and less noisy character. They neither sung, jested, heard music, nor drank healths; and yet they seemed not the less, in their own phrase, to enjoy the creature-comforts which the frailty of humanity rendered grateful to their outward man. Old Whitaker even protested, that, though much the smaller party in point of numbers, they discussed nearly as much sack and claret as his own more jovial associates. But those who considered the steward's prejudices, were inclined to think, that, in order to produce such a result, he must have thrown in his own by-drinkings-no inconsiderable item to the sum total of the Presbyterian potations.

Without adopting such a partial and scandalous report, we shall only say, that on this occasion as on most others, the rareness of indulgence promoted the sense of enjoyment, and that those who made abstinence, or at least moderation, a point of religious principle, enjoyed their social meeting the better that such opportunities rarely presented themselves. If they did not actually drink each other's healths, they at least showed, by looking and nodding to each other as they raised their glasses, that they all were sharing the same festive gratification of the appetite, and felt it enhanced, because it was at the same time enjoyed by their friends and neighbours. Religion, as it was the principal topic of their thoughts, became also the chief subject of their conversation, and as they sat together in small separate knots, they discussed doctrinal and metaphysical points of belief, balanced the merits

of various preachers, compared the creeds of contending sects, and fortified by scriptural quotations those which they favoured. Some contests arose in the course of these debates, which might have proceeded farther than was seemly, but for the cautious interference of Major Bridgenorth. He suppressed also, in the very bud, a dispute betwixt Gaffer Hodgeson of Charnely cot and the Reverend Mr Solsgrace, upon the tender subject of lay-preaching, and lay-ministering; nor did he think it altogether prudent or decent to indulge the wishes of some of the warmer enthusiasts of the party, who felt disposed to make the rest partakers of their gifts in extemporaneous prayer and exposition. These were absurdities that belonged to the time, which, however, the Major had sense enough to perceive were unfitted, whether the offspring of hypocrisy or enthusiasm, for the present time and place.

The Major was also instrumental in breaking up the party at an early and decorous hour, so that they left the Castle long before their rivals, the Cavaliers, had reached the spring-tide of their merriment; an arrangement which afforded the greatest satisfaction to the lady, who dreaded the consequences which might not improbably have taken place, had both parties met at the same period and point of retreat.

It was near midnight ere the greater part of the Cavaliers, meaning such as were able to effect their departure without assistance, withdrew to the village of Martindale-Moultrassie, with the benefit of

the broad moon, to prevent the chance of accidents. Their shouts, and the burden of their roaring chorus of

"The King shall enjoy his own again!"

was heard with no small pleasure by the lady, heartily glad that the riot of the day was over without the occurrence of any unpleasing accident. The rejoicing was not, however, entirely ended; for the elevated Cavaliers, finding some of the villagers still on foot around a bonfire on the street, struck merrily in with them-sent to Roger Raine, of the Peveril Arms, the loyal publican whom we have already mentioned, for two tubs of merry stingo, (as it was termed,) and lent their own powerful assistance at the dusting it off to the health of the King and the loyal General Monk. Their shouts for a long time disturbed, and even alarmed, the little village; but no enthusiasm is able to withstand for ever the natural consequences of late hours, and potations pottle-deep. The tumult of the exulting royalists at last sunk into silence, and the moon and the owl were left in undisturbed sovereignty over the old tower of the village church, which, rising white above a circle of knotty oaks, was tenanted by the bird, and silvered by the planet.*

*Note, p. 65. Cavaliers and Roundheads,

NOTE TO CHAPTER IV.

Note, p. 64.-CAVALIERS AND ROUNDHEADS.

The attempt to contrast the manners of the jovial Cavaliers, and enthusiastic, yet firm and courageous, Puritans, was partly taken from a hint of Shadwell, who sketched several scenes of humour with great force, although they hung heavy on his pencil when he attempted to finish them for the stage.

In a dull play named the Volunteers, or the Stock-Jobbers, the dramatis persona present "Major-General Blunt, an old cavalier officer, somewhat rough in speech, but very brave and honest, and of good understanding, and a good patriot." A contrast to the General is "Colonel Hackwell, senior, an old Anabaptist Colonel of Cromwell's, very stout and godly, but somewhat immoral."

These worthies, so characterised, hold a dialogue together, which will form a good example of Shadwell's power of dramatizing. The stage is filled by Major-General Blunt and some of his old acquaintance cavaliers, and Hackwell, the ancient parliamentarian.

"Major-General Blunt. Fear not, my old cavaliers. According to your laudable customs, you shall be drunk, swagger, and fight over all your battles, from Edgehill to Brentford. You have not forgotten how this gentleman (points to Colonel Hackwell) and his demure psalm-singing fellows used to drub us?

"1st Cavalier. No, 'gad! I felt 'em once to purpose.

"M.-G. Blunt. Ah! a-dod, in high-crowned hats, collared bands, great loose coats, long tucks under 'em, and calves-leather boots, they used to sing a psalm, fall on, and beat us to the devil!

"Hackwell, senior. In that day we stood up to the cause; and the cause, the spiritual cause, did not suffer under our carnal weapons, but the enemy was discomfited, and lo! they used to flee before us.

"1st Cavalier. Who would think such a snivelling, psalm-singVOL. XXVIII.

E

ing puppy, would fight? But these godly fellows would lay

about 'em as if the devil were in 'em.

"Sir Nicholas. What a filthy slovenly army was this! I warrant you not a well-dressed man among the Roundheads.

"M.-G. Blunt. But these plain fellows would so thrash your swearing, drinking, fine fellows in laced coats-just such as you of the drawing-room and Locket's fellows are now-and so strip them, by the Lord Harry, that after a battle those saints looked like the Israelites loaden with the Egyptian baggage.

"Hackwell. Verily, we did take the spoil; and it served us to turn the penny, and advanced the cause thereby; we fought upon a principle that carried us through.

"M.-G. Blunt. Prithee, Colonel, we know thy principle 'twas not right: thou foughtest against children's baptism, and not for liberty, but who should be your tyrant ; none so zealous for Cromwell as thou wert then, nor such a furious agitator and test-man as thou hast been lately.

"Hackwell, senior. Look you, Colonel, we but proceeded in the way of liberty of worship.

"M.-G. Blunt. A-dod, there is something more in it. This was thy principle, Colonel-Dominion is founded in grace, and the righteous shall inherit the earth. And, by the Lord Harry, thou didst so; thougottest three thousand pounds a-year by fighting against the Court, and I lost a thousand by fighting for it." -See The Volunteers, or Stock-Jobbers, SHADWELL's Works, vol. iv., p. 437.

In a former scene, Hackwell, the old fanatic officer, conceiving himself offended by one of the dramatis persona, says, with great naïvcté" I prithee, friend, put me not to use the carnal weapon in my own defence." Such are the traits of phraseology with which Shadwell painted the old Puritan officers, many of whom he-no mean observer of human nature-must have known familiarly.