commended Waynfleet and the Chaplain to take off their shoes and steal to their own apartments, without making the smallest noise, or even lighting a candle, so far disregarded the injunction in his own person, that when he reached his room, in which a lamp had been left burning, he finished a flask of Hippocras spiced, before he retired to rest: and so well was he satisfied with his liquor, as well as with the exploits of the night, that, while undressing, he kept singing to himself, although in a subdued voice, one of his cavalier songs :—

"A man that is arm'd

With liquor, is charm'd

And proof against strength and cunning;
He scorns the base humour of running-
Our brains are the quicker,

When season'd with liquor;

So let's drink and sing,

Here's a health to the King,

And I wish in this thing,

Both the Roundheads and Cavies agree.

Sing hey! Trolly, lolly, loe !"*

*The snatches of old songs introduced here and elsewhere, are fragments of original ballads and lampoons that were current during the Civil Wars, or immediately after their conclusion.

CHAPTER II.

"He told me that rebellion had ill luck,
And that young Harry Percy's spur was cold;
With that he gave his able horse the head,
And, bending forward, struck his armed heels
Against the panting sides of his poor jade,
Up to the rowel-head; and starting so,
He seem'd in running to devour the way,
Staying no longer question."- SHAKSPEARE.

THE heat of the weather, and the occurrence of the quarterly cattle fair at East Grinstead, had occasioned a more than usual assemblage of rustic travellers at the Swan, a small public-house in the obscure hamlet of Forest-Row, near the northern extremity of Sussex. At the time when our history commences,* it was kept by a jovial blade who had

*As historical characters and events are introduced into the following novel, it may be right to state here, once for all, that the author has, in several instances, deviated from exact chronological succession; and that in the history of Valentine Walton, in the third volume, he has taken the same liberty with fact, that he has done in other places with time.

formerly served in the King's army, and was well known to have not only retained his political opinions, but to have a clear voice and a stout heart for singing his old cavalier songs, a practice which was in those days by no means unattended with peril. On these accounts his house was frequented by such travellers and partisans as were not the best affected towards Cromwell's government, and who thought they might, in this unnoticed spot, safely indulge the effusion of their spleen, and drink, under the rose, confusion to all rogues and Roundheads. At that time the Forest of Ashdown closely invested the place on every side, and a large solitary tree, of that species which had given its name to the vieinity, standing in front of the little inn, was encircled by a seat for the accommodation of such customers as occasionally traversed that cross-road for the purposes we have mentioned, or to visit the assize-town, from which it was only three miles distant. The old sign of the Swan is still existing upon the same spot, but the venerable ash has been succeeded by a large wilding cherry-tree, surrounded by a similar seat for the comfort of all weary wayfarers; and it has fallen to our lot to know that whatever may have been the reputation of this humble caravansera in the days of which we are about to write, it will still give satisfaction to all such travellers as may be propitiated by mild ale, plain viands, a courteous reception, and a moderate bill. It was on the second morning after the night

scene we have described, that the before-mentioned motley company of rustics were discussing the merits of sundry "creature comforts," as the Puritans affected to call them, beneath the friendly shade of the wide-spreading ash, when an emaciated and feeble old woman, covered with dust, arrived at the same rendezvous, and instead of calling clamorously for refreshment like her neighbours, drew a horn from her pocket, filled it with water from the pump, and seating herself upon the sandy ground, began to empty it of its contents, by slowly swallowing a mouthful at a time.

"God help thee, mother," said an honest grazier, who was making sad havoc with a cold sirloin of beef, "hast thee never a cross in thy purse, that thou art fain to wash the dust out of thy mouth with water ?"

"God neither deserts those who appear to be forlorn," replied the old woman, "nor does he always favour those who may seem to be prosperous." As if to prove this assertion, and at the same time to rebut the suspicion of poverty, she took a twenty shilling gold piece from her pocket, and as she looked upon it proceeded thus :— "What have we here? On one side a cross with a palm and laurel, and the words Commonwealth of England :' on the other side, the cross and harp, and the words 'God with us.'-Might not a scoffer now remark, that even by the confession of their own coin, the States and God are not on the same side ?”

"And might they not further remark," cried the landlord, "that in these times we have two crosses for one merry-making? Ods pittikins! we that set up a sign, know that to our cost. Cock-fighting and horse-racing, games and betting, all are forbidden; holidays are suppressed; the maypole is pulled down, and if folks want to drink and be merry, as they used to do, they must wait, forsooth, for the second Tuesday in the month, and tipple by Act of Parliament."

"The horn of the ungodly is exalted," exclaimed the old woman, "while they of the true faith are trodden under foot."

"Zooks! mother," cried the grazier, "which faith is that? for I think we reckon up two or three score of one sort or another."

"When the wolf that worried the flock is slain, and the wild ox that tore up the vineyard is muzzled, it will be time enough to tell ye what ye seek to know," resumed the old woman.

"Troth, dame," cried the grazier, "I'm in no hurry, for I always thought it dangerous to be wiser than one's neighbours; but perhaps you won't quarrel with the religion which leads me to offer you a share of my trencher and my pottle, for I see you like not to change that Parliament-piece, and if I may trust your looks, you're both hungry and athirst."

"I am both," said the woman calmly, "and yet