id not demean myself as if I were chief mourner at a funeral.
She will bear me out that I walked up to her with a smile upon my face,
though mayhap there was a little flutter at my heart, and I took her
hand and I said--but, lack-a-day, whither have I wandered? What has all
this to do with Taunton town and the rising of 1685?

On the night of Wednesday, June 17, we learned that the King, as
Monmouth was called throughout the West, was lying less than ten miles
off with his forces, and that he would make his entry into the loyal
town of Taunton the next morning. Every effort was made, as ye may well
guess, to give him a welcome which should be worthy of the most Whiggish
and Protestant town in England. An arch of evergreens had already
been built up at the western gate, bearing the motto, 'Welcome to King
Monmouth!' and another spanned the entrance to the market-place from the
upper window of the White Hart Inn, with 'Hail to the Protestant Chief!'
in great scarlet letters. A third, if I remember right, bridged the
entrance to the Castle yard, but the motto on it has escaped me. The
cloth and wool industry is, as I have told you, the staple trade of
the town, and the merchants had no mercy on their wares, but used them
freely to beautify the streets. Rich tapestries, glossy velvets, and
costly brocades fluttered from the windows or lined the balconies. East
Street, High Street, and Fore Street were draped from garret to basement
with rare and beautiful fabrics, while gay flags hung from the roofs
on either side, or fluttered in long festoons from house to house.
The royal banner of England floated from the lofty tower of St. Mary
Magdalene, while the blue ensign of Monmouth waved from the sister
turret of St. James. Late into the night there was planing and
hammering, working and devising, until when the sun rose upon Thursday,
June 18, it shone on as brave a show of bunting and evergreen as ever
graced a town. Taunton had changed as by magic from a city into a flower
garden.

Master Stephen Timewell had busied himself in these preparations, but he
had borne in mind at the same time that the most welcome sight which
he could present to Monmouth's eyes was the large body of armed men who
were prepared to follow his fortunes. There were sixteen hundred in the
town, two hundred of which were horse, mostly well armed and equipped.
These were disposed in such a way that the King should pass them in his
progress. The townsmen