ers
he was bidden to go into the village with his fishing-rod, enter certain
houses, ask for a drink of water, and tell the good man, "There would be
a horse-market at Newbury next Thursday," and so carry the same message
on to the next house on his list.

He did not know what the message meant at the time, nor what was
happening: which may as well, however, for clearness' sake, be explained
here. The Prince of Orange being gone to Ireland, where the King was
ready to meet him with a great army, it was determined that a great
rising of his Majesty's party should take place in this country; and my
lord was to head the force in our county. Of late he had taken a greater
lead in affairs than before, having the indefatigable Mr. Holt at his
elbow, and my Lady Viscountess strongly urging him on; and my Lord
Sark being in the Tower a prisoner, and Sir Wilmot Crawley, of Queen's
Crawley, having gone over to the Prince of Orange's side--my lord became
the most considerable person in our part of the county for the affairs
of the King.

It was arranged that the regiment of Scots Grays and Dragoons, then
quartered at Newbury, should declare for the King on a certain day, when
likewise the gentry affected to his Majesty's cause were to come in with
their tenants and adherents to Newbury, march upon the Dutch troops
at Reading under Ginckel; and, these overthrown, and their indomitable
little master away in Ireland, 'twas thought that our side might move on
London itself, and a confident victory was predicted for the King.

As these great matters were in agitation, my lord lost his listless
manner and seemed to gain health; my lady did not scold him, Mr. Holt
came to and fro, busy always; and little Harry longed to have been a few
inches taller, that he might draw a sword in this good cause.

One day, it must have been about the month of July, 1690, my lord, in
a great horseman's coat, under which Harry could see the shining of a
steel breastplate he had on, called little Harry to him, put the hair
off the child's forehead, and kissed him, and bade God bless him in such
an affectionate way as he never had used before. Father Holt blessed him
too, and then they took leave of my Lady Viscountess, who came from her
apartment with a pocket-handkerchief to her eyes, and her gentlewoman
and Mrs. Tusher supporting her. "You are going to--to ride," says she.
"Oh, that I might come too--but in my situation I am forbidden horse
exercise."