ler tower. It's not the first
time that I have spoke through this window. But, quick; what can I do
for you?'

'I am much beholden to you, sir,' I answered, 'but I fear that there is
no help which you can give me, unless, indeed, you could convey news to
my friends in the army of what hath befallen me.'

'I might do that,' whispered Farmer Brown. 'Hark ye in your ear, lad,
what I never breathed to man yet. Mine own conscience pricks me at times
over this bolstering up of a Papist to rule over a Protestant nation.
Let like rule like, say I. At the 'lections I rode to Sudbury, and I
put in my vote for Maister Evans, of Turnford, who was in favour o' the
Exclusionists. Sure enough, if that same Bill had been carried, the Duke
would be sitting on his father's throne. The law would have said yes.
Now, it says nay. A wonderful thing is the law with its yea, yea, and
nay, nay, like Barclay, the Quaker man, that came down here in a leather
suit, and ca'd the parson a steepleman. There's the law. It's no use
shootin' at it, or passin' pikes through it, no, nor chargin' at it wi'
a troop of horse. If it begins by saying "nay" it will say "nay" to the
end of the chapter. Ye might as well fight wi' the book o' Genesis. Let
Monmouth get the law changed, and it will do more for him than all the
dukes in England. For all that he's a Protestant, and I would do what I
might to serve him.'

'There is a Captain Lockarby, who is serving in Colonel Saxon's
regiment, in Monmouth's army,' said I. 'Should things go wrong with me,
I would take it as a great kindness if you would bear him my love, and
ask him to break it gently, by word or by letter, to those at Havant.
If I were sure that this would be done, it would be a great ease to my
mind.'

'It shall be done, lad,' said the good farmer. 'I shall send my best man
and fleetest horse this very night, that they may know the straits in
which you are. I have a file here if it would help you.'

'Nay,' I answered, 'human aid can do little to help me here.'

'There used to be a hole in the roof. Look up and see if you can see
aught of it.'

'It arches high above my head,' I answered, looking upwards; 'but there
is no sign of any opening.'

'There was one,' he repeated. 'My brother Roger hath swung himself down
wi' a rope. In the old time the prisoners were put in so, like Joseph
into the pit. The door is but a new thing.'

'Hole or no hole, it cannot help me,' I answered. 'I have no mea