prize offered for his own apprehension, and found himself disabled from enacting the Autolycus by the want of his pedlar's box, which was trotting along the road behind the back of his friend, he had concealed himself by day, and travelled by night, until he reached the sea, where he intended to remain till he could ascertain what was intended to be done with Sir John. "No sooner had I learnt," he continued, "your lucky escape, than I bargained with one Tettersall, a trusty fellow, and the brother of the shipmaster who carried over the King after the fight of Worcester,* to keep a fishingsmack in constant readiness for our escape; and instantly trudged back towards the forest upon the wild-goose chase of discovering the run-away knight of Brambletye House."

"And by what lucky chance did you stumble upon your goose?" inquired Sir John.

"By one of those capricious freaks of fortune," resumed the Marquess, "which are never dreamt of till they actually occur. I was concealed in the bushes that overhang a large pond, to which, in your capacity of ostler to the Protector's Head, you were leading a cropped horse. As it approached the water, the animal trod upon your foot, when you struck it passionately across the face, exclaiming-Sblood, you crop-eared Roundhead brute!

* The tombstone of the latter with a long inscription in prose and verse, is still to be seen in Brighton church-yard,

must you too trample upon me?'-Your smockfrock might have deceived me, but your oath and your voice there was no mistaking, from whatever disguise they might have issued. Not having time to make myself known, I watched you back to the inn; and when the dusk of the evening allowed me to play the respectable part of an eaves-dropper, I placed myself outside the window of the room wherein you were so singularly discreet and considerate, (knowing, I presume, the value of the article,) as to plunge your head into the lion's mouth. By the assistance of the window, I not only heard, but saw every thing that passed below; and from the light in the garret casement, and the hubbub of angry voices, was enabled to ascertain your place of confinement up stairs. A knife, with which I was already provided, and a ladder, removed from a neighbouring hay-stack, completed your deliverance; if, therefore, you can resist the temptation of getting into mischief for three or four hours longer, I trust we shall be beyond the fangs of Noll and his janisaries, and scudding through the waves for France or Flanders."

"And as to our lands and houses, goods and chattels," cried Sir John, "I suppose we may confidently leave them to the care of Arthur Squib, of Haberdasher's Hall, the ravenous Sequestrator, and his worthy coadjutor, Jack Madden, the Solicitor to the Commission."

"I have perhaps lost a castle and a barony for

every acre that can be confiscated from Brambletye," said the Marquess calmly, "and yet I have never uttered a complaint. When the monarch Loses his crown and kingdom, the loyal subject thinks not of his paltry privations. Le bon temps viendra, when both shall be restored; and in the mean time, he that has preserved his honour is still rich. I have one relic which I would not barter for a principality, and this I have preserved, to be taken from me only with my life, though it is but a small silver ferrule."

"Worth perhaps, a whole handful of the new pewter farthings," said Sir John, laughing.

"You will estimate it more highly," replied the Marquess, "when I tell you it was the head of the silver staff which King Charles the First held in his hand upon the first day of his trial. Laying it gently upon Cook's shoulder, the Solicitor General, in order to stop him when he was reading the charge, the silver head fell to the ground; when seeing none to pick it up, he stooped for it himself, and put it in his pocket. After his murder, it came into my possession, nor shall it depart from me in any extremity, unless they cut off the hand that clutches it. I have cared for nothing else, but my robes, with my ribbon, George and garter, which I have entrusted to a friend in London, on whose fidelity I can depend."

"And why have you been so careful in preser

ving these seemingly unimportant trappings ?" inquired the Baronet.

T

"That in case I had been seized, and condemned to the same fate as the noble Montrose," replied the Marquess proudly, "I might, like him, array myself in the honours conferred upon me by my Sovereign, and exclaim, when about to be beheaded and quartered, I deem it a greater honour to have my head stand upon the prison gate for this quarrel, than to have my picture in the King's bed-chamber; and as to my severed limbs, I wish I had flesh enough to send a piece to every city in Christendom, as evidence of my loyalty to my King and country.'"

Incited by the disinterested heroism of his companion, Sir John snapped his fingers, declaring he cared not a rush for Brambletye House and its dirty acres, especially as the Marquess was so sanguine of their being all recovered; and as a proof of his indifference, sang a verse from the song of the Royalist :

"We do not suffer here alone;

Though we are beggar'd, so 's the King; "Tis sin t' have wealth when he has none, Tush! poverty 's a royal thing."

In conclusion, however, he admitted his uneasiness on the subject of the French wine, as well as his unhappiness about the fate of Jocelyn, his son, of whom he would most gladly have learnt some tidings before their embarkation.

"I have eight sons," said the Marquess, "all of whom either have or shall peril their lives in the service of the King. If they live, they will have done their duty; if they die in such an honourable cause, I would rather have my own dead sons than any other man's living ones."

Not suffering their conversation to interfere with the expedition of their march, they advanced at so brisk a pace, that considerably within the period to which the Marquess had limited Sir John's discreet behaviour, they reached the ancient borough of Shoreham. Upon the outskirts of the town stood the humble cottage of the trusty Tettersall, who was no sooner awakened by the preconcerted signal, (three taps upon his window,) than he hastily arose, and heartily congratulated them upon their having, thus far, accomplished their flight in safety. Suggesting the possibility of his smack being brought to, by some of the Government ships of war, which were keeping a sharp look-out for runa-ways, he arrayed them each in a fisherman's jacket and trowsers, and taking a lantern in his hand, for the morning had not yet broken, he conducted them towards the water. Upon arriving at the market-place, he stopped for a moment, and turning to the Marquess gave him a nudge with his elbow, dryly whispering in his ear,-"Here is something pleasant that concerns your Lordship, of which perhaps you would like to have a peep before we go aboard." So saying, he hoisted up