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CHAPTER XII.

A thorough Wickliffite, the friend of Oldcastle,
Who takes as many words to eke a sentence
As thou or I would utter in a day;

Familiar is he with his God in prayer,

As though he collogued with his boon companion-
Whip me such rascals.

Old Contention of York and Lancaster.

It will now be necessary for us to return to the inn of Mr. Timms, and to that moment of time, when the file of soldiers marched from Marple, leaving Snell and his companion Barebone at the hostel door, gazing on their departure. When the little column had entirely disappeared, the Colonel and the orator retired into the inn; the former to unarm, and the latter to dissipate, in the best refreshments the house of Mr. Zachariah Tims could afford, the fatigue of his long journey. [In those days, houses of entertainment could not boast of the variety of dining, sitting, and withdrawing rooms, which give ornament and comfort to the hotels of modern times.*] A large flagged hall, undecked, except with the spreading branches of the stag, or, since the arrival of the soldiers, by the well-arranged instruments of warfare, served for all purposes: officers, subalterns, and privates crowded together péle mêle, and frequently, at a glance, an observer might discover a council of war in one corner, a party of stipendiaries gaming and drinking in a second, and in a third a puritanical warrior, mounted on a stool, holding forth to a company around him with bellowing vociferation. The

* The words within brackets are an editorial interpolation, but indeed seem a necessary proemium to the context. L, G.

landlord generally joined the auditory of the latter party, or united in the delivery of a psalm with great observance, which was only now and then interrupted by the calls of their less religious comrades for more drink, interspersed with a variety of Teutonic and English oaths, which, often chiming with the intervals of the psalmody, produced a ludicrous effect. It is not to be supposed that anarchy of this kind could long exist without strife: quarrels, occasioned by the blasphemous interruptions of the foreigners, when their fanatical companions were engaged in their orgies, were frequently the precursors of a combat. These men, the very refuse and filth of the continental states, abandoned by all sense of morality and religion, and given up to the most gross sensuality, laughed at those rites, and that affectation of godly decorum for which the English soldier was so remarkable: the latter, pitying, according to his creed, the ignorance and self-destruction of his comrades, attempted to make them converts. In the attempts at this good work, disputes rose rapidly, neither party (notwithstanding the pretended calmness of the puritans) being slow to anger: the arguments of each only served to inflame the passions of his opposite; and it was seldom that a conference, begun with prayers, ended not with blood. It required the whole courage and authority of Snell to silence these dissensions; and it was in the power of such a man as Snell alone to quell such desperate and ferocious spirits. Repeatedly had the enraged opponents drawn a line across the hall floor, and each man, planting his foot against his adversary's, swore to retire from it but with life. At these moments, the Colonel, whose match for strength of make was hardly to be paralleled, with his broad sword gleaming like a meteor of death in his hand, would rush into the midst of them, and often, by the high tone of authoritative command, but more frequently by a less pacific, though more pointed argument, frighten the combatants into obedience.

When Snell had laid aside his mail, he returned to the hall, and found Barebone doing ample justice to the good cheer of Mr. Tims, who stood watching the eyes of this Father of the Faithful, as if in order to anticipate his wants. The orator seemed to have forgotten all sublunary matters in the one grand consideration of replenishing his stomach, which the savour of the viands smoking before him did not in the least allay. He proceeded, without noticing those around him, to ingurgitate the various victuals, in a manner which plainly indicated to the innkeeper, that it was not the habit of such pious men as Barebone to forget, among the many things needful, those most essential necessaries-eating and drinking. The Colonel stood for some time silent, watching the feast of this second Solomon; but despairing of its being quickly brought to a conclusion, he interrupted him by saying, "When he had ended his repast, he should be glad of some private discourse with him."

Barebone lifted up his head in an attitude of surprise, and after attentively viewing the person who had addressed him, requested he would partake of the provision before them, "for assuredly, Colonel Snell," quoth he, "thou must be both hungered and athirst after thy quotidian travel at the leaguer of the high place called Wibberley Castle, and thou knowest that a man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth, and with the increase of his lips he shall be filled."*

The Colonel ordered a seat to the table, and proceeded, with great dispatch, to discuss those relics of the feast which had hitherto escaped the devouring maw of his confederate. It was a considerable period before either party could find time to open his mouth, otherwise than as an aperture for the entrance of his

* Our author hath clearly put this passage into the mouth of Barebone, for the purpose of showing the orator's ignorance. It is evident that this scripture text hath entirely a spiritual relation and not a carnal one. L. G.

meat, each thinking the moments before him too precious to be wasted on less momentous discussion. At length silence was broken by Snell, who, decanting a large quantity of wine into a huge horn cup, tipped with silver, (the cup of ceremony of our host) pledged therein the health of their patron, the Lord Protector. "Verily," quoth Praise-God, "thou doest rightly: the Protector hath need of the prayers of the people. Pray God that he lengthen the days of our Hezekiah." Saying this he emptied the cup which Tims bad replenished and set before him.

When the landlord had removed the eatables, Snell said, "Has his Highness named his successor in the Protectorship, in case his malady should prove fatal?"

The orator looked cautiously around the hall, and then, in whispers, replied to the Colonel," His Highness hath said assuredly his son Richard shall govern after him, and sit in his place, in his stead; and he hath appointed him to be ruler over England, over Ireland, over Scotland, and over Wales."

Snell shook his head; an implication of dissatisfaction, which his companion seemed perfectly to understand; not as if the Colonel had any personal objection to the son of his patron, but as if in doubt of his ability to support the situation.

"He is a peaceable man," said Snell, in deep cogitation.

"Therefore is our expectation great that his government will be free from disquiet," replied the puritan.

"But he is not capable," rejoined Snell; "he knows no more of commanding an army, than I do of canting in a pulpit."

This stroke did not appear to tally with the ideas of Barebone, but, in reverse, highly to pique him : his companion, however, did not observe his change of manner; or, if he did, minded it not, but proceeded: "Were Richard Cromwell to mount the chair to-morrow, Charles Stuart, in a week, would be in

England; in a fortnight, at the head of the Cavaliers; and, in a month, would change places with the gallant soldier his Highness destines for our Protector."

"Thou art in the wrong, Colonel Snell," cried Barebone, who had now recovered from the fit of pique which the words of his companion had thrown him into thou art in the wrong to murmur at the dispensations of his Sacred Highness; and thou doest little better to lift up thy voice against the ministers of the word-faithful servants, who labour unceasingly in the vineyard, which is sadly overgrown with such weeds as thou."

Snell cast on him a look in which derision was mingled with contempt, and drawing his seat closer to that of Barebone, who did not seem over-anxious for a nearer acquaintance, he said, ironically, "Does the worthy Mr. Praise-God look to become speaker under the pacific Richard? The dictatorial chair still floats in your brain, I see, though his Sacred Highness hath closed the door of the conventicle."

This sally at once disconcerted the orator, who seemed at a loss for a reply; but his ancient assurance quickly relieved him from his embarrassment, and gathering all his solemnity of intonation and manner into his voice and action, he again addressed the Colonel

"Although it is not for me, who am but a lowly servant of the Lord, to dispute the will of his highness the Protector, albeit it be contrary to the law and the word, yet will I exert my voice highly against his malignant advisers, such as thou art; against his evil counsellors, his corrupt ministers, who, not only, like the poisonous trees of Java, are themselves overflowing with venom, but do infect those who unhappily come within their influence; verily, I say, it is to ye, ye inheritors of Tophet, ye walkers in the way of Mammon and unrighteousness, ye seekers after the loaves and the fishes, and ye contemners of the bread of everlastingness, that the defection of our ruler from the true path is to be ascribed. It is ye who have

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