Boscobel; or, the royal oak: A tale of the year 1651
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CHAPTER XVII.
HOW THE SUBURBS OF THE CITY WERE BURNT.
Every moment of that eventful day had its employment for the king,who had now a most painful duty to perform. Most reluctantly had hegiven his assent to the execution of the stern decree of the councilof war, which enjoined that all persons dwelling without the wallsshould remove their goods forthwith, and take refuge within the city,since it was necessary that their habitations should be burnt down,in order that they might not afford shelter to the foe. Now, thesuburbs of Worcester, as we have already explained, were extremelypopulous, and consequently great numbers of houses--indeed, severalsmall streets--were thus doomed to destruction. The greater part ofthe luckless occupants obeyed the mandate without a murmur, thoughit deprived them of a home. The mayor, the aldermen, and the sheriffrendered every assistance in their power, and the goods of the poorfolks thus ousted, were temporarily placed in the churches. The kingexpressed his profound sympathy for the sufferers, and promised themcompensation for their losses. Alas! it was but a promise.
The occasion called forth the active zeal of Jane Lane, and neverhad it been more energetically displayed. Accompanied by Sir ClementFisher and her brother, she rode through all the districts destined todestruction, and wherever she found a little crowd assembled, or heardmurmurs, she halted and earnestly exhorted submission to the decree.
"Blame not the king," she said, "for this severe measure, but blamethe great rebel and regicide, who has rendered it necessary. It isCromwell, the murderer of your martyred sovereign, who comes hither toravage your city, and slay your rightful king, that he may set himselfup in his place, who thus drives you from your homes. Charles, yourking, loves you, and would save you from this ruthless general and hisfierce and fanatical soldiery, who will put you all to the sword ifthey obtain the victory. Resist, therefore, to the uttermost. Betterthat your houses should be burnt down than that they should affordshelter to such an enemy. Better your wives should be driven forth thanexposed to the insults of Cromwell's soldiery. Quit your homes withouthesitation and without murmuring, but with the deep determination to beavenged upon the foe. 'Tis a sacrifice you are called upon to make foryour king--but we all make sacrifices for him. Right, justice, truthare on our side: treason of the darkest dye, rebellion and oppression,are on the other. Fight for your lawful king. Place your trust inHeaven, and you will triumph over these bloodthirsty rebels."
While uttering these stirring words, which produced an extraordinaryimpression upon those who heard them, she looked as if inspired. Herbeautiful features assumed a very different expression from that whichthey ordinarily wore. For the moment they had lost all their softness,and when speaking of Cromwell, her eyes flashed as with lightning, herproud nostrils distended, and her delicate lips curled fiercely. Herbeauty, her energetic language, and fiery looks produced, as we havesaid, the strongest effect upon her auditors, and roused within thema burning desire of vengeance. No longer they thought it a hardshipto quit their homes, but were eager to fight for the king, and, ifneed be, lay down their lives for him. All feelings of discontent weresubdued, and the greatest enthusiasm for the royal cause was awakened.Even the women who listened to her were almost as much roused as theirhusbands. Nor when she had departed did the effect of her eloquencesubside. Wrath against Cromwell had now taken possession of everybreast. Old Noll was the real author of the cruel decree. Old Noll haddriven them from their homes. Old Noll would burn down the city itself,and massacre them all, men, women, and children, if he could. But theking would prevent it. Long live the king!--Down with the Republic!
Night had come on before all the necessary preparations were completed.Combustibles having been placed in most of the houses, and bands of menemployed to set fire to them at a given signal, the conflagration beganalmost simultaneously on every side, and in a surprisingly short spaceof time the city was encompassed by a semicircle of fire. The spiresand towers of the churches caught the red reflection of the flames, anda ruddy glow illumined the massive roof and tower of the cathedral. Allthe principal buildings were lighted up.
Viewed from the heights, it seemed as if the fire, which burnt withgreat fierceness, was gaining upon the walls and gates; but this wasnot so, all needful precautions having been taken to prevent its toonear approach. Luckily the night was almost calm. A gentle breeze fromthe south carried the flames from the city. Overhead hung a cloud ofsmoke. The spectacle was magnificent; the soldiers could be seen onthe gates and walls, the engineers on the summit of Fort Royal andthe Blockhouse, while all the troops outside the city were clearlydistinguishable.
The conflagration did the Royalists an unexpected service by revealingthe engineers engaged in raising the breastwork in front of Perry Wood.The operations of these men were quickly stopped by the guns of FortRoyal, to which they offered an excellent mark. Two artillerymen and amatross were killed, and the rest dispersed.
The defenders of the fort, having thus learnt that a detachment of theenemy was hidden in Perry Wood, continued their cannonade briskly, andsent shot into different parts of the thicket in the hope of dislodgingthe Parliamentarians. Little did they think that among those whom theyhad driven off was the Lord General himself, who chanced at the timeto be superintending the construction of the breastwork. One of theartillerymen was killed close beside him.
With the utmost calmness, Cromwell gave orders to the engineers tosuspend their work till the fire had burnt out, and then deliberatelywithdrew to a place of safety, whence he watched the progress of theconflagration, the cause of which he had comprehended from the first.Several shots passed over his head and shattered the trees beyond him,as he stood behind a hedge bank with his constant attendant Dighton.His curiosity was excited, for the fortifications were more completelyrevealed by this fierce glare than by daylight. He could count thelarge guns on Fort Royal, and the sakers, demi-cannons, culverins, andfalcons on the Blockhouse.
"Ha!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Methinks I see the young man, CharlesStuart, on the summit of yon blustering fort, which he took fromColonel James, and which I shall soon retake from him. Were he wise,he would stop this furious and senseless cannonading. But the noisepleases him. Dost note what he has done, Dighton?"
"He has fortified the city strongly, according to my opinion, yourexcellency."
"Ay, he has fenced it--doubly fenced it with high walls andbulwarks--he has armed his forts better than I thought he could havedone, chiefly yon new fort on the Castle Hill, for this Blockhouse hathno real ordnance--and he hath placed his troops with some judgment;but neither troops nor defences will avail him. There will soon be abreaking down of the walls, and then woe to those within the city thathas upheld him. I shall not spare them. England must never again beinvaded by a Stuart."
"This pretender to the throne must die on the same scaffold as hisfather at Whitehall," observed Dighton.
"'Twere better he should die here at Worcester," rejoined Cromwell,sternly. "Then these bigoted fools cannot make a martyr of him. In anycase, he must not escape to give me further trouble. I mean not that hetroubles me, but the state."
"I quite understand your excellency."
"Mark well what I say to thee, Dighton," pursued Cromwell. "On the 3rdof last September, as thou knowest well, a great victory was wroughtat Dunbar; but on the anniversary of that day, now close at hand, astill greater victory will be achieved here at Worcester. The falselight that has deluded so many will then be as utterly extinguishedas yon fire will be ere long, and nothing more will be heard ofCharles Stuart and his pretensions to the throne. But the power of thearmy must then be recognised, and----" He paused, as if unwilling tocomplete the sentence.
But Dighton finished it for him, by adding:
"And the ruler of the country can be no other than the Lord GeneralCromwell."
"I do not desire to rule, Dighton; but I would have my country wellgoverned and wisely."
"And no one could govern it so wisely and so well as yourexcellency--of that I am assured."
> "Thou flatterest me," said Cromwell, not displeased. "But this is idletalk. The decisive battle has yet to be fought."
"I look upon it as already won," rejoined Dighton. "As the Lordinstructed Joshua how to take Ai, so will he instruct a greater generalthan Joshua how to take this rebellious city."
"That the great work will be perfected I nothing doubt," said Cromwell."But I have seen enough of yon burning houses, and will tarry hereno longer. I must visit all the outposts, in case a sally should bemade; though, judging from appearances, I do not think aught will beattempted to-night."
He then made his way through the wood, closely followed by Dighton,and ere many minutes reached a sheltered spot where his escort awaitedhim. Mounting his charger he next proceeded to the camp at Red Hill,where he found Colonel Lilburn and Lord Grey on horseback and attendedby several officers. They had been watching the conflagration which wasnow almost extinguished. Cromwell and Lilburn visited all the outposts,after which the Lord General rode through the park to Spetchley.