Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets, Vol. 1 (of 2)Howitt, William
History
Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Howitt, William
Literary landmarks -- Great Britain; Poets, English -- Homes and haunts
warrant; and so, without any regard to her protection, seizeth upon that
provision which was in the house, together with the cider which Captain
Kirle had refused. Hereupon Mrs. Swift writes to Captain Kirle,
complaining of this injury, and the affront done to him in slighting his
protection; but before the messenger could return with an answer to her
letter, some from the castle came a second time to plunder the house,
and they did what they came for. Presently after comes a letter from
Captain Kirle in answer to Mrs. Swift's, that the Earl of Stamford did
by no means approve of the injuries done to her, and withal, by word of
mouth, sends to her for more oats. She, perceiving that as long as she
gave they would never leave asking, resolved to be drilled no more. The
return not answering expectation, on the third of December, Captain
Kirle's lieutenant, attended by a considerable number of dragoons, comes
to Mr. Swift's house and demands entrance; but the doors being kept shut
against them, and not being able to force them, they broke down two iron
bars in a stone window, and so, with swords drawn and pistols cocked,
they enter the house. Being entered, they take all Master Swift's and
his wife's apparel, his books and his children's clothes, they being in
bed; and these poor children that hung by their clothes, they being
unwilling to part with them, they swung them about until, their
hold-fast failing, they dashed them against the walls. They took away
all his servants' clothes, and made so clean work with one that they
left him not a shirt to cover his nakedness. There was one of the
children, an infant, lying in the cradle; they robbed that, and left not
the poor soul a rag to defend it from the cold. They took away all the
iron, pewter, and brass; and a very fair cupboard of glasses, which they
could not carry away, they broke to pieces; and the four horses lately
redeemed are with them lawful prize again, and nothing left of all the
goods but a few stools, for his wife, children, and servants to sit down
and bemoan their distressed condition. Having taken away all, and being
gone, Mrs. Swift, in compassion to her poor infant in the cradle, took
it up, almost starved with cold, and wrapped it in a petticoat which she
took off from herself; and now hoped that having nothing to lose would
be a better protection for their persons than that which they purchased
of Captain Kirle for thirty shillings. But, as if Job's messenger would
never make an end, her three maid-servants, whom they in the castle had
compelled to carry the poultry to the castle, return and tell their
mistress that they in the castle said they had a warrant to seize upon
Mrs. Swift and bring her into the castle, and they would make her three
maid-servants wait on her there, and added things not fit for them to
speak nor us to write. Hereupon Mrs. Swift fled to the place where her
husband, for fear of the rebels, had withdrawn himself. She had not been
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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