learning, would be a fitter match for him than a soldier like me.'

'True, sir; and I have that confidence in the commission which I hold, that I would take the field against the foul fiend without a moment's delay,' said Holdenough; but the place in which he hath of late appeared, being Woodstock, is filled with those dangerous and impious persons, of whom I have been but now complaining; and though I dare venture in disputation with their Great Master himself, yet without your protection, most worthy Colonel, I see not that I may with prudence trust myself with the tossing and goring ox Desborough, or the bloody and devouring bear Harrison, or the cold and poisonous snake Bletson-all of whom are now at the Lodge, doing license and taking spoil as they think meet; and, as all men say, the devil has come to make a fourth with them.'

In good truth, worthy and noble sir,' said the Mayor, it is even as Master Holdenough says-our privileges are declared void, our cattle seized in the very pastures. They talk of cutting down and disparking the fair Chase, which has been so long the pleasure of so many kings, and making Woodstock of as little note as any paltry village. I assure you we heard of your arrival with joy, and wondered at your keeping yourself so close in your lodgings. We know no one save your father or you, that are like to stand the poor burgesses' friend in this extremity, since almost all the gentry around are malignants, and under sequestration. We trust, therefore, you will make strong intercession in our behalf.'

'Certainly, Master Mayor,' said the Colonel, who saw himself with pleasure anticipated; ' it was my very purpose to have interfered in this matter; and I did but keep myself alone until I should be furnished with some authority from the Lord General.'

'Powers from the Lord General!' said the Mayor, thrusting the clergyman with his elbowDost thou hear that? What cock will fight

that cock? We shall carry it now over their necks, and Woodstock shall be brave Woodstock still!"

"Keep thine elbow from my side, friend," said Holdenough, annoyed by the action which the Mayor had suited to his words; " and may'the Lord send that Cromwell prove not as sharp to the people of England as thy bones against my person! Yet I approve that we should use his authority to stop the course of these men's proceedings."

"Let us set out, then," said Colonel Everard; " and I trust we shall find the gentlemen reasonable and obedient."

The functionaries, laic and clerical, assented with much joy; and the Colonel required and received Wildrake's assistance in putting on his cloak and rapier, as if he had been the dependant whose part he acted. The cavalier contrived, however, while doing him these menial offices, to give his friend a shrewd pinch, in order to maintain the footing of secret equality betwixt them.

The Colonel was saluted, as they passed through the streets, by many of the anxious inhabitants, who seemed to consider his intervention as affording the only chance of saving their fine Park, and the rights of the corporation, as well as of individuals, from ruin and confiscation.

As they entered the Park, the Colonel asked his companions, "What is that you say of apparitions being seen amongst them?"

you

"Why, Colonel," said the clergyman, know yourself that Woodstock was always haunted?"

"I have lived therein many a day," said the Colonel; " and I know that I never saw the least sign of it, although idle people spoke of the house as they do of all old mansions, and gave the apartments ghosts and spectres to fill up the places of the deceased great, who had ever dwelt there."

VOL. I.-13

"Nay, but, good Colonel," said the clergyman, "I trust you have not reached the prevailing sin of the times, and become indifferent to the testimony in favour of apparitions, which appears so conclusive to all but atheists, and advocates for witches?" "I would not absolutely disbelieve what is so generally affirmed," said the Colonel; "but my temper leads me to doubt most of the stories which I have heard of this sort, and my own experience never went to confirm any of them."

"Ay, but trust me," said Holdenough, "there was always a demon of one or the other species about this Woodstock. Not a man or woman in the town but has heard stories of apparitions in the forest, or about the old castle. Sometimes it is a pack of hounds that sweep along, and the whoops and hollos of the huntsman, and the winding of horns and galloping of horse, which is heard as if first more distant, and then close around you-and then anon it is a solitary huntsman, who asks if you can tell him which way the stag has gone. He is always dressed in green; but the fashion of his clothes is some five hundred years old. This is what we call Demon Meridianum-the noonday spectre."

"My worthy and reverend sir," said the Colonel, "I have lived at Woodstock many seasons, and have traversed the Chase at all hours. Trust me, what you hear from the villagers is the growth of their idle folly and superstition."

"Colonel," replied Holdenough, "a negative proves nothing. What signifies, craving your pardon, that you have not seen anything, be it earthly, or be it of the other world, to detract from the evidence of a score of people who have?-And, besides, there is the Demon Nocturnum-the being that walketh by night-He has been among these Independents and schismatics last night.-Ay, Co

lonel, you may stare; but it is even so they may try whether he will mend their gifts, as they profanely call them, of exposition and prayer. No, sir, I trow, to master the foul fiend there goeth some competent knowledge of theology, and an acquaintance with the humane letters, ay, and a regular clerical education, and clerical calling."

"I do not in the least doubt," said the Colonel, "the efficacy of your qualifications to lay the devil; but still I think some odd mistake has occasioned this confusion amongst them, if there has any such in reality existed. Desborough is a blockhead, to be sure; and Harrison is fanatic enough to believe anything. But there is Bletson, on the other hand, who believes nothing.-What do you know of this matter, good Master Mayor ?"

"In sooth, and it was Master Bletson who gave the first alarm," replied the magistrate, " or, at least, the first distinct one. You see, sir, I was in bed with my wife, and no one else; and I was as fast asleep as a man can desire to be at two hours after midnight, when, behold you, they came knocking at my bed-room door, to tell me there was an alarm in Woodstock, and that the bell of the lodge was ringing at that dead hour of the night, as hard as ever rung when it called the court to dinner.'

it

66 Well, but the cause of this alarm?" said the Colonel.

"You shall hear, worthy Colonel, you shall hear," answered the Mayor, waving his hand with dignity; for he was one of those persons who will not be hurried out of their own pace. "So Mrs. Mayor would have persuaded me, in her love and affection, poor wretch, that to rise at such an hour out of my warm bed, was like to bring on my old complaint the lumbago, and that I should send the people to Alderman Dutton.-Alderman Devil, Mrs. Mayor, said I-I beg your reverence's pardon for using

such a phrase-Do you think I am going to lie a-bed when the town is on fire, and the cavaliers up, and the devil to pay?-I beg pardon again, parson. But, here we are before the gate of the Palace; will it not please you to enter?"

"I would first hear the end of your story," said the Colonel; "that is, Master Mayor, if it happens to have an end.'

"Everything hath an end." said the Mayor," and that which we call a pudding hath two.-Your worship will forgive me for being facetious. Where was I?-O, I jumped out of bed, and put on my red plush breeches, with the blue nether stocks, for I always make a point of being dressed suitably to my dignity, night and day, summer or winter, Colonel Everard; and I took the constable along with me, in case the alarm should be raised by nightwalkers or thieves, and called up worthy Master Holdenough out of his bed, in case it should turn out to be the devil. And so I thought I was provided for the worst-and so away we came; and, by and by, the soldiers, who came to the town with Master Tomkins, who had been called to arms, came marching down to Woodstock as fast as their feet would carry them; so I gave our people the sign to let them pass us, and outmarch us, as it were, and this for a twofold reason.'

"I will be satisfied," interrupted the Colonel, "with one good reason. You desired the redcoats should have the first of the fray."

"True, sir, very true;-and also that they should have the last of it, in respect that fighting is their especial business. However, we came on at a slow pace, as men who are determined to do their duty without fear or favour, when suddenly we saw something white haste away up the avenue towards the town, when six of our constables and assistants