was offered the crown, but he refused, 'holding it a greater honour
to be an honest subject than a great usurper.'

During the frightful visitation of the Plague, the Earl of Craven, and
the Archbishop of Canterbury and Monk, were the only high officials who
stayed at their posts, and exposed themselves perpetually to the 'seeds
of death.' So great was the public confidence in him, that at the time
of the Great Fire, he being then at sea, 'the people did believe and
say: "If he had been there, the city had not been burned."' No idol of
the mob could ask a more whole-hearted adoration.

The popular feeling is expressed in a rather limping acrostic on his
name, of which I quote only the first quarter. It was called 'England's
Heroick Champion, or The ever-renowned General George Monck.' The date
is about 1659-60.

'G ood may'st thou be, as thou are great.
E ver regarded.
O r like _Alexander_ compleat,
R ichly rewarded.
G ainst thy virtue none dare stand,
E xcluded Members now are
Back return'd by thy hand.

'M any miles didst thou compass,
O nly us to free;
N othing by thee too hard was,
C ompared to be.
K eep us in thy protection!
We were all greatly distrest;
Bring thou in all the best.

'G reat bonfires then was made,
E xpressing joy,
O f us that sorrow did invade,
R efresh our annoy.
G uard us with thy aid, we desire;
E xaltation we all will raise
Unto heaven in thy praise.

'M uch good hast thou already done,
O ver this land;
N ow our hearts thou hast quite won:
C ommand! Command!
K indly we will entertain
Those that were excluded,
For they have not intruded.'

In later years, as Duke of Albemarle, he returned to the estate of his
forefathers, and rebuilt Potheridge in a very magnificent manner. It has
since been pulled down.

If the traveller follows the Torridge upstream, he will be led south
till he is within two miles of Hatherleigh, and here the river curves
away westwards, and then in a northerly direction. In the spring, this
clear, rippling stream has a special charm--thousands and thousands of
daffodils grow along the banks though only sparingly in the fields
beyond, so that, if the river happens to be low and the water not to be
seen at a little distance, the windings of the river through the wide
green valley are marked by two broad lines of pale, clear yellow.

Hatherleigh Moor was given a bad name very long a