The Manchester Rebels of the Fatal '45Ainsworth, William Harrison
History
The Manchester Rebels of the Fatal '45
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Great Britain -- History -- George II, 1727-1760 -- Fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction
On the morning after the arrival of the party in town, Monica being
all anxiety to see her lover, Dr. Byrom accompanied her in a
hackney-coach to the prison in which poor Jemmy was confined. During
the drive she supported herself tolerably well, but on reaching
Newgate she well-nigh fainted.
The necessary arrangements for her admittance to the prisoner having
been made by the doctor, he assisted her out of the coach.
On entering the lodge she was obliged to remove her hood. A gaoler
then conducted them along a passage that skirted the refection-hall,
after which they ascended a short stone staircase which brought them
to a gallery containing several chambers.
Unlocking the door of one of these cells the gaoler disclosed Jemmy.
He was seated at a small table reading, and on raising his head, and
beholding Monica, he sprang to his feet, and with a cry of delight
clasped her to his breast.
So tender was their meeting that even the hardened gaoler was touched
by it.
For a minute or two Jemmy did not notice Dr. Byrom, but on becoming
sensible of his presence he wrung his hand, and thanked him in
heartfelt tones for bringing his mistress to him. The doctor then told
Monica that he would wait for her in the hall below, and quitted the
cell.
"And so this is your prison-chamber, dearest Jemmy!" said Monica,
glancing round it. "'Tis just the room I pictured from your
description."
"I thought it dismal at first," he rejoined; "but I have become quite
content with it. I shall feel no longer miserable since you are come.
You must never leave me more."
"I never will," she replied.
They then lapsed into silence. Words seemed unnecessary to express
their thoughts, and it was quite happiness enough to them to be
together.
Leaving them we shall follow Dr. Byrom to the hall ward, where he
found several prisoners assembled. Amongst them were Theodore Deacon
and Tom Syddall. Taking the former aside he acquainted him with the
death of his brother Robert, of which the young man had not heard.
Though deeply affected by the intelligence, Captain Deacon bore it
firmly.
Shortly afterwards Colonel Townley entered the hall, and on seeing Dr.
Byrom immediately came up to him, and shook hands with him very
cordially.
"We meet again under rather melancholy circumstances, my dear doctor,"
he said. "But I am extremely glad to see you. Fortune has played me
false, but I hope she has nothing worse in store for me. The
Government must deliver me up. They cannot deny that I hold a
commission from the King of France, and that I have been fifteen years
in the French service. Still I know the hazard I run," he added,
shrugging his shoulders. "But come with me to my room. I want to say a
word to you in private."
With this, he led the doctor to a cell situated near the hall. It was
somewhat larger than the chamber allotted to Captain Dawson, and
better furnished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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