The Lion's Whelp: A Story of Cromwell's TimeBarr, Amelia E.
History
The Lion's Whelp: A Story of Cromwell's Time
Barr, Amelia E.
Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714 -- Fiction
When the music ceased, the evening was far spent; and Cromwell said as
he drew Frances and Jane within his arms, "Bring me the Bible, Mary.
Mr. Milton has been giving us English song, now we will have the loftier
music of King David."
"And we shall get no grander music, sir," said Doctor Owen, "than is to
be found in the Bible. Sublimity is Hebrew by birth. We must go to the
Holy Book for words beyond our words. Is there a man living who could
have written that glorious Hymn,
"’Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations;
"’Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the
earth and the world; even from everlasting to everlasting Thou art
God’?"
"The prophets also," said Doctor Verity, "were poets, and of the highest
order. Turn to Habakkuk, the third chapter, and consider his
description of the Holy One coming from Mount Parem: ’His glory covered
the heavens. His brightness was as the light. He stood and measured
the earth: He beheld and drove asunder the nations: the everlasting
mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow.’ And most
striking of all about this Holy One—’Thou didst cleave the earth with
rivers.’"
Cromwell did not answer; he was turning the leaves of the dear,
homely-looking volume which his daughter had laid before him. She hung
affectionately over his shoulder, and when he had found what he wanted,
he looked up at her, and she smiled and nodded her approbation. Then he
said,
"Truly, I think no mortal pen but St. John’s could have written these
lines; and I give not St. John the honour, for the Holy One must have
put them into his heart, and the hand of his angel guided his pen." And
he began to read, and the words fell like a splendid vision, and a great
awe filled the room as they dropped from Cromwell’s lips:
"’And I saw heaven opened, and beheld a white horse; and he that sat
upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
"’His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns;
and he had a name written, that no man knew but himself.
"’And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is
called The Word of God.
"’And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
"’And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite
the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth
the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.’"
And when he finished these words he cried out in a transport, "Suffer
Thy servant, oh, Faithful and True, when his warfare here is
accomplished, to be among the armies which are in heaven following the
Word of God upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean."
And then turning the leaf of the Bible he said with an unconceivable
solemnity, "Read now what is written in Revelations, chapter 20th, 11-15
verses:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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