l, were a number of scythes
stuck in the ends of poles. 'Those are the weapons, measter,' said the
sexton, 'which the great people put into the hands of a number of the
country folks, in order that they might use them against Oliver's men;
ugly weapons enough: however, Oliver's men won, and Sir Jacob Ashley and
his party were beat. And a rare time Oliver and his men had of it, till
Oliver died, when the other party got the better, not by fighting, 'tis
said, but through a General Monk, who turned sides. Ah, the old fellow
that my father knew, said he well remembered the time when General Monk
went over and proclaimed Charles the Second. Bonfires were lighted
everywhere, oxen roasted, and beer drunk by pailfuls; the country folks
were drunk with joy, and something else; sung scurvy songs about Oliver
to the tune of Barney Banks, and pelted his men, wherever they found
them, with stones and dirt.' 'The more ungrateful scoundrels they,' said
I. 'Oliver and his men fought the battle of English independence against
a wretched king and corrupt lords. Had I been living at the time, I
should have been proud to be a trooper of Oliver.' 'You would, measter,
would you? Well, I never quarrels with the opinions of people who come
to look at the church, and certainly independence is a fine thing. I
like to see a chap of an independent spirit, and if I were now to see the
cove who refused to sell his horse to my Lord Screw and Whitefeather, and
let Jack Dale have him, I would offer to treat him to a pint of
beer--e'es I would, verily. Well, measter, you have now seen the church,
and all there's in it worth seeing--so I'll just lock up, and go and
finish digging the grave I was about when you came, after which I must go
into the fair to see how matters are going on. Thank ye, measter,' said
he, as I put something into his hand; 'thank ye kindly; 'tis not every
one gives me a shilling nowadays who comes to see the church, but times
are very different from what they were when I was young; I was not sexton
then, but something better; helped Mr. --- with his horses, and got many
a broad crown. Those were the days, measter, both for men and
horses--and I say, measter, if men and horses were so much better when I
was young than they are now, what, I wonder, must they have been in the
time of Oliver and his men?'

CHAPTER XLIV

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE

Leaving the church, I strolled through the fair, looking at the horses,