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Woodstock; or, The Cavalier

S >> Sir Walter Scott >> Woodstock; or, The Cavalier




"Your honour," said Wildrake, "speaks like one accustomed to command."

"True; men's minds are likened to those of my degree by fear and
reverence," said the General;--"but enough of that, desiring, as I do,
no other dependency on my special person than is alike to us all upon
that which is above us. But I would desire to cast this golden ball into
your master's lap. He hath served against this Charles Stewart and his
father. But he is a kinsman near to the old knight Lee, and stands well
affected towards his daughter. _Thou_ also wilt keep a watch, my
friend--that ruffling look of thine will procure thee the confidence of
every malignant, and the prey cannot approach this cover, as though to
shelter, like a coney in the rocks, but thou wilt be sensible of his
presence."

"I make a shift to comprehend your Excellency," said the cavalier; "and
I thank you heartily for the good opinion you have put upon me, and
which, I pray I may have some handsome opportunity of deserving, that I
may show my gratitude by the event. But still, with reverence, your
Excellency's scheme seems unlikely, while Woodstock remains in
possession of the sequestrators. Both the old knight and his son, and
far more such a fugitive as your honor hinted at, will take special care
not to approach it till they are removed."

"It is for that I have been dealing with thee thus long," said the
General.--"I told thee that I was something unwilling, upon slight
occasion, to dispossess the sequestrators by my own proper warrant,
although having, perhaps, sufficient authority in the state both to do
so, and to despise the murmurs of those who blame me. In brief, I would
be both to tamper with my privileges, and make experiments between their
strength, and the powers of the commission granted by others, without
pressing need, or at least great prospect of advantage. So, if thy
Colonel will undertake, for his love of the Republic, to find the means
of preventing its worst and nearest danger, which must needs occur from
the escape of this young Man, and will do his endeavour to stay him, in
case his flight should lead him to Woodstock, which I hold very likely,
I will give thee an order to these sequestrators, to evacuate the palace
instantly; and to the next troop of my regiment, which lies at Oxford,
to turn them out by the shoulders, if they make any scruples--Ay, even,
for example's sake, if they drag Desborough out foremost, though he be
wedded to my sister."

"So please you, sir," said Wildrake, "and with your most powerful
warrant, I trust I might expel the commissioners, even without the aid
of your most warlike and devout troopers."

"That is what I am least anxious about," replied the General; "I should
like to see the best of them sit after I had nodded to them to begone--
always excepting the worshipful House, in whose name our commissions
run; but who, as some think, will be done with politics ere it be time
to renew them. Therefore, what chiefly concerns me to know, is, whether
thy master will embrace a traffic which hath such a fair promise of
profit with it. I am well convinced that, with a scout like thee, who
hast been in the cavaliers' quarters, and canst, I should guess, resume
thy drinking, ruffianly, health-quaffing manners whenever thou hast a
mind, he must discover where this Stewart hath ensconced himself. Either
the young Lee will visit the old one in person, or he will write to him,
or hold communication with him by letter. At all events, Markham Everard
and thou must have an eye in every hair of your head." While he spoke, a
flush passed over his brow, he rose from his chair, and paced the
apartment in agitation. "Woe to you, if you suffer the young adventurer
to escape me!--you had better be in the deepest dungeon in Europe, than
breathe the air of England, should you but dream of playing me false. I
have spoken freely to thee, fellow--more freely than is my wont--the
time required it. But, to share my confidence is like keeping a watch
over a powder-magazine, the least and most insignificant spark blows
thee to ashes. Tell your master what I said--but not how I said it--Fie,
that I should have been betrayed into this distemperature of passion!--
begone, sirrah. Pearson shall bring thee sealed orders--Yet, stay--thou
hast something to ask."

"I would know," said Wildrake, to whom the visible anxiety of the
General gave some confidence, "what is the figure of this young gallant,
in case I should find him?"

"A tall, rawboned, swarthy lad, they say he has shot up into. Here is
his picture by a good hand, some time since." He turned round one of the
portraits which stood with its face against the wall; but it proved not
to be that of Charles the Second, but of his unhappy father.

The first motion of Cromwell indicated a purpose of hastily replacing
the picture, and it seemed as if an effort were necessary to repress his
disinclination to look upon it. But he did repress it, and, placing the
picture against the wall, withdrew slowly and sternly, as if, in
defiance of his own feelings, he was determined to gain a place from
which to see it to advantage. It was well for Wildrake that his
dangerous companion had not turned an eye on him, for _his_ blood also
kindled when he saw the portrait of his master in the hands of the chief
author of his death. Being a fierce and desperate man, he commanded his
passion with great difficulty; and if, on its first violence, he had
been provided with a suitable weapon, it is possible Cromwell would
never have ascended higher in his bold ascent towards supreme power.

But this natural and sudden flash of indignation, which rushed through
the veins of an ordinary man like Wildrake, was presently subdued, when
confronted with the strong yet stifled emotion displayed by so powerful
a character as Cromwell. As the cavalier looked on his dark and bold
countenance, agitated by inward and indescribable feelings, he found his
own violence of spirit die away and lose itself in fear and wonder. So
true it is, that as greater lights swallow up and extinguish the display
of those which are less, so men of great, capacious, and overruling
minds, bear aside and subdue, in their climax of passion, the more
feeble wills and passions of others; as, when a river joins a brook, the
fiercer torrent shoulders aside the smaller stream.

Wildrake stood a silent, inactive, and almost a terrified spectator,
while Cromwell, assuming a firm sternness of eye and manner, as one who
compels himself to look on what some strong internal feeling renders
painful and disgustful to him, proceeded, in brief and interrupted
expressions, but yet with a firm voice, to comment on the portrait of
the late King. His words seemed less addressed to Wildrake, than to be
the spontaneous unburdening of his own bosom, swelling under
recollection of the past and anticipation of the future.

"That Flemish painter" he said--"that Antonio Vandyck--what a power he
has! Steel may mutilate, warriors may waste and destroy--still the King
stands uninjured by time; and our grandchildren, while they read his
history, may look on his image, and compare the melancholy features with
the woful tale.--It was a stern necessity--it was an awful deed! The
calm pride of that eye might have ruled worlds of crouching Frenchmen,
or supple Italians, or formal Spaniards; but its glances only roused the
native courage of the stern Englishman.--Lay not on poor sinful man,
whose breath is in, his nostrils, the blame that he falls, when Heaven
never gave him strength of nerves to stand! The weak rider is thrown by
his unruly horse, and trampled to death--the strongest man, the best
cavalier, springs to the empty saddle, and uses bit and spur till the
fiery steed knows its master. Who blames him, who, mounted aloft, rides
triumphantly amongst the people, for having succeeded, where the
unskilful and feeble fell and died? Verily he hath his reward: Then,
what is that piece of painted canvas to me more than others? No; let him
show to others the reproaches of that cold, calm face, that proud yet
complaining eye: Those who have acted on higher respects have no cause
to start at painted shadows. Not wealth nor power brought me from my
obscurity. The oppressed consciences, the injured liberties of England,
were the banner that I followed."

He raised his voice so high, as if pleading in his own defence before
some tribunal, that Pearson, the officer in attendance, looked into the
apartment; and observing his master, with his eyes kindling, his arm
extended, his foot advanced, and his voice raised, like a general in the
act of commanding the advance of his army, he instantly withdrew.

"It was other than selfish regards that drew me forth to action,"
continued Cromwell, "and I dare the world--ay, living or dead I
challenge--to assert that I armed for a private cause, or as a means of
enlarging my fortunes. Neither was there a trooper in the regiment who
came there with less of personal ill will to yonder unhappy"--

At this moment the door of the apartment opened, and a gentlewoman
entered, who, from her resemblance to the General, although her features
were soft and feminine, might be immediately recognised as his daughter.
She walked up to Cromwell, gently but firmly passed her arm through his,
and said to him in a persuasive tone, "Father, this is not well--you
have promised me this should not happen."

The General hung down his head, like one who was either ashamed of the
passion to which he had given way, or of the influence which was
exercised over him. He yielded, however, to the affectionate impulse,
and left the apartment, without again turning his head towards the
portrait which had so much affected him, or looking towards Wildrake,
who remained fixed in astonishment.

* * * * *

CHAPTER THE NINTH.


_Doctor_.--Go to, go to,--You have known what you should not.
MACBETH.

Wildrake was left in the cabinet, as we have said, astonished and alone.
It was often noised about, that Cromwell, the deep and sagacious
statesman, the calm and intrepid commander, he who had overcome such
difficulties, and ascended to such heights, that he seemed already to
bestride the land which he had conquered, had, like many other men of
great genius, a constitutional taint of melancholy, which sometimes
displayed itself both in words and actions, and had been first observed
in that sudden and striking change, when, abandoning entirely the
dissolute freaks of his youth, he embraced a very strict course of
religious observances, which, upon some occasions, he seemed to consider
as bringing him into more near and close contact with the spiritual
world. This extraordinary man is said sometimes, during that period of
his life, to have given way to spiritual delusions, or, as he himself
conceived them, prophetic inspirations of approaching grandeur, and of
strange, deep, and mysterious agencies, in which he was in future to be
engaged, in the same manner as his younger years had been marked by fits
of exuberant and excessive frolic and debaucheries. Something of this
kind seemed to explain the ebullition of passion which he had now
manifested.

With wonder at what he had witnessed, Wildrake felt some anxiety on his
own account. Though not the most reflecting of mortals, he had sense
enough to know, that it is dangerous to be a witness of the infirmities
of men high in power; and he was left so long by himself, as induced him
to entertain some secret doubts, whether the General might not be
tempted to take means of confining or removing a witness, who had seen
him lowered, as it seemed, by the suggestions of his own conscience,
beneath that lofty flight, which, in general, he affected to sustain
above the rest of the sublunary world.

In this, however, he wronged Cromwell, who was free either from an
extreme degree of jealous suspicion, or from any thing which approached
towards blood-thirstiness. Pearson appeared, after a lapse of about an
hour, and, intimating to Wildrake that he was to follow, conducted him
into a distant apartment, in which he found the General seated on a
couch. His daughter was in the apartment, but remained at some distance,
apparently busied with some female needle-work, and scarce turned her
head as Pearson and Wildrake entered.

At a sign from the Lord-General, Wildrake approached him as before.
"Comrade," he said, "your old friends the cavaliers look on me as their
enemy, and conduct themselves towards me as if they desired to make me
such. I profess they are labouring to their own prejudice; for I regard,
and have ever regarded them, as honest and honourable fools, who were
silly enough to run their necks into nooses and their heads against
stonewalls, that a man called Stewart, and no other, should be king over
them. Fools! are there no words made of letters that would sound as well
as Charles Stewart, with that magic title beside them? Why, the word
King is like a lighted lamp, that throws the same bright gilding upon
any combination of the alphabet, and yet you must shed your blood for a
name! But thou, for thy part, shalt have no wrong from me. Here is an
order, well warranted, to clear the Lodge at Woodstock, and abandon it
to thy master's keeping, or those whom he shall appoint. He will have
his uncle and pretty cousin with him, doubtless. Fare thee well--think
on what I told thee. They say beauty is a loadstone to yonder long lad
thou dost wot of; but I reckon he has other stars at present to direct
his course than bright eyes and fair hair. Be it as it may, thou knowst
my purpose--peer out, peer out; keep a constant and careful look-out on
every ragged patch that wanders by hedge-row or lane--these are days
when a beggar's cloak may cover a king's ransom. There are some broad
Portugal pieces for thee--something strange to thy pouch, I ween.--Once
more, think on what thou hast heard, and," he added, in a lower and more
impressive tone of voice, "forget what thou hast seen. My service to thy
master;--and, yet once again, _remember_--and _forget_."--Wildrake made
his obeisance, and, returning to his inn, left Windsor with all possible
speed.

It was afternoon in the same day when the cavalier rejoined his
round-head friend, who was anxiously expecting him at the inn in
Woodstock appointed for their rendezvous.

"Where hast thou been?--what hast thou seen?--what strange uncertainty
is in thy looks?--and why dost thou not answer me?"

"Because," said Wildrake, laying aside his riding cloak and rapier, "you
ask so many questions at once. A man has but one tongue to answer with,
and mine is well-nigh glued to the roof of my mouth."

"Will drink unloosen it?" said the Colonel; "though I dare say thou hast
tried that spell at every ale-house on the road. Call for what thou
wouldst have, man, only be quick."

"Colonel Everard," answered Wildrake, "I have not tasted so much as a
cup of cold water this day."

"Then thou art out of humour for that reason," said the Colonel; "salve
thy sore with brandy, if thou wilt, but leave being so fantastic and
unlike to thyself, as thou showest in this silent mood."

"Colonel Everard," replied the cavalier, very gravely, "I am an altered
man."

"I think thou dost alter," said Everard, "every day in the year, and
every hour of the day. Come, good now, tell me, hast thou seen the
General, and got his warrant for clearing out the sequestrators from
Woodstock?"

"I have seen the devil," said Wildrake, "and have, as thou say'st, got a
warrant from him."

"Give it me hastily," said Everard, catching at the packet.

"Forgive me, Mark," said Wildrake; "if thou knewest the purpose with
which this deed is granted--if thou knewest--what it is not my purpose
to tell thee--what manner of hopes are founded on thy accepting it, I
have that opinion of thee, Mark Everard, that thou wouldst as soon take
a red-hot horse-shoe from the anvil with thy bare hand, as receive into
it this slip of paper."

"Come, come," said Everard, "this comes of some of your exalted ideas of
loyalty, which, excellent within certain bounds, drive us mad when
encouraged up to some heights. Do not think, since I must needs speak
plainly with thee, that I see without sorrow the downfall of our ancient
monarchy, and the substitution of another form of government in its
stead; but ought my regret for the past to prevent my acquiescing and
aiding in such measures as are likely to settle the future? The royal
cause is ruined, hadst thou and every cavalier in England sworn the
contrary; ruined, not to rise again--for many a day at least. The
Parliament, so often draughted and drained of those who were courageous
enough to maintain their own freedom of opinion, is now reduced to a
handful of statesmen, who have lost the respect of the people, from the
length of time during which they have held the supreme management of
affairs. They cannot stand long unless they were to reduce the army; and
the army, late servants, are now masters, and will refuse to be reduced.
They know their strength, and that they may be an army subsisting on pay
and free quarters throughout England as long as they will. I tell thee,
Wildrake, unless we look to the only man who can rule and manage them,
we may expect military law throughout the land; and I, for mine own
part, look for any preservation of our privileges that may be vouchsafed
to us, only through the wisdom and forbearance of Cromwell. Now you have
my secret. You are aware that I am not doing the best I would, but the
best I can. I wish--not so ardently as thou, perhaps--yet I _do_ wish
that the King could have been restored on good terms of composition,
safe for us and for himself. And now, good Wildrake, rebel as thou
thinkest me, make me no worse a rebel than an unwilling one. God knows,
I never laid aside love and reverence to the King, even in drawing my
sword against his ill advisers."

"Ah, plague on you," said Wildrake, "that is the very cant of it--that's
what you all say. All of you fought against the King in pure love and
loyalty, and not otherwise. However, I see your drift, and I own that I
like it better than I expected. The army is your bear now, and old Noll
is your bearward; and you are like a country constable, who makes
interest with the bearward that he may prevent him from letting bruin
loose. Well, there may come a day when the sun will shine on our side of
the fence, and thereon shall you, and all the good fair-weather folks
who love the stronger party, come and make common cause with us."

Without much attending to what his friend said, Colonel Everard
carefully studied the warrant of Cromwell. "It is bolder and more
peremptory than I expected," he said. "The General must feel himself
strong, when he opposes his own authority so directly to that of the
Council of State and the Parliament."

"You will not hesitate to act upon it?" said Wildrake.

"That I certainly will not," answered Everard; "but I must wait till I
have the assistance of the Mayor, who, I think, will gladly see these
fellows ejected from the Lodge. I must not go altogether upon military
authority, if possible." Then, stepping to the door of the apartment, he
despatched a servant of the house in quest of the Chief Magistrate,
desiring he should be made acquainted that Colonel Everard desired to
see him with as little loss of time as possible.

"You are sure he will come, like a dog at a whistle," said Wildrake.
"The word captain, or colonel, makes the fat citizen trot in these days,
when one sword is worth fifty corporation charters. But there are
dragoons yonder, as well as the grim-faced knave whom I frightened the
other evening when I showed my face in at the window. Think'st thou the
knaves will show no rough play?"

"The General's warrant will weigh more with them than a dozen acts of
Parliament," said Everard.--"But it is time thou eatest, if thou hast in
truth ridden from Windsor hither without baiting."

"I care not about it," said Wildrake: "I tell thee, your General gave me
a breakfast, which, I think, will serve me one while, if I am ever able
to digest it. By the mass, it lay so heavy on my conscience, that I
carried it to church to see if I could digest it there with my other
sins. But not a whit."

"To church!--to the door of the church, thou meanest," said Everard. "I
know thy way--thou art ever wont to pull thy hat off reverently at the
threshold; but for crossing it, that day seldom comes."

"Well," replied Wildrake, "and if I do pull off my castor and kneel, is
it not seemly to show the same respects in a church which we offer in a
palace? It is a dainty matter, is it not, to see your Anabaptists, and
Brownists, and the rest of you, gather to a sermon with as little
ceremony as hogs to a trough! But here comes food, and now for a grace,
if I can remember one."

Everard was too much interested about the fate of his uncle and his fair
cousin, and the prospect of restoring them to their quiet home, under
the protection of that formidable truncheon which was already regarded
as the leading-staff of England, to remark, that certainly a great
alteration had taken place in the manners and outward behaviour at least
of his companion. His demeanour frequently evinced a sort of struggle
betwixt old habits of indulgence, and some newly formed resolutions of
abstinence; and it was almost ludicrous to see how often the hand of the
neophyte directed itself naturally to a large black leathern jack, which
contained two double flagons of strong ale, and how often, diverted from
its purpose by the better reflections of the reformed toper, it seized,
instead, upon a large ewer of salubrious and pure water.

It was not difficult to see that the task of sobriety was not yet become
easy, and that, if it had the recommendation of the intellectual portion
of the party who had resolved upon it, the outward man yielded a
reluctant and restive compliance. But honest Wildrake had been
dreadfully frightened at the course proposed to him by Cromwell, and,
with a feeling not peculiar to the Catholic religion, had formed a
solemn resolution within his own mind, that, if he came off safe and
with honour from this dangerous interview, he would show his sense of
Heaven's favour, by renouncing some of the sins which most easily beset
him, and especially that of intemperance, to which, like many of his
wild compeers, he was too much addicted.

This resolution, or vow, was partly prudential as well as religious; for
it occurred to him as very possible, that some matters of a difficult
and delicate nature might be thrown into his hands at the present
emergency, during the conduct of which it would be fitting for him to
act by some better oracle than that of the Bottle, celebrated by
Rabelais. In full compliance with this prudent determination, he touched
neither the ale nor the brandy which were placed before him, and
declined peremptorily the sack with which his friend would have
garnished the board. Nevertheless, just as the boy removed the trenchers
and napkins, together with the large black-jack which we have already
mentioned, and was one or two steps on his way to the door, the sinewy
arm of the cavalier, which seemed to elongate itself on purpose, (as it
extended far beyond the folds of the threadbare jacket,) arrested the
progress of the retiring Ganymede, and seizing on the black-jack,
conveyed it to the lips, which were gently breathing forth the
aspiration, "D--n--I mean. Heaven forgive me--we are poor creatures of
clay--one modest sip must be permitted to our frailty."

So murmuring, he glued the huge flagon to his lips, and as the head was
slowly and gradually inclined backwards, in proportion as the right hand
elevated the bottom of the pitcher, Everard had great doubts whether the
drinker and the cup were likely to part until the whole contents of the
latter had been transferred to the person of the former. Roger Wildrake
stinted, however, when, by a moderate computation, he had swallowed at
one draught about a quart and a half.

He then replaced it on the salver, fetched a long breath to refresh his
lungs, bade the boy get him gone with the rest of the liquors, in a tone
which inferred some dread of his constancy, and then, turning to his
friend Everard, he expatiated in praise of moderation, observing, that
the mouthful which he had just taken had been of more service to him
than if he had remained quaffing healths at table for four hours
together.

His friend made no reply, but could not help being privately of opinion
that Wildrake's temperance had done as much execution on the tankard in
his single draught, as some more moderate topers might have effected if
they had sat sipping for an evening. But the subject was changed by the
entrance of the landlord, who came to announce to his honour Colonel
Everard, that the worshipful Mayor of Woodstock, with the Rev. Master
Holdenough, were come to wait upon him.

* * * * *

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