John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 2 of 2)Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
History
John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 2 of 2)
Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649 -- Fiction; Religious fiction
I had not been here long when my friend the Receptor told me that if I
should stay two or three days longer, I should hear as good a concert of
violins as any in England, and also hear a gentleman lately come from
Italy, whose skill as a lutinist and player on the violin had preceded
him. When I asked for the name of this gentleman, he told me it was
that Mr. John Inglesant who was servant to the late King, and of whom so
much was spoken in the time of the Irish Rebellion. When I heard this I
resolved to stay, as you may suppose, considering that we have more than
once spoken together of this person and desired to see him, especially
since it had been reported that he was returned to England.
I therefore willingly promised to remain, and spent my time in
practising on the violin, and in the city and cathedral. I walked upon
the river bank, and up and down the fine broad streets leading from the
bridge to the cathedral. From the gates of the chancel down the stone
steps the strange light streamed on to the paved floor of the nave,
chill and silent as the grave until the strains of the organs awoke.
Mr. Tomkins told me that the loyal gentry of the surrounding counties
had, during the usurpation, made it a point of honour to purchase and
trade in Worcester, for the relief and encouragement of the citizens,
who were reduced to so low an ebb by the battle and taking of the city.
Thursday was the day appointed for the music meeting, and on that day I
accompanied Mr. Tomkins to the house of Mr. Barnabas Oley, another of
the Prebends, who, you may remember, wrote a preface, a year or two ago,
to Mr. Herbert’s "Country Parson." He also lives in the College Green,
and we found the company assembling in an oak parlour, which looked upon
an orchard where the trees were in full blossom. There were present
several of the clergy, and two or three physicians and other gentlemen,
who practised upon the violin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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