and pellets, with which Sir John has been so plentifully stocking his cellars on the dark nights o' late." « And in that case, how could you make your own escape?» inquired the chaplain. « My escape!» exclaimed the serjeant, « who wants to escape, when Jack Whittaker can sell his old life for a whole troop of Noll's own regiment? Had I a dozen lives, I should be happy to swap them on the same terms; we will all be comfortably blown up together. It will be the first time I shall have travelled the same road with any of the crop-eared cattle, and I hope it will be the last; for, I take it, their final journey will be downwards instead of upwards." To the great surprise of its proposer, none of the party would listen for a moment to this desperate offer, which they observed would necessarily destroy a considerable portion, if not the whole of the building, and might be as displeasing to Sir John, as it would certainly be fatal to its projector, who had, moreover, no right to sacrifice either his own life, or his master's property. Serjeant Whittaker was enforcing, with a profane oath, the certainty of his going to heaven if he lost his life in such a cause, and inveighing against the wickedness of the chaplain, who would prevent such a pious consummation, when the party was broken hastily up by the noise and clatter of the troops, to whom some of the intimidated servants had opened the gates at the expiration of the ten minutes, stipulating for nothing but the personal safety of all the inmates. Some of the cavalry, having dismounted, were striding across the great hall, whose floor echoed own eye. aloud to their massy boots and clanging sabres, while others were again shutting and barricadoing the gates, to prevent a surprise. From the martial completeness of their armour and appointments, as well as the stern, grave deportment, and war-worn countenances of the men, they were obviously a portion of those invincible veterans whom the Protector had trained under his These were the soldiers, who, when their enemies were occupied in drinking, swearing, and plundering, or revelling with drabs and dicers, were devoutly employed in reading the Bible, or in listening to some favourite expounder of the sacred writings. Many of them, indeed, were preachers and prophets in their own persons, and all considered themselves as the enlisted soldiers of the Lord. They marched with an enthusiastic valour to fight his battles, singing, for their war-song, the Psalms of David; a more sublime and inspiring poem than ever was chaunted by the sacred battalion of the Greeks. If discomfited, they formed again and renewed the attack, determined either to achieve the victory, or to offer up their lives as a sacrifice for the good and holy cause. The colonel, who was of a cheerful and pleasant humour, pointing to a long table in the hall, which was ready prepared for the large dinner-company, which was expected to bring home hunters' appetites with Sir John, exclaimed-- Upon my word! this is a more courteous reception than we could have expected, and if the cook fail us not in the roast, he shall have the thanks of Parliament for our good quarters and liberal rations. After a long march in such sandy roads, the sabre is gladly resigned for the carving-knife, especially if the cellarage supply us good ale, and Sir John Barley-corn help us to dispatch his brother knight, Sir-loin. Our worthy host is famous for his cellarage, if not for his ale, and thither, therefore, will we first address ourselves." He smiled at his brother soldiers as he made this remark, and invited them to accompany him to the vaults, a word which was no sooner uttered, than a look of consternation fell upon the countenances of a part of the household, many of whom were seen whispering together in corners, and quietly sneaking out of the house to make their escape by the postern-gate, which had been left unguarded. The steward had been strictly enjoined by the chaplain not to lose sight of Whittaker, from whose fierce character, they were not without apprehensions that he might be tempted to try the effect of an explosion, even while they themselves were upon the premises; and the secretary was deputed to the ticklish office of waiting upon the commanding-officer in his visit to the vaults. This, colonel, is our ale-cellar,” he exclaimed, endeavouring to divert the attention of his unwelcome visitant; «and this is where Sir John keeps his claret;—I have the keys of both, and no one, I believe, will quarrel with the liquor." « I doubt it not, Mr Secretary," replied the colonel, « Sir John was liberally treated by the sequestrators, and he can afford to have of the best; but what strange fancy is this to build up a peat-stack in the vaults?" "It got so damp in the garden-yard," said the secretary. «What, damp in the fine sunshiny weather, and get dry in the vaults! For shame, Mr Secretary! my soldiers shall teach you better husbandry.» So saying, he looked at a paper, which doubtless contained the informaupon which he was acting, and exclaiming—« Ay, this is the very spot,» directed his men to pull down the peat-stack, which was rapidly effected, and discovered the great entrance to the vaults. tion « Strange that you should forget the principal cellar," continued the colonel, still retaining his bantering and good-humoured tone.. <<< There has been neither wine nor beer in it for many months," said the secretary. « But there may be something better," replied the colonel; «so by your favour we will overhaul it. Zooks! Mr Secretary, you should do this now and then for your own security, for who knows but that your vaults may be as well provided as those under the Parliament House were once found to be. The key, so please you!" His vehement protestations, that the key had been long missing, were met by the suggestion of Cornet Axtell, that one of the field pieces should be brought down to drive open the door; but the colonel reminding him they had brought crows and hatchets, which would be equally effectual and much less dangerous, they proceeded to the attack with these implements, and had no sooner forced an entrance than they discovered a collection of pikes, swords, muskets, buff and plate armour, bandoleers, grenadoes, and cannon-balls, that did no less credit to the liberality of Sir John and his partisans, than to the skill of Serjeant Whittaker, for their admirable condition, and the perfect order of their arrangement. Considering this to be the great prize they were sent to seize, they made no further researches; so that the secret vault, filled with gunpowder, escaped detection. So irritated were the soldiers at the discovery already made, that had any of Sir John's retainers remained upon the premises, they would probably have been exposed to maltreatment, notwithstanding the convention at the gates; but they had all slipped away, one by one, and the colonel, who was a humane man, had rather favoured than opposed their disappearance. All his exertions, however, could neither prevent the sacking and pillaging of the house, nor the defacement of such loyal and armorial emblems as had escaped the rage of former devastators. Even the sculptured acorns, whose remains are still to be seen in the ruined porch, received many a splenetic blow, because the oak-tree had recently afforded shelter to the unfortunate Charles Stuart, after the battle of Worcester. The indignation of the soldiers being in some degree appeased by the active exercise of mischief and plunder, the whole party began to turn their attention to the gratification of their appetites, which were not a little stimulated by the sight as well as the odour of the viands already spread out for the recreation of the hunters. Substitutes being presently provided for the cook, who had deserted his critical hour of his art, the remainder of the dinner was shortly smoking in post at the very the great hall, and the black jack which Serjeant Whit |