CHAPTER XIX
THE SCENE AT THE PARISH CHURCH
"What place is this?" I asked of a peasant as I drew near the town Ihave mentioned.
"Maidstone," was the reply. "Be you going to the church?"
"Maybe," I replied, "but it is early yet."
"Ay, early, but not too early if you will see the sights."
"What sights?"
"Haven't you heard? Why God a' mercy, the old rector hath come back, andhath got together twenty men to help the constables. Besides, I hearthat Master Burnbridge is shaking in his shoes."
"And who is Master Burnbridge?"
"Why you must be a furriner not to know. From whence come you, master?"
"I come from London."
"Ay? From London? Then you have seen the new king?"
"Ay, I have seen him; but who is Master Burnbridge?"
"He is the Independent minister who hath ministered in the parish churchfor many a year. He is much beloved of the people, too, and hath manyfollowers. But the new king hates the Presbyterians and theIndependents, so we are to see gay doings to-day. It is but ten o'clockyet, but I mean to get near the pulpit so that I can see all that goeson. The old vicar, Master Noel, was one of Bishop Laud's men, and itwill be rare sport to see him tackle Master Burnbridge."
"But he hath no right to do this."
"That's no matter. I do hear that the king is going to make a law, soMaster Noel is taking time by the forelock, and we are to have gaydoings."
The man turned in at a side road, while I rode on towards the inn I hadseen in the main street. I called to mind what the Duke of York had saidto me only the night before, and to me his words bore on the peasant'sgossip. When he had said that although no laws had been passed againstIndependents and Presbyterians they had already been ejected from theirpulpits, and many had been thrown into gaol, I could only regard it asthe talk of a man who had drunk too freely; but now I saw that he spokenot without his book, and I determined that I would also find my way tothe parish church that morning.
Desirous as I was of seeing what should take place, however, I saw to itthat Black Ben was well foddered, and the morning air being pure andappetizing, I could not resist the breakfast which was placed before me.In truth so hearty was I that the church bell stopped ringing before Ifound myself in the churchyard. When I reached the porch of the church Ifound that if I entered it would be with difficulty. Nor do I think Ishould have found admission at all had not the people believed, whenthey saw my gay attire, and a sword hanging by my side, that I was sentby the king to see justice done. As it was many made way for me, and soI soon found myself within the church, which was filled from end to endwith an eager crowd. I noticed that there was no noise nor confusion.Some, indeed, whispered to each other, while others smiled as iftriumphantly, but on the faces of most was a look of pain and sorrow. Onmore than one countenance, however, I saw angry defiance, and I feltsure that although they were in the House of God, the affair was full offoreboding.
I had scarcely found a position from which I could both see and hear,when a man wearing a black gown entered the pulpit, and commenced toopen the Bible, but scarcely had he done this than another, wearing awhite surplice, rose from a pew close by, and said in a loud voice--
"In the name of God, and of the King's Majesty, I command you todesist."
"Who are you?" asked the man in the pulpit.
"John Noel, vicar of this parish," was the reply.
"Prove your right to that name," was the answer.
"It is my intention so to do," was the answer, "but, before I do so, dothou, a schismatic and a usurper, retire from this sacred building. Foryears hath this sacrilege continued, because the king hath been keptfrom his own; but now the king hath returned, and law and order must berestored."
"I have heard of thee," said the Independent; "thou art he who broughtpopish devices into the House of God, and because of it the people ofthis parish did drive thee out. Go thy way. This is the House of God,and it must not be made a den of thieves. The king promised before hecame back that each minister should keep his benefice, and the king'spromise is above thy prating."
"Come down, I tell thee, and desecrate not this holy place," cried theman wearing the surplice.
"I will not come down," cried the other. "I have been called of God tominister to this people, and this will I do in spite of the hosts of thePhilistines."
Upon this he opened the Bible and began to read, but before six wordshad passed his lips a great number of strong men, armed, went to thepulpit and pulled him headlong from thence.
"Put him out of the House of God!" and I heard the voice of Master Noelabove the mutterings of the people.
When Master Burnbridge had been dragged from the pulpit he was allowedto stand in the aisle, while Master Noel, his Prayer-book in his hand,mounted, and in a loud voice commanded the people to be silent forprayer. But this they would not be, for a great number of them arose andcried, "Master Burnbridge is our pastor, and he alone shall ministerunto us."
Then I saw a great number of them rise, and were making their waytowards him with anger in their eyes, and their hands clenched ready tostrike, whereupon the many who had evidently been brought thither byMaster Noel drew their weapons, and prepared to do battle.
I think the Independent minister saw that it would be useless for hisfollowers to fight for him, or else he dreaded a scene of riot in theHouse of God, for he spoke aloud--
"Be quiet, good people," he said, "and fight not in the House of Godwith carnal weapons. This papist priest hath planned to do this, and wewill not resist. It is true that Charles hath not commanded this,neither hath Parliament assented unto it, but this man believeth thatboth will support him. Moreover since the king's coming many of thepeople have turned riotous and drunken, and will no longer have the puremilk of the Word. But although we may be driven from the House of God,we are still the Lord's people, so let us go quietly to a field closeby, so that we may worship God even as our fathers have done. Unhandme," he continued, turning to those who had dragged him from the pulpit,and still held him fast, "and I and my flock will e'en go where we canworship God unmolested, and where we can pray that the Lord's people maybe protected."
At this the armed men let Master Burnbridge go, whereupon he walked downthe aisle, as well as he was able for the crowd, while a goodly number,it might be a hundred, followed him from the church.
I was in two minds which to do. To leave the church with theIndependents, or to stay and listen to Master Noel; but as I was anxiousto hear what the follower of Archbishop Laud might have to say I took aseat close by, and prepared to listen. But few, I fancy, listened to theprayers which were read from the Prayer-book that morning. Each man hadbeen too much moved by what had taken place to enter into the spirit ofprayer, and I think every one heaved a sigh of relief when at lengthMaster Noel began to preach. He gave out as his text these words--"Theploughers ploughed my back; they made long furrows. The Lord isrighteous; he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked." This text, hesaid, was indeed a true description of the followers of the Lord, sincethat son of Belial, Oliver Cromwell, had murdered his most sacredmajesty, Charles I, and especially was it true of him, John Noel, whohad been ejected from his church and vicarage by a committee oftraitors, because of his loyalty to the late king. These incestuousheretics had discarded the Prayer-book, blasphemed against the one trueChurch, and committed sacrilege in the House of God. Moreover in theguise of those who prate about liberty they had allowed all sorts ofheresy in the church, even while they were themselves the most rampantbigots. Yet had they sought to catch the itching ears of the ignorant bytalks about toleration. But their reign was at an end, and soon thepeople of God would be freed from their accursed intolerable toleration.After this he enlarged upon what he called the heresies of MasterBurnbridge, who for so long had poisoned the minds of the people, andwho had that day been driven forth from God's house.
After speaking thus he dealt with his right to hire men
to drive out theusurper. It is true, he said, that no law had yet been passed wherebysuch usurpers as Master Burnbridge had been driven forth, neverthelessthis was within the rights of the aforetime rectors and vicar of theparishes. His Majesty King Charles II. was a Protestant, a man of God,and a loyal member of the Episcopal Church. He had not yielded to thePresbyterians who had appealed to him, and had not made any concessionsto them. This proved that his Majesty had no sympathy with them.Therefore seeing that without bishops, priests, and deacons, there couldbe no king, it was right and fitting that they, as the king's loyalsubjects, should return to their churches. This had been done in manyplaces all over England, even before the king landed at Dover, and sofar had justice been vindicated that in Wales especially scores of thesenaughty Independents had been driven from the churches, and hundreds ofthem had been thrown into gaol, until those same gaols were full even tooverflowing. Thus they were right in ejecting this fellow Burnbridge. Hewas a usurper, and therefore was cast out of the temple, even as thosewho bought and sold in the temple at Jerusalem were cast out of oldentime.
"Thus, my brethren," he continued, "we have done a part of our work.Having cleansed the church, our next duty is to drive the fellow out ofthe vicarage. This we will do after the close of this service."
"But," you will say, "this man will erect some meeting house in thistown, where he will still poison the ears of the people. Let us trustin God. Ere long I believe a law will be passed, whereby not only willthe church be purified from its taint of sin, but whereby none but thosewho belong to the episcopacy will be allowed to break the bread of lifeto the people, and a law compelling those same people to attend thechurch on the Sabbath days; ay, and not only that, but that they shallbe forbidden to listen to any man who hath not been truly ordained apreacher of the Word. For this, let us pray, so that godliness and truereligion shall be established in our land."
After this the service soon broke up, and I heard no sign ofdissatisfaction anywhere. Mostly they seemed pleased by what had takenplace, and nearly the whole congregation followed Master Noel across afield towards the rectory. On my way, I heard the sound of voicessinging, and turning I saw a number of people in a meadow close by. Awagon had been placed under a tree, and on this wagon stood MasterBurnbridge, his black gown being gently swayed to and fro in the summerbreeze. All around him stood the people, but how many there were I knownot. All of them, as far as I could judge, were singing, and these werethe words that reached us--
_When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like themthat dream._
_Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing:then said they among the heathen the Lord hath done great things forthem._
_The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad._
_Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south._
_They that sow in tears shall reap in joy._
_He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtlesscome again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him._
At this there was much scornful derision among those who followed MasterNoel; nevertheless, I thought the singing was very sweet.
A few minutes later the vicarage was the scene of great dust andconfusion, for every stick that Master Burnbridge possessed was carriedout into the lane which ran close by the house. Ay, so quickly was thisdone, that I do not think that the little band who worshipped in thefield close by knew the meaning thereof. Nevertheless, even while MasterBurnbridge was preaching to his flock, the road was being filled withthe household treasures of the man who had been minister of the parishfor ten years.
I took no part in the matter, neither was I at that moment strong in mysympathy with either the one side or the other. Nevertheless, I have setdown exactly what I saw and heard as near as I can remember it, so thatall who care may read.
Scarcely had the last armful of books been thrown into the road (andthere was a great quantity of them), than Master Burnbridge came up.
"By whose authority hath this been done?" he cried, and I noticed thathis voice was loud and angry.
"By mine," cried a portly man whom I had seen talking with Master Noel,"by mine--Henry Wellwood, of Wellwood Hall, a justice of the peace."
"Who is he?" I asked of one who stood by.
"Hush! Squire Wellwood, who for years hath hated the Independents,although he hath had to put up with them," was the reply.
"Then," said Master Burnbridge, "I declare this to be a most unlawful,as well as most unchristian and unholy act."
"You are paid back in your own coin, Master Prater," laughed the squire.
"I came to this living lawfully," replied Master Burnbridge. "MasterNoel had behaved in a traitorous manner, and so by law he was ejected asa papist and a dealer in treasonous things. But there is no law againstme, and I declare that you have behaved unlawfully."
"I?" cried the squire.
"Yes, you, Henry Wellwood--you whom I have so often rebuked for yourriotous living and your drunken habits."
"A brawler! a brawler!" cried the squire, "Take him into custodyconstables, and clap him into gaol, as well as all the others who takehis part."
At this I could no longer hold my peace.
"Master Wellwood, methinks this will sound bad when it reaches theking's ears," I cried.
"King's ears! And who will take it to him," he cried, turning angrily onme.
"I will," I cried.
"You will, and who are you?"
"It doth not matter who I am," I cried, "but I can tell you that I havethe king's ear, and it will go hard with you."
"Take this malapert boy with the others," cried the squire to theconstable, and I could see that he was much angered against me.
Two of the constables moved towards me, while the rest of the yokelsstared at me openmouthed.
"I am a loyal subject of the king," I cried, drawing my sword, "and amneither Independent nor Presbyterian, but the first man that touches meshall die."
The men started back as I caused my sword to whistle around my head, andas they only had heavy bludgeons they did not come nearer. But it cameto me even then that I could do no good by interfering further. I hadacted on the impulse of the moment, for I deemed it unfair that MasterBurnbridge, Independent though he was, should be clapped into gaol forprotesting against the spoiling of his goods; yet I knew I could donothing. All the popular feeling was against the Independent minister,who I was told afterwards had been very severe with loose and carelesslives. Besides, I reflected that I could not help matters by allowingmyself to be clapped into gaol. I would, therefore, have escaped if Icould, but in turning to do so two men had come up behind my back, andbefore I could even struggle for liberty I was closely pinioned.
Before an hour had passed I was in the town lock-up with eight others,amongst whom was Master Burnbridge. As may be imagined I was littlepleased with myself. First, because I was no Independent at heart, andsecond because my interference had done more harm than good. Moreover Iwas angry that I should be in prison, as though I were a drunkentapster, and in company with people whom my father had often calledhypocritical psalm-Psingers. For we were all huddled together in an openspace, neither had we anything to sit upon, although straw was placedupon the floor, upon which most of my companions lay down.
"The Lord hath touched your heart, young man," said Master Burnbridge.
"As to that I doubt much," I replied; "yet could I not help being angryat the way the man Wellwood treated you."
"Ay, but the spirit of the Lord was in your heart, else had you notresented such injustice. But in truth I am not surprised at all this. Ihave heard that Master Noel hath been in secret conclave with MasterWellwood, and I heard rumours that what hath been going on ever sinceKing Charles hath been recalled would also happen to me. For myself Icare not, but I grieve for my wife and children, for what will they dowithout house and home?"
At this I was silent, for in truth what could I say?
"And y
et I must not fear," he went on, "for the Lord is still upon HisThrone. He delivered the Hebrew youths out of the fiery furnace, and Hewill deliver me. But oh, I fear that dark days are coming upon England."
"But the king hath made fair promises," I urged.
"Fair promises!" cried Master Burnbridge, "and you see what they areworth. Even before His Majesty hath been a week on his throne, andbefore the matter of religion hath been dealt with, such as I areejected from our livings and thrown into the gaols. Moreover, althoughthe law is supposed to be on our side, no one stood up for it save you,a stranger. If this be done at this time, what will be done when thehosts of Belial have passed their laws? 'If they do these things in agreen tree, what shall be done in the dry?' I tell thee, young man, thisland will be full of wailing and gnashing of teeth."
"That remains to be seen," I replied. "When the king hath time to makethe power of his arm felt, perchance these things will cease."
"Cease! Charles Stuart make them to cease! Can the Ethiopian change hisskin, or the leopard his spots? I tell you he hath been brought back toEngland by lies and corruption, and by lies and corruption he willmaintain his throne until the Lord shall speak."
"Brought back by lies and corruption!" I cried.
"Ay, I speak boldly. Who schemed to bring him back? Monk. Who is Monk? Aman who plays for his own hand. First a Presbyterian, then anIndependent, then nothing. Monk played a game, young master, and so wesee what we see."
After this I was left much alone, for these people saw that I was notone of them. Moreover, they spent much time in prayer, and in singing ofhymns, and on the whole were of a cheerful countenance.
Presently as night fell most of them fell asleep, and thus but littlenotice was taken when the door opened and a man whom I took to be agaoler took me by the arm and led me forth.
"Whither do you lead me?" I asked.
"Hush, and ask no questions," was his reply.
Ere long I found myself nearing the vicarage, and again I asked why Iwas led thither.
"To see Master Wellwood," was the reply.
"Why should I see Master Wellwood?"
"You will soon know."
A few minutes later I stood in a room of the vicarage, which was emptysave for three chairs, on two of which sat Master Wellwood and MasterNoel.
The Coming of the King Page 19