The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886Ontario. Department of Education
General
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886
Ontario. Department of Education
Readers (Secondary)
"The same day, taking boat I went down" (_up_) "to Kingston, and from
thence to Hampton Court, to speak with the Protector about the
Sufferings of Friends. I met him riding into Hampton-Court Park; and
before I came to him, as he rode at the head of his Lifeguard, I saw and
felt a waft" (_whiff_) "of death go forth against him."----Or in favor
of him, George? His life, if thou knew it, has not been a merry thing
for this man, now or heretofore! I fancy he has been looking, this long
while, to give it up, whenever the Commander-in-Chief required. To quit
his laborious sentry-post; honorably lay-up his arms, and be gone to his
rest:--all Eternity to rest in, O George! Was thy own life merry, for
example, in the hollow of the tree; clad permanently in leather? And
does kingly purple, and governing refractory worlds instead of stitching
coarse shoes, make it merrier? The waft of death is not against _him_, I
think,--perhaps against thee, and me, and others, O George, when the
Nell-Gwynn Defender and Two Centuries of all-victorious Cant have come
in upon us! My unfortunate George----"a waft of death go forth against
him; and when I came to him, he looked like a dead man. After I had laid
the Sufferings of Friends before him, and had warned him according as I
was moved to speak to him, he bade me come to his house. So I returned
to Kingston; and, the next day, went up to Hampton Court to speak
farther with him. But when I came, Harvey, who was one that waited on
him, told me the Doctors were not willing that I should speak with him.
So I passed away, and never saw him more."
Friday the 20th of August 1658, this was probably the day on which
George Fox saw Oliver riding into Hampton Park with his Guards, for the
last time. That Friday, as we find, his Highness seemed much better: but
on the morrow a sad change had taken place; feverish symptoms, for which
the Doctors rigorously prescribed quiet. Saturday to Tuesday the
symptoms continued ever worsening: a kind of tertian ague, "bastard
tertian" as the old Doctors name it; for which it was ordered that his
Highness should return to Whitehall, as to a more favorable air in that
complaint. On Tuesday accordingly he quitted Hampton Court;--never to
see it more.
"His time was come," says Harvey; "and neither prayers nor tears could
prevail with God to lengthen out his life and continue him longer to us.
Prayers abundantly and incessantly poured out on his behalf, both
publicly and privately, as was observed, in a more than ordinary way.
Besides many a secret sigh,--secret and unheard by men, yet like the cry
of Moses, more loud, and strongly laying hold on God, than many spoken
supplications. All which,--the hearts of God's People being thus
mightily stirred up,--did seem to beget confidence in some, and hopes in
all; yea some thoughts in himself, that God would restore him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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