f voice, casting a fierce
glance at the young William Penn and his companion, Captain Mead.
"What! ye varlets, do you come into the presence of the Lord Mayor of
London with your hats on? Ho! ho! I know you now," he exclaimed, as an
officer handed him a paper, while he turned his eyes especially on Penn.
"Let me tell you, if you pay not proper respect to the court, I will
have you carried to Bridewell and well whipped, you varlet, though you
are the son of a Commonwealth admiral! Do you hear me, sirrah?"
"By my troth," whispered Christison to his son. "I should like to rush
in with my sword and stop that foul-speaking varlet's mouth, Lord Mayor
of London though he be. And now I look at him, I remember him well,
Master Starling, a brawling supporter of the Protector when he was
seated firmly at the head of Government. And now see, he is louder
still in carrying out the evil designs of this Charles Stuart and his
myrmidons." These words, though said in a low voice, were not
altogether inaudible to some of the by-standers.
"Beware!" said some one at his elbow.
To this tirade of the Lord Mayor, the young gentleman made no answer.
"Do you hear me, sirrah?" he exclaimed again; "I speak to you, William
Penn. You and others have unlawfully and tumultuously been assembling
and congregating yourselves together for the purpose of creating a
disturbance of the peace, to the great terror and annoyance of His
Majesty's liege people and subjects, and to the ill example of all
others; and you have, in contempt of the law of the land, been preaching
to a concourse of people whom you tumultuously assembled for the purpose
of instigating them to rebel against His Majesty the king and the
authorities of this city of London."
"Verily, thou art misinformed and mistaken, sir," answered the young
man, in a calm voice. "I neither created a disturbance, nor did I utter
words whereby any disturbance could have been created, while I have ever
been a loyal and dutiful subject of King Charles as His Majesty."
"Ho! ho! ho! you have come here to crow high, I warrant you," exclaimed
Sir Samuel Starling; "and your companion, Master Mead, will, I warrant,
declare himself equally innocent of offence!"
"Thou speakest truly, friend," answered Captain Mead; "I was the cause
of no disturbance, as all those present very well know; for no
disturbance indeed took place, while my principles forbid me to oppose
the authorities that be."
The
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