y knows what
for. I believe Master Davies is no better than a worldling, for he
talked yesterday about raising my rent, and if that's his humour, I'll
be even with him; for I'll go and hear Priggins directly."

"Priggins," said one of the by-standers, "is a fine man, with a good
voice, and tolerable action; but he is nothing to the serjeant-major of
Sir William Brureton's rangers, who preached at the drum-head at Bolton,
and made the whole town declare against Lord Derby."

"Tell me of no serjeants-majors nor Prigginses," said Dame Humphreys,
"we shall never edify under any body as we did under the good old
Doctor."

This conversation passed among the villagers, after the Beaumonts, with
dejected but submissive hearts, had taken their silent departure from
Ribblesdale.

[1] Many of these circumstances are copied from Bishop Hall's
"Hard Measure." He greatly leaned to the Puritans in doctrine; and,
in discipline was a noted opposer of Archbishop Laud.

[2] This list is taken out of a much more numerous one cited by
Lord Cobham.

CHAP. XI.

O piteous spectacle! O bloody times!
Whilst lions war, and battle for their dens,
Poor harmless lambs abide their enmity.

Shakspeare.

We left Eustace wakening the echoes with his songs, which, while they
expressed the exultation of his heart at emerging from confinement and
obscurity, and launching into a busy scene of action, were also intended
to divert the alarm of his fair companions. Williams recommended caution
and silence to no purpose; Eustace was sure they were going on safe.
They were still at a great distance from the Parliament's garrison at
Halifax, when they were joined by a person in the dress of a countryman,
but in reality a scout belonging to the army of Fairfax. He drew the
incautious Eustace into conversation, and soon perceived that the
affected vulgarity of his language ill accorded with the polished
accents he had overheard. Guessing from this circumstance that they
belonged to the family of some Loyalist, and were attempting to escape
to their friends, he, under pretence of shewing them a nearer way,
delivered them into the custody of a foraging party belonging to the
garrison.

Eustace discovered that they were betrayed at the moment when retreat
was impossible, and resistance of no avail. He now lamented that he had
despised the cautions of Williams; and,