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Saxon ceased, but the Reverend Joshua Pettigrue waved his long arms and repeated the refrain, which was taken up again and again by the long column of marching peasants. 'It is a godly hymn, said our companion, who had, to my disgust and to the evident astonishment of Reuben and Sir Gervas, resumed the snuffling, whining voice which he had used in the presence of my father.

'He lies, good Master Pettigrue, he lies most foully, shouted a burly fellow from the edge of the crowd. 'Who ever saw a good Protestant in such a Punchinello dress as yonder? Is not Amalekite written upon his raiment? Is he not attired as becometh the bridegroom of the harlot of Rome? Why then should we not smite him?

'None, Saxon answered. 'We left the Blue Guards at Salisbury, however, and we saw either them or some other horse regiment near this side of the Plain at the village of Mere. 'Ah, there is a gathering of the eagles, cried Master Joshua Pettigrue, shaking his head.

On the other hand, I have seen young Turks, untrained to arms, strike in on behalf of the Koran as lustily as these brave fellows behind us did for the Bible which Master Pettigrue held up in front of them.

'Aye, aye, Master Pettigrue, cried the old man. 'The very name given by Dicky Rumbold. He said that either the old Roundhead Clarke or his son would go with him. But who are these? 'This is Master Reuben Lockarby, also of Havant, and Sir Gervas Jerome of Surrey, I replied. 'They are both here as volunteers desiring to serve under the Duke of Monmouth.

Master Pettigrue had concluded his thanksgiving, and was in the act of rising to his feet, when the musical peal of a bell rose up from the sleeping town before us. For a minute or more it rose and fell in its sweet clear cadence. Then a second with a deeper, harsher note joined in, and then a third, until he air was filled with the merry jangling.

'We are keeping the Lord's preserves now, brother Wat, and truly these are some of the vermin that infest them. 'Let all who have pistols line the waggon, said Saxon, tying his mare to the hedge an example which we all followed. 'Clarke, do you take charge upon the right with Sir Gervas, while Lockarby assists Master Pettigrue upon the left. Ye others shall stand behind with stones.

'Sing, brothers, sing! cried our stout-hearted chaplain, Master Joshua Pettigrue, bustling backwards and forwards among the prostrate ranks. 'Let us call upon the Lord in our day of trial! The men raised a loud hymn of praise, which swelled into a great chorus as it was taken up by the Taunton burghers upon our right and the miners upon our left.

You are a rank latitudinarian, man. Sir Stephen would cry fie upon you, and Joshua Pettigrue abjure you! Well, out with the light, for we should both be stirring at cock-crow. That is our religion at present. 'Early Christians, I suggested, and we both laughed as we settled down to sleep.

I have little doubt, Master Pettigrue, that you would have done as much had you been there. The town of Taunton lies very quiet beneath us, and there are few lights for so early an hour, seeing that it has not yet gone ten.