The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall: The Works of G. P. R. James, Vol. XV. — John Shaqi
The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall: The Works of G. P. R. James, Vol. XV.James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
History
The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall: The Works of G. P. R. James, Vol. XV.
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
France -- History -- Louis XIV, 1643-1715 -- Fiction
Amongst all the comrades and connexions of my father, Goring,
afterwards Lord Norwich, was the foremost in his affections; and with
him also I was an infinite favourite, although there were several
others to whom I was personally more attached. I remember, however,
many instances of great favour received from him; and, as difficulties
multiplied round the royal cause, and as dangers threatened more and
more imminently the head of our sovereign, it was to the exertions and
friendship of Lord Goring that we were, more than once, indebted for
our existence. With him we served in many a campaign in Kent and
Sussex: with him have I aided my father to empty many a flagon when
the fight was over; and with him have we lain in concealment for weeks
together, when our paths were surrounded by enemies against whom our
force was too weak to contend.
At length, when I was little more than ten years old, and a momentary
gleam of success brightened the cause of the Cavaliers, my father
and Lord Goring unfortunately separated; and with a small but
well-appointed troop we hastened across the country with the intention
of joining the royal army, which was then marching towards Cornwall.
At Bolton-le-Moors, however, while we were marching gaily along,
without the slightest idea that there was an enemy in our
neighbourhood, we were suddenly surprised by a party of the
parliamentarian forces; and, after a rapid but desperate struggle,
every man of my father's troop was put to death. He himself fell
amongst the last, brought from his horse to the ground by a ball
through the neck. I was at the distance of about fifty yards from him,
and hastened up to give him aid; but just as I was running forward, I
saw one of the pikemen stoop over him, and, while my father held up
his hand, in the vain endeavour to ward off the blow, the man drove
his weapon through him, and pinned him to the ground. I had a large
horse-pistol in my hand, which was instantly directed to the pikeman's
head; and, had I but had time to discharge it, he would, most
assuredly, have lain beside the gallant officer he had just killed.
But, at that moment, one of his comrades struck me across the head,
with the staff of his pike, crying, "So much for thee, young viper!"
and brought me, stunned and powerless, to the ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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