f scanty fare and hard living. Most of
them accompanied their gift by a few words of prayer, or by some pithy
text anent the treasure which rusteth not, or the lending to the Lord.
The town clerk stood by the table giving forth the vouchers for each
sum, and the constant clack of his tongue filled the hall, as he read
aloud the names and amounts, with his own remarks between.

'Abraham Willis,' he shouted as we entered; 'put him down twenty-six
pounds and ten shillings. You shall receive ten per centum upon this
earth, Master Willis, and I warrant that it shall not be forgotten
hereafter. John Standish, two pounds. William Simons, two guineas.
Stand-fast Healing, forty-five pounds. That is a rare blow which you
have struck into the ribs of Prelacy, good Master Healing. Solomon
Warren, five guineas. James White, five shillings--the widow's mite,
James! Thomas Bakewell, ten pounds. Nay, Master Bakewell, surely out of
three farms on the banks of Tone, and grazing land in the fattest part
of Athelney, you can spare more than this for the good cause. We shall
doubtless see you again. Alderman Smithson, ninety pounds. Aha! There is
a slap for the scarlet woman! A few more such and her throne shall be a
ducking-stool. We shall break her down, worthy Master Smithson, even as
Jehu, the son of Nimshi, broke down the house of Baal.' So he babbled on
with praise, precept, and rebuke, though the grave and solemn burghers
took little notice of his empty clamour.

At the other side of the hall were several long wooden drinking-troughs,
which were used for the storing of pikes and scythes. Special messengers
and tithing-men had been sent out to scour the country for arms, who,
as they returned, placed their prizes here under the care of the
armourer-general. Besides the common weapons of the peasants there was a
puncheon half full of pistols and petronels, together with a good number
of muskets, screw-guns, snaphances, birding-pieces, and carbines, with
a dozen bell-mouthed brass blunderbusses, and a few old-fashioned
wall-pieces, such as sakers and culverins taken from the manor-houses of
the county. From the walls and the lumber-rooms of these old dwellings
many other arms had been brought to light which were doubtless esteemed
as things of price by our forefathers, but which would seem strange to
your eyes in these days, when a musket may be fired once in every two
minutes, and will carry a ball to a distance of four hundred paces.