Transcriber's note: Italic text is indicated by _underscores_; boldface text is indicated by =equals signs=. English Men of Action MONK [Illustration] [Illustration: MONK From a Miniature by SAMUEL COOPER in the Royal Collection at Windsor] MONK BY JULIAN CORBETT London MACMILLAN AND CO. AND NEW YORK 1889 _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE DEVONSHIRE AND FOREIGN SERVICE 1 CHAPTER II FOR KING AND PARLIAMENT 15 CHAPTER III THE KING'S COMMISSION 33 CHAPTER IV THE PARLIAMENT'S COMMISSION 46 CHAPTER V THE TREATY WITH THE IRISH NATIONALISTS 56 CHAPTER VI CROMWELL'S NEW LIEUTENANT 69 CHAPTER VII GENERAL-AT-SEA 83 CHAPTER VIII GOVERNOR OF SCOTLAND 95 CHAPTER IX THE ABORTIVE PRONUNCIAMENTO 116 CHAPTER X THE NEGLECTED QUANTITY 129 CHAPTER XI THE BLOODLESS CAMPAIGN 144 CHAPTER XII ON THE WINGS OF THE STORM 160 CHAPTER XIII THE UNCROWNED KING 178 CHAPTER XIV THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY 195 CHAPTER I DEVONSHIRE AND FOREIGN SERVICE In the middle of September, 1625, the great expedition by which Charles the First and Buckingham meant to revenge themselves upon the Spaniards for the ignominious failure of their escapade to Madrid was still choking Plymouth harbour with disorder and confusion. Impatient to renew the glories of Drake and Raleigh and Essex, the young King went down in person to hasten its departure. Great receptions were prepared for him at the principal points of his route, and bitter was the disappointment at Exeter that he was not to visit the city. For the plague was raging within its walls, and while holiday was kept everywhere else, the shadow of death was upon the ancient capital of the west. Hardly, however, had the King passed them by when the citizens had a new excitement of their own. The noise of a quarrel broke in upon the gloom of the stricken city. Those within hearing ran to the spot and found a sight worth seeing. For there in the light of day, under the King's very nose, as it were, a stalwart young gentleman of about sixteen years of age was thrashing the under-sheriff of Devonshire within an inch of his life. With some difficulty, so furious was his assault, the lad was dragged off his victim before grievous bodily harm was done, and people began to inquire what it was all about.