John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 1 of 2)Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
History
John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 1 of 2)
Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649 -- Fiction; Religious fiction
"Nothing but the Infinite pity is sufficient for the infinite pathos of
human life.
"As you know, we have many parties in our Church, nay, in our own order:
different members may be sent on opposing missions; but it is no matter,
they are all alike. Hereafter it will be of little importance which of
these new names, Cavalier or Roundhead, you are called by, whether you
turn Papist or Puritan, Jesuit or Jansenist, but it will matter very
much whether you acted as became a man, and did not flinch ignobly at
the moment of trial. Choose your part from the instinct of your order,
from your birth, or from habit or what not; but having chosen it, follow
it to the end. Stand by your party or your order, and especially in the
hour of trial or danger be sure you never falter; for, be certain of
this, that no misery can be equal to that which a man feels who is
conscious that he has proved unequal to his part, who has deserted the
post his captain set him, and who, when men said ’such and such a one is
there on guard, there is no need to take further heed,’ has left his
watch or quailed before the foeman, to the loss, perhaps the total ruin,
of the cause he had made his choice. I pray God that such misery as
this may never be yours."
The elections being over, London became very full. The new members
hastened up. The nobility and country gentry came crowding in, and all
the new houses in the Strand and Charing Cross were occupied, and a
throng of young Cavaliers filled the courts and precincts of the palace.
As soon as the King arrived, Inglesant went into waiting in his new
post, in which great responsibility in the keeping of the royal
household, especially at night, devolved upon him. His post came
immediately after that of the gentlemen of the privy chamber, with whom
the immediate attendance on the person of the King stopped, but the
charge of the King’s rooms brought him continually into the royal
presence.
As soon as the Parliament met, the impeachment of Strafford began; and
as it proceeded, the excitement grew more and more intense. It was not
safe for the courtiers to go into the city, except in numbers together,
and a court of guard was kept by the Cavaliers before Whitehall towards
Charing Cross.
One day Inglesant received a letter from the Jesuit, whom he seldom saw,
as follows:—
"Jack, tell your friend, the Archbishop, that Lambeth House will be
attacked two nights from this, by a rabble of the populace. The
Parliament leaders will not be seen in this, but they can be felt. Burn
this, but let the Archbishop know the hand from which it comes."
On receiving this warning the Archbishop fortified his house, and
crossed the water to his chamber in Whitehall, where he slept that night
and two others following. His house was attacked by a mob of five
hundred men; one of them was wounded and afterwards executed; not much
damage was done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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