the others in readiness j 
 we will examine them." 
 
 Accordingly, at breakfast, tlie Major 
 mentioned the circumstance, which not 
 a little astonished the Baron ; the men 
 were called in separately, Jellott and 
 Watts informing the Baron of those facts 
 which are foregoing; but Belot said^ 
 that he had heard the bugle-note thrice 
 repeated for several nights ; and had 
 been told by some of the inhabitants of
 
 THE CAVALIER. l6S 
 
 Hope Dale, adjoining the western hills, 
 that they had sometimes heard the dis- 
 charge of fire arms, and a noise resem- 
 bling the regulated tramp of marching 
 men; which signs were supposed to be 
 ominous of disturbances in the country 5 
 that, supposing it to be a superstitious 
 matter, at which the Baron and the Ma- 
 jor would only scoff, he had forborne to 
 mention it. When they had retired, the 
 Baron enquired, '« what Major Spandyke 
 thought of it?'' 
 
 ** Why, my Lord, that it fully explains 
 that knowledge of military discipline I 
 before remarked in the puritan Snell." 
 
 " How so ?*' said Dr. Grostete. 
 
 " They have surely secret and nightly 
 trainings of armed men, who meet at 
 the sound of the bugle ; hence the re- 
 port of fire arms, and the tramp of 
 marching soldiers. Is there any one 
 here so fond as to believe with the 
 country people, that there is no reality 
 in these sounds j that they are but omens 
 of impending trouble ? I believe not. It
 
 164 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 is my opinion that sonic means be de- 
 vised of investigating the truth." 
 
 " I agree with you, Major," said the 
 Baron ; " but how to compass those 
 means appears the most difficult part of 
 the undertaking. If it be that the puri- 
 tans, who are notoriously disaffected, 
 meet for the purposes of drilling, which 
 is probable, it is certain, that they will 
 conceal their arms so effectually in the 
 day-time, as not to leave a chance of 
 discovery ; and there is no way of placing 
 an ambush without their knowledge." 
 
 "This is true," continued the Doctor: 
 " they are an artful and wicked race ; of 
 whom we may say, in your favourite 
 tongue, Major, — 
 
 *' Fripons, n' ayant ni feu ni lieu, 
 
 Que volent dans la poche en vous parlant de Dieu." 
 
 ** Then the only plan left to us is to 
 wait until night-fall, when I will lead a 
 troop towards the Tor Dale." 
 
 " Allow me to go with you," said 
 Charles, **you are but little acquainted
 
 THE CAVALIER. 16d 
 
 with the hills ; I know them all from 
 Chinley Churn to Banner Cross." 
 
 " There may l)e danger, Charles," said 
 Lady Falconridge : ** rest at home." 
 
 " Dear mother, if my ancestors had 
 kept your counsel, where would have 
 been the splendour of our name ? Danger 
 is the mistress of every true knight, and 
 he courts her with unceasing assiduity." 
 
 '' You are too young to court at all, 
 Charles," replied his mother; '^yourtime 
 will come soon enough." 
 
 '* The Black Prince had fought at 
 Cressy before he was my age," muttered 
 the youth. 
 
 *< Let him go," said the Baron, '^1 trust 
 there will be no strife ; but if he get 
 killed, it is his own fault, and his blood 
 be on his head." 
 
 These words, which were intended to 
 frighten Charles, only made him smile, 
 and bow; but they sufficiently terrified 
 the Baroness. " I strictly charge ye, 
 Charles Sydenham," said she, **that ye en- 
 ter no combat ; as you respect the life of 
 your mother, keep out of danger."
 
 i6() THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** He shall be as safe, my lady," said 
 Spandyke, ** as my own honour : he re- 
 turns safe to you, or I will lie with him 
 on the brown heather of the hills." 
 
 The hour of nine, told by the castle- 
 clock, was a signal for the selected 
 troop to have their horses accoutred, and 
 themselves armed. The time arrived, 
 and found the horses ranged in tlie 
 court-yard, with their riders standing 
 "engroupe," armed with back, breast, 
 and head pieces, swords and pistols. 
 Pickard, who w^as subaltern of this troop, 
 was in the midst, whilst one of the house- 
 domestics led the Major's charger, and 
 a horse for Charles, from one extremity 
 of the court to the other. The night was 
 rather rough, the wind blowing freshly, 
 and the gathered clouds hid the moon 
 from sight. 
 
 ** We shall have a duskish march of 
 it," said Belot. 
 
 " Dat vill be ver good," replied 
 Picard ; ** Messieurs de Puritans vill 
 not observe our advance."
 
 THE CAVALIER. l6j 
 
 ** But don't ye perceive, Mr. Serjeant, 
 that an the darkness favour our advance, 
 it will likewise favour the enemy's es- 
 cape." 
 
 *' Ah, morbleu ! non ; for ve vill dem 
 surround, before dey to escape can tink." 
 
 " An they make resistance ?" said 
 Watts. 
 
 " Shoot ; frappez ; coupez — a la 
 mort ! — Oh ! ici est Mynheer le major, 
 and milord Charles." 
 
 Spandyke and Charles now came out, 
 the former completely armed, but our 
 hero only wearing a sword, with pistols 
 in his holsters. Having given the word 
 to mount, the Major formed the troop ; 
 and, putting himself at their head, with 
 Charles at his side, and Picard bringing 
 up the rear, they rode slowly down the 
 hill, and turned off towards the Tor 
 Dale. When they had emerged from 
 the town, the clouds separated, and the 
 moon, bursting from her imprisonment, 
 seemed about to make amends for the 
 , previous darkness, by the splendour of
 
 l68 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 her present appearance. The Major, see- 
 ing they should be discovered were they 
 to approach by the common road across 
 the Dale, "ordered a halt. 
 
 *' Is there no other way," said he, 
 " but this one, to get behind Mam 
 Tor ?" 
 
 " Oh yes," replied Charles ; " we 
 may ride through the Winyates, and 
 come round there, under the shivering 
 front." 
 
 <* Lead on, then, for that is our way. 
 If we pursue this path, the moonlight, 
 glancing on our arms, will betray us. 
 Charles turned his horse to the left, and 
 was followed by the Major and the 
 troop. A few minutes' ride brought them 
 into a defile, each side of which was 
 hemmed in by mountains of rock, na- 
 turally formed into multitudes of gro- 
 tesque and beautiful figures. In one 
 place, you might make out the apparent 
 outline of a gothic chapel, with all its 
 minuteness and beauty of carving. In 
 another, the turrets of a strong fortress
 
 THE CAVALIER. IGQ 
 
 rose above the road in majestic gran- 
 deur ; a third, presented the appearance 
 of a huge cavern, with all its accompani- 
 ments of shadowy horror, and unfathom- 
 able profundity ; whilst a fourth seemed 
 one of those crosses erected in the times 
 of chivalry by our Plantagenet sove- 
 reigns. It took the troop nearly half 
 an hour to pass the defile, which was an 
 up-hill road ; but having attained the 
 height, they were an even ground, and 
 rode slowly and silently beneath that 
 immense natural ruin Mam Tor, at 
 which many shuddered, lest, whilst they 
 passed beneath, the shealing should 
 give one of its accustomed slips, and 
 carry them down with it into the valley 
 below. They rode in safety ; Mam Tor 
 was for that night disposed to repose ; 
 but although safe from the uneasiness of 
 the mother rock, they were much fa- 
 tigued with the roughness of her sides, 
 each man being obliged to dismount, and 
 lead his horse, as they climbed her eastern 
 ridge. 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 They had, with great toil, attained 
 that part of the summit ^vhich opens 
 upon the Tor Dale, \vhen the castle 
 clock, striking ten, flung its monotonous 
 tones up the valley ; and immediately 
 after, as cause produces effect, a bugle 
 note, apparently from the further end of 
 the dale, broke upon the ears of the 
 troop, thrice repeated. The Major halt- 
 ed his men under a projected cliff, the 
 shadow of which screened them from 
 sight, whilst he consulted with himself 
 Avhat course to take, and also allowed 
 time tothe puritans to obey their trumpet 
 call. After revolving all projects of stra- 
 tagem, none of which suited either his 
 inclination or his circumstances, he en- 
 quired from Charles " what sort of ground 
 it was ?" 
 
 " As fine as a meadow ; ye may gallop 
 from one end of the dale to the other 
 without let."— 
 
 " So be it. — Mount, comrades j 
 draw; close files ; — to the left ; march at 
 speed : " and he dashed his rowels into
 
 THE CA^'ALIER. 17 1 
 
 his cliarger, and rode off at full gallop, 
 attended by Charles, and followed by the 
 troop. At this moment the moon was 
 again partially obscured ; a flood of 
 clouds, dense enough to intercept her 
 rays, drifting rapidly across the sky. 
 They had scarcely reached the middle of 
 the valley, when they heard a carbine 
 shot off, and presently after, a confused 
 noise of trampling, as if it might be of 
 a routed squadron, flying from the field; 
 but when they had reached the further 
 part of the dale, all was quiet — not a 
 man nor living creature could be seen ; 
 not a sound could be heard, save the 
 gush of the wind, as it struck upon the 
 rocky side of the heron's nest. 
 
 " The birds are flown," said the Major. 
 " Yes, they are cast ofTi" replied 
 Charles, ** and are out of our whistle 
 by this time ; the outlets are impass- 
 able by horse, and men too, as ye are 
 armed." 
 
 "Then we may as well turn to the 
 right about, and return the way we 
 I 2
 
 172 THE CA\ ALILU. 
 
 came.*' He formed tlie troop, and they 
 rode slowly back over the dale. 
 
 *' That shot we heard was a signal,*' 
 said Spandykc ; ** it seemed to come 
 from the direction of that cottage. \\'iio 
 lives there ?*' 
 
 " Old Solomon Snell,*' replied Charles. 
 
 <* We may as well pay him a visit.** 
 
 They rode up to the cottage, and 
 knocked loudly, but no answer was re- 
 turned y and they found, upon applica- 
 tion, the door locked. They therefore 
 proceeded onward to the castle across * 
 Hope Dale, where they arrived about 
 midnight, pretty well tired with their 
 nocturnal expedition. 
 
 Cliarles now reminded hisfather of his 
 promise to allow Picard to fortify the 
 castle, and the Baron consented that it 
 should be forthwith begun, under the 
 superintendance ^ of the i\Iajor himself. 
 The next day he spoke to Spandyke, w ho 
 set a company of his troopers (with a 
 stated change or relief) to work under
 
 THE CAVALIER. 173 
 
 the inspection of Picard, who was some- 
 thing of an engineer. They began by 
 raising an earthen mound, so as to sus- 
 tain and defend the interior of the 
 w^all, and they made this counterscarp 
 the stronger, as there w^as no exte- 
 rior fortification, the elevated scite of 
 the castle rendering it impossible to 
 form a ditch. The castle, as we have 
 before noted, w^as inaccessible on that 
 side overhanging the PeakclifFj and there 
 was but one gate, the ascent to wdiich 
 wound in a waving line round the hill. 
 TheMajor resolved, therefore, to strength- 
 en the gate, and for that purpose formed 
 a ravelin, which commanded the ascent ; 
 and as the castle could only be attacked 
 by this way, the resolute defence of the 
 ravelin by a dozen men would keep the 
 castle against any force. Spandyke also 
 raised two bastions of three sakers each, 
 one on the cliff side, that they might com- 
 mand the opposite hill, and the other on 
 the southern side of the castle, which not 
 only subjected the town below, but also 
 I 3
 
 1/4 Tin-: CA\AIJKK. 
 
 tlie ascent to tlie gate. To fiiiisli tiicse 
 fortifications was a work of time ; and 
 accordingly, witli tlic small number of 
 men they were able to depute as pio- 
 neers, it took them several monl-iis to 
 perfect the designs Major Spandykc had 
 laid out. 
 
 It was at this period that the Long 
 Parliament commenced its sittings, and 
 that its disputes with the King began to 
 divide the nation. Lord Falconridge, 
 e\ cr faithful to his duties as a peer, and 
 the friend of his sovereign, left Banner 
 Cross, and proceeded to London, to take 
 his place in the House of Lords, where he 
 continued to exercise his functions until 
 the King's remove from London to Hamp- 
 ton Court, and thence to York, when he 
 returnedtothe castle. We shall only notice 
 this interval by saying, that during the 
 absence of the Baron, Charles Sydenham 
 had profited well by the instructions of 
 Spandyke, and had not been inattentive 
 to his more sedate studies under the Doc- 
 tor. He had now attained the r.ge of
 
 THE CAVALIER. IT.) 
 
 eighteen years, and the height of five feet 
 ten inches ; and having always been ac- 
 customed to those exercises which invi- 
 gorate the human frame, he was sin- 
 gularly muscular and powerful ; his 
 physiognomy was as striking for good- 
 humour as for beauty; and the goodness 
 of his heart did not bely the expression 
 of his countenance. With the assistance 
 of Major Spandyke he was becoiiie an 
 admirable swordsman, being able to use 
 the single rapier, or cut and thrust with 
 equal and capital skill. No man, that 
 ever mounted charger, governed it with 
 more ease and grace than lie did ; and 
 besides these individual personal accom- 
 plishments, the Major had taught him all 
 the theory of war, and the practical com- 
 mand of a troop or regiment of horse in 
 all the evolutions. 
 
 The Doctor, too, had lavished upon 
 him the extent of his classical know- 
 ledge ; in which, although his pupil took 
 not so much delight, as in the battles of 
 Gustavus Adolphus ; yet so great was 
 I 4
 
 lyG THE CAVALIER. 
 
 our hero's respect for his old tutor, that 
 he imbibed, against Iiis inclination, the 
 lore of Greece and Home, and the syllo- 
 gibtic learning of the schools. Master 
 of all these acquirements, the vanity of 
 Charles made him fancy he was worthy 
 of the cornetcy ; and as his father had left 
 the direction of all commands to the 
 Major, our hero applied to him, for his 
 opinion on this head ; the Major agreed 
 with Jiim, that he was now sufficiently 
 qualified, both as to age, and military 
 knowledge; and therefore conferred upon 
 him the grade reserved for his debut in 
 arms. The troop also was perfect in all 
 points of military discipline; which, when 
 tliey came into active service, betrayed 
 the merit of their preceptors. The 
 puritans, as well in the neighbourhood of 
 the castle, as indeed all over the king- 
 dom, greatly increased ; owing to the 
 diminution of the authority of the 
 bishops, and the increase of the authority 
 of their partizans in tlie two houses of 
 parliament. Frequent disturbances took
 
 THE CAVALIER. 177 
 
 place between the peasantry and the 
 troopers ; and it was now clearly seen 
 that the former were instructed in mili- 
 tary exercises. In this state were things 
 on the return of the Lord Falconridge to 
 Banner Cross, who immediately began to 
 collect provisions, and other munitions 
 of war, preparing for that struggle, 
 which soon after commenced. 
 
 I 5
 
 178 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The trumpets sound, the banners i\y. 
 The glittering spears arc ranked ready ; 
 The shouts o' war are heard afar, 
 The battle closes thick and bloody. 
 
 Burns' Collection of Scottish SoJigs, 
 
 It would have been well for the nation, 
 had the puritans bounded themselves to 
 the not conforming to tlie church estab- 
 lishment ; but it is certain, that as their 
 numbers increased, and as they began to 
 receive countenance from some of the 
 nobility and principal gentry, they as- 
 sumed to blend politics with their 
 theology ; first calling in question the 
 right of the sovereign to assume any 
 supremacy, or even cognizance, in 
 spirituals; and finally ending with de- 
 nying all sovereign power, which of 
 course was the issue of the rebellion. 
 They began by asserting, that by the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 179 
 
 law of nature, every one hath liberty of 
 conscience ; nor will the Almighty power 
 suffer the great arrogance of kings to 
 have the direction in his eternal kingdom 
 of souls ; that there ought to be no 
 priestly authority, nor establishment in 
 the church ; no sacred orders ; no right 
 of succession ; but that each man might, 
 at his pleasure, have the power of elect- 
 ing what pastor he would. As the re- 
 bellion advanced, and approximated to 
 that tragical catastrophe, which was its 
 fatal consequence, they contended, that 
 all power lay in the people ; that the 
 majesty of those who created the king, 
 was truly much greater, than that of the 
 king himself; that in consequence 
 thereof, if kings became obnoxious to 
 their lords, it was lawful (if those 
 lords were so minded) not only to com- 
 press their licence by force, but to drive 
 them from the empire: that the states 
 of every kingdom had received that 
 authority from God himself; and except 
 they made use of it, they would become 
 I 6
 
 ISO THE CAVALIER. 
 
 traitors to tlic liberties of tlie people : 
 that the king is subject to the law ; the 
 law to the people : that it is lawful to 
 resist the prince, oppressing the state, or 
 wasting the church of the Lord ; if he 
 persists, to levy war against him j and 
 when conquered, to revenge themselves 
 by what punishment may seem good to 
 them : moreover, if victory should in- 
 cline against the subjects, although the 
 issue of the war would be the true index of 
 Divine will ; yet, whatsoever they should 
 commit against the king, would be 
 ordered by the direction of Providence. 
 Such, among others, were the dogmas 
 held forth during the rebelHon, not only 
 in common conversation, but launched 
 from the puritanical pulpits ; so true is 
 the observation, that the " persecuted 
 ever become persecutors ;" and the 
 which we have here set down for once 
 and all, gratia hreiitatis. 
 
 Lord Falconridge had not long been 
 at Banner Cross, before he received the 
 foNowing letter from the King : —
 
 THE CAVALIER. 181 
 
 ** To our Cousin Maurice Sydenham, 
 Lord Falcon ridge. 
 
 " Right trusty and right well-beloved 
 cousin, and right trusty and well-beloved 
 cousin, and trusty and well-beloved 
 cousin ; We greet you well. Sith it 
 hath pleased that gracious Power, who 
 ordereth all things to wise ends, that we 
 should be tried in the crucible of adver- 
 sity ; and that our subjects, hearkening 
 after factious and desperate councils, 
 should declare themselves opposed to 
 our royal authority; we have thought 
 good, the better to discern our friends 
 from our adversaries, and to learn upon 
 whom we may place our reliance and 
 dependance, to call a meeting of our 
 lieges at Nottingham, on the 24th day 
 of August now instant ; and to that end 
 we, having faith and confidence in you, 
 our well-esteemed cousin and counsellor, 
 do request your attendance, there and 
 then, with what power of armed men 
 you may conveniently raise : and so we
 
 18^2 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 bid you, with many tluinks for your past 
 services, a loving farewell. 
 
 <* Chaiiij:s, 11. 
 « York, lOth August, lGl.^2.'' 
 '' For the service of the King, 
 Haste ! imst haslc /" 
 
 The Baron communicated this letter 
 to his chaplain and the Major : to whom 
 he had already developed the low estate 
 of the king, and the power and malig- 
 nancy of the parliament towards him. 
 
 " We have seen with dismay, my 
 Lord," said the Doctor, " the con- 
 demnation of the great Earl of Strafford, 
 the arbitrary imprisonment of the Arch- 
 bishop Laud, and the sad banishment of 
 our holy prelates from their seats in 
 parliament : doubtless these acts were 
 but the precursors of more heinous and 
 deadly treasons. — I mean the deposi- 
 tion (if their power will carry them 
 through) of his most Sacred Majesty, and 
 the entire ruin of the established church.*' 
 
 ** You arc too fearful, Doctor," said
 
 THE CAVALIER. 183 
 
 Spandyke ; *' the hearts of the puritans 
 are as hard and as black as the castle 
 rock, but they must have longer arms, 
 to pull King- Charles out of his throne." 
 
 '' Their power is great, Major ;" said 
 Lord Fa] con ridge. 
 
 " Their numbers may, my Lord ; but 
 they are not men of military habits. I 
 would fain see an army of the puritans 
 enter the field against his Majesty ; — I 
 should wait to see them, at the trumpet's 
 sound, fall on their knees, and join in 
 prayer instead of battle.*' 
 
 " You may live to be undeceived," 
 said the Baron. 
 
 <« I do not think I shall," answered 
 Spandyke. 
 
 " But is Snell one of that sort ?" said 
 the Doctor. 
 
 " Is that man a puritan ?" enquired 
 the Major. 
 
 *« As rank a one as any of the subjects 
 of his most Sacred Majesty, and as great 
 an enemy to the establishment." 
 
 " Chaque jour sa folic 5 he should
 
 184 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 have been hanged. He is a man of 
 daring courage ; and although I am not 
 used to remember the threats of my 
 enemies, I cannot forget he vowed blood 
 and vengeance. Picard sliall have an 
 eye upon him." 
 
 ^' Who is he, Doctor?" said the Baron. 
 
 " The grandson of the puritan, old 
 Solomon Snell." 
 
 " Oh ! I remember ; he quitted Hope 
 Dale when the conventicle was de- 
 stroyed. They are a dangerous family. 
 But it is time to think of our march." 
 
 " With what force, Major, could you 
 defend the castle ?" 
 
 " A very small one will be sufficient." 
 
 " The ravelin will take twelve ; we 
 shall need six gunners for the bastions ; 
 four men for guard and relief of the 
 cavern pass ; and half a dozen for extra- 
 charges." 
 
 " Take thirty from the troop : you 
 will remain here in full authority, as my 
 lieutenant and military governor ; and I 
 trust your force will be sufficient to guard
 
 THE CAVALIER. 18.5 
 
 my family from insult, should even the 
 puritan peasantry be troublesome. With 
 the rest, Charles and I will join the 
 Kins:.*' 
 
 *' And may victory," cried the Doc- 
 tor, " ever attend your arms, as doubt- 
 less it must, fighting in defence of the 
 constitution, his most Sacred Majesty, 
 and the established church." 
 
 On the ^Oth of August, the Baron 
 mustered his regiment in the court-yard, 
 which consisted of one hundred men, 
 well armed and mounted, with tlie requi- 
 site number of captains, lieutenants, 
 Serjeants, corporals, kettle-drums, and 
 trumpets. Charles, for the first time, 
 took his rank and place as cornet, bear- 
 ing the colours, upon which were de- 
 signed the arms of Falconridge, with the 
 old motto, " Pour le Roy." Our hero 
 was clad as the other officers, except that 
 his mail was ornamented, and his morion 
 clasped with enchased gold ; his cuirass 
 and cuishes were the manufacture of 
 Bayonne ; his morion, dagger, sword.
 
 18G THE CAVALIEH. 
 
 and pistols, of Paris. He wore the 
 household badge, fa green scarf wrought 
 with gold by the hands of his mother,) 
 slung across his shoulder; and to his 
 heavy horseman's boots, for the first time, 
 were attached the spurs of knighthood, 
 no one, in these troublesome times, ob- 
 jecting to the incapacity of his infancy. 
 His horse, which had been broken, with 
 peculiar care, by Picard, was an iron- 
 grey, of more bone than beauty, full of 
 fire and action, and (to use the phrase at 
 TattersalPs) without spot or blemish. We 
 shall leave it to our readers, from this 
 description, to form an idea of the " tout 
 ensemble" of this gallant Cavalier; for, 
 by this name, those of the King's party 
 had already become designated. 
 
 After the arms and accoutrements of 
 the men, and the caparisons and shoes 
 of the horses had undergone a thorough 
 review and investigation, the Baron or- 
 dered Major Spandyke to select his garri- 
 son; which he did, by choosing thattroo[) 
 of which Gualter was captain, Picard ser-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 187 
 
 jeant, and Jellott corporal, together with 
 the half of another, with Belot its cor- 
 poral, the regiment being divided into 
 five troops of twenty men each. The 
 Major drew these men out as a picquet, 
 and formed them at the inner part of 
 the castle-gate. 
 
 Lady Falconridge had taken leave of 
 her lord and son j and as she was greatly 
 attached to the royal family, she felt less 
 at the separation, when coupling it with 
 the support of his Majesty. The Baron 
 mounted his sorrel crop, and formed the 
 regiment ; the drums beat, and the trum- 
 pets sounded a march ; the picquet dis- 
 charged their pistols as a salute, and 
 lowered their swords as Lord Falcon- 
 ridge and the troopers defiled out of the 
 court-yard. The household servants and 
 peasantry, (among the latter of w^hom 
 were the wives and children of many of 
 the troopers,) were assembled to see their 
 departure, and mixed tears and sorrow 
 with the shouts and rejoicings of their
 
 188 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 less interested, or less feeling com- 
 panions. 
 
 In a few minutes the regiment passed 
 behind the rocks, and disappeared ; and 
 Banner Cross, which had lately been a 
 little world of bustle and business, was 
 now a solitary desert. It is in some 
 measure necessary to explain to our 
 readers the reasons which operated upon 
 Lord Falconridge, to dispense with the 
 services of the Major, and to place in 
 garrison that officer, upon whose skill 
 alone he could positively depend ; and 
 they are shortly these. The very merit 
 of the Major had begot him enemies, as 
 merit will ever do ; and his knowledge 
 and discipline became in the eyes of those 
 who had benefited by his instructions, 
 crimes more deadly, than robbery or mur- 
 der, sacrilege or treason. Hence all the 
 officers in the regiment (except Captain 
 Gualter) entertained the greatest spite 
 and malice against his authority; and the 
 Baron, who greatly esteemed his person, 
 judged it scarcely safe that he should
 
 THE CAVALIER. 189 
 
 hazard himself in their company. More- 
 over, as he, by his unwearied pains and 
 diligence, had brought the regiment into 
 a state of perfect discipline, his presence 
 was the less required, especially consi- 
 dering that, although the officers hated 
 the Major, |and would not obey his com- 
 mands, yet they were entirely devoted 
 to Lord Falconridge and his son, with 
 whom they said they were ready to live 
 and die. Upon a consultation, therefore, 
 between the Baron and Spandyke, it was 
 resolved, (lest the service of his Majesty 
 should be prejudiced,) that he should re- 
 main at Banner Cross, with such a garri- 
 son as we have before stated ; and as 
 Captain Gualter was an honest and peace- 
 able man, and refused to join the cabals 
 against the Major, they agreed to make 
 choice of him as his lieutenant. The 
 hostile and military appearance of the 
 puritan peasantry, also warranted the 
 Baron in leaving a brave and experienced 
 officer as governor of that disturbed and 
 almost inaccessible district j and it ap-
 
 190 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 pears in the sequel, that the Major was 
 not sufficiently on his guard, and tliat his 
 over-confidence proved his ruin. 
 
 We shall now, in order to avoid singu- 
 larity, follow that excellent practice, 
 (marked out hy our fanciful predeces- 
 sors,) of sticking to our hero " as close 
 as wax." We shall, as his tutelary genius, 
 attend upon him through all his marches, 
 dangers, battles, and adventures, whether 
 (in imitation of Sir Launcelot of the 
 Lake) he ride a tilt against some black 
 knight (or black guard) of the Round- 
 heads ; or, like the Saracen Solyman, 
 choose to exercise the vigour of his arm 
 upon whole squadrons, we shall sit upon 
 his morion, as the ov/1 upon the helmet 
 of Minerva ; we shall add weight to his 
 sword, and communicate keenness to the 
 edge thereof; we shall support the mettle 
 of his charger, and render it matchless 
 in the tide of battle. AVith our assistance, 
 therefore, it is no wonder if Charles 
 Sydenham become the most intrepid sol- 
 dier, the most admirable commander, the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 191 
 
 most perfect gentleman, and to crown 
 all, the most gallant Cavalier, that ever 
 perilled lands and life for the unfortu- 
 nate yet amiable Charles the First. 
 
 Lord Falconridge and the troop pro- 
 ceeded by easy stages to Nottingham, 
 where they arrived on the evening of the 
 third day from their quitting Banner 
 Cross ; viz. on the 23d of August. They 
 there found his Majesty with a very small 
 suite, and a force not much greater ; for 
 although he had, by most of the nobility, 
 been promised aid, yet each held back, 
 w^ishing to note who of his brethren 
 would espouse the cause of his sovereign. 
 The parliament had declared all those 
 traitors v.ho should join his Majesty in 
 arms against itself; and the nobility were 
 fearful that if the King should be seconded 
 only by a few men of consequence, they, 
 to a certainty, would fall victims to their 
 loyalty in the event of his failure. 
 
 However, it was happy that all 1 is 
 friends were not actuated by these pru- 
 dential considerations ; and he was much
 
 19- THE CAVALIER. 
 
 pleased to see so respectable a nobleman 
 as Lord Falconridge, appear for him at- 
 tended with so gallant a troop. The Ba- 
 ron presented his son to the King, who 
 allowed our hero to kiss his hands, and 
 after complimenting him on his appear- 
 ance, he called his sons Prince Charles and 
 the Duke of York, who were pretty much 
 of his age, and with some ceremony in- 
 troduced Charles to them. 
 
 The King, with the advice of his friends, 
 having set up his standard, many of the 
 nobility flocked to him, and he then pro- 
 ceeded to Shrewsbury, in the hope of in- 
 creasing his army; by which measure, in 
 a short time, he was in sufficient force to 
 seek the army of the parliament, which, 
 commanded by the Earl of Essex, was 
 advancing upon him from London. Af- 
 ter some skirmishing, always favourable to 
 theCavaliers, andinwhichour herofleshed 
 his maiden sword, the King advanced 
 to Banbury, within six miles of the ene- 
 my's camp, which was at Keinton in War- 
 wic}\ shire. Since the wars of the Roses, 
 4
 
 THE CAVALIER. 193 
 
 this was the first time that two native 
 armies, regularly appointed and com- 
 manded, had met on terms of hostility ; 
 (for we can scarce call the tumultuary 
 forces assembled in the reigns of Henry 
 VII. and Elizabeth, armies 5) and those 
 troops which had been ever victorious 
 over every other nation, could find no 
 way to evince their courage but in cut- 
 ting the throats of each other. There is 
 an old and forcible saying, «< when Eng- 
 lishman meets Englishman then comes 
 the tug of w^ar," which speaks volumes 
 of their valour ; and indeed the history 
 of this country, and that of the surround- 
 ing nations, is a history merely of Eng- 
 land's triumphs, and England's invinci- 
 bility. 
 
 The victories of Cressy, of Poictiers, 
 of Azincour, of Flodden, are unmatched 
 in the battles of the middle ages 5 the lion 
 of England sat upon his throne, dreaded 
 by crouching Europe, scattering hope or 
 terror throughout the nations : to him 
 was addressed the language of concilia- 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 104i THE CAVALIER. 
 
 tory adulation, the language of the fear- 
 ful praying the protection of the mighty 
 ip war, 
 
 " O spes afflictis, timor hostibus, hostia victis, 
 Regula virtutis, juris via, forma salutis 
 Victore, servorum pia suscipe vota tuorum." 
 
 The 23d day of October, anno Domini 
 1642, will be a day ever remembered in 
 the annals of England ; not so much for 
 the magnitude of the battle which then 
 took place, or the carnage which ensued, 
 for they were neither extraordinary ; as 
 for its being the effectual commencement 
 of that parricidal war, which ended with 
 the destruction of king, and church, and 
 constitution. On the night of the 22d, 
 the King had received intelligence of the 
 enemy's approach from Prince Rupert, 
 in consequence of which, headvanced with 
 his horse to the top of Edge-hill early the 
 following morning. The greatest part 
 of it was wasted in marshalling the armies, 
 the foot of the King not having come up, 
 and it being impossible for the enemy to
 
 THE CAVALIER. 195 
 
 attack him without great disadvantage. 
 When the foot had arrived, and all 
 proper dispositions had been made, the 
 King commenced operations by a smart 
 cannonade, which was returned by the 
 Round-heads feebly and without effect 
 
 This state of things did not long con- 
 tinue ; it was not possible to restrain the 
 ardour of the troops, who burned with 
 desire to engage the enemy; the King 
 therefore moved from his camp, and ad- 
 vanced his infantry into the open field, 
 under cover of his artillery, and a body of 
 horse ; the Earl of Essex, whose troops 
 were much better provided, pushed his 
 advance forward to meet the infantrv, 
 and the action commenced on both sides 
 with true English intrepidity. The ene- 
 my's general, thinking to outflank and 
 cut off the King's foot, wheeled round 
 with his left division, consisting chiefly of 
 cuirassiers, and charged the infantry : his 
 design was penetrated by Prince Rupert, 
 who, forming the division under his com- 
 mand (of which Lord Falconridge*s regi- 
 K ^
 
 196 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 iiient was part,) cried out to his soldiers, 
 •* Now, gallant cavaliers, one charge for 
 the king and your mistresses' favour." 
 ** Guard your colours, Charles," cried 
 the brave old baron. Charles replied 
 only by waving his broad sword. The 
 Prince put himself at their head, and 
 clapping spurs to their steeds, they gal- 
 loped to the charge, setting up their battle- 
 cry, " King Charles and victory !" The 
 enemy's troopers could not sustain the 
 shock ; after a poor resistance, they 
 turned their horses, and fled for life, 
 followed by the Prince, who gave no 
 quarter; and indeed, more men fell in 
 this flight, than in all the battle besides. 
 In the mean time, the infantry had sus- 
 tained some loss, their general being mor,. 
 tally wounded -, and Sir Edmund Verney, 
 bearer of the royal standard, being slain 
 on the field, it fell into the hands of the 
 enemy : news of this disgrace was brought 
 to the Prince, as he and his division were 
 returning from the pursuit, and he en- 
 deavoured to engage his men to make 
 4
 
 THE CAVALIER. 197 
 
 another charge ; but their horses being 
 quite spent, and it being impossible, from 
 the weight of their arms, to act on foot, 
 such a measure was found impracticable. 
 However, Captain Smith, a man of infinite 
 valour, volunteered (if he could find any 
 one to second him) to peril his life on 
 the rescue of the standard ; and our hero, 
 preferring glory to all other consider- 
 ations, gave his own colours into the 
 hands of his Serjeant, and riding from the 
 ranks, pledged his honour to second hi*^ 
 to the death. Their horses were the 
 best in the division, and notwithstanding 
 the fatigues of the day, were still full of 
 mettle and vigour. They galloped off to 
 that part of the field, where the struggle 
 was hottest, and learned from several of 
 the officers, that the standard was in the 
 hands of the secretary of the Earl of 
 Essex. It was therefore necessary, to 
 fight their way through the throng of the 
 action, (the Earl having taken his station 
 in the rear of his troops,) which they 
 effected with great danger, and advanced 
 K 3
 
 198 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 upon the general himself, who was sur- 
 rounded by his aides-de-camp and body 
 guards ; our two heroes, in the ardour 
 of their courage, had neglected to 
 remove their scarves, by which they 
 were immediately known ; and the Earl, 
 thinking to have them sure, and not 
 knowing their purpose, ordered the 
 guard to open and inclose them ; this 
 order was obeyed, and the cavaliers 
 found themselves in a moment entirely 
 surrounded. However, this was not at 
 present their consideration ; they sought, 
 and quickly espied, the grand standard 
 of England in the hands of the secretary, 
 who sat on horseback, near the general, 
 unarmed. Charles rode up to him, and 
 pulled him by the throat upon the saddle- 
 bow, whilst Smith caught the standard, 
 and twisted it round his body. The 
 enemy were amazed at the madness of 
 this enterprise, and were scarcely reco- 
 vered from their admiration, when our 
 heroes attacked them : the Round-heads 
 dared not to use their fire-arms, lest the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 199 
 
 balls, glancing from the armour of the ca- 
 valiers, should do mischief to their own 
 men ; and were therefore constrained to 
 put the contest in issue with the broad- 
 sword J but so resolutely did the cava- 
 liers set upon them, such effectual use 
 did they make of their weapons, that, in 
 a few moments, they cleared their way 
 through the ring which surrounded them; 
 and, to the inexpressible shame and in- 
 dignation of their general, did a troop of 
 fifty cuirassiers suffer themselves to be 
 beaten by two unsupported cavaliers. 
 Our heroes made good their retreat, and 
 brought the standard to the King himself, 
 who knighted them on the field. 
 
 Shortly after, night parted the combat- 
 ants ; and although the losses were pretty 
 equal on both sides, and both armies re- 
 mained upon the field, yet, as the par- 
 liamentary army first withdrew from it, 
 and returned to Warwick, it must be ad- 
 judged that the King was the victor. 
 Charles, by this gallant exploit, acquired 
 not only the respect of his sovereign, and 
 K 4
 
 200 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 all his officers, in an eminent degree ; but 
 also became the idol of common soldiers, 
 who are ever fond of the marvellous, and 
 such actions as they have not souls to 
 undertake ; and although Captain Smith 
 shared with him in their favour, yet, as 
 our hero was of years so tender, and of 
 experience in war so limited, his part in 
 this glorious atchievement was esteemed 
 much the greater. Several of the officers 
 in his father's regiment (which had be- 
 haved with uncommon bravery) having 
 fallen, Charles was promoted to a cap- 
 taincy, to the great pride and satisfaction 
 of that troop placed under his command, 
 who assumed a separate badge (as tiie 
 young cavalier's own troop), with the 
 device of a falcon holding the thunder, 
 and the motto, ^^ d la mortJ* 
 
 It cannot be expected that we should 
 go through the regular detail of each 
 campaign between the King and parlia- 
 ment; it will, we trust, be found sufficient, 
 if we touch upon those leading events 
 which mark the changes of complexion 
 in the King's fortunes.
 
 THE cavalier: 201 
 
 After the battle of Edge-hill, the King 
 advanced to London, but was under the 
 necessity of retreating to Oxford, on ac- 
 count of the increase of the Round-head 
 forces. It is pretty well known that at 
 this city the King held his court during 
 the time each party was in winter quar- 
 ters ; and here our hero, spending his 
 time in the first society, acquired that 
 polish of manners, for which he was ever 
 after highly remarkable. He here also 
 added much to his military education, 
 for he became intimately acquainted with 
 the old Earl of Brentford, who, notwith- 
 standing his infirmities, was even then 
 one of the best generals of the age, and 
 who, esteeming Charles for his valour, 
 took a pleasure in communicating to him 
 that knowledge, which it had been the 
 business of his whole life practically to 
 acquire. 
 
 In the celebrated fight on Roundway 
 
 Down, our hero bore a considerable part. 
 
 The Baron being unwell at the time, 
 
 assistance was sent for to Oxford by the 
 
 K 5
 
 202 THE CAVALIEK. 
 
 western army, then blocked up at the 
 Devizes by Sir William Waller ; all the 
 officers of the regiment requested that 
 Charles would take the place of his 
 father, without regard to seniority ; 
 which, although unwilling to do, yet it 
 was so warmly pressed by them, that he 
 at length consented, and set off for the 
 place of action under, the command of 
 Lord Wllmot. 
 
 Being the advance of the division, 
 Captain Sydenham came upon the Down 
 with no expectation of fighting, but 
 found the enemy*s horse drawn up to re- 
 ceive him, and amounting to twenty 
 times his force. However, it was too 
 late to retreat ; and therefore putting a 
 good face upon the matter, as if the 
 whole division was at his heels to second 
 him, he formed his troop, and setting up 
 their cry, *' Falconridge for ever !" he 
 led them upon the enemy. His boldness 
 proved his safety ; for the enemy, sup- 
 posing his rescue near, feared to stir 
 from their positions, so that he had lei-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 203 
 
 sure to attack one troop after another, 
 and had put the whole body into confu- 
 sion, when the cavaliers appeared in 
 reality. Wilmot formed his men at the 
 opening of the Down, and dashed upon 
 the Round-head squadrons, who, al- 
 ready disturbed by Captain Sydenham's 
 attack, were quickly and easily discom- 
 fited, making (as the French at Guine- 
 gate) more use of their spurs than their 
 swords. 
 
 The infantry, under Waller's com- 
 mand, were, at the same moment, at- 
 tacked by the troops from the Devizes, 
 (who w^ere hastening to join Lord Wil- 
 mot), and, panic-struck with the defeat 
 of their cavalry, after a short opposition, 
 threw down their arms and fled. 
 
 They were followed by the cavaliers 
 with great execution ; and Wilmot, 
 having performed the requisite ser- 
 vice, returned to Oxford, and made so 
 gracious a report of Captain Sydenham's 
 service, that he received the personal 
 thanks of his Majesty. Lord Falcon- 
 K 6
 
 204" THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ridge, being now in years, was persuaded 
 by the King to devolve his command en- 
 tirely upon his son ; and our hero at 
 length became a colonel in the army. 
 
 The capture of Bristol by Prince Ru- 
 pert, a short time after the battle of 
 Iloundway Down, and some other suc- 
 cesses in the close of the campaign of 
 1643, put the whole of the country, from 
 Oxford to Berwick, into the hands of the 
 King, with the exception of Hull, Glou- 
 cester, and some few castles in the 
 north. In Derbyshire and Cheshire, all 
 the regular fortresses were in the hands 
 of the cavaliers, except that of AVibber- 
 ley, near Stockport in Cheshire : and it 
 was therefore resolved that Colonel Sy- 
 denham should march thither, in the be- 
 ginning of the next campaign, to re- 
 duce it, its garrison being troublesome to 
 the neighbouring country. Sydenham 
 was chosen for this service, from the 
 knov;n interest of the Baron in those 
 counties, and from the expectation that 
 he would be more likely than any other
 
 THE CAVALIER. 205 
 
 officer to retain the people in their obe- 
 dience and loyalty. He was made co- 
 lonel of division, with a regiment of in- 
 fantry and a brigade of artillery added to 
 his own of horse ; and with these troops 
 the Baron and he marched from Oxford, 
 on their way to Cheshire. 
 
 On the seventh day of their march, 
 they reached the town of Stockport, 
 where they halted for the night, and 
 the following morning advanced upon 
 Wibberley. The road, uneven, but ro- 
 mantically beautiful, now winded amongst 
 gently-swelling hills, and then descended 
 into well-cultivated and fertile valleys. 
 Nature seemed here (notwithstanding the 
 havoc and horrors of war) smiling amid 
 peace and plenty. The advanced guard 
 of the division had marched about three 
 miles from Stockport, when a turn of the 
 road presented to them the entrance to 
 Wibberley Chase, an extent of ground 
 surrounding the castle for some miles, 
 planted with forest-trees, and intersected 
 by the serpentine windings of the river
 
 ^205 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Mersey, over ^vhich, in many places, 
 bridges of wood had been thrown for 
 convenience of hunting. There was a 
 lodge at the gate of entrance, where was 
 stationed a small picquct of the enemy ; 
 but as the advance moved up, they re- 
 treated towards the castle by a horse-path, 
 which made a detour to the left, and 
 crossing the river, brought tliem by an 
 even road to the front of the castle. 
 The advance took possession of the 
 Lodge, and halted until the arrival of 
 the main body, which moved forward 
 in the track of the enemy's picquet, and 
 in a short time came before Wibberley. 
 
 The castle, which, from its appear- 
 ance of antiquity, one might judge had 
 been erected in the turbulent reign of 
 Stephen, derived nothing of its strength 
 from situation ; for although there were 
 no hills in the vicinity of such an eleva- 
 tion as could properly be said to com- 
 mand it, yet it had no natural protection 
 except in front, where the river, pur- 
 suing a partial course for half the length
 
 THE CAVALIER. 20? 
 
 of the castle, filled a broad and deep 
 grafF or fosse which surrounded it. 
 
 The castle consisted of four round 
 towers, of unusual strength and solidity, 
 which, being connected with^ each other 
 by embattled walls of stupendous height 
 and thickness, formed in the midst a 
 square or basse cour sufficiently large for 
 the exercise of two or three hundred 
 horse. The towers flanking the front 
 were again joined by means of an em- 
 brasure or parapet erected over the por- 
 tal, so as to command the draw-bridge, 
 which extended, when lowered, to the 
 further bank of the river. A door from 
 each turret opened upon the battlemeat, 
 and gave the besieged an opportunity of 
 greatly annoying their assailants, even 
 should they be successful in attacking 
 the bridge. A tremendous portcullis de- 
 pended from the lower part of the para- 
 pet, which, though generally used as a 
 barricado to the portal, might in a mo- 
 ment be raised, so as to form a curtain 
 to the lower battlement. Arrows-slits in
 
 208 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 the towers (for in front there were no 
 windows) served, in time of need, for the 
 purpose of discharging small arms; and at 
 the commencement of the troubles, the 
 battlements had been plentifully supplied 
 with cannon, the castle with arms and 
 ammunition, and provender for man and 
 horse, and the greatest pains taken to 
 render it fully competent to sustain a 
 long and severe siege. 
 
 Colonel Sydenham resolved, before 
 he broke ground, to summon the gar- 
 rison ; and to that end, sent an officer, 
 attended by a trumpet, to the castle. 
 Lieutenant William Armstrong, a Scotch- 
 man of great valour, had seen consider- 
 able service abroad, and was perfectly 
 well acquainted with all the etiquette of 
 warfare. He was selected by the Colonel 
 for this service, and undertook it with 
 great alacrity, being one of the Puritans' 
 most resolved enemies, lie advanced to 
 the graff, and the trumpet blew a parley. 
 After a formal challenge, the draw-bridge 
 was lowered, and he was admitted j the
 
 THE CAVAMER. 209 
 
 Round-heads taking sufficient care to 
 re-hoist the bridge. Passing through the 
 portal, he entered the court, where he 
 found the commandant, Captain Pure- 
 foy, a zealous puritan, attended by his 
 officers, and the troop of horse which had 
 fled from the Lodge. 
 
 The governor received Armstrong 
 as stiff as buckram, who internally laugh- 
 ed at his grotesque appearance. Pure- 
 foy was certainly of kin to the renowned 
 knight of La Mancha; for, body, armour, 
 and all, he scarcely appeared stouter 
 (to use an old saying) «' than a country 
 whipping-post." His height was above 
 the common size, and his countenance, 
 although compressed into gravity and 
 staid humility, by changes, evinced the 
 haughtiness and self-sufficiency of a little 
 soul ; his armour was as plain as that of 
 his private comrades, and he did not even 
 wear an iron crest on his head-piece. He 
 supported himself with a pike, which 
 also served him as a truncheon, and with 
 which, in a way not over polite, he in-
 
 '^10 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ilicated to his officers his wishes and 
 commands. Armstrong, who was too 
 apt to let the hidicrous prevail over the 
 prudent, in his warm imagination, after 
 making his obedience with great formal- 
 ity, (although he received no return from 
 tlie puritans,) in a hesitating manner, 
 said, ** Please your excellency, arc the 
 prayers over ?" 
 
 ** What meaneth the jester ?" replied 
 Purefoy, gathering his brow at this ques- 
 tion. 
 
 " Oh ! naething, naething ; only I ken 
 it's no yer practice to do beesness, untU 
 ye've said your orisons.'* 
 
 " Orisons ! do ye take us for papists?" 
 
 ** God forbid ; that were to do ae 
 thing at vvhilk my heart revolts," 
 
 ** Do your errand, and begone." 
 
 The Scotsman's eye kindled, but he 
 quickly recovered himself; " My bid- 
 ding here, captain, — " 
 
 " Governor," siiid Purefoy, proudly. 
 
 " Well, deil take it mon, governor; 
 my bidding here is to summon ye to
 
 THE CAVALIER. 211 
 
 surrender, for the avoidance o' bleid 
 shedding." 
 
 " Who is your commander ?" 
 
 " Colonel Sydenham." 
 
 *« That child of perdition !" 
 
 " That child of war ! that gallant 
 spirit, wha routed 500 o'yer general's body* 
 guard on the field at Keinton. He will 
 gie ye yer lives, an ye will lay down yer 
 arms, an' submit till his mercy." 
 
 " And doth he truly make this magni- 
 ficent proposal? will he really give life 
 and limb to a force in garrison, equal to 
 his own, or nigh, and better provided 
 wdth a house of refuge, as this strong 
 hold ? Tell thy commander, that Elijah 
 Purefoy smiled, when the first blow in 
 this glorious contest was stricken ; tell 
 him that I smile now ; his folly inciteth 
 me, and I may not resist ; tell him more- 
 over, and I swear by the holy prophet 
 whose name I bear, that I will answer it, 
 that whilst the Lord doth not abandon us, 
 and we have a man left to work a saker; 
 whilst we have a pound of biscuit, or a
 
 ^212 THE CAVALIKR. 
 
 pound of ammunition in our store; whilst 
 this castle remaineth over our heads, 
 and wc have strength to stand to our 
 arms, we will keep the fortress. There 
 can he no agreement hetween Christ and 
 Belial : we are ibr the Lord against An- 
 tichrist : we are buckler'd with the shield 
 of David — what should we fear from 
 the Philistines ?*' 
 
 ** Nay, but captain !" said the lieuten- 
 ant, interrupting his harangue, ** Captain 
 Purefoy !" 
 
 ** Governor. " 
 
 ** AVeel, governor ; we are neither An- 
 tichrist nor Belial ; nor, spite o' my ob- 
 servation, can I discern the shield of 
 David J peradventure ye may lia'e it in 
 the interior. But say what ye list, it 
 striketh me that yer buckler will stand 
 ye i' leetle stead against the arm of that 
 warrior, who hath redeemed the King's 
 honour underneath yer gcncraPs nose." 
 
 "Away, thou scotfer! away, thou child of 
 impiety !" cried Purefoy. " Avoid! Con- 
 duct him, lest we incur the Lord's an-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 213 
 
 ger by hearkening to his blasphemies — 
 away !" 
 
 Tlie governor was hastening to the 
 opposite side of tlie court, when Arm- 
 strong called after him. " But, my lord ! 
 your excellency ! Governor Purefoy !'* 
 
 These titles, artfully used by the wily 
 Scotsman, made the puritan, notwith- 
 standing his pretended humility, turn 
 upon his heel, w^hen Armstrong bowing 
 low, he returned. 
 
 " What is your pleasure ?" said Pure- 
 foy. 
 
 " I merely wish to learn what is your 
 excess o' strength, the weight o' yer me- 
 tal, an' the extent o' your ammunition, 
 an' provision stores ; your number o' 
 horses, an' a' ither information ye ma' 
 be pleased to gi'e me?" 
 
 Purefoy was sensibly enraged at this 
 bite, and grinding his teeth, said bit- 
 terly : " Ye're the devil's own son ; his 
 proper and matchless infant. Let me not 
 meet with thee in your intended leaguer ; 
 or the stinking puddle which runs in thy
 
 214' THE CAVALIER. 
 
 veins will I let out, and thy blacken'd 
 soul will I send to its infernal parent." 
 
 Armstrong laughed. — "I shall be 
 happy to ha*e ae bout wi' yer excellency, 
 whenever yer excellency may feel dis- 
 posed to honour me wi' your excellency's 
 comi^ands. Till then," bowing, **Iam 
 yer excellency's very humble," bowing, 
 ** an' obliged servant. Good morning. 
 Captain Purefoy." 
 
 ** Governor, sirrah.'* 
 
 Armstrong then returned to the Colo- 
 nel, and gave him an account of* his re- 
 ception, and of the enemy's determina- 
 tion to abide a siege. Sydenham called 
 a council of his officers, when it was re- 
 solved to open their trenches before the 
 castle, and commence a regular attack, 
 the place being too strong to be taken by 
 a coup-de-main. 
 
 He formed an intrenched camp at a 
 short distance, having an earthen breast- 
 work in front, to cover them from the 
 fire of the besieged, and raised two small 
 batteries of cannon, with which it was
 
 THE CAVALIER. 515 
 
 expected they would be able to make a 
 breach in a few days. 
 
 The Baron resolved, in the expecta- 
 tion of the castle's reduction in the course 
 of a week, to wait the issue; but sent a 
 trooper on to Banner Cross, distant only 
 about fourteen miles, to inform Lady Fal- 
 conridge of his arrival in Cheshire, and 
 that he should take advantage of the con- 
 clusion of this service, to visit the castle.
 
 216 THE CAVALIEK. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 O conspirac. ! 
 Sham'bt thou to shew thy dangerous brow by night. 
 When evils are most free? then, by day, 
 "Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough 
 To mask thy monstrous visage ? 
 
 BnUus, 
 
 We must now return to a scene, where* 
 though on a smaller scale, the conflicting 
 parties exerted all the malice their reli- 
 gious bigotry could engender, and all 
 the strength that malice could supply. 
 The war between the King and Parlia- 
 ment was certainly a war of religion ; 
 the episcopalians preached a croisade 
 against the puritans, and tlie puritans in 
 return denounced the churchmen, and, 
 as he was of that party, the King. The 
 contest, moreover, was carried on with 
 true religious cruelty. It seemed as if 
 some of the old campaigns against the
 
 THE CAVALIER. SI? 
 
 Albigenses or Hussites were renewed in 
 England ; for in more than one action 
 no quarter was given, and it was Crom- 
 well's notorious practice, never to sit 
 down before a place of strength, but to 
 carry it by storm, and put the inhabitants 
 to the sword. 
 
 Pudet haec opprobria nobis, 
 
 Et dici potuisse, et non potuisse refelli. 
 
 It was not entirely, as we have been 
 led to imagine, the fondness of Charles 
 for exerting his prerogative, nor even 
 his most arbitrary proceedings, which, 
 caused the rebellion ; but the increase 
 and enthusiasm of the puritans, which, 
 like an alpine torrent, loosened and over- 
 toppled the constitutional avalanche. So 
 wild and visionary were the tenets, with 
 which some of the most prudent among 
 the parliamentarian dictators were in- 
 spired, that it is said Sir Harry Vane, a 
 man of consummate skill in worldly mat- 
 ters, believed in the actual reign of saints, 
 and fancied himself their appointed ruler 
 for the space of one thousand years. — 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 S18 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 What wonder is it then, if the first and 
 cleverest men in the nation suffered them- 
 selves to be the dupes of theories so fan- 
 tastical, that the lower classes, without 
 those lights, and that knowledge, which 
 should have bred in their rulers better 
 reasonings, gave themselves up to the 
 supreme dominion of enthusiastic and 
 ridiculous imaginations. All human su- 
 premacy was, shortly after the battle of" 
 Naseby, absolutely disclaimed ; and that 
 prime wizard who had raised the storm, 
 found it less difficult to excite, than to 
 quell. It had long been the puritanical, 
 or saintly fashion, to reject the old hea- 
 thenish names, and in their places to 
 adopt more evangelical ones from scrip- 
 ture; but now it became the practice to 
 praeposit the surname, a whole sentence, 
 long or short, according to the fancy of 
 the person adopting it. These novelties 
 were communicated to the puritans of 
 the Derby Hills, by a saintly minister of 
 the name of Windyman, who arrived 
 in that country from the metropolis, a
 
 THE CAVALIER. 219 
 
 few days antecedent to Colonel Syden- 
 ham's encampment before Wibberley, — 
 He had formerly been called Gehazi 
 Windyman, but fancying that name not 
 sufficiently sanctified, he discarded it, 
 and took the sentence " Never-lack in 
 God*s praise," as a more christian appel- 
 lation. His appearance, however, was 
 not so puritanical as he could have wished ; 
 for he was round and tunbellied, with 
 good rosy gills, and had that sort of a 
 jewelled nose, which would have caused 
 any person unacquainted with his pastoral 
 calling, to have pronounced him a toper. 
 Mr. Abel White, who was then in Lon- 
 don, and had gone over from the pres- 
 byterians to the independents, had re- 
 commended this second Paul to preach 
 salvation to the inhabitants of the wilder- 
 ness, and had given him a letter of intro- 
 duction to Snell, at whose cottage, con- 
 ducted by a guide from the Castle Town, 
 he arrived in the close of the evening, 
 and was received with honour and wel- 
 come. Old Solomon, who was, at the 
 L 2
 
 -220 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 time of his arrival, in close conference 
 with many of the elders, led him to his 
 own seat, and ordered refreshments ; but 
 with a self-denying air, he motioned a 
 refusal, and looking round, said, "Let us 
 pray." He then knelt down, in which 
 ceremony he was accompanied by those 
 present, and with great volubility, and 
 vociferation, he thus proceeded : " Thou 
 hast brought us in peace through the 
 snares, which our enemies have laid for 
 us ; and hast conducted us in safety, 
 unto the seats of the righteous : our bre- 
 thren that abide in the cities of our ene- 
 mies, cry aloud each of them, woe is me, 
 that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in 
 the tents of Kedar : my soul is athirst for 
 the society of saints ; yea, I was faint 
 for the company of the faithful, and am 
 sick unto death for food for my soul : ac- 
 cept us, we beseech Thee, and give us to 
 walk in the light, as Thou art in the light ; 
 Thou it is, who enlightenest our black- 
 ness, our darkness ; Thou givest us to 
 sec the light, in thy light ; one beam in
 
 THE CAVALIER. 2^1 
 
 a dark place hath exceeding much re- 
 freshment in it; it streameth like a 
 bright meteor upon our understandings, 
 and we are wonderfully enlightened. — 
 When we think of Thee, what are we ? 
 Oh ! thy mercy to the whole society of 
 saints; despised, jeered saints: Let them 
 mock on, would we were all saints: The 
 best of us, thou knowest, are but poor 
 weak saints, yet saints ; if not sheep, yet 
 lambs, and must be fed. Prosper us, 
 and hasten thine advent, we beseech 
 thee : Scatter thine and our enemies : 
 Send forth thy lightenings and thy thun- 
 derbolts, saying. Go, ye swift destroyers, 
 to a nation scattered and peeled ; to a 
 people, terrible from their beginning 
 hitherto ; a nation rooted out, and trod-" 
 den down, whose lands the rivers have 
 spoiled. Let us trust to the sword of the 
 Spirit, which is thy word ; which is 
 powerful to bring down strong holds, and 
 every imagination that exalts itself ; 
 which alone is able to fit and square the 
 stones for the new Jerusalem ; which, if 
 L 3
 
 22€ THE CAVALIER* 
 
 we do faithfully, and steadfastly, then, 
 and by that means, and no other, shall 
 Jerusalem, which is to be the praise of 
 the whole earth, thy city, be built, the 
 lion of the Holy One of Israel : Watch 
 over us, and protect us ; teach us to call 
 upon thy name, and with thee to be fa- 
 miliar in prayer: for Jesus' sake, I will 
 not hold my tongue ; for Jerusalem's 
 sake, I will notj till the righteousness 
 thereof break forth as the light ; till the 
 sun of salvation rest upon our sanctuary : 
 Peace be within these walls." 
 
 He then rose, and took his seat at the 
 table : the elders did the like. 
 
 " Now, neighbour," said Windyman, 
 " ye may bring forth your store of carnal 
 victual." 
 
 Snell obeyed ; but supplied the table, 
 not only with carnal but vegetable vic- 
 tual, and a flaggon of mountain ale, at 
 which the saint's eyes seemed to sparkle. 
 When the table was provided, and the 
 elders, with Snell, had sat down, Mr. 
 Windyman again exerted himself in a
 
 THE CAVALIER. 223 
 
 grace and blessing, not much shorter 
 than his prayer, very much to the edifi- 
 cation of his auditors, who fancied John 
 was again come upon earth, and blessed 
 them with his eloquence. " Are ye 
 many, in this wild country ?" said the 
 pastor, when he could relax his jaws for 
 a moment ; " do the faithful increase 
 among ye ?" 
 
 " We be so many," replied Solomon, 
 " that we may muster two hundred bre- 
 thren with a wind o' the trumpet." 
 
 " Then why are ye not stirring ? What 
 saint would sit still, when the Lord's ser- 
 vice needed his helping hand ?" 
 
 " Listen, most reverend brother j thus 
 it is : our lord immediate, the Baron Fal- 
 conridge, though a' ways rankly a pre- 
 latist, and enemy o* the puritans, hath 
 ever been a kind master, and humane 
 ruler ; he hath fed the hungry, and 
 clothed the naked, sheltered the house- 
 less, and administered to the sick: his 
 name is blessed throughout the country, 
 and his worth hath retained our hands." 
 L i<
 
 ^24 THE CAVALIEK. 
 
 The preacher drew back in affright, 
 surveying Snell with one of those stares, 
 which indicate a contemptuous astonish- 
 ment ; and when Solomon had ended, 
 burst upon him like a clap of thunder. 
 " Away with your sickening loyalty ! 
 Away with your perverse, and foolish, 
 and superstitious reverence ! I tell ye 
 from heaven, that your lord is a deceiver ! 
 a hypocrite ! an enemy of the Omnipo- 
 tent 1 I tell ye that all those who assist 
 not, to their uttermost strength, in this 
 glorious and pious contest, are execrable 
 to all eternity ! I tell ye that the town, 
 the city, the county, which doth not 
 accede to the revolt, will perish by di- 
 vine vengeance ! What are the princes of 
 the land and the rulers thereof? They 
 are traitors ! they have ever deceived 
 both God and man ! and with them who 
 shall keep faith? Away then, my brethren, 
 with your doubts, and your scruples ! 
 put forth all your might, to the work in 
 hand : the reign of kings is departed : 
 thus saith the Lord, write ye tliis man
 
 THE CAVALIER. 2^5 
 
 childless ; a man that shall not prosper 
 in his days 5 for no man of his seed shall 
 prosper, sitting upon the throne of 
 David, and ruling any more in Judah ; 
 and if the tree must fall, and who shall 
 gainsay the word of God, what shall sup- 
 port the branches? I will prepare de- 
 stroyers against thee, every one with his 
 weapons, and they shall cut down thy 
 choice cedars, and cast them into the 
 fire. Thus saith the Holy One ; thus doth 
 He command, to the saints of his taber- 
 nacle, and the flock of his fold ; are ye 
 saints, and can resist ? are ye His, and can 
 withstand his commandment ? Verily it 
 is said, that a man leaving his father and 
 his mother, shall cleave unto his wife ; 
 what then, shall not ye, quitting your 
 lord, cleave unto another, and a greater 
 lord, the Lord of Hosts ?' 
 
 ** We will, we will," cried the elders, 
 groaning in the spirit. 
 
 The holy man swallowed a horn of ale, 
 and thus 'proceeded : «* It is no wonder, 
 when the Lord hath lift up his hand so 
 L 5
 
 226 THi: CAVALIEH* 
 
 eminently against kings, as he hath done, 
 and men will not see his hand, if he 
 hide his face from such, putting them to 
 shame, both for it, and their negligence 
 and backwardness in his service : thus 
 saith theLord,feed the flock of the slaugh- 
 ter, whose possessors slay them, and hold 
 themselves not guilty ; and they that sell 
 them, say. Blessed be the Lord, for I am 
 rich ; and their shepherds pity them not. 
 Awake, arise, brethren and saints ; ye 
 may now accomplish your temporal and 
 eternal salvation ; be stedfast in faith ; 
 be active in principle ; I warn ye against 
 lukewarmness ; the Lord will have your 
 Avhole heart, or not at all." 
 
 It is not possible to do justice to this 
 harangue, accompanied, as it was, by the 
 manner of the speaker : his voice rose and 
 fell, to suit his subject-matter, in modulated 
 cadence; and the close of each sentence 
 was accompanied by the elders with a re- 
 gular chorus of groaning. Solomon Snell, 
 who hitherto had been counted as some- 
 thing of an orator, was now quite ruined
 
 THE CAVALIER. 2^7 
 
 in the estimation of his brethren, who 
 beheld with wonder the man, to whom 
 
 dedit ore rotundo 
 
 Musa loqui. 
 
 HoR. Ar. Poet, lines 325 & 324. 
 
 Mr. Never-lack soon observed the awe 
 and reverence which his eloquence had 
 gained him ; and sustained it, by assum- 
 ing a look and manner of great import- 
 ance. " It is the duty of each faithful 
 shepherd, to send forth his warning voice 
 among his flock ; lest the wolf come 
 among them, and they be devoured : 
 Woe be to the shepherds, that do feed 
 themselves : should they not feed the 
 flocks ? Wretched, and vile, and unwor- 
 thy of the crown of glory, were that 
 pastor, who feared aught in promoting 
 the great work : slave were he to his 
 most unworthy passion, the passion of 
 fear, who dare not hazard life, and limb, 
 and worldly honour, for the furthering 
 and establishing the reign of Jesus on 
 earth. Oh ! my brethren, there is a fate 
 upon us J the meanest here shall inherit 
 L 6
 
 €28 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 whole kingdoms, under the universal 
 sway of our Lord and Master : Who 
 then can fear ? Are we not immortal ?" 
 At this moment, the old signal for 
 assembling, (three winds on a bugle,) 
 was heard as distinctly, as if it had been 
 at the cottage-door ; and Windyman fan- 
 cying it was a hostile trumpet, turned 
 pale, and cried " The cavaliers !" He was 
 scarcely re-assured, by the explanation 
 of Solomon Snell, when Jonathan, the 
 elder's grandson, entered the cottage. 
 He was armed with back and breast 
 pieces, and a light scull cap, fastened 
 imder his chin with a leathern thong : 
 his offensive arms were a pike, which he 
 held in his hand ; a long broad sword, 
 depending from his side ; and a pair of 
 pistols stuck in his girdle ; with a bugle 
 horn slung across his shoulder ; making 
 an appearance altogether desperate and 
 ferocious. His entrance again startled the 
 shepherd, who could with difficulty be- 
 lieve Jonathan to be one of his lambs ; 
 he rather seemed the wolf, mentioned in
 
 THE CAVALIER. 229 
 
 his last speech. His grandfather having 
 acquainted him with the pastor's name 
 and quality, Jonathan removed his skull, 
 and took his stand behind Mr. Windy- 
 man, not presuming to sit in the presence 
 of the eldership. 
 
 " It shameth me to hear, young man,'' 
 said the preacher, " that although ye are 
 gathered together, each man girt with 
 his sword, and bending his bow and spear, 
 yet unblest by faith and confidence, ye 
 fear — " 
 
 " Fear!" interrupted Jonathan proud- 
 ly, ** does the lion stalking in the desert 
 fear ? Does the young eagle that scents 
 blood fear ? Does — " 
 
 " I prithee," interrupted Never-lack in 
 his turn, " be not so hasty and impatient : 
 I see the discipline of religious observ- 
 ances hath no power over the intemper- 
 ance of thy youth ; but I chide not ; 
 listen I These good elders have indi- 
 cated unto me, that at the sound of the 
 trump ye can raise two hundred men." 
 
 Jonathan nodded.
 
 S30 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " And why," continued Windyman, 
 " have ye for nought numbered your 
 men of war ? Why have ye girded on your 
 arms, and clapped harness on your backs, 
 if ye may not be put to proof? Is there 
 not the strong hold of a malignant lord 
 nigh at hand ? And are ye but swash- 
 bucklers that dare not go up unto it." 
 
 " Than my brethren in arms," replied 
 Jonathan, ** better men and bolder live 
 not : fain would they, and gladly, assault 
 Banner Cross ; and I, of all, would lay 
 that proud fortress in ashes, were its 
 smoking ruins my bed of death : but 
 these elders know we were controlled ; 
 the banner still floats on the tower, but 
 it floats there with the will of the elder- 
 ship." 
 
 " Ye speak rashly, Jonathan," cried his 
 grandfather; *' the tower might ha' stood, 
 though ye had sought its fa'. 
 
 ** Had ye, fathers, said the word," re- 
 plied Jonathan, ** that castle, which 
 stands so proudly, lording it o'er the 
 dale, would but now shew a wreck of its 
 2
 
 THE CAVALIER* ^Sl 
 
 having stood on the rock : we would 
 have fired the Arminian fortress, and 
 scattered its ashes to the four winds of 
 heaven. On you be the blame 5 our 
 hearts were firm." 
 
 " But listen, ye man o' passion," cried 
 his grandsire ; " do ye hold the garrison 
 for nought ? and do ye think lightly o* 
 taking a place reckoned above caption, 
 commanded by a captain o' vast experi- 
 ence, an' fortified regularly wi' cannon 
 bastions ?" 
 
 ** Talk not, think not of the arm of 
 flesh," said Windyman : <* the sword of 
 the spirit, as I have told ye, is powerful 
 to bring down the strong holds of the 
 malignant : put faith in it, and ye shall 
 overcome all impediments." 
 
 " If faith be courage, we lacked it 
 not," replied Jonathan : " the garrison, 
 and its captain, their cannon, and de- 
 fences, must have yielded to the strength 
 of our hands, and the bravery of our 
 hearts : they might have resisted, but a 
 fate was upon 'em.." —
 
 232 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " An ye might win the castle then, yc 
 may do it now," said an elder. 
 
 Jonathan eyed him keenly for a mo- 
 ment, and then said, ** Do you mean good 
 faith in that you utter?" 
 
 " Ay, truly," replied the old man. 
 
 *' Why then, fathers," cried he, starting 
 up, and standing in the midst of them, like 
 the arch fiend, with his eyes burning, and 
 his hand grasping his pike with desperation, 
 " ye say truly, we may) win the castle 
 now ; its existence is this moment in my 
 hands : say the word, and though I pe- 
 rish with it, this night shall see its ashes 
 quenched in blood ; this night shall see 
 such a bonfire kindled on the Peak Cliffy 
 as shall light all the hills of Derby." 
 
 " What mean ye ?" said his grand- 
 father: "hath the fiend, or the grey wo- 
 man possessed him ? Jonathan, expound 
 thy riddle." 
 
 " Neither fiend nor fairy, demon nor 
 devil, ghost nor grey woman, lends me 
 help or hand ; but by my hope of ven- 
 geance, I speak true and trustily.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 233 
 
 *' Expound, explain," said Mr. Win- 
 dy man, rather impatiently. 
 
 " I have pledged my troth on secresy, 
 and my word cannot be broken ; but I 
 will find you an expositor more able than 
 I am.'' 
 
 He went to the cottage-door, and blew 
 three blasts on his bugle. 
 
 ** That note will scare the heron from 
 his nest, and rouse the deer on the Churn 
 of Chinley," said he, returning. 
 
 ** Woe the while,'' said Windyman, ap- 
 parently alarmed at the company he had 
 got amongst, " that poor sheep should be 
 straitened to wear the skin of the wolf for 
 protection." 
 
 The cottage-door opened, and a man, 
 armed with sword and pistols, entered 
 the cottage. 
 
 " Welcome, Ralph !" said Jonathan to 
 Jellott, for it was the corporal himself ; 
 " welcome to the heron's nest ; the birds 
 are now fledg'd, and only need a con- 
 ductor to bend their wings against the 
 sun."
 
 234 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " Are ye friend or foe, corporal Jel- 
 lott ?'* said old Solomon in astonishment. 
 
 ** Would a foe seek shelter in the lion's 
 mouth?'* replied Jonathan : "he's as firm 
 and forward in the good cause, as any 
 man here : I answer for him, soul and 
 body." 
 
 ** Speak for yourself, soldier," said 
 Windyman cautiously ; "what cause have 
 ye for your desertion ?" 
 
 " Desertion !" replied the corporal : " I 
 dinna desert ; little profit would I reap 
 from that ; I have been wronged villan- 
 ously, and I seek revenge." 
 
 " Hath the malignant lord wronged 
 you ?" said the preacher. 
 
 " No matter, mayster ; his major has, 
 and it's all one." 
 
 " What are your grievances ?" 
 
 " Dinna madden me to tell them : he 
 has set over me a fause French papist ; 
 he has disgraced me in the guard-room, 
 and reversed my arms ; he has heaped 
 shame on my head, and toil upon my 
 shoulders, without strike or stint ; and I
 
 THE CAVALIER. 235 
 
 swear by the Lone End witch, I will re* 
 pay him, without meet or measure." 
 
 ** What have ye resolved on ?'* 
 
 "Are ye here all sworn and banded 
 friends ?" 
 
 "To the death,'* cried Jonathan j "pro- 
 ceed." 
 
 " Few of ye, if any, know, that there 
 is a passage cut through the rock, from 
 the castle to the Peak cavern." 
 
 " Who asserts it ?" said Solomon. 
 
 " I do," replied Jellott ; " none of the 
 household servants know it, the Baron 
 being fearful it should be blown abroad : 
 but each night it is straitly guarded by 
 two soldiers." 
 
 " And through this pass," said Windy- 
 man, " I conceive it to be your intention 
 to admit our brethren." 
 
 " Ay; and they may murder the whole 
 troop in their beds, and fire the castle, 
 before it be known who are the enemy." 
 
 " Ay, ay," said Windyman, " this is 
 glorious ; this is a sanctification ; this 15 
 as it should be j 1 say unto ye, spare notj
 
 ^SG THE CAVALIER. 
 
 but root out that Antichristian and Baby- 
 lonish sect; that malignant party, which 
 say of Jerusalem, down with it to the 
 ground. Cut off those w^orkers of iniqui- 
 ty ; those facinorous papists ; those wor- 
 shippers of Antichrist ; whose religion is 
 rebellion, whose faith is faction, whose 
 practice is murdering both body and soul. 
 Let them be plucked up root and branch, 
 as plants, which the Lord hath not plant- 
 ed ; let them be utterly destroyed, as the 
 tares, which are a poison to the good and 
 wholesome crops of wheat. Spare not, 
 I command ye, for fear nor favour, friend- 
 ship nor affection ; they are all spawns of 
 the arch fiend ; the best of them is as a 
 brier ; the most upright is sharper than 
 a thorn-hedge ; the day of thy watchmen 
 and thy visitation cometh ; now shall be 
 their perplexity." 
 
 " The Lord hath given them over,'' 
 said old Solomon, " he hath abandoned 
 them to the spoiler ; the young lions roar 
 upon them, and yell, and they make their
 
 THE CAVALIER. 237 
 
 lands waste j their cities they burn with- 
 out inhabitant." 
 
 ** Behold a whirlwind of the Lord is 
 gone forth in fury," said Never-lack, con- 
 tinuing the denunciation, " even a griev- 
 ous whirlwind j it shall fall grievously 
 upon the heads of the wicked. Is not my 
 word like a fire ? and like a hammer, that 
 breaketh the rock in pieces ? Even all 
 people shall say, wherefore hath the Lord 
 done this unto this land ? what meaneth 
 the heat of this great anger ?" 
 
 *' Because," repeated all the elders 
 in chorus, " they have abandoned thy 
 way, and have forsaken the covenant of 
 the Lord their God." 
 
 When they had thus sanctified their 
 treason against their lord, the murder 
 of his garrison, and the destruction of 
 his house and family, by the misapplica- 
 tion of the Holy Scriptures ; they began 
 to plot the surest and safest way of car- 
 rying their scheme of iniquity into exe- 
 cution. It was at length concluded to 
 defer their attack until the morrow even-
 
 238 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ing, when it would be Jellott's turn to 
 mount guard upon tlie pass. 
 
 " The hour of midnight," said Jona- 
 than, " shall be the knell of departure 
 to the souls of the garrison ; we will have 
 our men assembled in the cavern mouth." 
 
 «« What must we do w ith the w^omen ?" 
 said Jellot. 
 
 ** Nay," replied the preacher, " but 
 utterly destroy all that are in the place ; 
 man and w^oman, young and old, ox 
 and sheep, horse and ass, with the edge 
 of the sw^ord ; let not any living thing 
 escape." 
 
 « What !" said Ralph, horror-struck ; 
 " murder women and children ! If ye 
 mean so, take the castle who can, ye 
 shall never have it for me. The men 
 may and will defend themselves, but 
 women, poor helpless, fearful women." 
 
 <« May the coward that would harm a 
 female," said Jonathan, interrupting him, 
 <« want a soft hand to smooth his dying 
 brow ; there is no man in our company, 
 that would execute such orders ; and if
 
 THE CAVALIER. 239 
 
 he would, I would throw him o'er the 
 Heron crag : our worthy pastor meant 
 not what he uttered 5 the Jews had di- 
 vine command for their justification, 
 and so must we, before we forget our 
 nature.'' 
 
 The preacher was preparing to frame 
 an exhortation in confirmation of his for- 
 mer advice, when Jonathan, perceiving 
 his intention, stooped down to his ear. 
 
 " Your mad doctrine will ruin my 
 plans ; if I succeed not, your soul and 
 body quickly part ; look to it, I threaten 
 not twice." 
 
 The soul of the minister seemed now 
 ready to forsake its mortal tenement ; for 
 the colour vanished from his face, and 
 he shook like an aspen. He looked upon 
 the savage countenance of the moun- 
 taineer, who examined the locks of his 
 pistols, and the edge of his drawn broad- 
 sword, and concluded from its character 
 of remorseless resolution, that he would 
 be as good as his word. It was the better 
 way, he thought, to hold his peace.
 
 240 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Jellott and the elders now prepared to 
 quit the cottage, and Jonathan to join 
 tlie troop at drill in the Tor Dale. 
 
 '* Ye will be faithful, Ralph ?*' said 
 young Siiell. 
 
 " May Doll Jordan witch and waste 
 me, pine me and palsy me, roast me on 
 a slow hearth, or burn me wi' living 
 coals, an* I rest not in true faith and 
 fealty to our compact." 
 
 He had scarce ended, when three 
 knocks were heard at the door, and be- 
 fore any one could answer, the follow- 
 ing words were repeated in a harsh and 
 squeaking tone : 
 
 " Few be the hills, that be higher than Kinder ; 
 Few be the lakes, that be wider than "Winder; 
 Few be the pits, that be deeper than Eldon ; 
 The like o' the peak-hole, ye will see seldom ; 
 Ower the deer hill roams not a ranger 
 Lealer than Jellott, and faster i' danger." 
 
 Jonathan immediately burst open tlie 
 door, crying, <* The witch ;" and sought 
 carefully all round the cottage, but she 
 had either concealed herself, or flown off 
 upon her broomstick ; he found no trace
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^41- 
 
 of the female cabalist, not even the sul- 
 phureous smell usually accompanying 
 the equipages of the society of sorcerers. 
 No person but Windyman was surprised ; 
 h«, however, made up for the silence of 
 the others by his enquiries. 
 
 ** Who is this horrible sorceress ?" 
 said he. 
 
 ** She is ca'd Doll Jordan," replied 
 Solomon, *' and owes her livelihood to 
 the fear of the country. It is believed, 
 that no one would live an hour, an he 
 were to inform anenst her." 
 
 " Where dwelleth the witch ?" 
 
 ** At the Lone End, beneath Mam Tor, 
 she has a miserable cabin, where coun- 
 try-folk run to her for fortin-telling 
 and wickeder purposes. That man is 
 howden a foo' who crosses her ; he's sar- 
 tain to rue i' body or goods. From iiergrey 
 cladding, she's got the name o' the Grey 
 Woman o' the Lone End." 
 
 ** But hath this second witch of Endor 
 a familiar ? is she really gifted with power 
 extraordinary ?" 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** Well I wot," replied Solomon, "she 
 can both mar and ban : mony a farmer 
 has feed her na to blast his cattle and 
 his crop ; mony a labouring woman has 
 bought from her an easy birth, and a 
 safe — '' 
 
 " She is worthy of the fire," said Never- 
 lack. 
 
 " Whisht, brother, whislit! Doll's a 
 prime eaves-dropper ; an she was to over- 
 hear ye, the least ye must expect would 
 be to be stricken wi' the dead palsy." 
 
 *< Heaven forefend !" replied Windy- 
 man, and immediately discontinued the 
 conversation. Shortly after, they all 
 quitted the cottage. The elders went 
 homewards ; Jonathan up the dale, to 
 the troop ; and Jellott a contrary way to- 
 wards Banner Cross. Mr. Neverlack 
 Windyman stayed with Solomon Snell, 
 whose guest he was for some time to re- 
 main. When Jellott had emerged from 
 the dale, and crossed the ridge of Mam 
 Tor, he came to the Lone End, at the 
 head of which stood a wretched hovel, 
 
 3
 
 THE CAVALIER. 243 
 
 formed of mud, and partially thatched 
 with straw, and pieces of shealing, ga- 
 thered from the foot of Mam Tor. Of all 
 situations in the country, this was the 
 most dreary and desolate ; just beneath 
 the mother rock, and blocked up by a 
 hill, swelHng higher than the cottage, on 
 its other side, it had no view whatever ; 
 and its want of prospect was not com- 
 pensated by any local comforts; not a 
 tree grew to shelter it ; not a shrub fit 
 for domestic purposes would grow upon 
 the rocky ground ; a few gorse bushes, 
 adorned with the heath-bell and fox- 
 glove, throve scantily upon that part of 
 rock where small patches of earth had 
 accumulated : The road, which declined 
 very steeply, turned off at the distance 
 of fifty yards from the cottage. Here 
 lived the famed witch, Doll Jordan, the 
 Grey Woman o' the Lone End. 
 
 Jellott, when he came opposite to the 
 cottage-door, stood for some time ponder- 
 ing on the event which had happened at 
 the cottage of Snell ; and irresolute, whe- 
 M 2
 
 2i4 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 tlier to call upon Dame Jordan, or to pass 
 on : he at length concluded to call, and ad- 
 vanced to the door, upon which he struck 
 several times with the pommel of his 
 broad sword. 
 
 He was soon answered by the woman 
 from within, " Ralph Jellott, what want 
 ye?- 
 
 The corporal started a pace backward, 
 and clapped his hand upon his sword- 
 hilt. 
 
 The door opened, and the Grey Woman 
 presented herself. The sybil was about 
 sixty years of age, with a face, not so re- 
 markable for peculiar ugliness, as for its 
 singular complexion of mingled brown 
 and yellow, and its lines of blue wrinkles 
 crossing the forehead and cheeks, like 
 the marks of geographical limitation^ 
 The forehead was strikingly prominent, 
 and her eye-brows, thick and matted, 
 veiled in a degree the cutting fierceness 
 of her sharp grey eyes ; her stature was 
 below the common size; and her whole 
 appearance indicated the extremity of
 
 THE CAVALIER. 245 
 
 pinching want: she was cloathed in grey, 
 her dress consisting of a cloak, or roque- 
 laure, wrapped close round her body, 
 and girt with a hay-band, and her head, 
 covered with a cloth cap of the same 
 colour, from beneath the edge of which 
 streamed the hag's scanty grey hair. 
 
 Such is an outline of her picture ; the 
 horror of which was now increased by 
 the partial darkness. 
 
 '* Will ye not visit my bonny house, 
 Ralph ?" said she. " Why knocked ye, 
 an ye fear to enter ?" 
 
 ''Fear!'* saidJellott, affecting a laugh. 
 ** I fear nought." 
 
 «' Marry, but ye do, Ralph Jellott ; 
 ye'd liever be now wi' yer worst foe at 
 the sword's point, than talking to me here, 
 at this dead hour. But fear not, ye're 
 safe as my tabby cat, mon. Enter." 
 
 The soldier followed her in, and she 
 shut and barred the cottage-door. A 
 few embers of a wood fire still glim- 
 mered on the hearth ; near which sat 
 the famed tabby cat, which, if the coun- 
 M 3
 
 24f3 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 try people might be believed, was as great 
 a witch, and worked as much mischief, 
 as its ancient proprietor. 
 
 ** Sit, mon, sit ye down," said Doll, 
 pointing to a stool. When they w^ere 
 seated, she continued, '* I wot ye ca'd 
 onme, to sken yer fortin on the morrow : 
 heard ye ne'er the old prophecy ? — 
 
 * When the king is like to lose his crown, 
 Then must Banner Cross come down ; 
 When the king regains the throne, 
 Falconridgc will get his own.' 
 
 I have spaed yer chances, and either 
 Jonathan or ye must bite the ha' dust." 
 
 " What devil betrayed to ye our de- 
 sign," said the trooper. 
 
 " Na matter ; ye note I ha' your se- 
 cret," replied the hag. 
 
 " An I feared ye would thwart us, spite o* 
 yer charms, and yer brood of devils, I wad 
 send ye packing to yer doom'd prison." 
 
 *' He who lays finger on me, had bet- 
 ter drown in a sea of boiling sulphur; the 
 judgment of Cain shall be partial favour 
 to his unheard-of penalty."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 247 
 
 " Threaten not me, ye doating witch ; 
 threaten not a man, reckless and desper- 
 ate ; call all yer imps from hell, I fear 
 ye not, neither shall ye juggle me out o' 
 my life : what assurance have I, that ye 
 go not to Banner Cross, and curry favour 
 wi' our sacrifice ?" 
 
 • " That assurance," replied the witch, 
 ** which binds ye to yer fellows, — hatred 
 to the house of Falconridge." 
 
 " Ye hate the family, and wherefore ?*' 
 said Jellott. 
 
 ** I dinna know, Ralph ; save that my 
 hatred may spring out of my wretched- 
 ness : it is nat'ral for the poor to hate 
 the rich, for the miserable to detest 
 the happy ; nay, must I declare it, for 
 the wicked to seek the blood of the 
 righteous. I pledge ye my soul, wi* 
 heart and hand, wi' mind and body, will 
 I join ye in this attempt ; and though 
 some o' ye may fa' i' the strife, yer pur- 
 pose shall be accomplished." 
 
 " This will not do ; I must be better 
 satisfied •, ye must swear on the Bible." 
 M 4
 
 248 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 The hag burst into a loud laugh, 
 ** Think ye I mind }er book o' super- 
 stition. I wad swear a thousand oaths, 
 and break 'em as fast as I take 'em, for 
 aught I fear.'' 
 
 Jellott was struck with the wretch's 
 horrid impiety. '' How must I trust 
 ye then, an ye despise the holy scrip- 
 tures." 
 
 " Listen," said the grey woman. — 
 
 " By the moon tliat rides on high, 
 By each star that lights the sky. 
 
 True to ye I live and die. 
 By each season o' the year. 
 By each month and week, I s\\ear. 
 By each day, and hour, and minute. 
 Marking time and trouble in it. 
 By each charm, and charmed sign. 
 Known to me, and known to mine, 
 Wi' yer fortin I willlwine. 
 Faithless never will I sever, 
 I am yours for once and ever. 
 An I swerve from this mj sermon^ 
 May this curse be eke my guerdon: 
 Cursed be my living days. 
 Reft o' pleasure, reft o' praise ; 
 Blighted i' my body members. 
 Palsied, wasted, burnt to embers ; 
 Fire and faggot, cross and halter. 
 Ruin seize me, an I falter. 
 Cursed even after death ; 
 An I draw 'gainst ye my breatii ;
 
 THE CAVALIER. S49 
 
 A' the fiends, and imps, and devils, 
 Tear me in their madd'ning revels; 
 Stab my limbs until they quiver, 
 Drown me in hell's burning river; 
 Ban I, curse I, e'en raysel. 
 An I prove not leal and well." 
 
 The woman, whilst she repeated this 
 horrible malediction, seemed to forget her 
 age, her sex, her apparent imbecility ; 
 she appeared to Jellott, who was horror- 
 struck, one of the fiends she called upon j 
 and he resolved, as soon as possible, to 
 quit the cottage. When she had con- 
 eluded, he said, " Well, dame, I'll trust 
 ye ; but remember this, more than your 
 own curses, that an ye were even to be- 
 tray me, and those who will attempt the 
 castle, there will still be more than enow 
 left to revenge our deaths: revenge is 
 what we now seek ; Jonathan pants for 
 it ; I am desperate for it 5 the prowling 
 tiger is not more watchful for blood than 
 1 am for vengeance." 
 
 " Ye shall ha' it. — Have ye not been 
 promised vengeance for years by the pu- 
 ritan, and who says he does na keep his 
 M 5
 
 250 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 word? Remember ye not his saying, as 
 ye came up the Castle Town from Betsy 
 Norman's, when the French serjeant and 
 ye crossed blades in her father's cot- 
 tage ?" 
 
 ** Hell and fiends !" said the trooper. 
 *^ howlearntye that? I guessed that story 
 was known but to ourselves." 
 
 *' Mind not, mon ; I know a' yer very 
 thoughts — ye shall ha' revenge, as deep 
 and terrible as yer sad, sad injuries." 
 
 " The very words !" said Jellott, start- 
 ing up. *' I canna stay longer here, or 
 ye will raise the devil. — Good night!" 
 and he burst out of the cottage, and ran 
 down the lane towards Banner Cross, the 
 which he attained before he slackened his 
 speed.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 251 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The time of night when Troy was set on fire ; 
 The time when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl, 
 And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, 
 That time best fits the work we have in hand. 
 
 Second Part of Hen. VI. 
 
 [The last chapter but one, our good 
 readers will perceive, not only transport- 
 ed us over a vast tract of ground, but also 
 over a long space of time, not less than 
 almost two years : we must therefore apo- 
 logize here, for what appears " in ma- 
 nuscripto, quod quidem nos nacti sumus, 
 abesse," so far as it should relate to the 
 negotium of the castle, for the narrative 
 proceeds consecutive from the foot of the 
 last chapter. It is, therefore, left to the 
 imagination of our worthy readers to 
 form the conclusion, that no matter of 
 importance transpired at Banner Cross 
 during the period aforesaid j but that, 
 M 6
 
 252 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 under the special care of the worthy 
 Major, all things proceeded in their re- 
 gular routine. It may also be estab- 
 lished, that Snell the younger had en- 
 tirely seduced and won over the Cor- 
 poral Jellott to liis wicked and unprin- 
 cipled views ; and that, although the 
 puritans had not hitherto broke out into 
 open rebellion, yet that they only waited 
 a fitting opportunity for doing so, and 
 therefore continued their practice of 
 nocturnal exercise. *3 
 
 The manuscript proceeds. 
 
 The next day (succeeding that of the 
 meeting at SnelPs cottage) was remark- 
 ably wet and stormy j a dreadful gust 
 of wind tore the banner from the colour 
 staff; all nature appeared to conspire 
 with the puritans to ensure the destruc- 
 tion of this devoted castle. The Major 
 too, who was a rigorous disciplinarian, 
 while he was at breakfast with Lady 
 Falcon ridge. Doctor Grostete, and Cap- 
 tain Gualter, ordered Jellott and a body 
 
 • Editorial interpolation. L. G.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 2o3 
 
 of soldiers to prepare for carbine drill in 
 the court-yard. 
 
 " For drill, Major/' said the lady, 
 ** What ! in such a storm of wind and 
 rain as this ?" 
 
 " Yes, my lady, even so,'' replied he, 
 ** the weather's inclemency is my prin- 
 cipal reason for to-day's drill : it will 
 harden the bodies of my men, and ani- 
 mate their souls." 
 
 ** It may. Major, to some desperate 
 mutiny ; that is the only apparent effect 
 can result from it." 
 
 '* I concur with tlie Lady Falcon- 
 ridge," said the Doctor, " that the day 
 is too rigorous to turn a dog out of 
 doors." 
 
 " It is not my practice. Doctor," re- 
 plied Spandyke, " to drill dogs : when I 
 do, I may apply to you for their capa- 
 city of feeling." 
 
 " I meant not to offend. Major; but 
 the safety of the Baroness demands the 
 preservation of the soldiers' respect." 
 
 ** And which of theiu, allow me to
 
 254 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ask, has dared to behave otherwise? 
 Give me his name, and he shall meet 
 instant death." 
 
 " Quarrel not, I beseech ye, gentle- 
 men," said Lady Falconridge ; ** the 
 Doctor but means, that the soldiers' duty 
 should be ensured." 
 
 ** It shall be, my honoured lady," said 
 Spandyke ; ** I will ensure it ; I have not 
 been a child of war for twenty years, 
 and know not to command my soldiers. 
 If your Reverence can do it better, I shall 
 willingly exchange my cuirass for your 
 cassock." 
 
 The men were drawn out, and the 
 Major joined them ; for two hours, 
 amidst rain, sleet, and gusts of wind, 
 enough to blow them off their legs, did 
 he drill them in the manual exercise ; 
 and, although they were all drenched to 
 the skin, he would neither wear his own 
 cloak, nor suffer a man to assume any 
 kind of covering. This severity, as might 
 be expected, occasioned many murmurs, 
 and particularly from Jellott, who swore
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^255 
 
 he would rather be slave to a Turk, 
 than remain under the command of an 
 officer so inhuman. These words were 
 reported to Spandyke, who ordered the 
 corporal before him. 
 
 *' I am told, Sir,'' said the Major, 
 '* what I don't wish to have confirmed, 
 that you have expressed yourself in such 
 a manner, w^ith regard to my orders 'of 
 the morning, as might subject your life 
 to the marksman. — What say ye ? An- 
 swer." 
 
 Jellott stood stubborn Vvdthout a reply. 
 
 ** Sith ye are obstinately mute, I must 
 take this accusation as in part proven : 
 you have long been a nettle of irritation 5 
 but being advised that you were the son 
 of worthy parents, I have forborne your 
 punishment : I can do so no longer," 
 said Spandyke, tearing the marks of su- 
 baltern rank from the corporal's talbot ; 
 " I degrade ye to the file, and ye deserve 
 worse, ye little soldier. Though a gentle- 
 man, and superior to ye, as much in breed- 
 ing as in courage, I have stood guard
 
 Q56 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 in open trenches, with iron arms, for 
 nights together ; and dare ye complain, 
 ye dainty dotterel, for drilling two hours 
 in a windy day ? Your comrades,.! doubt 
 not, will laugh ye to scorn. Let me ad- 
 vise ye to put on a woman's jerkin, and 
 take to the castle scullery." 
 
 The blood came and went with great 
 vivacity in the face of Jellott, who thought 
 of striking his superior to the earth ; but, 
 reflecting on the certainty of immediate 
 death, he controlled himself with the 
 hope of revenge on the coming night. 
 The Major called to Picard, " Serjeant, 
 take this fellow under your eye : let him 
 stand guard on the pass all night without 
 relief; it may perhaps cool his fiery blood. 
 — Go, sirrah, and mend your manners." 
 Jellott retired covered with shame, and 
 burning with desire of vengeance. When 
 he had quitted the witch's cottage on the 
 preceding evening, he began to open his 
 eyes upon the horrible wickedness of 
 their intended treason, and the morning 
 found him half resolved to give up the
 
 THE CAVx^LIER. 257 
 
 attempt ; but the disgrace he had now 
 received, banished repentance, and con- 
 firmed all his desperate and sanguinary 
 resolutions. 
 
 The night came witli all the fury of a 
 northern March ; the rain had subsided, 
 but the wind blew^ with tremendous gusts. 
 The sentinel upon the ravelin dared not 
 take his regular march, but was forced 
 to shelter himself behind an angle of the 
 wall, lest he should be blown down the 
 rock ; the birds, which built their nests 
 in the chinks of the Peak Cliff, responded 
 to the wailing of the elements with their 
 piercing and bitter shrieks. So great 
 was the noise and uproar, that each sen- 
 tinel could not hear the word of his fel- 
 low, however short the distance be- 
 tween them ', and even the castle- 
 clock, which, as we have before noted, 
 on a serene night could be heard over 
 Hope Dale, could now only be distin- 
 guished by the soldiers on guard in those 
 intervals when the storm ceased for a 
 moment from clamour.
 
 QdS THE CAVALIER. 
 
 About tlie liour of eleven, Jonathan 
 Snell entered tlie peak cavern, and was 
 sliortly joined by his comrades, who, ac- 
 cording to appointment, came singly, 
 well armed, and without noise. They 
 mustered one hundred men, the stoutest 
 and boldest half of their troop, and await- 
 ed, with patient expectation, the concert- 
 ed signal for their admission. Besides 
 their arms, the puritans brought with 
 them flambeaux, composed of ropes knot- 
 ted and tarred, for tlie purpose of setting 
 fire to the castle ; and cords with which 
 they might bind their female prisoners, 
 the males being doomed to annihilation. 
 With the assistance of a dark lantern, and 
 after a long search, .Jonathan succeeded 
 in discovering the outlet to the pass, 
 which was in part blocked up with pieces 
 of granite. These were silently remov- 
 ed, and he proceeded, followed by some 
 of his comrades, up a flight of steps cut 
 out of the rock, until their further ad- 
 vance was barred by an iron door. Here 
 they listened, but could hear nothing dis-
 
 THE CAVALIER. Q59 
 
 tinctly, except the whistle of one of the 
 sentinels. They had scarcely waited a 
 minute, before the castle-clock struck 
 twelve, vvhich could be heard in the 
 cavern beneath, loud and plain. The 
 sound had just died av/ay, when Jona- 
 than putting his ear to the door, heard 
 the footstep of one of the soldiers depart- 
 ing. A minute after, the bars were drawn 
 back, and the door flev/ open, Jellott 
 standing ready to receive them. 
 
 *^ ^Ve are here," said Jonathan, spring- 
 ing forward, the whole band rushing 
 after him. ** Lead on." 
 
 Jellott hesitated for a momxcnt, and then 
 struck his breast ; ** Revenge ! revenge!" 
 he cried, and led them up the stair. In 
 a few moments, they emerged from the 
 pass, and burst into the grand hall. 
 
 " Where is the Major ?" cried Jona- 
 than ; '- my sword must drink his life- 
 blood. Comrades, do your work ; fire 
 the castle ; the flames w^ill drive out 
 those who can move ; let those who can- 
 not, perish." He then drew his sword,
 
 260 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 and with his flambeau, which he lighted 
 at the embers of the hal! fire, set the 
 tapestry in flames. 
 
 ** Follow me," cried Jellott. Jonathan 
 and half a dozen of the puritans, each 
 bearing a lighted flambeau, followed the 
 traitor up a winding stair which opened 
 into the Major's chamber. He had heard 
 the uproar below, and had just stepped 
 from his bed, to enquire its occasion, 
 when the door was burst in, and the vil- 
 lains rushed upon him. His naked 
 sword and charged pistols w^ere lying on 
 a table by his bed-side ; in a moment he 
 grasped them, and seeing at a glance 
 that there was no chance of escape, he 
 resolved to sell his Hfe as dearly as he 
 might. Jonathan was the first to attack 
 him ; like a hungry tiger, he sprang upon 
 the veteran ; but with one blow of his 
 trusty weapon, Spandyke made the puri- 
 tan reel round the chamber, and mea- 
 sure his length on the floor. Well 
 was it for him that his scull cap was of 
 proved metal 5 he had else paid for his
 
 THE CAVALIER. 261 
 
 treason with his life. However, the as- 
 sailants were not dismayed ; Jellott cried 
 out, " Revenge ! revenge ! mark ye the 
 morning; this is yer reward j" and as- 
 sailed the Major with his broad sword, 
 wlio, parrying his blows with one hand, 
 with the other levelled a pistol at him, 
 and shot him through the head. The 
 blood gushed out of his eyes, nose, ears, 
 and mouth, and he died, suffocated with 
 his own gore. In an inst&nt Jonathan 
 was on his legs, and in his turn drawing 
 a pistol, fired its contents into the Ma- 
 jor's breast. His sword was at the mo- 
 ment up, in the act of descending, with 
 terrible weight, on the head of one of 
 the puritans ; but his arm fell by his 
 side, and the sword from his hand. The 
 contest was over ; Spandyke had received 
 a mortal wound. 
 
 " Drag him down to the hall," cried 
 the ruffian, at the same time setting fire 
 to the bed and chamber. The ferocious 
 fanatics grappled with the dying hero, 
 and drew him, trailing along the stair-
 
 ^262 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 case, into the blazing hall. Nothing was 
 now heard but shrieks and cries, the dis- 
 charge of fire arms, and the loud hollas 
 of the rebels, who had beat the hall win-^ 
 dow out of its frame into the cavern 
 ravine which lay beneatli. 
 
 " What must we do with this bloody 
 Cavalier?*' said Jonathan. 
 
 He was answered by the witch, Doll 
 Jordan, who, he perceived for the first 
 time, had joined their band. 
 
 " A limb to the carrion crow ; 
 A iiml) to the raven ; 
 Ower the castle clilf, 
 Let him be haven." 
 
 <* Thrap him thorow the ha* window ; 
 he*ll find his way to the bottom o* the 
 cliff.*' 
 
 Four of the Round-heads raised him up, 
 and each took hold of an arm or leg. 
 
 " Now,** cried the witch — 
 
 *' Once unto heaven for his dying bed prayer, 
 Once unto earth as his take leave o* care, 
 Once unto liell, and he'll quickly get there." 
 
 With the concluding line, the remorse-
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^63 
 
 less wretches threw him out of the win- 
 dow : a dead silence ensued in the hall 
 for a moment, and the wind ceased, as if 
 to let them hear the body strike upon the 
 cliff in its descent. 
 
 The uproar was renewed with a gene- 
 ral Imzza ; but the puritans, who were 
 scattered about, without the expectation 
 of resistance, now found themselves fierce- 
 ly attacked. 
 
 Several volleys of shot were poured 
 into the hall, before they could tell 
 whence they were assailed. The soldiers 
 had gathered, with Captain Gualter at 
 their head, whilst the Round-heads were 
 engaged in their detestable murder of 
 the Major, and now threatened to re- 
 venge his death wath tenfold severity. 
 They blocked up each entrance to the 
 hall, and whilst they could themselves 
 abide the flames, they continued their 
 fire upon the puritans. Picard, in the 
 mean time, having learnt the death of 
 his master, raged like a chafed bull, and 
 vowed eternal vengeance upon the heads
 
 C6i THE CAVALIEIl. 
 
 of his murdeiers. He flew to the cham- 
 bers of Lady Falconridge and Doctor 
 Grostete, and with great difficulty con- 
 veyed them, by a back way, into the 
 court-yard, and thence in safety to the 
 Castle Town j where the people, alarmed 
 by the fire and the cries, w-ere all up, 
 and the men formed a guard for the pro- 
 tection of their lady and pastor. 
 
 But, to return to the puritans : Jona- 
 than, setting himself at their head, had 
 repeatedly endeavoured to cut his way 
 through the soldiers stationed at the chief 
 entrance to the hall ; but w^as each time 
 repulsed by their steady fire, and the firm 
 wall of pikes presented by the rear rank ; 
 at length one part of the hall-roof gave 
 way, and Gualter withdrew his troop, lest 
 the men should be buried in the flaming 
 ruins. 
 
 Snell took advantage of his retreat, 
 and crying out, " Follow me ; death or 
 victory!" — pursued the Cavaliers into the 
 court-yard. Gualter was already pre- 
 pared to receive the puritans, and as
 
 THE CAVALIER. 265 
 
 they moved out of the castle-porch, 
 again poured upon them a close fire, and 
 then fell in with broad sword and the butt- 
 end of the carbine. This put an end to 
 the contest ; the Round-heads were utter- 
 ly routed, and fled on all sides, as fast as 
 their legs could carry them, Snell alone 
 sustained his character for courage : he 
 wielded his broad sword until all his 
 party had cleared the court-yard, and 
 then slowly retreated down the hill. 
 The whole Castle was now in flames, 
 
 •And like a comet burn'cl. 
 
 Tliat fires the length of Ophiuchus huge 
 I' th' arctic sky, and irom his hon-id hair 
 Shakes pestilence and war. 
 
 The wind, which still blew witTi un- 
 ceasing fury, so fanned the flames, that 
 no article of furniture, scarcely of ap- 
 parel, could be rescued, and it was 
 with the utmost difiiculty that the 
 soldiers could drag their horses from 
 the stabling, to which the fire was now 
 communicated. The different offices at- 
 tached to the Castle, contained oil, wood, 
 turf, and coals. These articles being 
 
 VOL. I, N
 
 Q66 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 seized by the flames, (** ^^tnae Vesuvii- 
 que instar,*' says a learned author,) not 
 only burnt in their own furnaces, but 
 vomited, far and wide, fiery globes of 
 matter, which conveyed the fire to other 
 parts of the Castle hitherto unreached by 
 the furious element. Fortunately, the 
 gunpowder of the garrison had been 
 placed in tlie castle-vaults, dug out of 
 the rock, and guarded with doors of fire- 
 proof metal. 
 
 The inhabitants of the town, and the 
 soldiers, gathered upon an eminence to 
 see the progress of the flames. The 
 Lady Falconridge, overwhelmed with 
 grief, retired, attended by Doctor Gros- 
 tete, to the house of the court steward, 
 Mark Green. 
 
 The glare of the flames illuminated 
 the whole air, and reflected a red light 
 upon Mam Tor, and the more distant 
 hills. Upon the former might be dis- 
 cerned a number of people, assembled to 
 watch the portentous and awful confla- 
 gration, and among them could some- 
 
 I
 
 THE CAVALIER. 267 
 
 times be perceived armed men, betrayed 
 by the light glancing on their polished 
 brigandines. These were of course the 
 Puritans, who had retreated in^ that di- 
 rection. The assembled people of the 
 Castle Town now began to make en- 
 quiry into the circumstances of the at- 
 tack : one said, that the devil, who was 
 among the Puritans in propria persona, 
 had assisted them over the castle- wall, 
 man by man, and then set the Castle in 
 flames, with a flash of fire drawn direct 
 from the cauldron of hell ; and asserted 
 that he saw the evil spirit protect the re- 
 treat of the Puritans, and stand singly 
 opposed to the soldiers, until his friends 
 had entirely withdrawn : the which re- 
 port was confirmed by another, who 
 swore that he heard the balls ring against 
 his armour, and fall off guiltless of blood. 
 ** Na, na," said a third, " the devil had 
 na hand direct i' this affair ; but his 
 prime agent and banded and sworn sar- 
 vant, Doll Jordan, ^vur among the Puri- 
 tans, and helping 'em wi' her witchcraft 
 N 2
 
 '26s THE CAVALIER. 
 
 and devilment : slie led 'em thorow an 
 unknown cleft o' the peak rock, into the 
 Castle, and there they murdered poor 
 Ralph Jellott i* the first place, and then 
 the witch charmed the Major to death, 
 and called for fire from hell, and set the 
 Castle in flames." 
 
 " But it was na the witch that fought 
 so hard," said the first speaker ; and 
 then appealed to one of the troopers ; 
 ** what say you, Marley Storer? was it a 
 woman that kept ye so long at the sword 
 point i' the court-yard ?*' 
 
 " It was the foul fiend himself," re- 
 plied the horseman. 
 
 ** I towd ye," said the querist, " mortal 
 man ne'er had might nor mind to do what 
 he did." 
 
 At this moment one of the towers fell 
 with a horrid crash, and, in its fall, drew 
 after it the eastern wall, and part of the 
 southern tower, leaving one angle bare, 
 and the whole court-yard exposed. The 
 interior of the Castle could now be seen 
 distinctly ; the windows were all burnt 
 out, and through the apertures the flames
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 269 
 
 were observed, raging like hell itself, 
 devouring every thing upon which their 
 fury could make impression. The beams 
 and timbers fell in every instant, adding 
 new fuel and strength to the enemy 
 which destroyed them : in a short time, 
 however, having consumed all but the 
 bare stones, the fire began to slacken, 
 and when the day broke, nothing could 
 be discovered of the once proud Castle 
 of Banner Cross, but a vast heap of 
 smouldering ashes and ruins. ** Sic 
 transit gloria mundi,'^ as the undertakers 
 say. 
 
 When the decline of the fire would ad- 
 mit the ruins to be approached, Gualter, 
 with a party of men, ascended the hill, 
 intending to search for the body of Ma- 
 jor Spandyke ; but not being able to pass 
 the rubbish, which had fallen down the 
 hill, and was still ignited, they went 
 round to the ravine, to get in by the 
 cavern pass. Gualter, who led the way* 
 had just entered the defile, when he per 
 ceived the corpse of a man, nearly naked, 
 N 3
 
 ^70 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 lying beneath the ch'ff; upon examin- 
 ation, they found it to be the Major's ; for 
 although, in the fall from the window 
 above, the body, in being dashed upon 
 the rock, was much bruised, yet the head 
 had received no injury, and was not in 
 the least disfigured. Gualter ordered 
 the remains of his superior to be convey- 
 ed to the Castle Town, for the purpose 
 of being buried with military honours. 
 As the soldiers were carrying the body to 
 the town, they were overtaken by a 
 mounted trooper, whom they soon re- 
 cognized as one of their regiment, under 
 the command of Colonel Sydenham : in 
 fact, it was the express sent by Lord Fal- 
 conridge with notice of his being at Wib- 
 berley : the hardy soldier could scarcely 
 refrain from tears, as he surveyed the 
 entire ruin of his Lord's house, and the 
 piteous spectacle of his Major's mangled 
 corse. He dismounted, and walked by 
 the side of Captain Gualter, who enquir- 
 ed what were his tidings? 
 
 <* My Lord, and the Colonel," he re-
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^1 
 
 plied, " are at Wibberley Castle : sorry 
 welcome will this be to the Baron, on his 
 return to Banner Cross. 
 
 The Captain, having placed the body 
 of Spandyke at the Cross Inn, the only 
 place of refreshment for travellers in the 
 Castle Town, with a guard of two troopers 
 for its protection and honour, went up to 
 the steward's with the express. He 
 there delivered letters from the Baron 
 and Colonel to Lady Falconridge, which, 
 in some measure, restored her spirits, 
 though the fright had greatly affected 
 her health. It was proposed by Doctor 
 Grostete, with whom Lady Falconridge 
 and Captain Gualter concurred, that this 
 man should not now return to Wibberley, 
 but that one of the garrison should set 
 off instantly in his place, and inform Lord 
 Falconridge and the Colonel of their pre- 
 sent situation. 
 
 Letters were accordingly prepared, and 
 a trooper, well armed, and mounted on the 
 charger of the late governor, rode oft* 
 from the Castle Town, on his way to 
 
 N 4f
 
 '^72 THE CAVALIER, 
 
 Wibberley, leaving the late inmates oi 
 Banner Cross in a situation by no means 
 enviable. It is true, by the discipline and 
 valour of the troopers, the Puritans had 
 been routed; yet it was greatly feared by 
 Lady Falcon ridge and the Doctor, that 
 now they were sheltered by no defences, 
 the Round-heads, whose numbers, it 
 was apparent, far exceeded those of the 
 Cavaliers, would renew their attack. 
 
 They communicated their thoughts to 
 Gualter, who, although fearing nothing, 
 was of their opinion, and he therefore 
 concluded, to cast up defences at the only 
 two entrances to the town. Under the 
 direction of Pi card, the soldiers and 
 town's men employed themselves all day 
 in raising breast-works of stone, bedded 
 in mud, at each end of the street form- 
 ing the Castle Town ; and before night, 
 completely blocked up the way, only 
 leaving a wicket passage for one horse- 
 man at a time ; which wicket they kept 
 barred, and covered with furze and thorns. 
 Gualter stationed two sentinels at each
 
 THE CAVALIER. 27^ 
 
 breast-work, so that now they were pretty 
 secure. It soon appeared that they had 
 not taken unnecessary precaution ; for 
 when night fell, the usual signal for 
 trooping the Round-heads was heard 
 earlier than was customary with them, 
 and in an hour afterwards, they ap- 
 peared in great force upon the western 
 road. The sentinels fired their carbines, 
 the drums beat to arms, and the soldiers 
 under Gualter immediately turned out, 
 and repaired to their posts, with a deter- 
 mination to defend themselves to the last 
 man; upon which the Puritans, having 
 reconnoitred the defences, turned to the 
 right about, and returned without firing 
 a shot. Gualter and his comrades re- 
 mained in arms all night, but were not 
 again disturbed ; the enemy being too 
 diffident of success to renew their at- 
 tempt. 
 
 At the hour of seven the following 
 
 morning. Lord Falconridge arrived at 
 
 the Castle Town, attended by Lieutenant 
 
 Armstrong and fifty troopers, to the great 
 
 N 5
 
 274 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 satisfaction of the Baroness and Doctor 
 Grostete, and the joy of the gallant gar- 
 rison. Whatever the Baron migiit feel 
 upon the ruin of his Castle, he kept to 
 liimsejf ; and in order to assuage the 
 grief of his Lady, said he was not only 
 glad the hurt was no worse ; but that he 
 should not have thought himself a true 
 Cavalier, if, in these unhappy times, he 
 had not met with some mark of misfor- 
 fortune in his Majesty's service. ** What 
 should alone command our sorrow and 
 indignation," continued he, ** is the hor- 
 rid and cowardly murder of Major Span- 
 dyke. I could have seen my Castle 
 burned, my lands wasted, and then pitied 
 the misguided rebels ; but since they 
 have drawn the first blood, be it on their 
 heads, and let them answer their per- 
 verseness. Captain Gualter, to you and 
 Armstrong I leave the regulation of the 
 Major's obsequies : let them be fitting 
 a gallant Cavalier, and my particular 
 friend. AVhen they are concluded, you 
 shall return the Puritans their visit, as
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^^5 
 
 they have been polite enough to pay 
 their respects at Banner Cross." 
 
 " Shame wad it be," said Armstrong, 
 " gin the Round-heads were surpassing 
 in etiquette the King's noble Cavaliers." 
 
 " Your defence of the Castle, sur- 
 prised and betrayed as you were, Cap- 
 tain Gualter," said the Baron, " deserves 
 my warmest thanks, and the admiration 
 of every soldier ; and your judicious ar- 
 rangements since, and care of my family, 
 demand more substantial acknowledg- 
 ments than words, however strong, can 
 convey. By the King's commission, I 
 had the power of nominating every offi- 
 cer in my own regiment ; but as I have 
 surrendered it to my son, he alone has 
 that power now : however, I now take 
 upon myself, certain that he will confirm 
 my appointment, to confer upon you the 
 rank of Major, in the turn of our late 
 worthy and gallant friend, Spandyke." 
 
 The Captain would have excused him- 
 self, saying, that those who had seen more 
 active service ought to be preferred, 
 N 6
 
 Tl6 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " I trow," said Armstrong, '* there 
 are no' mony on us that hae seen service 
 mair dangerous than tliat villanous be- 
 trayal : ye do yersel wrang, Sir, to be sae 
 nice an' modest j gin it had been my 
 practice to wait until preferment sought 
 me, without seeking preferment, I miglit 
 e'en now be trailing ae pike as volunteer 
 under Lorrain, or hae had a sergeancy in 
 the covenanting Scots army." 
 
 ** But I have seen no service what- 
 ever," replied Gualter ; ** and my station 
 fitteth me not for so liigh a command, 
 seeing that 1 am but the son of a 
 yeoraap." 
 
 ** And where is there a prouder cha- 
 racter," said the Baron, " than the loyal 
 Englisli yeoman? Not upon earth, Gual- 
 ter > and if that be your defence, you 
 shall not so disgrace the rank you spring 
 from, as to refuse the majority." 
 
 Talk ye of parentage ?" said the Scots- 
 man ; ** why, mon, my father, an' his fa- 
 thers, frae time of memory, hae been Lid- 
 desdale moss-troopers, men of thesaddlean' 
 3
 
 THE CAVALIER. 277 
 
 spur, living frae hand to mouth ; an' their 
 occupation may be my ain ere I die/' 
 
 ** And that is little better," said the 
 Baron, laughing, " than actual theft and 
 rapine." 
 
 " They were men abune ordinances," 
 said Armstrong, " gin I may use the 
 Puritan cant; — reaving an* harryingwere 
 their lawful callings. It is true they were 
 hang'd for it when caught ; but it munna 
 be denied, that a' the moss-troopers o' 
 the Border cried out against this illegal 
 stretch o' authority in the Marchers." 
 
 " Doubtless you are correct," said 
 Grostete, smiling. 
 
 «' But I aver," pursued the Scot, 
 " that whatever thought ony of my an- 
 cestors may hae had upon the greatness 
 or sma'ness of their rank in society, not 
 ane o' them wad hae thought himsel in- 
 competent for the government of a 
 troop, an' mair of an army. Indeed, ye 
 may say, that modesty was ne'er a Bor- 
 derer's characteristic." 
 
 ** That I perfectly believe," said Lord
 
 278 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Falconridge, '* no more than cowardice 
 is an Englishman's, humih'ty a Spa- 
 niard's, gravity a Frenchman's, or so- 
 briety a German's." 
 
 " But may it not be added," said 
 Grostete, ** that honesty, any more than 
 modesty, is no characteristic of the 
 Scotch nation." 
 
 " There, Doctor, ye clap yer foot in 
 it, for we were na talking of the Scots, 
 but of the chiels o* the Border." 
 *' Are they not Scottish men ?" 
 ** Why," said Armstrong, hesitating, 
 ** they are certainly ae kind of ae sort of 
 ae Scottish people ; that is to say, they 
 are betwixt an' between, for they are 
 owned by neither England nor Scotland : 
 the Border is ca'd no man's country, an* 
 stands out of protection, sae that the lads 
 are obliged to protect themsels." 
 
 " And in so doing," said the Baron, 
 " they plunder and oppress the wliole 
 neighbouring country." 
 
 ** Not sae, my Lord," said Armstrong,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 2J9 
 
 " not sae, gin they pay an' disburse the 
 regular mail." 
 
 '* Mail! What's that?'' 
 
 " Black mail, that is to say, protec- 
 tion-money ^ ae yearly tribute to buy off 
 the reaving an' harrying." 
 
 " And by what right do they demand 
 it ?" said the Doctor. 
 
 Armstrong pointed to his sword. 
 
 " A very legible commission !" said 
 the Baron. 
 
 " An' yet," pursued Armstrong, " the 
 moss-troopers hae a certain sort of ho- 
 nesty, for they never harry ane anither, 
 but live o' the strictest bands of brother- 
 hood an' friendship ; sae that ye may ken, 
 there is nae sinner without ae saving." 
 
 " I fear me,'.' said the Doctor, " there 
 will be no saving for such sinners." 
 
 " Though the saving of sinners is ae 
 great saving," continued the Scot. 
 
 *« If the saving be a saving of sinners 
 worth saving," replied Grostete. 
 
 " Every saving of sinners maun be ae
 
 280 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 worthy saving ; for sinners that are no' 
 worth saving, wuli ne'er be saved," said 
 Armstrong. 
 
 ** Then alack-a-day for your father's 
 son," cried the Baron.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 281 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The midnight clock has toli'd ; and, hark, the bell 
 Of death beats slow. — Heard ye the note profound ? 
 It pauses now ; and now with rising knell, 
 Flings to the hollow gale its sullen sound. 
 
 Mason. 
 
 It was fixed that the body of Major 
 Spandyke should be buried at the same 
 hour on which he met his death, namely, 
 at midnight. The family-vault of the 
 Lord Falconridge was to receive the 
 remains of the gallant soldiery and 
 the Baron himself purposed to attend 
 the ceremony as chief mourner. In 
 the mean time, the funeralia were pre- 
 pared with great dispatch, and were only 
 completed when the hour arrived. The 
 bell of the church had tolled unceasingly 
 from the Baron's arrival, and a drake was 
 discharged every half hour. The night 
 was perfectly dark, and the torches of the
 
 282 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 sentinels, who stood at the door of the 
 inn where lay the body, served only to 
 mark out to the spectators the point of 
 interest, without dispelling the fearful 
 gloominess. As the clock struck twelve, 
 ail the soldiers (except those on guard), 
 with the Baron, Major Gualter, and 
 Armstrong, at their head, marched up 
 to the door clad in complete arms. The 
 Doctor came from the stew^ard's, attend- 
 ed by that officer, and the body was 
 brought down, and laid upon a bier in the 
 hall. A moiety of the soldiers were then 
 formed, commanded by Armstrong, with 
 their carbines reversed, and every fourth 
 man bearing a flambeau, who advanced 
 onwards about fifty paces ; to these suc- 
 ceeded the Doctor, clothed in his ponti- 
 ficalibus ; after him came the coffin, 
 placed on the bier, borne by eight of the 
 garrison soldiers. The coffin was shrouded 
 by a pall of black velvet, over which 
 were laid the cavalier's sword and spurs. 
 Next was the Baron, habited in black, 
 (being the only person, except Grostete,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 283 
 
 unarmed) ; and immediately after, Pi- 
 card, with his head bare, leading the 
 charging horse of the Major, bear- 
 ing his arms offensive and defensive. 
 The rear was brought up by Major 
 Gaulter, with the other moiety of the 
 troopers, their arms reversed, and bear- 
 ing torches as the. van division. Part of 
 the rear consisted of the regiment's mili- 
 tary band of kettle-drums and trumpets, 
 which, so soon as the word was given to 
 set onwards, played a solemn dirge for 
 the departed soul. They advanced at a 
 pace exceedingly slow, and in a few mi* 
 nutes entered the church-yard ; the aisle 
 leading to the church was lined with the 
 people, many of them bearing torches, 
 and most of them clothed in black. The 
 procession advanced in regular order up 
 the middle aisle of thechurch to the family 
 vault, and there let down the bier. 
 Gualter and Armstrong fronted their 
 men, who stood to their arms ; the Baron 
 entered his own pew ; Dr. Grostete as- 
 cended the pulpit, and read the awfully
 
 SSi THE CAVALIER. 
 
 impressive service i'or the dead. The in- 
 habitants of* the Castle Town had fol- 
 lowed the procession into the church, so 
 that it was quite filled, and the light of 
 their numerous flambeaux made a grand 
 illumination : but all was still, silent, and 
 solemn, as the death which they came to 
 celebrate. When the ceremonies were 
 concluded, and the coflRn had been low- 
 ered into the vault, Major Gur^ter se- 
 lected a picquct of twelve men, whom he 
 stationed around it: they fired three 
 vollies of honour over the grave of the 
 veteran Spandyke, an able soldier, and 
 stedfast cavalier. After the Restoration, 
 a tablet was erected by the Lord Fal- 
 conridge * to the memory of his Major, 
 upon which was engraven the following 
 epitaph : 
 
 " Si glorin, ficlc^, virtutis gratia, sensus, 
 
 Nobilitas mentis, possent obsisterc morti, 
 
 Non foret cxtinctiis, Spaiul} kus qui jacct intus." 
 
 Early the next morning, the horse 
 brought from Wibberley by Lord Falcon- 
 
 • The present Colonel Sydenham.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 285 
 
 ridge were armed and mounted, under 
 the command of Gualter and Armstrong, 
 for the purpose of exploring the neigh- 
 bouring hills. Lord Falconridge remain- 
 ed at the Castle Town with his lady and 
 the Doctor, retaining the garrison sol- 
 diers for their protection. 
 
 Gualter advanced across the Dale to- 
 wards Mam Tor, and in half an hour, 
 arrived at the Lone End under the ridge, 
 where stood the witch's cottage. As 
 they were mounting the hill, the Major 
 ordered one of the troop to spur forward, 
 and knock at the door. 
 
 " 1 dare not dispute yer Honour's or- 
 ders," said the man ; " but yer Honour 
 knows she's a witch, and may mark me 
 out for her vengeance." 
 
 "Oh, ye've ae witch here,hae ye?" said 
 Armstrong. " I'm the I est mon in the 
 wide svarl to deal wi' witches ; I'm part 
 of ae wizard mysel." 
 K He galloped up to the door, and struck 
 upon it with his sword blade. 
 
 "Hollo! Goody! Come forth, come
 
 QS6 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 out, an* troll ae magic round wi' the 
 northern wizard. I am Nostrodamus, 
 Albertus Magnus, Doctor Faustus, the 
 deil kens wha, ye auld freckle-faced 
 gypsey : 
 
 * Come forth, come forth ! 
 The Wizard o' the North, 
 Frae the Firth o' Forth, 
 Brings ye tidings o' worth.' 
 
 Nae, an' ye weel na answer, I maun 
 e'en beat in yer castle-gate, Goody." 
 
 He wheeled his horse round, until his 
 haunches nearly touched the cottage- 
 door, and then, by an application of his 
 thumb to the croup, caused him to 
 kick violently. In a couple of kicks, the 
 horse knocked the door from the hinges, 
 and left the cottage bare. The spec- 
 tacle within was, to the last degree, 
 loathsome and disgusting; on a lock of 
 straw, in the midst of the hovel, lay the 
 hag, half naked, extended at length ; her 
 body was partially covered with her grey 
 cloak, but her neck and shoulders, more 
 yellow than parchment, were entirely 
 naked, and her head (without any cover-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 287 
 
 ing) " shew'd all its grizzled honours thin 
 upon it." Without attending to the 
 noise without, she had lain still and un- 
 heeding; but when the Lieutenant's 
 charger had batter'd in her door, she 
 rose from her strawy couch, and infuriate 
 with passion, ask'd who they were that 
 " dared to disturb her rest?" 
 
 '«Wha?" said the Scotsman, drily; "din- 
 na ye ken wha' I am, ye gyre carline ? 
 I am yer foster-father the de'il, come for 
 yer damned soul." 
 
 " The fiend's curse light on thee, for 
 thy pains," said the malignant wretch ; 
 " ruin and rout gather about, and hang on 
 thee ; want and woe, and bitter misery, 
 be yer portion : may ye never lie down 
 wi* the hope o' rising ; may ye never rise 
 wi' the trust o' lying down to rest ; a 
 curse may ye be to yer friends, a scorn 
 and laughing stock to yer foes. May ye 
 want a friend, and miss him at yer last 
 need ; may ye die like a dog in a ditch, 
 and feed the imps o' hell wi' yer curst 
 spirit."
 
 288 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** IJa' ye done, Goody ?" said Arm- 
 strong, calmly, when the \vitch made a 
 stop. " Ha ye now done, because it's my 
 turn neist. May ye wish to become young 
 an' bonnie, an' handsome ; may ye wish 
 to ha' riches, an' power, an' respect ; may 
 ye fa' frae the evil o' yer ways, an' desire 
 to be guid, holy, an' virtuous. I swear, 
 comrades," said he, turning to his friends, 
 " that before to-day, I hae ever judged 
 the being of a witch as fause as the bleid 
 of St. Bride; but I now ken my error; 
 ye maun be a witch. Goody, or ye could 
 never hae changed ae ramping, roaring 
 cavalier until ae preacher o' morality." 
 
 " It is stated, woman," said Gualter, 
 ** that you were among the rebels who 
 fired the Castle. Answer, and answer 
 truly, at your life's peril ; were ye there, 
 or no?" 
 
 " Who is my accuser ?" replied the 
 impudent hag. 
 
 " It matters not ; answer yea or nay." 
 
 ** Yea, but it doth matter, for the foul 
 liar should be blistered i' tongue, as he
 
 THE CAVALIER. 289 
 
 is blistered i' heart; he should be leprous 
 i' body, as he is spotted i* soul. He that 
 accuses me, may count upon earthly pain 
 and hellish torment. Who is my accuser?'* 
 
 " I am," said Armstrong. " I ken'd 
 ye and auld Sootie, cheek by jowl, lilting 
 ovver the castle wa'." 
 
 ** Ye're a fause-hearted coward," re- 
 plied the witch ; " the liar's mark is 
 branded on yer bloody brow. Ye seed me 
 i' the castle! marry, I trow, spite o' yer 
 glittering mail, and plumed helmet, ye 
 dare as soon ha' come where I was that 
 neet, as ha* thrown yersel headlong from 
 the cliff above," and she pointed to the 
 highest part of the mother rock, w ith her 
 skinny finger. 
 
 " Wha doubts now ?" said Armstrong, 
 turning to the Major; "wha doubts now, 
 whether Goody was at the firing o' the 
 castle ? ae varra plain confession ; an' 
 therefore, we hae nowt to do, but pass 
 judgment, an' gang till execution." 
 
 " And who made you a judge, ye 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 290 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 flinty malignant?" cried the hag. ** Where 
 is yer warrant and commission r" 
 
 Armstrong, as usual with him, held 
 forth his naked broad sword : *' This is 
 my commission, an' wha shall dispute it? 
 It has borne me out in mony a doubtful 
 deed, an' I dinna fear wull continue 
 trusty. Comrades, what shall we do wi' 
 this hag o' the de'il ; maun we hack her 
 till pieces wi' our swords, or lug her up 
 till the Heaugh-head there, an' pitch her 
 till the corbies." 
 
 ** Whoso lays bond o' me," cried the 
 witch, in a fearful tone, ** will curse the 
 hour o' his birth : this feeble auld body 
 may fa', but the spirit will live to haunt 
 my murtherers. It shall watch him i* 
 the neet, and drive sleep from his eye- 
 lids ; it shall tent him i' the day, and 
 banish pleasure from his footsteps ; i' the 
 hour o' battle, it shall sit upon his airm, 
 and weigh down the might o' his strength ; 
 his foe shall conquer him i' the strife, yet 
 he shall seek death, and not find it ; his 
 marrow shall waste i' his bones j his flesh 
 4
 
 THE CAVALIER. 291 
 
 fa* away, and leave him as the dying 
 candle-snuff, or the wasted embers. Who 
 will dare lay hand o' me ?" 
 
 "Iwull," said Armstrong, dismounting, 
 and giving his rein to a trooper j ** I wull; 
 an' sae. Goody, gabble ower yer prayers, 
 for yer time's come. I ken the dead 
 thraw's upon ye now." 
 
 ** Tremble, ve mon o' blood !*' cried 
 she ; ** tremble for my curses i" 
 
 " Hoot awa, wom.an ; mind yer ainsel, 
 while I dispose o' yer finishing stroke. — 
 Rightly, the witch, according to a' laws, 
 customs, an' constitutions, shouldbe burnt 
 wi' fire, but ye'll a' bear me witness that 
 there is na as muckle fire here as wad 
 roast a louse." 
 
 " The wrath o' power be upo' you ; 
 the vengeance o' the fiend owertake ye, 
 an' ye pursue yer bloody purpose," cried 
 Doll Jordan. 
 
 " Aweel, woman, aweel, so be it; rest 
 i' peace, while I mak' the necessary dis- 
 positions y an' sae, cummers, ye ken, as 
 we canna burn the hag, we maun put 
 2
 
 292 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 her to death i' some ither way. I wad 
 wilh'ngly let out her hleid wi' my broad 
 sword; but, ye ken, it wad stain the noble 
 steel wi' vile an' felon gore. — The only 
 choice there is left, then, is to leap fra' 
 the Heaugh-head or be stranglit, an' I 
 leav^e the whether to yer ain sel, Goody." 
 
 " I choose na', murtherer ! my blood 
 be o' yer head." 
 
 The Scotsman sought about the cot- 
 tage, and at length found a rope. 
 
 ** This," cried he, " is ae sent gift ; 
 yer auld coadjutor, Nickie, put this i' the 
 way o' purpose that he may hae yer soul 
 the sooner." 
 
 At this moment he spied the old tabby 
 cat, which he forthwith griped in his 
 iron glove till her joints cracked. 
 
 <* We'll first try the strength o' the 
 rope on this imp o' hell," said he, twist- 
 ing it round the cat's neck. 
 
 " Hurt her not! harm her not! she's 
 more than ye thinken," said the woman ; 
 ** he'll no go scot-free wha robs her o' 
 life."
 
 THE CAVALIER. S93 
 
 " ril try, howe'er, Goody, whether 
 the Scot minna gang free for killing ae 
 witch i' the shape of a cat ; but mind 
 yersel, yer turn '11 come i* ae minute's 
 pass." 
 
 He then, with great coolness, drew the 
 cord tight, by the extension of his arms, 
 leaving Grimalkin to dance upon nothing; 
 which sort of voltigeurism soon put an 
 end to her cries and struggles. 
 
 «* Now, woman," said he, " down on 
 yer marrow bones, an' stretch out yer 
 weasan." 
 
 " Villain ! murtherer !" cried the 
 witch. 
 
 " Down wi' ye," said the Scot, reso- 
 lutely, and clapping the point of his 
 sword to her arm-pit : " down wi' ye, or 
 1*11 dig a grave in ye for Baudron's 
 burial." 
 
 " Mercy, mercy," cried she at length, 
 overpowered with fear. 
 
 " Down, ye doited hag, or I'll hack ye 
 in atoms." 
 
 The witch knelt down, but presently 
 o 3
 
 294 THE CAVALIEll. 
 
 fell prostrate on the liovel floor. Ann- 
 strong waited some time for her recovery; 
 but finding her swoon continue, he threw 
 the rope upon her, and mounted his 
 horse. 
 
 ** She lias been punished enough, by 
 my troth," said he, ** for her lying witche- 
 ries ; but an' she really assisted the puri- 
 tans, she deserves death as a rebel." 
 
 " It is not certainly known," said 
 Gualter; ** the reports are contradictory; 
 but at best this creature's death would 
 assist our cause but little. On, comrades ; 
 let us leave her to her misery." 
 
 The soldiers, spurring onwards, wound 
 up the eastern side of J\Iam Tor, and came 
 on high ground ; they rode on until they 
 arrived at the entrance of the Tor Dale ; 
 when, at the further extremity, they saw 
 a body of men, in number about two 
 hundred, well armed, and observing re- 
 gular discipline. On the appearance of 
 the troopers, a shot was discharged by an 
 advanced sentinel, who retired to the 
 main body.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 295 
 
 '' Form for speed/' cried Armstrong. 
 " Trumpets, blow a charge." 
 
 " Easy, easy," said Gualter ; " they 
 won't run ; they mean to stand us." 
 
 They rode gently on, until they came 
 within the distance of two musket 
 shots ; the Round-heads were drawn up 
 in four companies, with a small interval 
 between each, and kept their ground ia 
 excellent order ; their front ranks were 
 armed with pikes, the rear with carbines, 
 and it was evident they thought them- 
 selves a match for the Cavaliers ; their 
 leader was soon recognised by the Major 
 to be Jonathan Snell, who was either too 
 ignorant of the art military, to under- 
 stand the disadvantages of drawing up 
 his men on plain ground against horse : 
 or (as was more probably the case) too 
 desperate and confident of his own 
 strength to calculate upon chances. He 
 himself stood at the head of the front 
 rank, with a long and heavy partizan in 
 his hand, and armed also, as were his 
 o 4
 
 290 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 whole troop, with brigandine and head- 
 piece, sword and pistols. 
 
 Armstrong, to whom, from his know- 
 ledge of service, the Major conceded 
 the form of attack, drew up his men in 
 haste, and told them, laughing, that he 
 was afraid they should not have the 
 honour, that day, of getting broken 
 heads : " A posse of millers on horseback, 
 w^i' flour bags for braid swords, wad beat 
 yon gallant troop out o' the field," said 
 he : " I need na' remind ye of Keinton 
 nor Roundway ; ye had there sodgers to 
 deal wi' ; but de'il ae sodger wad ha* 
 set out his troop i' this fashion. Close 
 files. Trumpets, a charge." 
 
 The two trumpets of the squadron 
 blew a charge ; the Major and Lieu- 
 tenant set themselves at the head of their 
 respective troops, and Jed them on against 
 the enemy. Armstrong, and the head 
 of his troop, instead of charging on the 
 front of the line, as the Round-heads had 
 expected, galloped into the intervals, and 
 intersected the several divisions, in which
 
 THE CAVALIER. 297 
 
 manoeuvre being well seconded by the 
 Major, in a few minutes, the puritans 
 were routed with great slaughter, one 
 half of their number being killed upon 
 the place and in their flight to the 
 rocky passes of the Heron's nest, whither 
 they fled for shelter. The Cavaliers 
 pursued them to their retreat, and Major 
 Gualter, (who had more courage than 
 conduct,) not content with the victory 
 they had so easily obtained, (for the 
 Cavaliers had not lost a man,) galloped 
 towards a defile, where Snell and about 
 twenty of his associates had taken re- 
 fuge, and attempted to force his way up 
 the rock ; but in this attempt he met 
 with a check. Snell, who still held in 
 his hand the partizan we have mentioned, 
 in a moment elevated it, and brought it 
 down with such weight upon the Major's 
 head-piece, that he not only clove it in 
 twain, but beat him out of his saddle to 
 the ground. He was preparing to put 
 an end to Gualter with his pistol, when 
 Armstrong, resolving to bring off* his 
 o 5
 
 298 TIIF. CAVALIEIl. 
 
 colleague, or perish, charged with several 
 of the troopers up the rock. This bold 
 action saved the Major, but was fatal to 
 two of the Cavaliers, who, with their 
 horses, fell dead in the defile, and Arm- 
 strong himself received a ball in the 
 fleshy part of his thigh. The Major re- 
 covered his horse, and then drew off the 
 men, finding it impracticable to pursue 
 the Round-heads further. 
 
 They rode slowly back to the scene of 
 action, without interruption from the 
 puritans ; and part of the troopers w^ere 
 ordered to dismount, and strip from the 
 dead bodies of the Round-heads their 
 defensive armour, w^hich, with their 
 weapons of offence, were bundled up, and 
 carried off the field by the Cavaliers. As 
 they passed the cottage of Snell, several 
 of the troopers cried out to fire it. 
 
 Armstrong enquired to whom it be- 
 longed, and upon learning the name of 
 the proprietor, advanced with a part of 
 his troop, and broke open the door. 
 The place was now void, but had ap-
 
 THE CAVALIER* S99 
 
 parently been inhabited that day ; for the 
 fire, though very low, was not quite out, 
 and the different utensils adapted to 
 culinary purposes were still spread upon 
 the board. Armstrong stirred the fire, 
 and increased it by the addition of dried 
 peat, and sticks, (which were placed in 
 a corner of the cottage for fuel,) until it 
 began to crackle and blaze with great 
 vigour. The soldiers then threw the 
 whole stock upon the hearth, and made 
 a bonfire which reached to the roof. 
 Not content with this, they stuck fiery 
 staves into the thatch, tore the door from 
 the hinges, and hurled it into the flames, 
 beat the windows in, and destroyed every 
 article of ornament or utility in the 
 place. Whilst one party of the troopers 
 was busy in the destruction of the cot- 
 tage, another amused themselves with 
 leaping their horses over the garden 
 wall, and galloping among the mould, 
 until the whole was more cut up than 
 the common highway. When they had 
 completed their work of ravage and
 
 800 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ruin, Armstrong and his troop followed 
 their companions, who, being laden with 
 the arms of the puritans, had pro- 
 ceeded slowly. They called in their 
 way at the witch's cottage, but she had 
 fled, and they marched on to the Castle 
 Town. The inhabitants had heard the 
 firing very distinctly ; and the Baron, 
 alarmed, and anxious for the return of his 
 friends, had even thought of sending 
 out the garrison to their assistance ; but 
 their return, crowned with victory, si- 
 lenced his fears for the present, and all 
 apprehension for the future ; it being 
 apparent that the puritans would not now, 
 after such a defeat, dare to renew their 
 attack upon the Castle Town. Upon 
 consultation between Lord Falconridge 
 and the officers, respecting the plan to be 
 laid down for the future defence of the 
 Castle Town, it was resolved, that as 
 Banner Cross could not, in the present 
 troubles, be rebuilt and refitted for the 
 family's occupation, the Baron and Lady 
 Falconridge should continue to reside
 
 THE CAVALIER. SOI 
 
 with the steward Green ; that the war- 
 like stores, now in the castle-vaults, 
 should be brought thence into the town 5 
 and that the old garrison should remain 
 for its protection, which was to be in- 
 creased by the formation of a volunteer 
 company of fifty foot, to be raised out 
 of the tenants living in the town : the 
 Major was to have the command of the 
 whole. In consequence of these reso- 
 lutions, several days were spent in re- 
 moving the gunpowder from the castle- 
 vaults into the town ; and, as a place of 
 the greatest security, they deposited it 
 in the church, as their ammunition store, 
 together with their extra arms and ac- 
 coutrements. The drakes and sakers, 
 mounted upon the castle-bastions, were 
 taken to form two small batteries, of four 
 cannon each, at the several ends of the 
 town ; and, in order to strengthen the 
 mud walls they had raised, trenches were 
 cut, several yards in width, into which 
 the Baron caused a stream (running 
 from the Peak Cavern) to be turned.
 
 .S()5 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 first planting the graff with sliarpened 
 stakes. All things being perfected, 
 Lord Falconridge wrote an account of 
 his measures to his son, which he con- 
 fided to Armstrong, and that officer 
 returned with his squadron to AVibberley.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 303 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Pursue the traitor, you that are for Yorke : 
 Tho' he take refuge in a sanctuary. 
 And grasp the altar with his bloody hands. 
 Chop them away : like Joab he shall die. 
 
 Old Contention of York and Lancaster. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be as proper to proceed 
 here with some notice of the puritans, as 
 defer it to a later period ; and, in order 
 to possess ourselves of those particulars 
 which will develope their proceedings, 
 we must return to Snell's cottage. The 
 whole of the day preceding the night 
 on which Banner Cross was destroyed, 
 was spent in conference between the 
 pastor Windyman, the elder Snell, his 
 grandson, and sev^eral other resolute 
 puritans. It was there resolved, that if 
 their plan succeeded upon the castle, a 
 messenger should immediately be sent to 
 the parliamentary commissioners at Bul- 
 lock Smithy, (a straggling town, about
 
 304 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 fifteen miles distant, which had been 
 fortified by the parliament,) with an offer 
 of raising a body of men for the service 
 of the state. With the night the puritans 
 assembled in all their strength, forming 
 a company of between two and three 
 hundred men, well armed, and burning 
 with enthusiasm. From these Snell se- 
 lected one hundred, the most resolute 
 and desperate in their combination. Be- 
 fore they left the Dale, Neverlack ex- 
 pounded a text of Scripture, which was 
 from Jeremiah : " Also the children of 
 Noph and Tahapanes have broken the 
 crown of thy head. — Hast thou not 
 procured this unto thyself, in ^that thou 
 hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when 
 he led thee by the way." This text he 
 averred to be prophetic of their success, 
 and the downfall of Banner Cross. " I 
 say unto ye, go forth and conquer; the 
 flaming sword of the cherubims shall go 
 before, and ye shall conquer in the might 
 of the spirit. Are ye not the elect ? the 
 chosen ? sons of the promise, and chil-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 305 
 
 dren of the covenant ? How long will ye 
 
 blindly lie under the cross ? How long 
 
 will ye tamely submit to the dominion of 
 
 antichrist ? The irresistible grace of the 
 
 Most High sheddeth itself upon ye, and 
 
 ye may not, ye cannot, ye shall not gain- 
 
 say it. Against whom do ye go up ta 
 
 battle? Is it against the righteous? Is it 
 
 against one who loveth justice and 
 
 feareth God ? Is it against one ye can 
 
 greet with the right hand of fellowship ? 
 
 No, brethren ; it is against the cursed, 
 
 the malignant, the immitigate prelatist j 
 
 the patron of Morrice dances and May 
 
 games ; the supporter of Whitson-ales, 
 
 Clerk-ales, and Bid-ales, wakes, revels^ 
 
 and feasts of dedication. Well might the 
 
 Lord cast off his altar : well might He 
 
 abhor his sanctuary. He hath given into 
 
 your hands the walls of the palaces ; yea. 
 
 He hath given them into your hands to 
 
 spoil and consume with fire." He then 
 
 formally blessed the faithful select, and 
 
 they prepared to depart. They were 
 
 conducted across the Tor Dale by the
 
 3C,G THE CAVALIER. 
 
 minister, elders, and the remainder of 
 their friends, who prayed aloud for their 
 success. As they proceeded, Windyman 
 exhorted Jonathan to fortitude and 
 steadfastness. " Put your trust in the 
 spirit, and ye will be both firm and 
 fortunate.'' 
 
 " I put my trust," said the puritan, 
 ** in this strong arm, and this stout heart; 
 in my brigandine and skull-cap, broad 
 sword and pistols. I will forgive him 
 that over-matches me." 
 
 *' Trust not to the arm of flesh, or ye 
 are undone," said the preacher ; *' put 
 your faith in the assistance of heaven 
 alone." 
 
 " Then, I trow, we need not stir fur- 
 ther ; ye can as well kneel down on the 
 mother rock, and call for heaven's fire 
 upon the Castle, as we do it under the 
 peak." 
 
 This reply put Neverlack to a nonplus 
 for some moments ; but he gathered his 
 recollection, and said, ** Be not froward 
 and vain, as our enemies ; but patient,
 
 THI:: CAVALIER. 307 
 
 humble, and meek, as the lambs of Christ, 
 the saints of the New Jerusalem, I meant 
 not that ye should stand idle, expecting 
 the ruin of the strong hold by miracu- 
 lous interposition; but that your courage 
 should sustain itself by faith in the Lord, 
 by a confidence in his support, and not 
 by that foolish and heathenish insensi- 
 bility, which our enemies call honour 
 and glory." 
 
 Jonathan smiled, but the smile was 
 one of deep contempt ; he turned upon 
 his heel, and joined his troop. They 
 had now arrived at the Lone End ; the 
 select filed off down the lane, leaving 
 the preacher and the others on the ridge 
 of Mam Tor, who were resolved there 
 to await the issue of the attempt. That 
 they might pass their time in a way 
 of edification, Mr. Windyman proposed 
 that all present should join in a psalm; 
 in which proposal the elders warmly con- 
 curred : and having groped out a large 
 stone, (for it was too dark to see any 
 thing distinctly,) the preacher took his
 
 30S THE CAVALIER. 
 
 seat upon it, and his congregation gather- 
 ed around. After a few haws and hems, 
 Mr. Neverlack gave the 79th psalm, 
 out of the old puritanical version, as 
 Ibllows ; 
 
 " The heathen now with bow and spear, 
 
 Thy people do oppress ; 
 Yea, all thy saints, provok'd by fear, 
 
 Cry out for quick redress." 
 
 The whole assembly joined in the chant 
 of this psalm. There were about two 
 hundred people, and as they sang with 
 all their might, being restrained by no 
 considerations of art or method, they 
 produced a most astounding chorus; the 
 young puritans particularly, (who, per- 
 haps, even in the focus of crabbed and 
 melancholy fanaticism, could not throw 
 off the exhilaration and buoyancy of 
 youth,) roared out with terrible emula- 
 tion ; and even Neverlack himself, (ac- 
 customed as he was to intense enuncia- 
 tion,) was obliged to turn away iiis ear 
 from the strong lungs of a middle-aged 
 man, who shouted directly into it. In-
 
 THE CAVALIER. oOQ 
 
 deed it was necessary for them to exert 
 themselves. A March night, on a hill 
 side, with the wind blowing in its utter- 
 most fury, requires extraordinary exercise 
 to defy its rigours, and they were too 
 good mountaineers not to know the be- 
 nefit of exertion. 
 
 When the psalm was ended, old Snell 
 begged that the pastor would pursue his 
 pious labours with a prayer for the success 
 of the departed band, to which he willing- 
 ly consented. He therefore knelt down, 
 with the stone, on which he had been 
 sitting, for a pulpit-rest ; and his congre- 
 gation followed his example. He then 
 held forth for at least an hour, crying 
 (to use his scriptural expression) like 
 the young raven in the wilderness. He 
 craved a blessing upon the expedition, 
 and begged that the Lord would testify 
 in their favour, by crowning the enter- 
 prise with success. He intreated the 
 Omnipotent to pour forth his wrath upon 
 the heathen that had not known him, 
 and upon those who had not called upon
 
 310 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 his nainc ; and trusted that the fire of 
 heaven would consume those who, having 
 neglected the true worship, had gone a 
 whoring after false gods. " AVe have 
 been a reproach," said he, " to our neigh- 
 bours, a scorn and derision to them that 
 are round about us ; but do thou, we be- 
 seech thee, render unto our neighbours 
 seven-fold in their bosoms, the reproach, 
 and the scorn, and the derision, where- 
 with they have reproached, and scorned, 
 and derided us. Know we not thy power, 
 most Omnipotent Father ? Know we not 
 the fierceness of thine anger, and the 
 dreadness of thy wrath ? Who is equal to 
 the God of battles ? to the Lord of 
 hosts?" 
 
 Having made an end of the prayer, 
 Mr. Neverlack rose up ; the clock was 
 striking twelve ; a gust of wind bore the 
 sound over Mam Tor, and startled the 
 roe-buck as he peered over the Heron crag. 
 
 " Think ye the brethren will succeed," 
 said Snell, to the preacher. 
 
 '* Doubt it not," replied Windyman j
 
 THE CAVALIER. 311 
 
 " the contrary would be a fountain of 
 bitter waters unto the land, and a dark- 
 ening of the light in the heavens there- 
 of: we have not deserved such a re- 
 proof." 
 
 At this moment a strong glare of light 
 shot athwart the sky ; and those of the 
 puritans who were highest on the ridge, 
 cried out, that the castle was in flames. 
 
 ** The Lord hath heard us," said the 
 pastor J " he hath delivered the enemy 
 into our hands." 
 
 They now all ascended the highest 
 point of Mam Tor, and thence easily dis- 
 cerned the flames and smoke rolling out 
 of the castle windows. Whilst they were 
 anxiously watching this awful but grand 
 spectacle, the report of fire-arms reached 
 them, and even, at times, the shouts and 
 halloos of the combatants, and the shrieks 
 of the women. The pastor raised his 
 arms, and, like another Moses, continual- 
 ly repeated, " God, God of Jacob." 
 
 As each part of the castle was invaded 
 by the fire, and the roofs of the different
 
 312 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 apartments fell in, the light became 
 stronger and more steady, and the puri- 
 tans could now plainly see their brethren 
 and the soldiers engaged : one party fled, 
 but which it was they could not distin- 
 guish ; however, the firing ceased, and, in 
 a short time, their friends came strag- 
 gling by two's and three's over the ridge. 
 These were surrounded, and a hundred 
 questions putto them; but they were either 
 too much ashamed, or too much wearied 
 to answer ; their only reply was, that if 
 Jonathan survived, he could tell them all 
 better than they could ; and with this, 
 Mr. Neverlack and his brethren were 
 necessitated to be content. In about 
 half an hour, the sound of a bugle was 
 heard at the Lone End, and the voice 
 of Jonathan, calling to his comrades, 
 " Come on, forward." — He mounted the 
 rock, and advanced to the pastor and his 
 grandfather. 
 
 <' Worthy are ye," said the pastor, " to 
 fight the Lord's battles ; yon blazing 
 tower is a testimony, and a burnt-offer-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 313 
 
 ing, and a sweet-smelling savour, unto 
 heaven ; it is a light to enlighten the 
 saints, and a warning to admonish the 
 malignants. Well have ye, and all of ye 
 deserved, and crowns of real glory shall 
 ye gather, for this meet and acceptable 
 service: but relate, brother; inform us of 
 the particulars." 
 
 " The deed is but half done," replied 
 the fierce mountaineer ; " but one has 
 met his fate, and his life was bought with 
 a score of ours : ye speak falsely and 
 foolishly when ye say we have all de- 
 served well ; there be many of us that 
 deserve to be pitched from this rock ; 
 had each man performed his best, yon 
 blazing tower would have been a bed of 
 fire for the whole garrison." 
 
 *« But they did na' see ye fly," said a 
 dreadful voice from behind ; " they did 
 na' drive ye from tlie blazing ruin ; 
 marked I ye well, foaming like the 
 brindled boar, grinding like the spotted 
 libbard ; or the lion at bay wi' the dogs 
 around him. — Speak, ye men o* fear, 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 Sl4f THE CAVALIER, 
 
 who guarded your flight at his life's peril ? 
 Who came the last down the castle- 
 rock, stopping the bloody Cavaliers wi' 
 his single sword ?*' 
 
 It was the witch, Doll Jordan, who, 
 with a naked knife in her hand, now 
 stood in the midst of the circle, to the 
 manifest terror of the whole company, 
 except Jonathan. Mr. Windyman, in 
 particular, drew back, horror-struck at 
 her appearance ; for she, as well as the 
 subject of her panegyric, was covered 
 with blood, and her grey hair, streaming 
 with the wind, gave her the look of a 
 maniac. 
 
 <* Why stay ye here,*' she pursued, 
 " when ye may gain a cheap victory? — 
 return ye to the fight — gather up your 
 strength, and set on again — tak' pattern 
 o' yer leader : the foe is now stricken ; a 
 fright is upon him — ye are ten times 
 their number. I promise ye victory : 
 return and conquer, or die like men." 
 
 The witch in vain endeavoured to ani- 
 mate the puritans ; they had been too 
 7
 
 THE CAVALIER. 315 
 
 effectually beaten to tempt their fate 
 again. They required time to gather 
 their courage and strength, before they 
 would dare to meet the victorious Ca- 
 valiers, hov^ever exceeding them in num- 
 bers. 
 
 '* It wonnot be, Doll," said Jonathan ; 
 " they are craven and cow'd j I must 
 wait an opportunity." 
 
 " An' ye let this'n pass, ye'll seek a 
 fitter, and find it never," said the grey 
 woman. 
 
 " Your thought is mine," replied the 
 leader ; " but it wonnot be ; a half dozen 
 Cavaliers would set the troop fleeing; 
 they dare sooner climb the shivering 
 front, than return once more to attack 
 yon castle." 
 
 " The darkened dule o' their coward 
 hearts!" cried she; "may they hap of 
 a fight where they canna flee. Fare ye 
 well ; I have my own work ;" and she 
 walked quickly over the ridge. 
 
 The puritans then drew homeward, 
 the pastor returning with old Snell to 
 p S
 
 316 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 the cottage. Jonathan, with the rest of 
 the troop, retreated further into the hills, 
 to their usual places of concealment. A 
 meeting of the leading puritans had been 
 appointed to be holden on the following 
 day at Sr.ell's cottage, whither, at mid- 
 day, many of them convened. It was 
 here debated upon the propriety of re- 
 newing their attack, and each person 
 delivered his opinion warmly and stub- 
 bornly upon the side he espoused. 
 
 The preacher, Windyman, was for a 
 vigorous prosecution of their designs. 
 ** The spirit was upon me," said he, 
 " and I prophesied that the malignants 
 were delivered into your hands. The Lord 
 hath deserted them, as he did Ahab the 
 son of Omri, because they are an abomi- 
 nation ; because they are, and shall be, a 
 hissing and a curse before the Lord our 
 God. Their joints shall strew the earth, 
 and the dogs shall lick up their blood, 
 for they do persecute our Saviour in his 
 members, and do reject and despise him, 
 in rejecting and despising those labourers,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 317 
 
 who, at the prayer of the faithful, the 
 Lord hath sent forth into the harvest. 
 Tarry not, then, brethren, but gird on 
 every man his harness, and set yourselves 
 in battle array : smite the heathen with 
 the edge of the sword, and let the ma- 
 lignants perish as the enemies of the 
 Lord." 
 
 Old Snell was of this opinion, or, out 
 of deference to the preacher, pretended 
 so to be. " Ye shall gather much glory," 
 said he, " i' your pious undertakings. — 
 Go up, brethren, go up against this 
 Hazor : ye shall shoot at them, and de- 
 stroy them, from the rising o' the sun, 
 until the going down thereof; they shall 
 perish from Dan unto Beersheba, yea 
 unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Me- 
 deba. Like unto Dathan and Abiram, 
 like unto Korah the son of Izhar, the 
 son of Kohath, the son of Levi, shall the 
 malignants perish in their iniquity." 
 
 ** There's no remedy for shedden milk," 
 said Jonathan ; " else last night's action, 
 fairly fought, would have left little need 
 p 3
 
 318 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 of to-day's meeting : the Cavaliers can- 
 not now much exceed twenty men ; they 
 have no defences, and, moreover, since 
 the Major's death, are without head or 
 conduct : I am for instant battle, and 
 will pledge my soul's safety for our 
 success." 
 
 " What ca' ye Gualter?" said one of 
 the armed puritans; ** has he neither head 
 nor conduct ? an' he had na,' we should 
 lia' brought off twenty men the more last 
 neet." 
 
 " He's little to be feared," replied 
 Jonathan, contemptuously -, " I'll under- 
 take for him." 
 
 " We doubt ye not, Jonathan," said 
 the last speaker ; " but the brethren were 
 last neet panic-stricken, and they dinna 
 so quickly recover ; besides, the Cava- 
 liers are a' mounted troopers, and wad 
 play a desperate game, an we were to 
 gi' em warning of our attack ; it is better 
 counsel, to my mind, to wait for dark, 
 and then set upon 'em at unawares." 
 
 Most of the brethren agreed with this
 
 THE CAVALIER. 319 
 
 advice, but Jonathan loudly exclaimed 
 against it. " Ye will teach the bre- 
 thren," said he, " that they are no match 
 for the Cavaliers, though ten times their 
 number. What if the malignants be 
 horsed, they cannot stand before the 
 fire of a hundred carbines, and the push 
 of a hundred pikes. Are we not mailed 
 and guarded as well as they are ? And 
 is it not a shame to confess, that we want 
 pluck and courage, when we have two 
 hundred men to twenty ? The Cavaliers 
 must surely have some truth in their 
 saying we have a bad cause, or we 
 should not have so much fear to defend 
 it." 
 
 *' The Cavaliers,*' said the man who 
 spoke before, " may lie till they're 
 black i' the face j it '11 neither hurt our 
 cause nor our courage ; but ye wrong us 
 i' saying we wad bring fear to the bre- 
 thren. We stand fast i' the - Lord : we 
 put our trust i' his strength ; and we nei- 
 ther faint nor fail when he says, go 
 forth." 
 
 p 4
 
 8Q(J THE CAVALIEH. 
 
 '* He has said," replied the preacher, 
 spying an encroachment upon his autho- 
 rity and calling, ** he has spoken by my 
 mouth, ' Go up to battle, and he will 
 deliver the enemy into your hands.' " 
 
 ** We deny the ca',*' replied the pu- 
 ritan : ** Hearken not unto the words of 
 the prophets, saith the Scripture, that 
 do prophesy unto you ; they make 
 you vain, they speak a vision of their 
 own heart, and not out of the mouth of 
 the Lord." 
 
 *' Ye utter blasphemies," said Never- 
 lack." 
 
 " Behold," continued the puritan, 
 " I am against the prophets, saith the 
 Lord, that steal my words every one from 
 his neighbour ; against the prophets, who 
 use their own tongues,and say. He saith." 
 
 ** Is your pastor a laughing-stock ?'' 
 cried Windyman. ** Is he a man of 
 straw ? Do not my gilts prove the rec- 
 titude of my call, and the sacredness 
 of my appointment ? What would ye 
 more of evidence ?"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 321 
 
 *' We wad ha' conviction spiritually/* 
 replied his opponent : " an ye prophe- 
 sied of a sure spirit, the Lord wad en- 
 lighten our hearts to receive his com- 
 mandment." 
 
 *' I will withdraw to prayer," said the 
 preacher : «' peradventure my suit may 
 procure ye an enlightening grace. The 
 spirit of apostolic concord be among ye." 
 
 He withdrew, and was followed by 
 the elder Snell. Jonathan immediately 
 rose up, and said, " If ye think not fit 
 to follow my counsel, he shall be leader 
 that will. I quit myself of yer company, 
 and yer cowardice." 
 
 ** Cowardice !" said the other, laying 
 his hand on his sword. 
 
 " Ay, cowardice, Robert Ford ;" 
 shouted the mountaineer ; '< to your 
 teeth, rank coward fear. Ye need not 
 lay your hand on yer weapon, nor look 
 so big, unless ye could better make yer 
 svvord support yer bullying." 
 
 *' This is the roof o' yer fathers," 
 said his antagonist, '* or, by my hope b' 
 p 5
 
 3€£ THE CAVALIER. 
 
 safety, I'd make the floor drink yer 
 blood.'* 
 
 " Two strides will bring us on fair 
 gronnJ, if ye dare make yer words 
 good," replied Snell. 
 
 " May I be ca'd coward, and spit 
 upon, an I dinna," said Ford, rushing 
 towards the cottage-door. 
 
 He was followed by Snell, and they 
 both drew their swords, eager for each 
 other's blood ; but the Puritans who 
 stood by, seeing the inequahty of the 
 combat, in which Ford would assuredly 
 be the victim, interposed j and Jonathan, 
 perceiving he had been too hasty, con- 
 sented to a reconciliation. However, he 
 still persisted in throwing up his com- 
 mand, and neither the elders nor the 
 pastor could bend the stubbornness of 
 his resolution. 
 
 *' I will seek my fortune," said he, 
 ** with men like myself, who will peril 
 all to gain all; who will either have vic- 
 tory or death." 
 
 At night, the troop met in arms seve-
 
 l-ttE CAVALIER. 32$ 
 
 ral hours before their usual time, and it 
 was resolved to attempt a surprise of the 
 Castle Town, whither, they had learnt, 
 the inhabitants of Banner Cross were 
 retired* 
 
 The issue of this attempt we have 
 before seen ; for the conduct of the en- 
 terprise being left to Ford, and those of 
 his party, who were too cautious to risk 
 any thing, an attack was not made upon 
 the town, and they retired as they 
 came. This failure drew upon Ford such 
 cutting sarcasms and reproaches from 
 Jonathan, that they again came to the 
 sword's point, but were again separated j 
 and the Puritans, finding they should gain 
 little renown under their more pacific 
 leader, prayed Snell to resume his sta- 
 tion. He consented, on condition that 
 they would take the first opportunity, 
 which should present itself, of redeem- 
 ing their reputation by an engagement 
 with the enemy ; to which they gladly 
 agreed, and the mountaineer once more 
 became the head of their company. 
 p 6
 
 SQ4j the cavalier. 
 
 He assembled them early tlie next 
 morning, with a fixed resolution of at- 
 tacking the Castle Town. He had form- 
 ed his men, and they had begun their 
 march across the dale, when their ad- 
 vanced-guard fired a shot. They hast- 
 ened forward with the expectation of 
 meeting an enemy mounting the ridge 
 of Mam Tor ; but when they arrived at 
 the point of the cliff, whence they had a 
 view over Hope Dale, they descried a 
 large squadron of horse emerging from 
 the pass of the Wingates, slowly moving 
 towards the ^Castle Town. These were 
 the Lord Falconridge, Lieutenant Arm- 
 strong, and the squadron under his com- 
 mand, whose appearance put a stop to 
 the further advance of the Puritans. 
 
 Snell watched the Cavaliers into the 
 
 ■f 
 
 town, and drew back his men into the 
 dale. After an exhortation to them to 
 be stcdtast and courageous, and re- 
 minding them of their covenant to seize 
 the first opportunity of engaging the 
 enemy, ** which,'' said he, ** if yon Ca-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 3^5 
 
 valiers be the men I take 'em for, ye 
 will not long await ;" he dismissed the 
 Puritans, with a request that they would 
 assemble early on the m.orrow. 
 
 The morrow came, and beheld Snell 
 with his band of enthusiasts hard at 
 exercise at an early liour. Each man 
 was completely accoutred ; they wore the 
 arms of dragoons, fitted to act on horse- 
 back or on foot, for the purchase of which 
 all the mountaineers of the Puritan or 
 Parliamentary faction had liberally con- 
 tributed. They had not been an hour 
 on the ground, when they were informed 
 by their outpost of the advance of the 
 Cavaliers towards the Tor Dale. 
 
 " They are welcome/' said Jonathan. 
 *' I heard the raven crow loudly this 
 morning ; he had the scent of blood. 
 — Now, brothers, ye have yer hearts* 
 wish ; for the honour of the hills, strike 
 deep, and deadly.'* 
 
 He formed the whole body into four 
 companies, witli a little interval between 
 each, and assigned to four of the most
 
 326 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 desperate of his friends the command 
 of the divisions, himself intending to act 
 the part of general-in-chief. Military 
 men may probably condemn SnelPs ar- 
 rangement, particularly his endeavouring 
 to keep the open field against horse ; but 
 we have known many instances where 
 foot have repelled the chivalry in'*aperto 
 Marte" in ancient and modern times ; 
 nay, it is a fact, that both the Greeks 
 and Romans placed all their dependance 
 upon the foot; for although we some- 
 times hear of the ** turba equitatus," yet 
 the phalanx and legion w^ere the soul of 
 the respective armies. But to come 
 nearer modern times, do we not hear of 
 the Swiss companies, who were so for- 
 midable to France and Italy in the be- 
 ginning of the sixteenth century ? They 
 consisted entirely of foot : and a refer- 
 ence to Guicciardini will show that the 
 knights and men at arms, and among 
 them the precise Chevalier Bayard, could 
 make no impression upon the close- 
 wedged masses of those redoubtable in-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 3^7 
 
 fantiy. We are not sure that the Puritan 
 was acquainted with these examples, that 
 he understood the military tactics of 
 Greece or Rome, or of the Swiss compa- 
 nies ; indeed, any tactics at all : but it is 
 certain, that he had that sort of desperate 
 courage which despises difficulties, and 
 which generally surmounts them ; and 
 had he been seconded by his fellows, with 
 a resolution equal to his own, it is not to 
 be doubted but he would have vanquished 
 the Cavaliers on the ensuing fight. When 
 the enemy appeared on the height of the 
 ridge, the out-post fired his carbine, and 
 retreated to their main body. Jonathan 
 carefully instructed his men not to give 
 fire until the enemy came close upon 
 them, and they should be certain to do 
 execution. " See the white of their 
 eyes, brethren," said he^ ** ere ye fire a 
 shot." 
 
 However, the charge of Armstrong and 
 his troop was so rapid and overpowering, 
 that the puritans were thrown into con- 
 fusion, before they could make resistance.
 
 328 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 We need not here recapitulate the event 
 ot the combat ; our readers will recollect 
 that Snell and his confederates were 
 routed, and retreated to the defiles of 
 the Heron's nest, where they remained, 
 (surveying, with indignation, the spoli- 
 ation of their dead comrades, and the 
 destruction of the elder's cottage,) until 
 the Cavaliers had quitted the Tor Dale. 
 They then descended ; and in a short 
 time were joined by the elders, the pastor, 
 and many women and children who had 
 retired into the hills for safety. By this 
 fatal action, many of the latter found 
 themselves \vidows and orphans. To 
 the cry of battle, and the thunder of 
 fire-arms succeeded the wailing of de- 
 solation, and lamentation for the dead : 
 widows threw themselves on the bodies 
 of their husbands, and tore their hair, 
 and beat their brcasts> in the extremity 
 of afHiction ; the children shrieked at the 
 despair of their mothers, and even fana- 
 tic fury unbent itself at the sight of con- 
 jugal afHiction. The stern soul of Jona-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 3'29 
 
 than was alone unsoftened ; but if it 
 could not feel pity, it burnt with revenge. 
 He swore, by the cross of Christ, to re- 
 venge the deaths of his brethren, or meet 
 his own ; and in any future fight, that he 
 would neither receiv.e quarter nor give 
 it. The pastor and elders used all their 
 endeavours to console the sorrowing 
 friends of the departed, and for that pur- 
 pose, assembled them together to prayer, 
 whilst the men dug their graves. When 
 every thing was ready for the interment, 
 the relatives of the dead took of them 
 their last leave, and they were inhumed 
 amidst renewed lamentations, and cries 
 of sorrow. Mr. Windyman preached a 
 funeral discourse of several hours' length, 
 and the puritans retired to their homes. 
 
 " But whither will ye retire ?" said 
 Jonathan to his grandsire. ** Ye have 
 now neither house nor harbour. The red 
 deer springs ower the hill, and hies him 
 to his rushy lair ; the yarn and eagle soar 
 to their nests in the mountain crag ; but
 
 330 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ye, old man, ye have no covert wherein 
 to hide yer white head from the storm." 
 
 ** I dinna fear, boy," said Solomon ; 
 " my hope is anchored on a rock ; I 
 cling to the Lord, and he winna forsake 
 me. What talk ye o' yon blazin cabin ? 
 what doth it contain so precious, that we 
 need grieve for it ? I have my sole trea- 
 sure here," holding up his pocket bible ; 
 *' let the rest perish, I shall sorrow little. 
 
 One of the brethren, however, came 
 up, and invited the old man to go with 
 him to the woodlands ; to which he was 
 persuaded by Jonathan to consent. It 
 was fixed among the principal leaders of 
 the puritans, that, with the morning's 
 dawn, their leader Snell, and the pastor 
 Windyman, should set off to the commis- 
 sioners of the parliament at Bullock 
 Smithy, in pursuance of their former re- 
 solution ; and for that purpose, at day- 
 break, horses were prepared, accoutred 
 with the caparisons of those troopers who 
 had fallen in the defile, and out of their
 
 THE CA^^ALIER. 381 
 
 armour, Snell made such additions to his 
 own defences as he thought conducive 
 to his personal protection. His steed 
 was a huge brown horse, (of that sort 
 now termed the carriage breed,) of great 
 sinew and strength, but yet not unwieldy, 
 and was every way adapted to his rider's 
 bulk of body : the preacher rode a shaf- 
 fling nag, which had formerly been used in 
 the drudgery of carrying lime-stone pan- 
 niers; which service had so abated his met- 
 tle, (if he ever had any,) that he was now 
 as perfectly passive, as if he had been all 
 his days at the university. He was 
 moreover a religious nag, for he very 
 often put his rider in mind of his calling 
 by sinking upon his knees; so that before 
 they had gone a mile, Mr. Neverlack 
 could have sworn the poney was a rank 
 prelatist, he made so many bows and ge- 
 nuflexions. The travellers made a cir- 
 cuit to get into the main road, and in 
 about two hours reached the town of 
 Chapel-en-le-Frith, where the puritans 
 had many adherents. The preacher was
 
 SSQ THE CAVALIER. 
 
 SO miicli heated, and wearied witli their 
 hilly ride, that he was here forced to stay 
 and bait. The inn was kept by a pu- 
 ritan, who, when he found out the party 
 of his guests, pressed them warmly to- 
 dismount, and refresh themselves ; but 
 the mountaineer refused, and drank his 
 pint of ale as he sat on horseback. How- 
 ever, Mr. Neverlack voided his saddle 
 whilst he took his dram of brandy ; a 
 dose which seemed, by the smack of his 
 lips, to be mighty agreeable to the holy 
 man. 
 
 " Will ye ha' a mouth'll o' bread an* 
 cheese ?" said the innkeeper : ** PU bring 
 it before ye can say nay. 
 
 " Nay,*' replied Jonathan, " we must 
 eat the road, for our business is more 
 than of life or death." 
 
 ** Nevertheless, if it be for our neces- 
 sary support," said the pastor, '* I aver 
 there is no harm in satisfying the crea- 
 ture." 
 
 ** What, man," said the mountaineer, 
 ** ye have scarce ridden a half dozen
 
 TMH CAVALIER. 335 
 
 miles, and left a strapping breakfast a 
 two hours, but yer maw crieth cupboard? 
 Ye can neither be faint, nor fast-bitten, 
 and we have but ten miles further to 
 ride.*' 
 
 ** Ten miles !*' answered Neverlack ; 
 " I should be starved into a weasel, were 
 I to wait the end of our destination. 
 Tarry a minute, brother : I will make a 
 good meal in a short time; and I promise 
 ye to bait only once more on our way 
 to the Smithy for Bullocks." 
 
 " Once more !" cried Snell, in a pas- 
 sion : *' here, landlord, bring him a loaf 
 and cheese, and lend him a knife, he can 
 stuff himself as he rides along. 1*11 wait 
 no longer.'* 
 
 «' Nay, brother," said Windyman, with 
 his mouth full of the landlord's recom- 
 mendatory articles : *' nay, but tarry." 
 
 «« Tarry ; whoo !" said Jonathan,- 
 laughing. 
 
 ** Ye see I use great expedition ; I 
 nearly choke myself, out of my wish to 
 expedite," said Neverlack.
 
 334 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " Come, ye've surely done now," said 
 Snell ; " ye've eaten half the loaf, and 
 gobbled a mountain of cheese." 
 
 " Nay, but one more mouthful," said 
 the preacher. 
 
 Snell happened to turn his head the 
 way they came. " A hundred thousand 
 curses o' yer mouthfuls," said he ; ** here 
 are a troop of Ca\aliers." He plunged 
 his spurs into his horse's sides, and 
 rode off at full speed. The Cavaliers, 
 observing an armed man fly with such 
 haste, immediately concluded him to be 
 an enemy, and spurred on their horses 
 with great rapidity. Arriving at the inn 
 door, they found the preacher, and per- 
 ceived his occupation from his methodical 
 dress, and cropped head. Armstrong, who 
 was in the van of the squadron, told a cor- 
 poral to " follow with that Round-head, 
 and he would pursue his companion." 
 
 They pushed forward, and soon came 
 in sight of the Puritan, who was mount- 
 ing one hill as they descended another : 
 they gained ground upon him, although
 
 THE CAVALIER. 835 
 
 he rode as fast as his horse could gallop ; 
 but as their chargers were better adapted 
 to the road, they made more way tnan he. 
 Snell often thought of dashing into the 
 woods on either side of the road, but the 
 fear of detection urged him forward -, his 
 horse was nearly spent, and he heard the 
 '^ halloos of the avengers" close behind 
 him, when he arrived at the bridge of 
 Waily, the river of which name separates 
 Derbyshire from Cheshire. It had been 
 increased by the late rains, and the tor- 
 rent now ran so strong, that had not 
 the bridge been there, it had been im- 
 passable. It was a draw of wood, but in- 
 stead of hoisting with chains, was turned 
 by means of a rudder at the opposite 
 side. Snell knew this bridge well, and 
 concluded he should be safe, if he could 
 pass it before the arrival of the enemy. 
 He spurred his weary steed, and reached 
 the other side in safety. In a moment 
 he sprung from his horse ; the Cavaliers 
 were at hand ; but he pushed the rudder 
 with all his might, until the bridge gave
 
 336 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 way, and wheeled to that side of the river 
 on which he stood. The enraged Cava- 
 liers saluted him with a volley from their 
 pistols ; but he sprung upon his horse, 
 and rode gently forward, setting their 
 threats and fire at defiance -, and leaving 
 them to wait for the next passenger to 
 restore the bridge to its former situation.
 
 THE CAVALIER. 837 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 What have I done that I am thus intreated? 
 Am I a robber or a murtherer. 
 That thus ye hold me like a beast at bay ? 
 Women and gownsmen were till now excused, 
 Nor held to suffer the disquiets of war : 
 Belike your courage is of that nice form. 
 Which rather with a woman or a priest. 
 Would match in combat, than an iron man ? 
 
 Old Contention of York and Lancaster, 
 
 An inn stood on the Derby side of the 
 river, at which Armstrong and his troop 
 dismounted, intending to regale them- 
 selves until the arrival of the preacher 
 and his guard, and they could pass the 
 river. They waited not long, Windy- 
 man arrived, and the driver of a waggon, 
 who came to the bridge on the other 
 side, moved it round to its proper station. 
 Armstrong blew to horse, the Cavaliers 
 remounted, and passed the bridge, taking 
 their way across the country towards 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 338 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Stockport. The preacher rode between 
 Armstrong and a corporal, and, as he 
 moved along, exclaimed lustily against 
 the former, for impelling his poney to a 
 trot by the application of his sword-point 
 to its croup. 
 
 This novel manner of incitation was 
 highly resented even by the patient nag 
 himself, and he testified his wrath by 
 frequent kicks and plunges, which, to the 
 preacher, who was not so good an eques- 
 trian as his late companion, proved ex- 
 tremely unpleasant. 
 
 ** I know not," said Neverlack, ** that 
 it is given ye in charge to distress your 
 prisoners after this ungodly manner. I 
 am loth to complain ; but it is as certain 
 as Urim and Thummim, that my thighs 
 are rudely excoriated; and so bruised am I, 
 with the kicking of this animal, occasioned 
 by your cruel laceration, that I am one 
 compound of piebald jelly." 
 
 " Pooh," said the Scot ; " wad ye be 
 a' day i' ganging ae dozen miles ? I think 
 ye hae been wi' Doll Jordan, and she
 
 THE CAVALIER. 339 
 
 has witched yer tit. He gangs as though 
 he had his legs shackled." 
 
 " Truly I was bewitched to venture 
 myself on the back of such a creature as 
 this," said Neverlack. 
 
 " He gangs as if he had St. Vitus's 
 dance, or the double staggers," said the 
 Lieutenant; " perhaps ye gied him ower 
 muckle o' the brandy ye were drinkin', 
 and its got intill his head." 
 
 " The little refreshment I took," re- 
 plied Windyman, " was not in breach 
 of our ordinances, but for the support of 
 feeble nature." 
 
 " Ye hae the cast of ae feeble creature, 
 by my cross, an' troth : are na ye abune 
 ordinances, Mr. Lie till ye're black i' the 
 face Gripegut ?" 
 
 " If ye wish not for my rebuke, call 
 me not bald-head," said Neverlack. 
 
 ** Nae mair I did, I'll be sworn," re- 
 plied the trooper; " I ca'd ye Gripegut." 
 
 " It's the same thing ; a nickname's a 
 nickname," said the preacher ; ** and ye
 
 310 
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 will not fail of punishment, if ye cry out 
 upon the servants of God.'* 
 
 " Ye wear na his livery," said the sol- 
 dier; " I could never ken ye for ae church 
 parson." 
 
 ** And why not ?" said Windyinan. *« Is 
 it because I am not disguised in a white 
 surplice ? Is it because I wear not a cor- 
 ner cap, a filthy cope, and a beastly hood ? 
 Is it because I disdain the fashion of an- 
 tichrist, the pope, that man of sin, that 
 child of perdition, and all his rabble of 
 miscreants and shavelings, whom the 
 Lord shall consume with the spirit of his 
 mouth, and abolish with the brightness of 
 his coming ? — away with such idolatrous 
 gear ; away with the relics of the Amo- 
 rites ; we are not Jews, that we should 
 be clad in the garments of Aaron, neither 
 are we papists, that we should be defiled 
 with the stage-playing mummery of the 
 Romish beast. Can there not be a 
 church without an altar ? without organ- 
 piping, and the singing, ringing, and; 
 trowling of psalms, from one side of the, 
 5
 
 THE CAVALIER. 341 
 
 choir to the other ? without the squeak- 
 ing of chanting choristers ? Alack-a-day 1 
 the people cry out for bread, and ye give 
 them stones ; they entreat for the word 
 of God, and ye would satisfy them with 
 the inventions of the devil. I will not 
 beautify with my countenance these 
 filthy rags, which bring the heavenly 
 word of the Eternal into bondage, sub- 
 jection, and slavery. Avoid all unclean 
 things : touch not, taste not, handle 
 not." 
 
 " How are your thighs,'* • said the 
 trooper, when he paused. 
 
 " Very sore, in faith,'' replied Never- 
 lack. 
 
 *« And yer mouth also ?" said the Lieu- 
 tenant. 
 
 «« Nay, my mouth aileth nothing." 
 
 <* Is it not sore in faith ?" 
 
 *' It may speak sore things in matters 
 of faith," said the preacher. 
 
 ** In faith, then, is it sore," answered 
 the Scotsman. 
 
 '* Ye speak as a Jesuit, casting about 
 a S
 
 542 THE CAVAMEK. 
 
 to lie in wait for my poor soul ; but I 
 defy the devil and all his operations." 
 
 ** May it please yer reverence to in- 
 form nie wha was the stalwart chiel, 
 that consorted wi' ye, an' barred our pas- 
 sage ower the brig." 
 
 ** Who mean ye?" replied Windyman. 
 
 '* Can thy impudent 'face pretend ig- 
 norance ?" said Armstrong. " 1 mean 
 the armed man wha left ye in the lurch, 
 and saved himsel wi' the speed of his 
 horse." 
 
 «* There were many travellers," said 
 Neverlack, " at the inn whilst I refreshed 
 there, and my memory is not so good as 
 it wont to be ; but I do recollect a sol- 
 dier coming up to the door, whom I took 
 for a Cavalier, and therefore, according to 
 the adage, * I kept myself to myself,' in 
 fear that he would insult me." 
 
 " An' ye ken naething mair ?" said 
 the Lieutenant. 
 
 ** O! yea, I must not speak falsely; I 
 heard him call for a })int of ale, which he 
 drank on horseback, and when he had
 
 THE CAVALIER. 343 
 
 ended it, galloped off at his full speed, 
 which, if I mistake not, was about the 
 time of your coming up." 
 
 " Ay, marry was it," said Armstrong ; 
 " an' gin I mistak not, ye ken mair o' 
 that man than ye care to avouch ; see 
 that ye speak na' fausely, or, by the 
 maker o' the mountains. Til hang ye up 
 as a scarcraw till lying Round-heads.'* 
 
 ** Little honour is it to you," said the 
 preacher, *« to put threats on a man of 
 my calling." 
 
 " 1 threaten ye wi' justice," replied 
 Armstrong 5 ** an' ye shall hae the full 
 measure gin I find ye tricksey.'* 
 
 *« Behold, I am in your hands," replied 
 Neverlack, from Scripture : ** Behold, I 
 am in your hands, to do with me whatso- 
 ever seemeth good unto you ; but know 
 you this, that if you put me to death, you 
 shall bring innocent blood upon your own 
 hands and upon the land." 
 
 ** Ye are ae spy, or worse !" said Arm- 
 strong: ** I can see traitor written i' yer 
 canting puritanical phiz." 
 Q 4
 
 344 THE CAVALIER, 
 
 " You abuse me," replied thepreachen 
 
 " Unless the de'il assist ye at ae pinch, 
 I foresee the gibbet rope notched round 
 yer scrag'd gullet,'' said the Scot. 
 
 *' The Lord forefend !" ejaculated the 
 puritan, applying his thumb and finger to 
 his neck, and shaking his head with wist- 
 ful woe. 
 
 " Or ma' be ye'd prefer bein' shot, or 
 cut intill pieces wi' ae battle-brand," said 
 Armstrong, striking the preacher on the 
 back with the flat side of his broad 
 sword. The puritan, at this stroke, drew 
 his face into so many horrible and yet 
 ludicrous contortions, that Armstrong 
 and the troopers about him could not 
 refrain from a burst of laughter. 
 
 " Ye might be stranglin' now, ye piti- 
 ful callant," said the Lieutenant: '* what 
 gars ye pu' sae mony faces ?" 
 
 The preacher took no notice of this 
 question, but exclaimed, vvith tears in his 
 eyes, " Cursed be their anger, for it was 
 fierce ; and their wrath, for it was cruel. 
 O my soul ! come not thou into their
 
 THE CAVALIER. 34}5 
 
 secret, but let God divide them in Jacob, 
 and scatter them in Israel !" 
 
 ** Peace, ye spawn o' the covenant, or 
 ni hae ye drawn at my horse's tail j I 
 wull mak' thy tongue cleave till the roof 
 of thy mouth," said Armstrong, affect- 
 ing the scriptural cant of the preacher ; 
 '* and thou shalt be dumb, an' shalt not 
 be untill us ae reprover, fpr we are not 
 ae rebellious house." 
 
 ** Fie upon it !" said Windyman ; '*ye 
 garble and rend the Holy Scriptures : it 
 is a truth, that ye cannot find any text 
 appHcable to your works, or ye would 
 not belie the true Gospel." 
 
 '* Gin ye utter anither word, foul or 
 fair, fause or faithful, by the honour of 
 arms, Til gar ye ride the rest o' the way 
 wi' yer face to the tail, ye hafHing splutter 
 spight." 
 
 This threat clapped a padlock upon 
 the mouth of Windyman, and they rode 
 a considerable way in perfect silence. 
 The puritan elevated his eyes, and af- 
 fected to pray inwardly ; but his medita-
 
 3i6 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 tions were frequently interrupted by the 
 stumbling of his Rosinante, or the kicks 
 which that jewel of palfreys returned to 
 the renewed pastime of the Lieutenant. 
 At length they reached the brow of a 
 hill, upon which stood a small village 
 called Mcllor, whence they had a per- 
 fect view of Wibberley Chase, and the 
 castle, enveloped in smoke from the fire 
 of the besieged, with the camp of Sy- 
 denham before it, and the small town of 
 Marple about a mile on this side, the 
 river Mersey winding through the midst. 
 
 " There,'' said Armstrong, pointing 
 with his sword towards Wibberley, 
 <* there, neighbour Gripegut, is the goal 
 o' yer race : ye shall hae ae new halter, 
 an' an oaken tree, as I'm ae gentle- 
 man. The tree shall be the highest we 
 can find, that ye may hae ae gradely 
 view o' this fine country." 
 
 They could now distinctly hear the 
 fire of the contending parties at Wibber- 
 ley, and distinguish, amid volumes of 
 smoke, the flashes of the guns. Windy-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 347 
 
 man began to pray audibly, with the ut- 
 most horror appearing in his countenance, 
 at their approach to the scene of action. 
 He, at length, ventured to ask Armstrong 
 if they were going near to the castle. 
 
 ** Near, mon !" said the Scot ; " we're 
 ganging intill the intrenchment before 
 it.'* 
 
 " What !'' replied the preacher ; 
 " w^hence your party do fire?*' 
 
 " Ay, just aehint the guns." 
 
 " Then Lord have mercy on me a 
 sinner !*' said the puritan ; <* I shall be 
 murthered; I shall be destroyed as a 
 man of blood. Woe is me, for my sins 
 are many! The light of grace is de- 
 parted from me ! Woe is me, that I have 
 lived with Ahithophel, and have con- 
 sorted with Shimei !" 
 
 " An' shall be hanged like Haman," 
 said the Scotsman. 
 
 " Dust are we all," pursued the puri- 
 tan, *« and unto dust shall we return. 
 Prone to error, andfaUible in judgment, 
 are thy saints j yet have we not . called 
 q6
 
 Sis THE CAVALIER. 
 
 upon thee, saying, O thou sword of the 
 Lord ! how long will it be, ere thoii be 
 quiet ? Put up thyself in thy scabbard ; 
 rest, and be still ; and yet thou hast borne 
 testimony against this wicked race ! — 
 Thou hast plagued them with fire and 
 sword, and hast dug a pitfall under their 
 feet, for the chastisement of their iniqui- 
 ties." 
 
 " Peace, ye blaspheming traitor !" 
 said Armstrong ; ** peace, or ye shall be 
 pounded intill ammunition for ae mortar, 
 and thrown intill the casfle. Pll hae ye 
 posted up for ae mark, whereby the 
 enemy may practise their carbines, ye 
 doited Round-head." 
 
 ** I did but unburthen myself unto 
 Heaven, and thus am I treated ; but I 
 take comfort ; there never was saint 
 without his suffering." 
 
 ** There ne'er was rebel without his 
 reward," replied the Lieutenant ; " an' 
 unless my second sight be clean departed, 
 ye're as near yours as ma'es nae matter."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 349 
 
 ** I wait my trial," said Windyman •, 
 " my crimes must be proven." 
 
 " O! ye shall hae a fair hearing; the 
 halberts shall beyerbar, a cat-and-twelve 
 tails yer upright jury, a drummer shall be 
 judge, an' I trowye'll mak' yersell loudly 
 heard i' the bail court." 
 
 " Am I to be tortured, and afterwards 
 put to death ?" said the preacher. 
 
 *' Ye shall be scourged wi' thorns," 
 replied Armstrong, *' an' crown'd wi' ae 
 circlet o' fire, ye vile traitor; but nae, 
 that wad do ye too muckle honour : ye 
 shall be drown'd i' ae stagnant horse- 
 pond, or trampled till ye're dead by the 
 hoofs o' our horses. Muckle do I sus- 
 pect ye were at the firing o' Banner 
 Cross." 
 
 " No, verily," exclaimed the preacher, 
 ** as I hope to be saved." 
 
 ** Ye maun prove where ye were o' that 
 night," said Armstrong, " or yer asser- 
 tion will stand ye i' little stead." 
 
 They now entered the small town of
 
 3.50 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Marple, situate on the north-western 
 bank of the Mersey, and passing the 
 bridge, ascended a hill towards the 
 camp. Another quarter of an hour 
 brought them to the Lodge, at the en- 
 trance of Wibberley Chase, where a pic- 
 quet of dragoons was on guard; and 
 Armstrong was informed by the subal- 
 tern, that the Colonel had vigorously 
 cannonaded the castle for several days, 
 but had not hitherto succeeded in form- 
 ino: a stormable breach. The enemv had 
 made a desperate resistance, and still held 
 their purpose of resisting to the last ; the 
 pride of the governor increasing with 
 the duration of the siege. Having in- 
 formed himself of these particulars, the 
 Lieutenant proceeded across the Chase, 
 and passing the Mersey, entered the 
 camp by the rear entrenchment. He 
 found Colonel Sydenham busily engaged 
 in superintending the fire of his bastions, 
 which kept up a terrible bombardment 
 against the castle ; and the besieged, re-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 351 
 
 solving not to be outdone in compliments 
 of this kind, returned the battery with 
 twenty pieces of cannon. Several of the 
 officers had been carried off dangerously 
 wounded, but their loss only inclined 
 Sydenham to supply their places by his 
 personal activity, and he exposed himself 
 to the iire, not only of their cannon, but 
 of their musketry. 
 
 ** You're come in the nick of time, my 
 good fellow," said he to Armstrong, 
 when he saw him. ** Paulet's killed, the 
 Major disabled, Conadyne has a shot in 
 the thigh, and Marcet is just taken away 
 with a dangerous wound. I have, for 
 the last two hours, been my own colonel, 
 major, horse-lieutenant, adjutant of artil- 
 lery, and engineer." 
 
 *' The governor keeps his word like a 
 stout officer," said Armstrong. 
 
 " Yea, he is the bravest Round-head 
 I have met with. We shall batter down 
 the wall to-day, and we will then endea- 
 vour to save their blood by another par-
 
 352 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ley. — But what news from Banner Cross ? 
 Is the castle wholly destroyed ?" 
 
 " There is scarcely ae stane standing,'' 
 replied Armstrong. ** The fire an' the 
 puritans did their work wi' ae sure hand ; 
 but ye arepratty weel revenged." 
 
 " How so?" said Sydenham. 
 
 Major Gualter and mysel, wi' my 
 squadron, took ae peep among the hills. 
 We came upon ae troop o' the Round- 
 heads near the shivering rock, an' in a 
 few minutes we turn'd about ae hundred 
 of them upon their backs." 
 
 A musquet-ball struck upon the Lieu- 
 tenant's head-piece, but glancing off', did 
 liim no damage. He raised his arm, and 
 cried out — 
 
 «* Oh! ye ken me, do ye, callants ; I'll 
 gie ye proof o' my return, when I've 
 bolted my bannocks." 
 
 He delivered the letters with which 
 he was charged by the Baron and Lady 
 Falconridge to the Colonel, and they re- 
 tired to his tent ; the gunners of the 
 bastions kept up their fire, and at lengtli
 
 THE CAVALIER. 353 
 
 beat down a part of the wall adjoining 
 the portal ; and a linked shot cutting 
 through the chains of the draw-bridge, it 
 fell, and formed a passage over the moat 
 for the assailants. The Colonel, upon 
 notice of this success, formed a body of 
 men, and led them on to the attack : 
 they had taken possession of the bridge, 
 and were mounting the breach, when the 
 enemy beat a parley. Armstrong, who 
 led the forlorn hope, cried out, that the 
 place was their own, and that no atten- 
 tion should be paid to the signal ; but 
 Sydenham ordering the firing to cease, 
 demanded their meaning. 
 
 The governor Purefoy then came to 
 the breach, and consented to capitulate 
 upon terms; but, upon explanation, his 
 demands proved so exorbitant, that 
 Sydenham grew enraged. " Ye shall 
 either surrender upon mercy, or abide 
 the storm ; choose ye whether quickly, 
 for my men are in a heat." 
 
 " Nay, but Colonel," said the Round- 
 head, " peradventure we can make good.
 
 354 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 with the Lord's assistance, those ram- 
 parts, which we have kept so long." 
 
 " Then stand to your arms," cried 
 Sydenham. *« I can delay no longer." 
 
 ** Nay, nay, but Colonel Sydenham," 
 said Purefoy, ** it is that we may put an 
 end to the effusion of Christian blood, 
 and to avoid the destruction of our near 
 and dear friend, Mr. Francis Bradshaw 
 and his family, who are now within, that 
 we consent to surrender, and not for the 
 fear of our own unprofitable lives. The 
 Lord might render the good and glorious 
 cause, for which we have foughten, and 
 for which we will fight, as much service 
 by our deaths, as by our services in the 
 land; and blessed — " 
 
 ** I have not time, Sir," said Syden- 
 ham, " to hear sermons now ; in a word, 
 battle, or absolute surrender." 
 
 " I have but three reasons," replied 
 Purefo)^, ** against the latter, the first 
 whereof — " 
 
 " I tell ye. Sir, I neither can nor will 
 listen to your reasons j and since you seem
 
 THE CAVALIER. 855 
 
 merely to amuse us — Comrades," said he, 
 elevating his sword, " a la mort, death or 
 victory." 
 
 The soldiers pressed onward, when 
 Purefoy, snatching a white flag from one 
 of his officers, held it out as a signal of 
 surrender. He then delivered his sword 
 to Sydenham, who immediately returned 
 it ; the portal was thrown open, and the 
 Cavaliers marched into the court-yard : 
 the garrison (amounting to about fifty 
 men) was already drawn up, and on 
 Sydenham's appearance laid down their 
 arms. Purefoy walked up to them, and 
 said, " The Lord's will be done : we are 
 conquered, but not disgraced. Had we 
 been possessed of another barrel of 
 powder. Colonel Sydenham, ye would 
 have been a little more plagued, before 
 ye had captivated us." 
 
 " I bear witness, ye have done your 
 duty," replied the Colonel. 
 
 ** So do our consciences, which are 
 better evidences than mortal testimony," 
 cried Purefoy.
 
 S5C) THE CAVALIER. 
 
 The Cavaliers busied themselves in 
 striking their camp, and removing their 
 cannon and equipages into the castle: 
 the prisoners were set upon the repara- 
 tion of the fortifications, and the in- 
 trenchments levelled under the eye of 
 Armstrong. All the horses found ex- 
 cellent accommodations in the castle : 
 indeed nothing had been wanting, but 
 ammunition, to render Wibberley im- 
 pregnable. The Round-heads, in the 
 hope of frightening their adversaries, had 
 fired away so vast a quantity of powder 
 and shot, that from having at first a good 
 magazine, they had not, as their gover- 
 nor said, one barrel of powder left when 
 the Cavaliers were mounting the breach. 
 
 The castle and beautiful demesne of 
 Wibberley were, at the period we are 
 now commemorating, the property and 
 inheritance of Francis Bradshaw, Esquire, 
 brother of the celebrated republican Ser- 
 jeant John Bradshaw, afterwards lord 
 president of the High Court of Jus- 
 tice, which condemned the unfortunate
 
 THE CAVALIER. 357 
 
 Charles to the scaffold. The serjeant 
 was now attending the long parliament, 
 among the members of w^hich he had a 
 great name, and almost unlimited power; 
 but his brother, the proprietor, together 
 iwith his family, consisting of a wife, and 
 one daughter of the age of twelve years, 
 his chaplain and servants, were in the 
 castle during the siege. Francis Brad- 
 shaw was, as well as his brother, of the 
 presbyterian party, (though not a repub- 
 lican,) and had consented to receive a 
 garrison, into his fortified mansion, of 
 parliamentary soldiers. The families of 
 Falcon ridge and Bradshaw were not en- 
 tirely unacquainted ; for the latter had 
 another estate, near Chapel-en-le-Frith, 
 at which they frequently resided ; and 
 at those times had used (previous to the 
 commencement of the unhappy troubles) 
 to keep up good neighbourship with the 
 surrounding families of distinction. 
 
 When Colonel Sydenham had finished 
 his orders, he desired Captain Purefoy 
 to conduct him to Mr. Bradshaw^ The
 
 S58 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 family occupied the back part of the 
 castle, which was wholly sheltered from 
 the fire of the besiegers ; but they were 
 much straitened for room, having only 
 one hall or sitting-place for daily ac- 
 commodation. 
 
 Pui efoy was entering the hall, without 
 knock or signal ; but Sydenham laid his 
 hand upon his shoulder. " Let us en- 
 quire,'' said he, " if Mr. Bradshaw be 
 disengaged ; if he be not ready to re- 
 ceive me, my business is not so urgent 
 but 1 can wait a fitter opportunity." 
 Although the puritan captain did not 
 well understand this kind of etiquette, yet 
 he complied with the humour of the 
 Cavalier, and struck upon the oaken 
 door, but in so rough a manner, that it 
 might have been his intention to de- 
 stroy it. 
 
 A servant answered their appeal, and 
 Sydenham, taking the word from his 
 companion, begged to enquire if Mr. 
 Bradshaw would allow him the honour 
 of paying a visit. Mr. Bradshaw was
 
 THE CAVALIER. 3,^9 
 
 near the door, and indeed had heard all 
 that passed; he advanced, and bowing 
 to the young Colonel, requested he would 
 enter the apartment. His wife, a plainly 
 dressed lady of forty, sat at tlie upper 
 end of the hall; and her daughter, a 
 second Hebe in beauty of face and 
 loveliness of figure, stood at her elbow. 
 She rose to receive Sydenham, who again 
 marked the contrast between the man- 
 ners of the Cavalier and those of the 
 Round-head, by pulling ofFhis morion and 
 gauntlets ; an example which Purefoy 
 thought it unnecessary to follow. After 
 the usual compliments, in which, accord- 
 ing to the court-fashion of the times, 
 Sydenham saluted the blushing cheek of 
 the young maiden, Mr. Bradshaw said, 
 gravely, " It was not thus, Mr. Syden- 
 ham, our friends were used to meet : 
 times have been, when the houses of 
 Falconridge and Bradshaw have met in 
 silken garments, and wreaths of pleasure, 
 instead of suits of steel, and scenes of 
 battle."
 
 360 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 " May they quickly return to their 
 ancient unanimity," said the Colonel. 
 " My reason for demanding this inter- 
 view did not originate in formal cere- 
 mony ; I feel, as a man of honour, that 
 I have an explanation and an apology to 
 make. Had it been known to me, that 
 Mr. Bradshaw and his family were in 
 the castle, I should have exejted every 
 intreaty that could have induced them 
 to quit it. I tremble to think unto what 
 dangers you, my good madam, and your 
 lovely daughter were exposed. 
 
 " They were in the Lord's keeping," 
 said Purefoy. " He shielded them with 
 the wing of his mercy, and protected 
 them with the armour of his righteous- 
 ness." 
 
 " Were you not nghteous," said 
 Sydenham, smiling, ** that you were 
 forced to surrender?" 
 
 " Assuredly the balls which did batter 
 down the breach were weighted with 
 the heaviness of our sins," said the 
 Captain : " we have trusted too much to
 
 THE CAVALIER. 36 1 
 
 the arm of flesh ; not remembering, that 
 He who made, can destroy with the 
 breath of his mouth, and with the smoke 
 of his nostrils." 
 
 Sydenham recollected the orations of 
 Doctor Grostete, and was apprehensive 
 of a sermon in a different style. He 
 turned to the daughter of Mr. Bradshaw, 
 and said, '^ And were not you terrified at 
 the firing, Miss Esther ? were you not 
 alarmed at the thunder of the cannorr?" 
 
 She blushed deeply at this address, 
 and with great hesitation softly articulat- 
 ed, ** that with her parents she could fear 
 nothing." 
 
 *' She has a greater spirit," said her 
 father, smiling, " than, from her bashful- 
 ness, you might guess at ; we have had 
 no complaints, no fears that w^ere per- 
 ceptible, since your sitting down before 
 the house : I believe your presence has 
 terrified her more than your guns did." 
 The scarlet now suffused her face and 
 neck, and she leaned upon her mother's 
 shoulder to hide her blushes. 
 
 VOL. 1. R
 
 362 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 "My presence?" said Sydenham : "am 
 I so unfortunate ?'' He advanced and 
 took her hand : " Am I really a cause of 
 fear to ye, Miss Esther ?*' 
 
 She answered not. 
 
 " Fear me not," he continued ; " think 
 I am your brotlier ; when I have laid 
 aside my armour, I will play with ye at 
 merry draw, or rushen cap." 
 
 " Look up, child," said her mother ; 
 " ye have seen Mr. Sydenham before 
 this day ; and although we do not now 
 meet as at other times, yet we blame the 
 cause, and* not those who are unfor- 
 tunately led from the way, with their 
 eyes darkened : let us pray that they 
 may be restored to the light, that they 
 may be recovered to the true path of 
 their duty." 
 
 " Alack-a-day," thought Sydenham, 
 <« this is to live in a puritan family: 
 prayer morning ; prayer noon ; prayer 
 nigiit; their common speech is prayer ; 
 and they cannot discourse on the most 
 trivial subjects without the introduction 
 
 I
 
 THE CAVALIER. 363 
 
 of that form of speech, which should be 
 hallowed to the peculiar service of God, 
 or dedicated to the support of the wretch- 
 ed, and the consolation of the dying." 
 Sydenham was too polite to enter into 
 a controversy with the Lady, on the 
 justice of either cause ; but replied, to 
 her observations, " that he might be 
 wrong, though he could scarcely think 
 it, in the service of his Sovereign 5 yet," 
 said he, " the ruin of our house were 
 enough to set me in a flame against our 
 enemies, though before disposed to peace: 
 misfortune now binds our family to the 
 King, and common suffering makes last- 
 ing friends." 
 
 ** The ruin of your house, Mr. Syden- 
 ham !" said Mr. Bradshaw. " What mis- 
 fortune hath befallen you ?" 
 
 " Heard ye not," replied Sydenham, 
 <* that, during our absence. Banner Cross 
 hath been betrayed, fired, and burnt to 
 the ground; the governor. Major Span- 
 dyke, cruelly murdered, my mother 
 escaping only with her life ?" 
 
 R 2
 
 36i THE CAVALIER. 
 
 *' Not a syllable of it.'' 
 
 *' And who are the incendiaries?" en- 
 quired Mrs. Bradshaw. 
 
 " The men of the moors, shepherds of 
 the Tor Dale, and cottagers of the Wood- 
 lands : they have renounced their fealty, 
 and applied burning brands to the abode 
 of their liege lord." 
 
 *' And where are your parents now ?" 
 said Mr. Bradshaw. 
 
 " The handful of gallant men who 
 formed our garrison," replied Sydenham, 
 *« after defeating the enemy, who were 
 ten times their number, abandoned the 
 fiery ruins, and retired into the Castle 
 Town. Thither my mother had been 
 conveyed ; my father has since joined 
 her ; and the soldiers have thrown up 
 works of defence, sufficient to sustain 
 themselves against the unskilful rebels : 
 they there wait for better days." 
 
 " The destruction of royalty," said 
 Purefoy, " will extinguish all the evils 
 of civil war; the deposition of kings will 
 be a healing salve unto all mjsfortunes."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 365 
 
 " May ours be gangrened, then," re- 
 plied Sydenham, ** if the full measure of 
 treason be their only cure." 
 
 " Captain Purefoy," said Mr. Brad- 
 shaw, " although the Colonel, out of the 
 nicety of his honour, may not choose to 
 take offence at the words of his prisoner; 
 yet I am not under the like restriction j 
 and I must be plain enough to tell you, 
 that the sentiments you have just ad- 
 vanced are neither pleasing to me, nor to 
 your masters, the assembled parliament : 
 we detest, and will fight unto the last 
 drop of blood against a tyrant ; but you 
 might have known, that we respect and 
 will support the person of our prince : 
 when he returns to his duty as a protect- 
 ing sovereign, we shall receive him 
 with open arms, as loving and obedient 
 subjects." 
 
 " What saith the Scripture ?" exclaim- 
 ed Purefoy : *' Execute ye judgment and 
 righteousness, and deliver the spoiled 
 out of the hand of the oppressor. What 
 can speak plainer than the divine texts ? 
 B 3
 
 3G() 
 
 THE CAVALIER, 
 
 If the Lord say it, is it not fixed ? If he 
 bid yc execute judgment, who upon earth 
 may stand up and arrest it ? Is it for you, 
 or for me, or for any one to rebuke the 
 Most Great, I say, and tell him, thus far 
 shall he go, and no further ? We must 
 act by his inspiration, as did the man 
 after his own heart ', and not after the 
 carnal light of our own vain and insuffi- 
 cient reason.*' 
 
 " I am not much skilled in this kind 
 of argument," said Sydenham. 
 
 ** So much the worse for your poor 
 soul," replied Purefoy. 
 
 " But this I am sure of, " pursued the 
 Cavalier, " that my honour and duty 
 teach me to be true and loyal to my So- 
 vereign, having to him sworn loyalty and 
 obedience ; and I must be pardoned for 
 saying, that those who can so easily dis- 
 pense w^ith their oaths, are not only trai- 
 tors to the King, but blasphemously defy 
 that glorious God, whose vengeance they 
 have invoked upon their breach of alle- 
 giance."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 367 
 
 ** Mercy upon us !" exclaimed Mrs. 
 Bradshaw. 
 
 " And it appears to me," said Syden- 
 ham, who was rather heated, " that your 
 friends at Westminster, instead of seek- 
 ing to restore that liberty, which is their 
 pretended idol, go about to establish a 
 tyranny ten thousand times more galling, 
 because more ignominious, than that 
 which they complained of in his Majesty ; 
 but the sword hangs over their heads 
 suspended by a hair. Let them look to 
 their safety ; the day of vengeance is at 
 hand.'' 
 
 " We act according to our lights," said 
 Purefoy. 
 
 ** Your lantern is bad," replied Syden- 
 ham; ** ye will be breaking your noses 
 against the wall." 
 
 «« The spirit of inspiration may be ob- 
 tained by prayer," rejoined the puritan 
 captain; " and such an enlightening 
 grace cannot err." 
 
 " Ye mistake the fumes of your fana- 
 ticism," said the Colonel, ** for the light 
 R 4
 
 868 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 of inspiration. I never heard before 
 that this gift was conferred on any, 
 save the prophets and teachers of God's 
 word." 
 
 " Nay," replied Purefoy, ** are we not 
 all Christians ? why may not a layman 
 preach as faith fnlly as a man of the 
 church." 
 
 Here he touched upon the conscience 
 of Mr. Bradshaw, who being a rigid pres- 
 byterian, held the doctrince of lay preach- 
 ing in great abhorrence. 
 
 " Because," replied that gentleman, 
 ** ye are not consecrated, nor set apart 
 for divine functions ; and the Colonel 
 sayeth truly, that none but teachers of 
 God's word may make or meddle with 
 the expounding thereof, nor lay claim to 
 the gift of inspiration, which is the over- 
 shadowing of the Holy Ghost. Ye have 
 no lawful call. How doth Paul write unto 
 the Romans ? Why, even thus : * Paul, 
 a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an 
 apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.' 
 Ye must be separated from the laity ; ye
 
 THE CAVALIER. 369 
 
 must be called unto the work and service 
 of the gospel, or ye have no lawful call, 
 and are unfit and unworthy to take upon 
 yourselves the conversion of sinners." 
 
 The authority of the apostle stopped the 
 captain's mouth, and shortly afterwards 
 Sydenham withdrew. The time which 
 had been taken up in the above discussion, 
 had been fully occupied by Armstrong 
 in cantoning out the different quarters of 
 the troops, and conveying the sick and 
 wounded into their respective chambers. 
 In these dispositions he had been greatly 
 assisted by the chaplain and officers of 
 the garrison ; and before nightfall every 
 thing was regulated with such precision, 
 and accommodated with such order and 
 comfort, that the Cavaliers might have 
 been the inhabitants of Wibberley for 
 months antecedent. 
 
 Mr. Neverlack Windyman, who had 
 remained since morning in the tent of 
 Armstrong, was lodged by the Lieute- 
 nant in a spare room, until, as he said, 
 there should be time for his examination, 
 R 5
 
 570 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 which the ])reacher prayed might be 
 speedy, " for, as ye liave nothing to al- 
 lege against me," said he, •* ye do me 
 wrong to detain me, who was lawfully 
 journeying on my own occasions.*' 
 
 ** Yer ordeal shall be soon an* straight, 
 Mr.Gripegut," replied Armstrong; ** an' 
 ye maun show ae clean face to get yersel 
 o* the tow.*' 
 
 *' I will show an innocent conscience," 
 said Neverlack ; " and that's more than 
 most men can do." 
 
 ** Nae reflection, sir," said the Scot, 
 " an ye value that bag o' banes o* yer 
 ain. It's fou' jesting wi* an armed man ; 
 an' ye hae little claim to my face or 
 favour." 
 
 ** Alack a-day !" said the puritan, ** I 
 am wronged, I am rebuked ; and yet 
 must I not say my soul's my own." 
 
 « Yer soul !" cried Armstrong ; " na, 
 that's the de'il's mony ae day byegone. 
 1 shall now quit ye to this chamber, leav- 
 ing ye on parole and without guard ; sae 
 see ye dinna be thinkin' yer body's yer 
 
 A
 
 THE CAVALIER. 371 
 
 ain, Maister Gripegut, for it's mine by 
 conquest. Gin I tack ye hankering after 
 an escape, I'll hang ye ower the lift o* 
 the draw-brig, as ae terror to a' word- 
 breakin' crop-ears." 
 
 He then quitted the room, leaving 
 Neverlack to his meditations. 
 
 h 6
 
 .'372 THE CAVALIEH. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Now, by my soul, which hopes Heaven's pardoning mercy. 
 
 Were not my hands by stubborn honour tied, 
 
 And thou dar'st beard me with that foul aspersion, 
 
 I'd rive the lie from out thy slanJVous heart. 
 
 Or thou should'st deal me death with thy sword point. 
 
 C>id Contentioa of Yorke and Lancaster. 
 
 At the close of the year 1643, the affairs 
 of King Charles were in a condition so 
 prosperous, and those of his adversaries 
 (the parliament) in a dilemma so un- 
 promising, that it was the opinion of all 
 indifferent persons, the members at West- 
 minster would be forced to submit. Of 
 their inadequacy to maintain the war 
 singly against the king, the parliament 
 was as well informed as any person ; and 
 yet they knew equally well that they had 
 gone too far in the struggle, they had 
 embarked too deeply in their designs 
 against his Majesty's person and autho-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 373 
 
 rity, ever to expect a safe and perfect 
 reconciliation. They resolved, therefore, 
 at all hazards to carry on the contest, 
 in which determination they steered by 
 the old maxim, ** se ipsiim de severe hir- 
 pissimwn est ;'' no longer professing the 
 continuance of the war to be for the de- 
 fence of the nation's liberties, but for 
 the safety of their own lives, and the 
 protection of their acquired power. The 
 want they most laboured under, and which 
 was not easily to be surmounted, \vas 
 their scarcity of money ; *' thesaurm est 
 jmcis vmculumet heUorum nervi f^ but by- 
 frequent exactions and talliations, they 
 had drained all their friends to the dregs, 
 and were now at their last shift. In this 
 extremity, it \vas proposed by some of 
 the most desperate in the house, to call 
 in their Scottish brethren to their assist- 
 ance, and, after some discussion, this 
 scheme was adopted. Accordingly, com- 
 missioners were dispatched into Scotland, 
 entreating their aid and co-operation in 
 the great and glorious work of beating
 
 S74f THE CAVALIER. 
 
 down that force, which, if triumphant, 
 would again open the shiices of popery, 
 prelacy, Arminianism, and all those other 
 scandals and abominations, for the de- 
 struction of which alone they had hitherto 
 fought and suffered. These were con- 
 vincing arguments with the Scottish pres- 
 byterians, wlro assented to the demands 
 of the English Parliament, with one pro- 
 viso, and that was, the passing a so- 
 lemn league and covenant between the 
 tw^o nations, for the establishment of 
 presbytery as the national church, and 
 the regulating the ecclesiastical discipline 
 of England, in as near affinity and unison 
 with that of the sister kingdom as might 
 possibly be effected* 
 
 The members at Westminster swal- 
 lowed this nauseous morceau with a very 
 bad grace; but as there was no alterna- 
 tive, and as many of them took it with a 
 reservation of dispensing with the coven- 
 ant when times would permit, it did pass, 
 and tlie Scots opened the campaign of 
 1644? with an army of twenty-two thou-
 
 THE CAVALIER. 37^ 
 
 sand men, under their old General Les- 
 ley, instructed to co-operate with the 
 northern parliamentary generals. 
 
 But let us return from our northern 
 tour to Wibberley. The day following 
 the capture of the castle, Sydenham dis- 
 patched a courier to the King, to know 
 his pleasure, both in regard to the pri- 
 soners taken, and to the future disposition 
 of the force under his command. 
 
 He also sent a messenger to his father, 
 communicating his success, and his in- 
 tention to visit Banner Cross as soon as 
 a relaxation from duty should enable him. 
 
 In a short time the courier returned, 
 with letters from his Majesty, replete 
 with thanks for the Colonel's eminent 
 services, and directing him to convey the 
 late garrison to Chester, as prisoners of 
 war ; the other persons captured were 
 at his own disposal ; and concluding with 
 an order to act under the command of 
 the Marquis of Newcastle, the King's 
 Lieutenant-general of the Northern
 
 376 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 counties. Sydenham, in pursuance ol' 
 liis instrnetions, witliout loss of time, 
 sent the private parliamentary soldiers 
 under a guard to Chester Castle, and 
 took the j)aroie of the officers for appear- 
 ing there in a week's time. 
 
 " I give ye my word," said Purefoy ; 
 ** and my word's as good as my bond. 
 Colonel Sydenham. Honour's a Jack- 
 o'-lantern, and mostly leads his followers 
 into a quagmire ; but as I am a soldier 
 and a saint, I will surrender myself at 
 Chester on this day sevennight." 
 
 " Enough, enough. Captain Purefoy," 
 replied the Cavalier; " I don't doubt ye: 
 the word of a soldier is surety enough 
 for me : ye may go when you please." 
 
 ** But allow me," said the Captain, 
 ** in return for your politeness, to give 
 ye a little advice : David was advised by 
 Jonathan, and was the better for it." 
 
 " But be speedy, and I will listen," 
 said the Colonel. 
 
 " Sage counsel," replied the puritan,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 377 
 
 " is not given in a breath. If ye wish 
 to profit, attend patiently." 
 
 " I am waiting to hear ye," said 
 Sydenham. 
 
 " Nay, but ye seem to fret and churn 
 with impatience. Mind ye, he that re- 
 fuseth instruction, despiseth his own 
 soul; but he that heareth reproof, getteth 
 understanding." 
 
 " As 1 am a gentleman," said the 
 Colonel, ** I am now ready to listen to 
 your counsel, if ye will but begin it." 
 
 " Nay, marry," said Purefoy, " my 
 conscience beareth me w^itness that I 
 have been ready to begin from the first, 
 but ye have not that staid and fitting 
 frame of mind, capable of receiving in- 
 struction from the advice of your coun- 
 sellor." 
 
 ** My time is precious," said the 
 Colonel, " and not at my own disposal ; 
 throw blame on my avocations, not upon 
 my temper." 
 
 ** Your temper. Colonel," replied 
 Purefoy, " is as a fierce flame ; and there
 
 878 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 is more hope of a fool, than of a man 
 hasty in his words." 
 
 ** Captain Purefoy !" said Sydenham. 
 
 " Nay," interrupted the puritan, '* he 
 that is slow to wrath is of great under- 
 standing, but he that is hasty of spirit 
 exalteth folly." 
 
 *« Do ye intend to bait me. Sir," said 
 the Colonel, fiercely, ** as if I were a 
 beast?" 
 
 " No such matter," replied Purefoy* 
 " What I have said is for your edifica- 
 tion, and what I shall say — " 
 
 " I trust you will say quickly," in- 
 terrupted Sydenham. 
 
 " Well then," said the Captain, *< in 
 short, it is this : your temper. Colonel — " 
 
 " Enough on that subject," said the 
 Colonel. 
 
 ** Nay," answered his persecutor, 
 *< ye mistake me clean : I say your tem- 
 per, although hot and hasty, proud and 
 passionate, is yet leavened with a great 
 share of generosity and good nature." 
 
 " Captain Purefoy!"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 379 
 
 ** Nay, interrupt me not; I perceive 
 your meaning, but I despise flattery. I 
 only note the fair side of your character, 
 to let you more fully into its darkness 
 and defects." 
 
 " Of those. Sir," said Sydenham, " I 
 am sufficiently informed ; so that you 
 need give yourself no further trouble in 
 their discussion." 
 
 " But," pursued Purefoy, without at- 
 tending to the Colonel's interruption, 
 " your good-nature is the very thing you 
 have most to complain of: a man in your 
 situation should be close and cunning, 
 prudent and penetrating, deep and de- 
 signing." 
 
 The brow of Sydenham began to 
 blacken; but Purefoy went on, without 
 noticing it. 
 
 " Instead whereof, ye are naked and 
 unsuspecting as the un weaned lambkin ; 
 ye are soft and simple as the stalled calf: 
 wnth fair words ye may be led to destruc- 
 tion ; and the knave may command ye, 
 with the strength of his knavery."
 
 380 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ** I prefer being the cliaracter you re- 
 present me to be,'* said Sydenham, *' to 
 that which you have recommended as a 
 model for my adoption.'* 
 
 ** Yea, but," rephed Purefoy, '* the 
 simple inherit folly ; but the prudent are 
 crowned with knowledge. What availeth 
 all your strength, and all your courage, 
 if ye be overcome as Sampson in the 
 snares of a Dalilah ?" 
 
 " Pray, Captain Purefoy," said Syden- 
 ham, " may I request to be informed, 
 what is your object in favouring me with 
 the lecture ?" 
 
 " My object is to repay you, in some 
 measure, for your easy credit of my 
 parol," replied the Captain. 
 
 *' And yet, according to your advice, 
 I should demand better security." 
 
 " Why, it is a proverb," said Purefoy, 
 *' that the simple believeth every word; 
 but the prudent man looketh well to his 
 going ; nevertheless — " 
 
 " Nevertheless," said Sydenham, *' I 
 am willing and happy to take the parol
 
 THE CAVALIER. 381 
 
 of a brave officer, as you are, Captain 
 Purefoy ; and that's all I can say about 
 the matter." 
 
 " Nay, but I see now," said Purefoy, 
 *• that if ye will not abide flattery yer- 
 seif, ye know how to lay it on, Colonel. 
 That trick o' tlie devil smells of Ox- 
 ford." 
 
 " I cannot listen to remarks of this 
 sort; and therefore, Captain, I wish ye a 
 pleasant journey, and a good morning." 
 " But, Colonel," cried Purefoy, " one 
 word, ye man of haste: that impudent 
 Scot, your Lieutenant, on his way hither 
 from Banner Cross, took up a poor but 
 saintly preacher, and brought him far 
 out of his way to the castle." 
 
 *^ What of him ?" said Sydenham. 
 " 1 but learnt his captivity on the 
 last evening; and he hath prayed me to 
 beg his release." 
 
 '* His release is more than I have 
 power to grant," said Sydenham ; '' you 
 know, Captain Purefoy, that in these 
 times of trouble, each man's captive is his
 
 382 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 won spoil, for death, or ransom. Ye 
 must make terms with Armstrong." 
 
 ** He's a Jew ; he'd skin a louse for 
 the sake of the hide and tallow," said 
 Purefoy. " I fear me the preacher may 
 lay up his rest." 
 
 ** I'll be moderator between ye," said 
 Sydenham, " with all my heart." 
 
 He called to a soldier who was in the 
 court, and ordered him to send Arm- 
 strong and his prisoner, Windyman, to 
 him directly. In a short time, the Lieu- 
 tenant and his captive made their ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 " Armstrong," said the Colonel, '* Cap- 
 tain Purefoy wishes to bargain with you, 
 for the ransoming your prisoner." 
 
 " Aweel," said the Scot, ** an he 
 proffer like ae guid chapman, I am na 
 unwiUing. What'll your excellency pay 
 down for the crop-ear's ransom ?" 
 
 " It becometh ye not to give honest 
 people names of derision," said Pure- 
 toy. 
 
 " An I can ca' him any thing waur
 
 THE CAVALIER. 383 
 
 than his ain," replied Armstrong, " ye 
 shall hae him for naething.*' 
 
 ** What is your appellation, good man?" 
 said Sydenham. 
 
 *' My name is Neverlack-in-GodV 
 praise Windyman,'* said the preacher. 
 
 " And a very evangelical name ye 
 have," said Purefby. *' But what price, 
 Lieutenant Armstrong, do ye set upon 
 your captive ? Consider well the circum- 
 stances ; he is poverty itself; and I, who 
 am far from rich, redeem him for charity 
 and christian love." 
 
 " Ye'll no say that five hundred marks 
 is ae plack too muckle/' said the Scot. 
 
 Sydenham turned on his heel, lest his 
 laughter should be discovered ; whilst 
 Purefoy held up his hands, and the 
 preacher stared with astonishment. At 
 length Purefoy recovered the use of his 
 speech, 
 
 " Five hundred marks ! what, for the 
 ransom of a poor preacher ? Ye could not 
 have asked more for a landed gentleman. 
 I said, before ye came, ye were a Jew ;
 
 384 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 but never trust my solemn word, if there's 
 any Jew in (Germany so horribly exor- 
 bitant." 
 
 ** M'eel; but let that pass, Governoi 
 i^nelby. Whatwull ye gie for the chiel?" 
 
 " ^Vhy, a twenty marks should not 
 ha\e been failing for his redemption j 
 but more I cannot advance," said the 
 Captain. 
 
 *' Twenty marks !*' said Armstrong, 
 turning up his nose; *' lean get double the 
 sum gin J sell him till the plantations." 
 
 ** Sell me to the plantations !" cried 
 Windyman, ** what! a christian preacher? 
 Remember ye, he that is greedy of gain 
 troubleth his own house. The robbery 
 of the wicked shall destroy them ; be- 
 cause they refuse to do judgment." 
 
 " Do ye threaten, ye fause prophet?" 
 said Armstrong; **ye maybe thankful yer 
 life is saved." 
 
 ** Even now, 1 know not my crime," 
 replied the preacher. 
 
 " Wear ye not the badge o' the Round- 
 heads ?" said Armstrong, laying Iiis hand
 
 THE cavalier: 385 
 
 on his head ; " is there need of ae mark 
 more distinguishing ? Wad ony man 
 tak' ye for ae cavalier ?" and he laughed 
 heartily, to the great mortification of the 
 puritans. 
 
 «« Will you not reduce your ransom, 
 Sir ?" said Purefoy. 
 
 " Will ye not increase yer offer, Cap- 
 tain ?'* said Armstrong. 
 
 " Yea, I will give thirty marks ; and 
 that is the most." 
 
 " An' r wull tak' a hundred marks, 
 an' that is the least." 
 
 ** Let me arbitrate," said Sydenham, 
 " and perhaps I may settle the matter to 
 your satisfaction ; are ye content ?" 
 
 " Weel," said the Scot. 
 
 ** Right heartily," said the puritans. 
 
 " Well then, Armstrong," proceeded 
 Sydenham, " you shall accept fifty 
 marks, which the Captain shall pay you 
 down." 
 
 " That sum will cover horse and man," 
 said Windyman. <* The nag I came 
 hither upon — " 
 
 VOL. I. s
 
 386 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 <* Is lang syne converted into what it 
 was only fitted for — dog's meatl'' re- 
 plied the Lieutenant. 
 
 «* Then ye should abate somewhat,'* 
 said Purefby. 
 
 " Not ae Dutch stiver, gin it wad save 
 ye baith frae ae hempen neckcloth," an- 
 swered the Scot. 
 
 At length Purefoy paid the money, 
 which Armstrong narrowly scrutinized. 
 
 «* Ye don't suspect me to be a forger 
 and coiner ?" said Purefby. 
 
 " Na, na," said the Lieutenant, ** but 
 gin ony part o' the gowd w^ere bad, I 
 dinna ken how I might mak' ye exchange 
 it, an I wer na' to tell it now. 
 
 " Ay, ay, its a' right ; ye may gang yer 
 ways till the muckle de'il himsel, an ye 
 list.*' 
 
 '* I hope you are satisfied?" said 
 Sydenham to Purefby. 
 
 ** Yea, I am quite," replied the Cap- 
 tain ; ** for I believe your arbitration hath 
 made this moss-trooping officer of yours 
 take the half of his demand, when, if it
 
 THE CAVALIER. 387 
 
 had been persisted in, we should have 
 given the whole.'* 
 
 " I wish I had ken'd ye better,'* said 
 Armstrong ; ** it '11 e'en be ae lesson 
 till me for the future : but think na' I 
 grumble ; for ye may rest assured, that 
 had ye refused to gie me ae cross for this 
 round-headed grunt i* the spirit, I wad 
 na' hae disgraced my quarters wi' his 
 keeping. Sae I count these fifty guid 
 marks as recovered spoil, ye ken.*' 
 
 " Ye had not your lights burning. Cap- 
 tain," said Sydenham : '* he has over- 
 reached ye." 
 
 « He's far north," said Purefoy. " A 
 Scot would drive a bargain with the 
 great enemy himself." 
 
 " An' weel may then wi' his foster- 
 children," cried Armstrong. 
 
 " A day of reckoning," said Purefoy 
 gravely, " will overtake ye, Lieutenant 
 Armstrong, for all the insults ye have 
 laid upon my back : I have not forgot 
 your conduct when ye were sent with a 
 trumpet to summon us j ye have com- 
 s 2
 
 388 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 nienced with me a personal quarrel, and 
 ve will assuredly meet with your reward/' 
 *' And for what, Captain Purefoy," 
 replied the Scot, '' should I be afraid of 
 yer anger ? for why should I care for yer 
 malice? Are ye a mon of sae great mettle 
 that there's nae touching ye ? if ye be, 
 its ue*er come to my knowledge; an' I am 
 in doubt, do ye ken, whether it ever 
 wull." 
 
 '* Ye shall have full proof;" said the 
 Captain, *' and soon." 
 
 " The suner the better," said Arm- 
 strong; *' when ae thing maun be done, 
 it's best to do it speedily." 
 
 ** Ye take advantage of your situation, 
 Sir, to sprinkle your gibes and jeers upon 
 your prisoners, who are better men than 
 yourself is ever like to be." 
 
 " Do ye ken me at a'. Captain Pure- 
 foy ?" said the Lieutenant. 
 
 *< I enter not the seats of the scornful," 
 replied Purefoy. 
 
 " I am William Armstrong, lineally 
 descended frae the king of the border,
 
 THE CAVALIER. 389 
 
 an' were I now on Liddesdale, I could 
 raise mair guid men wi' the wind of my 
 bugle, than ye, or any of your kith, kin, 
 or allies, are ever likely to command. 
 Sae muckle for my parentage : an' for 
 myself, Captain Purefoy ; I maun be 
 bauld to tell ye, that sae far frae taking 
 ae handle of yer distress to jeer an' insult 
 ye, it is yer present situation, Sir, that 
 forbids me to punish ye for sae vile ae 
 calumny." 
 
 " Punish me !" cried the Captain, lay- 
 ing his hand on his sword. 
 
 " Ay, punish ye ;" shouted Arm- 
 strong : " had ye been free, an' dared to 
 lay this to me, by my saul I'd hae cleav'd 
 yer brainpan for the damned lie." 
 
 ** Jt is his own work," cried Purefoy ; 
 " a fate is upon him ; he hath pulled the 
 sword of destruction upon his own head." 
 
 With these words he drew his weapon, 
 and made a desperate attack upon Arm- 
 strong, who received and returned it with 
 great alacrity. Sydenham was at first in 
 s 3
 
 390 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 doubt what course to take, whether to 
 part, or suffer them to fight it out. 
 However, AVindyman having began to 
 cry out, and the garrison gathering 
 around, he ordered them to desist. The 
 puritan took no notice, but continued 
 his assault upon Armstrong, who was ob- 
 liged to defend himself for his own pro- 
 tection. Atlength Sydenham grew warm : 
 lie drew his ow^n sword, and striking up 
 those of the combatants, cried out, "De- 
 sist, ye brawlers. Captain Purefoy, at 
 your life's peril, hold your hand.'* 
 
 The Captain, however, was blind with 
 rage, and crying out, " The sword of the 
 Lord and of Gideon," assaulted the Co- 
 lonel, supposing him to be Armstrong ; 
 but he quickly met with a check ; for 
 Sydenham, who was a perfect master of 
 the sword, by an adroit pressure upon 
 the feeble part of his adversary's blade, 
 made it fly several yards from his grasp» 
 leaving the puritan with his arm extended 
 as in the act of a home-thrust." 
 
 The disarm brought Purefoy to his
 
 THE CAVALIER. SQl 
 
 senses ; be rubbed his eyes, and appeared 
 as if just risen from a beavy sleep. 
 
 " Colonel Sydenham !" said he. 
 
 ** Captain Purefoy !" replied the Co- 
 lonel. 
 
 The ludicrous appearance cut by this 
 Joab, was a cause of great merriment to 
 the cavaliers of the garrison, who by this 
 time had surrounded the place of com- 
 bat ; and when Purefoy began to stamr 
 mer out an apology, for assaulting thQ 
 -Colonel, they broke out into a roar of 
 laughter ; this unpolite eclat again raised 
 the settling rage of the puritan. 
 
 " Mock on," he cried ; " mock on, y^ 
 children of perdition : there is not one of 
 ye, by whom the saints are mocked, whQ 
 will not wish that a millstone had been 
 hanged round his neck, and that he had 
 been drowned in the depth of the sea, 
 before the hour of his mockery." 
 
 This prophetic warning increased the 
 
 mirth of the soldiery; some of whom 
 
 cried out, "A Paul ! a second Paul !" and 
 
 one of the troopers called to another, 
 
 s 4f
 
 THE CATAI.IER. 
 
 •«EOdier,Stourton, hither; come and touch 
 the hoi V man for vour eril, and ye will be 
 straitljr healed?" At this exclamation 
 the soldiers set up three cheers j and 
 Purefoy, tinding he had little chance of 
 being heard, took up his sword, and 
 walked sturdily into the castle, followed 
 by Neverlack Windy man. 
 
 A short time sufficed them to prepare 
 for their departure; and in the afternoon 
 they left Wibberley, and proceeded to 
 Marple, where they hired horses for their 
 further journey ; but instead of taking 
 the road to Chester, according to his pa- 
 rol, the pious Captain, with all his offi- 
 cers, immediately joined the regiment, 
 their troops being made up by new re- 
 cruits. 
 
 From the intercourse between Syden- 
 ham and the family of Mr. Bradshaw, all 
 reser\'e had worn off. The generous and 
 open character of the young Cavalier won 
 upon the puritan gentleman and his pious 
 lady; and his gentleness and fraternal 
 attention quickly made him and the
 
 THE CAVALIER* 99S 
 
 young Esther staunch friends. He under- 
 took to be to her, what the Doctor had 
 been to him-elf, an interpreter of legen- 
 dary 1 : : ; nd, in the course of his rela- 
 tions, not only acquainted her with all 
 the romances of the Doctor's store-house, 
 but many others which he had learned 
 from Pi card. 
 
 There was one especially, which greatly 
 caught her fancy, translated by our hero 
 from the French : He gave it her first in 
 plain prose, but as she wished to retain 
 it, he turned it into the following metri- 
 cal ballad : 
 
 1. 
 
 Ah ! hold jour bands, ye cmel men, the ha Sanca 
 
 cried; 
 Ah ! hold yoor hands for Mai^s sake;, and his who iar 
 
 je died: 
 Ah ! Father, will je murther him, whose breast hatb 
 
 been jour shidd. 
 And guarded vca fiom dea^ and shame in many aBIoodhf 
 
 fidd'. 
 
 2. 
 I swear by holy Mary, rqiUed die haughty Baron, 
 And him who died upon the cross, to dettfa he shall be 
 done. 
 
 s 5
 
 S94 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 What guerdon suits that simple fool, who mates hi» 
 
 shallow blood 
 With that of those whose gilded brows have age« crested 
 
 stood? 
 
 3. 
 But yet, but yet, oh ! spare him, my honourM dreaded 
 
 Lord, 
 And though I die, yet he shall fly, far far from Perigord ; 
 And I will swear by holy Pierre, him never will I see, 
 Whilst he doth walk upon the earth, and I in Christientee. 
 
 4. 
 De Perigord's red-wrathful eyes flash'd deep and deadly 
 
 fire. 
 As he look'd upon the youthful knight, whose love had 
 
 rais'd his ire ; 
 But he who stood in jeopardy, with courage calm and 
 
 proud. 
 Awaits his fate, apd smiling bows to all the pitying crowd. 
 
 5. 
 With young Bianca no French maid might ever hope 
 
 to vie. 
 Such softened grace shone in her fac, such lustre fir'd 
 
 her eye ; 
 Than Justin de Montmorenci no braver Knight might be, 
 And seldom, for a manly form, his equal ye would see. 
 
 6. 
 The maiden then, with hectic cheek, hung anxious on her 
 
 father. 
 From whose bent brow and eye malign no comfort she 
 
 might gather; 
 But to the skies she rais'd her eyes, and inwardly did 
 
 pray. 
 That Justin might escape the death, and part in peace 
 
 away.
 
 TI|?i CAVALIER. ^S 
 
 7, 
 De Perigord at length cried out, Now, Justin, come ye 
 
 hither ; 
 There's yet a way to win the girl, and all my comte 
 
 with her ; 
 Though thou art but of simple blood, and she's of noble 
 
 line. 
 Yet here I swear, if try ye dare, my daughter shall be 
 
 thine. 
 
 8. 
 Yon mountain side is rough and steep, its brow is "fiatd 
 
 to gain ; 
 To many a man of stalwart span it costs both tug and 
 
 strain ; 
 If to the top without a stop, you can your mistress carry, 
 I vow ye shall have Perigord — Bianca ye shall marry. 
 
 9. 
 With joyful eye Montmorenci took his mistress in his 
 
 arms. 
 With many a press and soft caress he hush'd her fond 
 
 alarms, 
 And up the mountain side he ran, with vvond'rous glee 
 
 and speed, 
 As if no burthen he had borne, his progress to impede. 
 
 10. 
 Fly not so fast, Bianca cried"; oh Justin, gently go; 
 Bethink ye now the mountain's brow is neither near nor 
 
 low; 
 It's naked head I see with dread, far, far above us yet ; 
 Alas 1 alas ! my Justin ! we never thei'e shall get. 
 
 s 6
 
 396 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 11. 
 The youth press'd on with ardour, he claspM his mistress 
 
 to his breast. 
 He clamber'd up the mountain side without a pause or 
 
 rest; 
 He clamber'd up the mountain side, which rough and 
 
 steep did grow. 
 But in the race with wearied pace he tottering went and 
 
 slow. 
 
 12. 
 •^h, Justin ! thou wilt fail yet ; thy limbs are tir'd and 
 
 weak ; 
 Thy labouring heart doth beat and throb, as it were like 
 
 to break ; 
 Thine eye is dark and overcast, forespent art thou with 
 
 toil; 
 Oh Justin 1 Justin ! set me down, and rest a little while. 
 
 13. 
 
 Montmorenci replied not, but onward bore the maid, 
 For respite or for needful rest he neither stopt nor stay'd; 
 The brow at last the lovers past; the wond'ring crowd 
 
 do cry, 
 Long live our lovely lady, and the brave Montmorenci, 
 
 When Sydenham had finished this 
 bagatelle, he gave it to his pupil, and said, 
 " What would you think, Esther, if I 
 should turn Justin, and claim you for my 
 Bianca ?" 
 
 "I should think," replied she, laughing, 
 ** that you were witless ; for instead of a 
 prize, you would indeed get a burthen. 
 1
 
 THE CAVALIER. 397 
 
 Montmorenci would not have toil'd so 
 hard for a creature so helpless and 
 strengthless as I am." 
 
 ** Well," said Sydenham, " ye Mad- 
 cap, would you have a woman muscular 
 and masculine, capable of wielding sword 
 or spear, or managing a battle-horse ?" 
 
 *« No, not I," said Miss Bradshaw, 
 " but I would have her able, in time of 
 need, to rely upon her own strength, to 
 count upon her own courage ; to fear no 
 danger, tho' when it came, it might 
 crush her in its course." 
 
 '* And pray, my young philosopher," 
 said the Colonel, " who was it that taught 
 ye these heroic notions ?" 
 
 " I blush," said she reddening, ** to 
 confess, that these heroic notions, as you 
 call them, are only acquired ; my uncle, 
 Serjeant Bradshaw, was my instructor." 
 
 *' Does he often visit you ?" enquired 
 Sydenham. 
 
 *' Until the last two years, he spent all 
 his leisure time in our family ; 1 am his 
 favourite, and he usually calls me his 
 mountain daisy."
 
 398 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 •* And because you are his mountain 
 daisy," said tlie Colonel, "he would teach 
 you to abide the storm : But what need 
 has a woman of strength of body, or 
 courage of soul, when she has a protector 
 who would defend her to his last gasp ?" 
 
 *< Why, Sir," replied the damsel, ** it 
 is when her protector may have gasped 
 his last, that she will need both 5 and 
 the time may come — " 
 
 " Not for you," replied Sydenham 
 passionately, *< whilst I can wield a sword: 
 your protection shall be my care ; your 
 safety my nearest concern ; put your 
 whole faith in me, and on the word of a 
 Cavalier — " 
 
 " Of a Cavalier!" exclaimed Miss 
 Bradshaw. " What am I ?" 
 
 ** On the word of a soldier, of a gen- 
 tleman," continued Sydenham, ** I'll fail 
 ye not, whilst I have life and liberty." 
 
 ** Ye may well profess," said Esther, 
 *• when I have not an opportunity of 
 proving ye ?"
 
 THE CAVALIER. 399 
 
 *< Have you not ?" replied the Colonel: 
 " it grieves me to remind you, that tlie 
 fortune of war made the inhabitants of 
 Wibberley my unarticled prisoners." 
 
 " You need not have told me so plain 
 a truth, Colonel Sydenham," said Miss 
 Bradshaw, *' whilst her eyes filled with 
 tears." 
 
 " I deemed it my duty," pursued 
 Sydenham, " to leave the disposition of 
 the captives to his Majesty ; but he has 
 graciously committed to me the direction 
 of all, save the military ; and the first use 
 I make of my power — " 
 
 ** Is to remind the unfortunate of their 
 miserable situation," cried the maiden. 
 
 "Dear Esther," said Sydenham, catch- 
 ing her hand with violence, ** how can 
 ye be so wilful ? No, it is to set your pa- 
 rents and their household at liberty ; and 
 you shall be my avant-courier with the 
 tidings." 
 
 Her face cleared up in an instant ; her 
 eyes sparkled with pleasure ; and she was 
 flying away with the speed of a gazelle,
 
 400 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 when Sydenham, retaining her by the 
 hand, said, ** Ye unthankful flibbergib, 
 are ye running away without so much as 
 a kiss for thanks?" 
 
 " I'll thank ye plentifully another 
 time," replied Esther, ** but I can't stay 
 now." 
 
 <* ril not detain ye long," said Sy- 
 denham, wrapping her in his arms, and 
 kissing her with ardour. She at length 
 got released, and sprung away on the tip- 
 toe of delight to her mother's chamber. 
 Shortly after, Mr. Bradshaw sought 
 Sydenham for a confirmation of his 
 message, and to return him thanks for 
 his eminent generosity. " But what 
 sum," said the puritan, ** do you fix 
 for our ransom, Colonel Sydenham ? 
 for although you are willing, out of 
 your bounty, to allow us our liberty, 
 yet can we not expect so great a fa- 
 vour in these times, but upon terms of 
 redemption." 
 
 " The terms of your ransom, Mr. 
 Bradshaw," replied the Colonel, *' will
 
 THE CAVALIER. 401 
 
 be heavy enough, without adding to them 
 by further exactions. Your persons are 
 free to go whither and when may best suit 
 your convenience. Wibberley must re- 
 main in our hands ; and as we live but on 
 free quarter, you will suffer greatly in 
 a licence which even I cannot repress. 
 The soldier will live, if the rest of the 
 world famishes with hunger." 
 
 " I know it," said Mr. Bradshap'^ 
 " it hath ever been so ; 1 shall blame you 
 not. Be the blame and shame on the 
 heads of the strife-workers. To-morrow, 
 I and my family will retire to the hall 
 near Chapel-en-le-Frith 5 a little house 
 will better suit my lessened fortunes." 
 
 " It was my intention to visit Ban- 
 ner Cross," said Sydenham, ** and if you 
 will allow me, Sir, I will give ye safe 
 conduct with a troop of horse." 
 
 '' You have my thanks. Colonel Sy- 
 denham," replied the puritan, '* for 
 your politeness. I have no fears for my- 
 self; but as the soldiers of both parties 
 are marching in all directions, my wife
 
 402 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 and daughter will be safer with the coun* 
 tenance of a guard. I would thank you 
 a thousand times, Mr. Sydenham," he 
 continued, " were not thanks bootless, 
 for the interest you have taken in me 
 and mine ; for your humanity, where 
 you might have shewn insult ; for your 
 care, where you might have caused sor- 
 row and bitterness of spirit. That we 
 f;Ve fallen into your hands, ought to be 
 by us accounted a saving mercy; and far 
 ought we to be from repining at the 
 chance of war, which hath made us your 
 prisoners. Where we expected a foe, 
 we have met a friend; and where we 
 have looked for death or a dungeon, we 
 have found life and liberty, happiness 
 and honour." 
 
 " You think too much, my good Sir," 
 said vSydenham, " of so small a favour. 
 I trust every Cavalier in the service would 
 have acted as I have done ; and I hope, 
 for the honour of arms, there are few of 
 the opposite party who would have be- 
 haved worse, were the case reversed."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 403 
 
 *• I fear me," replied Mr. Bradshaw, 
 '* your hopes are better than the reality. 
 The sins of the land are great, and have 
 brought down these deserved castiga- 
 tions, that the foulness of our ways may 
 be cleansed, and we may renew our faith 
 
 in the Lord." 
 
 ■ 
 
 Sydenham, fearing a sermon was about 
 to be launched by the zealous covenan- 
 ter, made some apology for a retreat, and 
 Igft him to his lucubrations.
 
 404 THE CAVALIKR. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 The next that came in was a friar, 
 He sat himself clown by the fire; 
 He told the landlord to his face, 
 That the chimney corner should be his place, 
 Among the jolly crew. 
 
 Old Song. 
 
 It was now the month of April, and the 
 budding trees and hedges, " pranked out 
 in brightest green," declared the depar- 
 ture of winter, and the incipiency of 
 spring. Sydenham (having nominated 
 Lieutenant Armstrong to be his deputy 
 during his absence from Wibberley) on 
 the following morning set out with Mr. 
 Bradshaw, and his lady and daughter, at- 
 tended by their male domestics, and guard- 
 ed by a troop of horse. IMiss Bradshaw, 
 seated on a well-managed mountain pony, 
 of sure and swift foot, ambled along 
 merrily between her father's roadster and
 
 THE CAVALIER. 405 
 
 the charging horse of the colonel ; whilst 
 her mother, on a dun palfrey of large 
 proportions, stalked steadily at the off- 
 side of her husband : the serving-men 
 (who were all, as their master, precisians) 
 wore a livery of a sober and sad colour, 
 and preserved a solemn and staid de- 
 portment, scarcely speaking a word 
 during their march ; but the troopers 
 who brought up the rear amused them- 
 selves with the sanctity and sedateness of 
 the puritans, and, with the glee of true 
 cavaliers, laughed and sung the whole of 
 their journey. Some of them cracked 
 their jokes upon the Round-heads, with 
 the intention of inducing them to reply ; 
 but their opponents preserved an un- 
 broken silence. 
 
 *' Ye will have been at the barber's 
 lately," said a trooper in the first rank, 
 leaning over his horse's head, and dis- 
 placing the cap of one of the servants 
 with his broad sword ; "ye will have 
 been at the barber's, by the close crop- 
 ping of yer round-head."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 *' Hound head !'* exclaimed another ; 
 <« Ins head's more like a drappen turnip." 
 
 " Cromwell would give ten pounds a- 
 man bounty," said the first speaker, 
 ** for such likely chaps as these ; and his 
 regiment has need of recruits." 
 
 " Ay," said another, " these fellows 
 are formed to his hand, for they have seen 
 service." 
 
 *' Ay," cried the corporal of the troop, 
 "the service of trencher-scraping — ye 
 did not get so fat with cheese-parings, 
 Mr. Mumble-tooth." 
 
 The man, to whom the subaltern ad- 
 dressed himself, turned round upon his 
 horse, and looked placidly in his face as if 
 moved to speak ; but without doing so, 
 recovered his position, and the troopers 
 burst into a loud laugh. 
 
 '* Saw ye ever," said the corporal, 
 ** such a troop of dumb dogs; an' they 
 were in godly company, they would talk 
 fast enow." 
 
 One of the servants glanced upon the
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 subaltern with that kind of smile which 
 implies a confirmation, and then looking 
 at one of his fellows, they raised their 
 eyes to heaven, as if deprecating the eter- 
 nal vengeance for being in such com- 
 pany. 
 
 " Whatever may be said of these lads,** 
 said the corporal, ** I'll pawn my head- 
 piece they have an affection for us cava- 
 liers. They know well enow we are 
 roaring blades ; and if they are sober in 
 public, they'll tell ye another tale in a 
 corner. — Who likes not a pretty girl and 
 a pint of sack ? Hey, my masters." 
 
 The domestics with one accord turned 
 upon the profane trooper eyes of horror 
 and indignation, and, to the infinite 
 amusement of the soldiers, groaned deeply 
 in the spirit. 
 
 The corporal proceeded. — ** I say, Jer- 
 nighan, was it not you that saw Jede- 
 diah Cram-well dead drunk at the Stag's- 
 head in Marple ?" He tipped Jernig- 
 han the wink, who easily comprehended 
 his drift. " Ay, and more than that,"
 
 408 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 said the trooper, " this babe o' grace 
 challenged every man in the house at 
 wrestling and back-sword; and he would 
 not be said nay, till we had kick'd him 
 out of the door." 
 
 " Pooh !" cried the corporal. " Cram- 
 well ! ye were born a cavalier ; and I 
 doubt not, an ye will list, that ye exceed 
 your next-door neighbour, Cromwell, in 
 all deeds of fame." 
 
 This cooked-up anecdote occasioned 
 another concert of groaning among the 
 puritans, who now fancied themselves 
 haunted by devils in the shape of troopers, 
 and they began to pray by way of exor- 
 cism with great diligence. 
 
 But this would not do, for some of the 
 servants prayed in a way half audible, 
 but not distinct, upon which the corporal 
 cried out, " Hark ye ! hark ye ! if these 
 pious fellows are not damning us all to 
 eternity, and yet pretend they never 
 swear.'* 
 
 " Never swear ?" said one of his com- 
 panions J ** why it was but when we were
 
 THE CAVALIER. 409 
 
 mounting in the court, one of these 
 Round-heads said, he'd be damn'd if he'd 
 drunk above a pint o' brandy this morn- 
 ing. Did he not, you with the long riding- 
 rod ?" 
 
 The puritan turned round, with a 
 screw'd up, pitiful face, and shook his 
 head in sign of denial. 
 
 ** Oh ! the conscience o' these Round- 
 heads !" cried the trooper : " ye may as 
 well say I did not see ye kiss one of the 
 serving- w^omen, as she stood in the hall." 
 
 The puritan elevated his hands, as if to 
 exonerate himself to Heaven ; and the 
 whole of the servants put their horses 
 forward, that they might be nearer their 
 master, and more closely under his pro- 
 tection ; but the troopers stuck in their 
 skirts, and kept close to their horses' 
 tails. Nor did the proximity of the gentry 
 make any difference ; for the Corporal 
 cried out, ** What say ye, lads ; will ye 
 list ? But ye should first know the advan- 
 tages of our profession. In the first place, 
 as ye'U get little wages, ye may have ten 
 
 VOL. I. T
 
 410 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 times more than your due, by living at 
 free quarter ; — secondly, ye may have 
 what victual ye can get, whicli is always 
 the best ye can find ; — thirdly, as all 
 things are now in common, it's help your- 
 self and welcome ; and so the lasses are 
 as much your's as mine, and mine as 
 your*s; and no man can justly say, this 
 is my wife, or this is my daughter, or this 
 is my gold, and that is my horse ; for the 
 law is clean shouther'd out o* the country, 
 and no law but Lob*s law's left ; that is, 
 take what ye can get, and keep what ye 
 can hold -, and whilst ye have the sword 
 on your side, the law may go packing to 
 the devil with the lawyers. What say ye 
 then, brothers ; will ye join our fellow- 
 ship?" 
 
 The puritans listened to him with the 
 same terror and disgust that they would 
 have heard the arch fiend. 
 
 *' What say ye?" continued the mili- 
 tary orator ; " remember, there is no stay- 
 ing of stomachs in our quarters, with a 
 damn'd long grace of a mile and a half j
 
 THE CAVALIER. 411 
 
 no wai'ining of your hearts on a. wet 
 watch wi' your infernal psahn-singing, 
 and prayer-jabbering ; but your pistol, 
 charged wi* brandy and usquebaugh, to 
 keep the cold from your muscles, my jolly 
 boys. Ye may talk of the benefit of prayer, 
 and ye may sing your throat dry : but I 
 know ye better ; ye only follow the fa- 
 shion, my hearts of steel ; and care not a 
 rush for either cross or covenant." 
 
 A thunderbolt from Heaven dropped at 
 
 their feet would not have occasioned 
 
 more alarm and horror to the puritans 
 
 than did this licentious speech. They sat 
 
 uneasy on their horses, and appeared as if 
 
 seeking ' some way to escape from this 
 
 horrible persecution ; each man accounted 
 
 himself a participator in that guilt, and 
 
 blasphemous levity, which his ears could 
 
 not refrain from hearing, and which he 
 
 yet dared not openly to anathemati:&e. 
 
 They only groaned in the spirit, and the 
 
 depth of their intonation proclaimed the 
 
 acuteness of their mental sufferings. 
 
 The soldiers, finding they could obtain 
 
 T 2
 
 412 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 no reply, commenced a new series of per- 
 secution, by imitating the spiritual groans 
 of the Round-heads. But this manoeuvre 
 failing of effect, they cursed tliem for 
 senseless blocks, and desisted from fur- 
 ther molestation ; thus suffering them- 
 belves to be conquered by the mere force 
 of non-opposition. 
 
 They had now reached the bridge of 
 Waily, where the puritan Snell escaped 
 from Armstrong. Another half hour 
 brought them in sight of Bradshaw Hall ; 
 it was a plain stone edifice, situate on the 
 eastern side of a hill, built, like most 
 houses of that time, in the form of a cross, 
 having an embattled terrace on the roof, 
 and surrounded with a massive stone wall 
 of great thickness, enclosing a kind of 
 court-yard, the outer sides of which were 
 overshadowed by large fir-trees. The 
 only entrance was through an arched por- 
 tal, opening on the hilly side, adorned 
 with the family arms cut on an escutcheon ; 
 and surmounted by a cross, bearing the 
 name of its erector, ** Francis Bradshaw,'* 
 and the year** 1620."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 4 tS 
 
 The ascent to the hall was by a rugged 
 way, brought from the high road point- 
 blank upon it J but as there was no en- 
 trance on this side, it wound round the 
 wall to the portal at the back. Behind 
 the hall rose a high mountain, called the 
 Pike of Eccles, and before it a beautiful 
 tract of hill and valley, with a fine lake, 
 or mere, of half a mile over, beyond which 
 a pile of moss and mountain filled up, 
 with their blue summits, the extended 
 horizon. This scenery, combining the 
 romantic with the soft and harmonious, 
 hath even been termed the Eden of Der- 
 byshire J and he that is fond of nature, as 
 she is drawn by the magic pencils of Sal- 
 vator and Claude Lorraine, will not think 
 the title improperly bestowed. 
 
 On their arrival at the gate, the caval- 
 cade halted, and Sydenham received an 
 invitation from Mr. Bradshaw to dis- 
 mount and refresh himself and his troop- 
 ers. He at first (as is usual with many 
 gentlemen of the old school at this day*") 
 
 * Edit, interpol. L. G. 
 T 3
 
 414 THE CAVALIKK. 
 
 made several excuses ; but at length suf- 
 fered liimselfto be overpowered by Esther, 
 wlio iudeed used many convincing argu- 
 ments, that lie had better recruit him- 
 self before he marched forward, than ride 
 further on a hungry stomach. 
 
 ** 1 will stay an hour or two," said Sy- 
 denham. " Corporal, march on to Chapel, 
 and there await my coming : ye may get 
 what ye need, and I will pay when I 
 come up. — Jernighan, halt with me." 
 
 The trooper dismounted, and took 
 the Colonel's horse, whilst Mr. and Mrs. 
 Bradshaw alighted, and delivered tlieir 
 steeds to tlie care of the servants. Syden- 
 ham lifted Esther from her saddle, and 
 they proceeded slowly on foot up the 
 road leading to the hall. 
 
 [We must here advertise our readers, 
 that nothing of importance passed at this 
 short visit of the Colonel's, which, how- 
 ever, was prolonged frcm two hours to six : 
 at least we find nothing, '* 171 chai^ia maiii- 
 festc ea-pressa,*' which hath a contrary 
 tendency ; and wc shall, therefore, as we
 
 THE CAVALIER. 415 
 
 have authority, quit the Colonel at Brad- 
 shaw Hal], and proceed with his troop to 
 Chapel-en-le-Frith.*] 
 
 Corporal Sidebotham, of Colonel Sy- 
 denham's own regiment of horse, in a 
 quarter of an hour from the time of his 
 quitting his commander, entered the town 
 of Chapel, his march being preceded by 
 the sound of two trumpets. He dismount- 
 ed his men at the inn, who found accom- 
 modations, in the first place, for their 
 horses, by turning so many others out of 
 the stables, as were a hindrance to the 
 easy occupation thereof by their own 
 steeds. 
 
 After a proper share of attention paid 
 to the comforts of their quadruped com- 
 panionsjthe troopers adjourned to the hall 
 or kitchen of the inn, which occupied the 
 whole of the ground floor : at the upper 
 end was a recess, or, to speak plainer, 
 a large chimney-nook, containing the 
 hearth or fire-place, and surrounded 
 with broad oaken settles, on which the 
 
 * Edit, interpol. L. G. 
 . T 4f
 
 4'i() THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ij-iiests luxuriated in a winter evenincr 
 with astonishing gusto. 
 
 The roof was supported by transversed 
 beams, on which were hung gammons of 
 bacon, salted beeves, and hams cured, 
 together with oaten cakes or bannocks, 
 and many other subjects of larderical 
 economy. Tables or boards were fixed 
 to the floor in several places, environed 
 with wooden seats, and at each side of the 
 hall were benches, covered with a sort of 
 rush mat, which served the doubJe purpose 
 of a seat in the day, and a bed by night, 
 for those popr wretches who could afford 
 to purchase no better accommodation. 
 
 Sidebotham, on his entering the hall, 
 ordered a clear hearth, and, with the 
 usual insolence of soldiers in power, for- 
 cibly ejected all those from their seats 
 who made the least opposition to his ar- 
 bitrary commands. One woman, how- 
 ever, kept her station at the farthest part 
 of the chimney, in spite of their attempts 
 to remove her. One of the troopers took 
 her by the shoulder, with the intention 
 of handing her into the open hall 5 but
 
 THE CAVALIER. 417 
 
 she started up, and holding forth her shri- 
 velled arm, said, " Withered as mine be 
 the arm o' the oppressor ; may he that 
 wad wrong woman be the first spoil o' 
 death in a beaten field/' 
 
 *< Doll Jordan !" exclaimed the Cor- 
 poral, *' by all the devils !" 
 
 The name of the witch made the 
 troopers congregate around, and presently 
 all the inhabitants of the cabaret had 
 surrounded the chimney-nook, where 
 stood the grey woman, testifying by their 
 low enquiries, and ardent examination of 
 the woman's features and equipments, 
 the fearful interest her recognized pre- 
 sence had excited. 
 
 " What brings ye so far from the Lone 
 End, ye imp of Satan ?" ^cried Side- 
 botham. 
 
 " The devil himself brought her here 
 in a whirlwind," said one of the troopers; 
 « for I trow she died when we were up 
 the Tor Dale skirmishing wi' the Round- 
 heads." 
 
 ** May every lie ye utter," said the 
 T 5
 
 418 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 witch, ** prove a drap o' liell'j^ brimstone 
 on yer f'ause soul." 
 
 ** Peace, ye banning bag," said the 
 man, drawing a pistol from bis belt, " or 
 I'll try whether your bead's harder than 
 a brace of slugs." 
 
 *' Peace with ye," cried Sidebotham, 
 with an air of authority ; " let us wet 
 our whistles, ye may talk then till they're 
 dry again. Landlord ! Shortmalt ! bring 
 us ale and brandy, my old cock ; and 
 don't be as long o'er it, as if ye were 
 going to London for't." 
 
 Shortmalt humm'd and ha'd, but made 
 no haste to obey the Corporal's order. 
 
 This roused his fury, and he cried out, 
 ** What the devil do ye wait for, ye lazy 
 hound ?" 
 
 " I only wait to be instructed," said 
 the innkeeper, ** by whom the charge 
 will be settled. 
 
 ** The witch's curse light on your 
 covetous soul," cried Sidebotham ; ** are 
 we not gentlemen and cavaliers ?" 
 
 " Yea," replied Shortmalt ; "but gen- 
 tlemen and cavaliers do frequently get
 
 THE CAVALIER. ^l[) 
 
 into my debt, and then depart without 
 satisfaction made.*' 
 
 " They serve ye right, ye puritanical 
 scoundrel," said the subaltern. "Is it not 
 in our will to take all ye have without 
 query or question? and do ye dispute 
 our honour, when we but ask ye for a 
 dram? If this oakenboard," hecontinued, 
 striking it with his gloved fist, " be not 
 furnished in five minutes with beer and 
 brandy, bread and beef, oaten ban- 
 nocks, ham and cheese, and what not, 
 by my rank and station, I'll give your 
 house to the sacking." 
 
 This peremptory oath begat a mar- 
 vellous alertness in mine host, and within 
 the time specified, the table was set out 
 to the satisfaction of the Corporal him- 
 self, who, pouring out a bumper of 
 brandy, swore that Shortmalt should 
 drink *' Success to the Cavaliers, and a 
 dovvnfalling to the Parliament." The 
 landlord made numberless excuses, that 
 he never drank brandy, that he detested 
 toast-drinking, that he was now distem- 
 T 6
 
 420 THE CAVALlEll. 
 
 pered with a pulmonary complaint, and 
 drinking brandy would be as bad as 
 drinking poison : but he disputed to no 
 purpose ; the Corporal was absolute. 
 
 " Ye lie sadly, Robin," said Sidebo- 
 tham; "for I have seen ye drink brandy 
 a score times ; and what man o' the peak 
 does not remember, when ye were host- 
 ler at this very inn, your drinking the 
 health of the widow Score well a dozen 
 times a night ? whereby ye crapp'd into 
 her graces, and she married ye to her 
 fourth husband." 
 
 " Yea," said Shortmalt, " peradven- 
 ture ye may be correct; but bethink ye 
 o' the pulmary disorder." 
 
 " D — n the pulmary disorder," said 
 Sidebotham; "ye shall drink in defiance 
 of it. And so, my knight of the bung- 
 hole, lay to." 
 
 " 1 may die," said the landlord, 
 '< and my blood be on your head." 
 
 " Amen," said the Corporal ; " I'll 
 answer the sin. It ^11 be doing the land 
 a service to rid it of such a double-faced 
 knave as thou art."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 421 
 
 " I should like to know," said Short- 
 malt 
 
 ** Why ye don't drink ?'* interrupted 
 Sidebotham. « Comrades, I fancy this 
 brandy's so bad, that the fellow fears to 
 drink it himself." 
 
 " He shall," exclaimed one of the 
 troopers, " an it were poison." 
 
 " Nay, gentlemen," said Shortmalt, 
 " the liquor's as good liquor as ever 
 passed down the throat of a honest man." 
 
 " Then, why don't ye drink ?" said 
 Sidebotham. 
 
 " If I do," cried the innkeeper, ** I 
 shall drink judgment unto myself; for 
 although, when I was one of the profane, 
 I did as the profane ; yet now I am of 
 the company of the godly, I do as they 
 do, and abhor all toasts and health-drink- 
 ings." 
 
 " Heard ye ever such a canting hypo- 
 crite ?" said the subaltern. *' I have 
 known this godly fellow, as he calls him- 
 self, drink fifteen bumpers at a sitting, 
 and carol like a throstle all the while." 
 4
 
 422 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 '^ And he sliall do again," cried the 
 troopers. 
 
 '* Or suffer the strappado," said the 
 Corporal j ** choose ye whether, Robin 
 Righteous." 
 
 ** Ye have the sword in yer hands," 
 replied Shortmalt, ** and may do as ye 
 list ; but it is for the saints to suffer all, 
 rather than wound their consciences." 
 
 *« We shall soon see," said the subal- 
 tern, ** how long ye will hold your stiff- 
 ness. Doff his shoon, and clap him i' 
 the stocks." 
 
 Several of the troopers seized upon 
 the innkeeper, and forced him down on 
 a settle ; one of them drew off his shoes, 
 whilst the others held up his legs with the 
 soles of the feet flat, according to the 
 ceremonial of the eastern bastinado. 
 
 " Ye winna murther me ?" cried Short- 
 malt. ** I have done no treason." 
 
 « Ay, marry, have ye," said Side- 
 
 botham ; ** in refusing to drink success to 
 
 the Cavaliers, ye take part with the rebels." 
 
 '* Not I," cried the landlord, " as Pm 
 
 a living sinner."
 
 THE CAVALIER. 428 
 
 " We mean to convert ye," said the 
 Corporal, "not to kill ye ; and, therefore, 
 ye'd best submit without pain or punish- 
 ment." 
 
 " My conscience will not let me," said 
 Shortmalt. 
 
 " Yer conscience is not yer friend," 
 said Sidebotham. " I shall now give ye 
 the question. Will you, Robin Short- 
 malt, drink the toast ?" 
 
 " I cannot," replied he. 
 
 " Hold up his feet. Will you, Robin 
 Shortmalt, drink the toast ?" 
 
 " It is against my conscience." 
 
 " Pearson, take your sword. Will you, 
 Robin Shortmalt, drink the toast ?" 
 
 The innkeeper groaned, and shook his 
 head. 
 
 " Tell him his offence," said Side- 
 botham. 
 
 The trooper Pearson unslung his heavy 
 sheathed broad sword from his belt, and 
 as some of his companions held up the 
 feet of Shortmalt, struck them several 
 smart blows with the flat side, repeat-
 
 124 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 ing, at the same time, " Robin Sliort- 
 . malt, you are guilty of a very scandalous 
 offence, in refusing the test and toast of 
 the Cavaliers. Answer, will ye drink or 
 . stink, tak' it or be thwacked ; answer, 
 answer, answer." 
 
 The three last words were accompa- 
 nied by three hard thwacks; at which 
 the landlord expressed, by his physiog- 
 nomical contortions, the painfulness of 
 the operation ; but he still remained ob- 
 stinate, and refused the toast. 
 
 " I see," said Sidebotham, «* we must 
 proceed to the extremity of the law. 
 Give him a dozen." 
 
 At this order, Pearson gave his sword 
 full sway, and struck upon the offender's 
 feet with a mighty arm, repeating at each 
 blow, ** A scandalous offence !" When 
 he had received four or five, Shortmalt, 
 feeling the smart intolerable, cried out, 
 " Craven !" 
 
 " Will ye drink the toast?" said the 
 subaltern. 
 
 " Yea," replied Robin : <* I may no
 
 THE CAVALIER. 425 
 
 longer resist; my toes are all in a jelly, 
 and I dinna know but there are bones 
 broken/* 
 
 " Thank yerself," said Sidebotham ; 
 " ye might have dreamed ye must come 
 to at the upshot. Here, drink, man ; tl>e 
 brandy will cure all sores." 
 
 Sliortmalt took the horn cup, and was 
 mumbling over the toast ; but the Cor- 
 poral cried, '* Speak out, man, fair and 
 freely j ye need not be ashamed or afraid 
 to utter that toast wherever the four 
 winds blow.'* 
 
 At length he took it in the manner 
 the troopers would have him, and got up 
 to retire ; but Sidebotham pushed him 
 back into his seat. " Ye are not going, my 
 fine fellow ; your part is not half over ; sit 
 ye still while the witch has her stoop. 
 She shall drink the toast to keep ye in 
 countenance." 
 
 The grey woman, during the foregoing 
 scene, had gathered herself up into the 
 corner, and could scarce be distinguished 
 from the sooty back of the chimney, but 
 by the reflection of the burning tobacco
 
 CATJLIJEK. 
 
 She ^Mike BO ward, 
 tfie dilute 
 Wbm die ninheni snd sbe 
 tlie toast, riie rase n^ and 
 toAetaUe. Swiphotham poiir- 
 cd oat a hon of haadj^ and repeated 
 tke toast. She took up the cup. '' In- 
 stead ^'Aewid^" said dM^ *«Illgi'Te 
 the viB ; inslenda'Ae toast, in gP je the 
 trath : it caaae to me when I was sktiag 
 on the ledge d* Kinder; w^en die wind 
 blew, and Ae lain fiefl; the w^^og 
 stones rodkedto tte stonn, and the tor- 
 roared down the fiD, fike the bel- 
 of a thonsand bidk; the cagie 
 throD^ the tMcj, 
 test ower 
 the Uadk soai^ died ^tifidty to the 
 of Ae sonntain breeze , the 
 ■d ja«en left their ^liea^ and 
 ia Oe deAs o* the rock for shd- 
 ; locks nad herds led firooi the nca- 
 '3 — ~ Mmm «M»w«au to aroid the 
 Tbosit came :
 
 THE CATAIIEB. 4^ 
 
 He 
 Sball be cMqpo>d|, tM,!^ Ife«ranl hedbev; 
 
 For 
 Whoom^athe 
 
 Who is that?*' sad the witch. 
 
 ^ Te mean the king," said Side- 
 botham. 
 
 " listen," said the woman ; and she 
 proceeded: — 
 
 Who is he ?** said Sidefaothanu 
 Even I dinna know," relied the 
 
 Asd t^ old caiafierBBtylfcainHaelB head, 
 
 : 3 tke BOMh. vhoe Us leaiBr aUl mi^ 
 ' fcr C&ori^, <Mr kii^fio cnaehane.** 
 
 «* Ye -■ e been dealing with the 
 devil," said Siddxitfaain, ** an jrer words 
 prove true." 
 
 •• They are not iirom hell,** said the 
 witch, ** or ma J this brand j be my poi- 
 son ;" and Ae tossed off the honi with 
 the air of an accustomed dram-drinker.
 
 iQ8 THE CAVALILK. 
 
 Many of the troopers begged the witch 
 to read their fortunes, for which they 
 allowed her a ftdl share of their refresh- 
 ments. She prophesied to several, deaths 
 by various chances j whilst to others 
 she gave long life and good fortune. 
 
 " What Ml be my fate, mother ?" said 
 Sidebotham. 
 
 ** YeVe been a ranting lad," replied 
 the woman, ** from yer days of child- 
 hood. Gi* me yer hand." 
 
 She pored over the Corporal's palm for 
 some time, and then surveyed his fore- 
 liead with great scrupulosity. 
 
 *' W I read right," said Doll, *« ye 
 will soon win yer winding-sheet or a 
 command. The lines cross, and I canna 
 rightly tell w^hich is uppermost ; but yer 
 death is sure, or yer fortin's made." 
 
 '* Here's to the whether," said the 
 Corporal, drinking off a bumper. " And 
 now, Robin Shortmalt, let's have one o* 
 those carols ye used to sing, when the 
 liquor was in, and the wit w\is out, in the 
 old time."
 
 THE CAVALIER, 429 
 
 <* Me sing !" said Shortmalt. " Bless 
 your heart, I ha* not sung, but psahns, 
 for many a year bye past." 
 
 ** That excuse," replied the subal- 
 tern, " won't down with me, my jewel ; 
 ye must sing, or commit a scandalous 
 offence ; and the stocks are ready." 
 
 '« But what must I do?" said Short- 
 mult, ** when the songs are banished clean 
 from my memory ?" 
 
 *' A little bit of the strappado," re- 
 plied vSidebotham, '' will recall them from 
 exile in a twinkling." 
 
 " But, bethink ye," replied the inn- 
 keeper, ** I shall be turned out of the 
 eldership for singing profane ditties ; and 
 what a disgrace for a man o' my years !" 
 
 " J£ ye get turned out o' the elder- 
 ship," said the Corporal, «* ye must get 
 entrance into the youngership, for any 
 thing I know to the contrary ; but sing 
 ye must : that's as fix'd as fate. Is it not, 
 Doll ?" 
 
 «* ril sing ye a psalm," said Short- 
 nialt, ** and welcome."
 
 430 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 « D — n yer psalm-singing," cried 
 Sidebotham ; *' keep it for yer dying 
 hour ; ye'U need it when the rope's 
 round yer neck." 
 
 ** For what should I be hanged, Cor^ 
 poral Sidebotham ?" said the landlord. 
 
 ** For what?" cried the trooper; 
 " why, for a lousy, canting, puritanical, 
 scaly Round-head. There is not a 
 greater knave than Robin Shortmalt be- 
 tween Berwick and London ; ye'd pick 
 a man's pocket, and bid God bless 
 him i' the same moment. — But let's not 
 talk of your qualities; they're a d — d bad 
 subject, old'n." 
 
 *' But—" said Shortmalt. 
 
 « None of your buts," cried the Cor- 
 poral, "or I shall but ye with the butt-end 
 o' my pistol. Sing, ye covenanting beer- 
 barrel, or ye shall undergo the punish- 
 ment due to scandalous offences." 
 
 " I may choose my song ?" said the 
 landlord. 
 
 <« O ! ay," replied Sidebotham ; 
 « we're not nice ; only give us a merry
 
 THE CAV.iLIER. 431 
 
 tune, and thundering chorus. Silence^ 
 comrades, for the landlord's song." 
 
 After a short time spent in prepar- 
 ation, the innkeeper, with a glee and 
 animation scarcely credible, his late pro- 
 fessions considered, chaunted merrily 
 the following roundelay : — 
 
 Your lord and knight, with gold bedight. 
 
 May puff and sweat in state ; 
 
 But if I may my truly say, 
 
 Merry man ne'er was great : 
 
 With potent sack let them, good lack ! 
 
 Carouse unto the vicar ; 
 
 But brandy, boys, hath better joys, 
 
 It is the prince of liquor. 
 
 Sack ! sack ! is potent stuff, 
 But brandy, lads, for me ; 
 Let the can swim unto the brim ; 
 Let's drink till we can't see. 
 
 Fat rector goes, with pimpled nose, 
 
 And puffed paunch, I ween : 
 
 His gills do shine like rosy wine, 
 
 His fellow hath never been ; 
 
 For he hath quaft, at one long draught, 
 
 A mantling brandy bicker. 
 
 Enow to stound a horse to ground, 
 
 But rector hath grown wicker. 
 
 Sack, &c. 
 
 Your learned judge will wisely trudge 
 A three mile cast and back.
 
 45"2 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 So he may drain that cure of pain, 
 
 A flask of cogniac ; 
 
 And soot the king would merrily sing, 
 
 An he mote taste our liquor; 
 
 For brandy, boys ! hath best of joys, 
 
 Forking, and judge, and vicar. 
 
 Sack, sack, &c. 
 
 The troopers loudly applauded Short- 
 malt's ex£Cution, and the Corporal swore 
 he was now awaking from his stupid pu- 
 ritanical dream, and would quickly come 
 round to his old standing. 
 
 *' Is it not better," said Sidebotham, 
 << to be a jolly boozer at the brandy bottle, 
 than a starched, sober, queer-looking pu- 
 ritan ?" 
 
 «^ It may for those who are young and 
 hearty," replied the landlord ; " but when 
 a man is going down hill, it becomes him 
 to put a lock-chain on his carnal appe- 
 tites." 
 
 " Ye're a canting hypocrite," cried the 
 subaltern ; ** and after all your faces, I 
 can see ye smack yer lips at the brandy 
 cup wi' the same relish as ye did of old. 
 Butcome5Comrades, who shallsingnext?"
 
 THE CAVALIER, 43S 
 
 " That will I," cried the witch, who, 
 with continued applications to the stoop 
 of usquebaugh, had become perfectly fud- 
 dled. 
 
 " Ye sing !" cried Sidebotham ; ** what 
 the devil can you sing about, ye blinking 
 ullart/' 
 
 " Ye shall ha' as good a trowl," re- 
 plied Doll, ** as ever was heard upo' the 
 blasted circle.'' She then screamed out 
 the following verses, in a tune, which, 
 though discordant, had something of a 
 pleasant jingle, accompanying her voice 
 with strokes of her fist upon the board. 
 
 Merry is the old witch, who travels on a broomstick ; 
 Far, far away she gallops in a trice ; 
 Very many witcheries, and very many dooms thick, 
 Follow at her bidding, and gather at her voice. 
 
 Round about the circle, dance, dance merrily ; 
 
 Sprightly let us foot it, till the coming day; 
 
 Mischief now is brewing, and accursed gramarye. 
 
 Hark, the crowing cock 1 witches, haste away. 
 
 Merry is the old witch, whose fame is widely sounden; 
 Sorrow she can dole ye, or pleasure at a word. 
 To her gree and for her gree, a' the world is ])0un(lcn ; 
 In a string she holds it, hopping like a. bird. 
 VOL. I. U
 
 434 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Round about the circle, dance, dance merrily, 
 Sprightly let us foot it, till the coming day. 
 Mischief now is brewing, and accursed gramarj e. 
 Hark, the crowing cock ! witches, haste away. 
 
 At the beginning of the last stanza the 
 hag rose up, and seizing her broomstick, 
 which was in the nook, began to dance 
 to the song. Presently she was seconded 
 by all the troopers, who joined in the 
 chorus, making, with the strength of their 
 lungs, and the rattling of their arms, a 
 din perfectly infernal. This scene of 
 confusion lasted until they were weary ; 
 they then sat down to refresh their ex- 
 hausted spirits. 
 
 ** By the mort, Doll,'* said Sidebotham, 
 ** ye*ve more pluck than I thought ye 
 had. Who the devil would have fancied 
 such a crazy-looking harridan as ye could 
 have sung such a rattling ditty.'' 
 
 " Ye may swear she's been a ballad- 
 singer," said one of the troopers ; '* she's 
 the true travelling twang." 
 
 ** Ye're a fause expounder, neverthe- 
 less," said Doll. " Ballads sung I never
 
 THE CAVALIER. 435 
 
 as a calling; but that'n has been heard 
 mony a neet on the head o* Kinder Scout, 
 when there was no folk to watch, and 
 nowt to see, but the silver moon. 
 
 " Well, who sings now ?" said Sidebo- 
 tham." 
 
 ** Ye ought," replied the witch, '« as 
 ye' re so sharp at ca'ing." 
 
 " We want Jellott here now," said the 
 corporal. " He was the lad for a stave.*' 
 
 The witch shrunk into her corner. 
 
 ** Come, Pearson," cried Sidebotham, 
 " turn out * The Cavalier.' 
 
 * Like the first dawn of summer, so bright and so gay.' — 
 
 Come, my bonny lad ; it's the best song 
 after all." 
 
 Pearson mingled himself a horn of 
 brandy and ale, and swallowed it as a 
 clearer. He then, with a voice round and 
 mellow, though simple and unscienced, 
 sung ut sequitur. 
 
 Like the first dawn of summer, so bright and so gay, 
 Chasing winter's stern blasts and his horrors away; 
 Like the young summer sun to the soft op'ning year, 
 Is, to England, the sight of the gay Cavalier.
 
 436 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 Each maid of the land, as she lies on her bed. 
 May sicken with fright at the close cropped head; 
 But she sniileth with joy when before her appear 
 The long curled locks of the gay Cavalier. 
 
 The Round-head by preaching is hearten'd to fight ; 
 He preacheth by day, and he preacheth by night ; 
 But nothing can subject to sorrow or fear 
 The fine-temper'd soul of the gay Cavalier. 
 
 Of the country and laws do the puritans preach, 
 Though they practise one way, and another they teach ; 
 But his King and his honour are ever most dear. 
 Save the girl that he loves, to the gay Cavalier. 
 
 Then strike up your drums! give your trumpets the air ; 
 Let them breathe to the Round-heads the notes of despair- 
 Ay, strike up for Charles; the alarum is dear, 
 To the high-mettled soul of the gay Cavalier." 
 
 *< Bravo," cried Sidebotham, seizing 
 his cup : " here's to the Cavaliers !" 
 
 The toast was drunk by all the troopers 
 standing. They had scarcely re-seated 
 themselves, when they heard the tramp- 
 hng of horses, and in a minute, Colonel 
 Sydenham, and his attendant, Jernighan, 
 were at the inn-door. Sydenham was in- 
 stantly attended by the landlord, who re- 
 quested he would alight and refresh iiim- 
 selfj but the Cavalier refused, and asked
 
 THE CAVALIER. 
 
 4^7 
 
 Shortmalt what was to pay. This in- 
 quiry was very agreeable to the innkeeper, 
 who had expected the troopers were at 
 tree quarters according to custom. The 
 bill was settled with many thanks and 
 bows, and the men, drawing out their 
 horses, mounted, and rode off from Chapel- 
 en-le-Frith. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 Printed by A. and K. Spottiswoodc.. 
 Printers-Strcet, London.
 
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