ess as
those of hunted beasts of prey. A king's theology is a dangerous thing
for his subjects.

But if the idea for which these poor men fought was a worthy one, what
shall we say of the man who had been chosen as the champion of their
cause? Alas, that such men should have had such a leader! Swinging from
the heights of confidence to the depths of despair, choosing his future
council of state one day and proposing to fly from the army on the
next, he appeared from the start to be possessed by the very spirit
of fickleness. Yet he had borne a fair name before this enterprise. In
Scotland he had won golden opinions, not only for his success, but for
the moderation and mercy with which he treated the vanquished. On the
Continent he had commanded an English brigade in a way that earned
praise from old soldiers of Louis and the Empire. Yet now, when his own
head and his own fortunes were at stake, he was feeble, irresolute, and
cowardly. In my father's phrase, 'all the virtue had gone out of him.'
I declare when I have seen him riding among his troops, with his head
bowed upon his breast and a face like a mute at a burying, casting an
air of gloom and of despair all round him, I have felt that, even in
case of success, such a man could never wear the crown of the Tudors and
the Plantagenets, but that some stronger hand, were it that of one of
his own generals, would wrest it from him.

I will do Monmouth the justice to say that from the time when it was at
last decided to fight--for the very good reason that no other course was
open--he showed up in a more soldierly and manlier spirit. For the first
few days in July no means were neglected to hearten our troops and to
nerve them for the coming battle. From morning to night we were at work,
teaching our foot how to form up in dense groups to meet the charge of
horse, and how to depend upon each other, and look to their officers for
orders. At night the streets of the little town from the Castle Field
to the Parret Bridge resounded with the praying and the preaching. There
was no need for the officers to quell irregularities, for the troops
punished them amongst themselves. One man who came out on the streets
hot with wine was well-nigh hanged by his companions, who finally cast
him out of the town as being unworthy to fight in what they looked
upon as a sacred quarrel. As to their courage, there was no occasion to
quicken that, for they were as fearless as lions, and the o