Woodstock

vident from the heavy breathing within, the prisoner Wildrake enjoyed a deep slumber, under the influence of liquor at once and of fatigue. In tur

? — Why, you dog, an you had but a cast of humanity in you, you would qualify your v

omened dreamer,” said his fri

around him, and exclaimed, “Zounds! Mark, is it only thou? I thought it was all over with me — fetters were struck from my legs — rope dr

sure the devil of drink, to whom

upted Wildrake; “the bargain was

y thing to thee,” said Markham; “I sc

— I am the same Roger Wildrake that I ever was; as wild as a mallard, but as true as a game-cock. I am thine own chum, man — bound to thee by thy kind deeds — devinctus beneficio — there is L

nt, your conduct and language are those of a mere Bedlamite. Last night I made allowance for thy drunken fury; but who

lost our all in these sad jars, who are compelled to shift for our living, not from day to day, but from meal to meal — we whose only hiding place is the jail, whose pr

nd a responding string in Everard’s bosom. He

nciple of honour and feeling as ever governed a human heart. But thou art thoughtless — thou art rash — and I protest to thee, that wert thou to betray th

an alert was expected — and not one poor pint of wine will I taste until I have managed this matter for thee. Well, I am thy secretary — clerk — I had forgot — and carry thy dispatches to Cromwell, taking good heed not to be surprised or choused out of my lump of loyalty, (striking his finger on the packet,) and I am to deliver i

time in debating with thee, since I think every moment an age till the packet is in the General’s possession

in a trice, and thou mayst reckon on my being with Old Noll — thy General, I mean — in as short time as man and horse may cons

t thee better than to assume the decency of language and of outward manner, of which thou hast

said Wildrake; “for sure I have been as well born an

by the General, thou hast come to a clearness touching his calling to be a great implement in the settlement of these distracted kingdoms. This account of thee will not only lead h

every fisher loves best the trou

to give poor old Sir Henry Lee permission to linger out his days among the oaks he loves to look upon. I have made this my request to General Cromwell, and I thin

stretch a rope than hold commerce with the old King-killing ruffian. Bu

at he does; for Oliver is one of those whose mind is better known by his actions than by

e last noble melted last night among

nto his friend’s hand. “But art thou not an inconsiderate weather-brained fellow, to set forth

ose, to the first pursy townsman or greasy grazier that I met o’

our tongue — beware of the wine-pot — for there is little danger if thou couldst o

Hope-on-High-Bomby 1 as well as thou canst. Ah! those were merry days when we saw Mills present Bomby at the Fortune playhouse, Mark, ere

estion. — But away with thee; and when thou bring’st back my answer, thou wilt find me either here or at

ould throw England back into civil war, of which all men are wearied. He may dislike my messenger — yet that I do not greatly fear. He knows I would choose such as I can myself