When Charles the First Was King quotes

It was within four miles of the ancient and historic market-town of Pontefract, where kings have been imprisoned and done to death, that

I, William Dale, yeoman, was born in the year of grace 1621.

The house wherein I first drew breath is that in which I now live;

… but ill-requited for their pains, two of the rascals carrying away nothing better than a charge of lead in their persons, and the third being shot stone dead by my cowherd, Jacob Trusty, as he was striving to make forcible entry into the pantry window.

Yet lonely indeed is the situation of Dale’s Field, and some more used to company might fear the long winter evenings which we spend here.

No feeling of this sort ever came over myself, who knew that all around me lay my own good land, nigh four hundred acres of it, grass and arable, of which my fathers had reaped the harvest for many a generation.

Between me and them stretches a wide country of wood and meadow, which I am never tired of gazing upon in the summer evenings when I sit in my window with pipe and glass.

For it seems to smile and smile and smile, and the green of the woods blends with the brown of the soil, and the clear blue overhead looks down on both with a smile of benediction.

Somewhat of a flat land it is, that country due east, but none the less fair, seeing that it holdeth many a fair village, whose spires shoot upwards out of the green and stand clearly defined against the sky.

“Ah!” said Jacob, leaning against the tail of his cart, and removing the pewter from his mouth. “That does me a power o’ good, William.

What a pity ’tis that the Lord in His mercy didn’t make all the rivers run good ale!

What beautiful drinking there would ha’ been then!”

Likewise he is against the law, which is a bad matter for any man. Howbeit,

I had liefer be robbed by a highwayman than a lawyer, for your lawyer laughs in your face while he turns out your pockets, but your highwayman is as courtly as any fine court-madam.

These things have I noticed, William, boy, in going through the world;

I shall not plague thee overmuch with learning. This counsel, however, I give thee—what thou dost learn, learn well, and be not ashamed if it takes thee two days to master what a sharper lad would master in one.

It is better to know why a thing is done than how it is done. Get to the bottom of everything.

Let me see thee work steadily, eating thy meals with a good appetite, and behaving towards me and thy fellows as to thy parents and sister. So shall I be satisfied with thee, William.

“Rupert Watson,” said the old farmer who had spoken at the inn door, “is in the wrong this time.

Let sleeping dogs lie, say I. Now he has stirred the dog up, and must not complain if it show its teeth.

But mind you, Master Dale, I know not if the land be yours or his.”

Wherefore, William, boy, as thou goest through the world, mark one thing, namely, that whenever two men fall out, there will always be a third man whose interest it will be to keep up the strife.

For while John and Thomas are disputing as to which of them shall have the egg, Richard comes up and eats it out of hand.

Such is law, out of which thou wilt do well to keep.”

“and thy mother will be anxious for us. We shall be home in half an hour an we keep at it. Shake Dumpling up, lad; she is half afraid of the snow, and will—”

I never knew what more my father would have said. As he spoke, a figure seemed to rise up out of the storm right in our path.

I heard a sharp report of firearms and saw the flash. My father fell from his horse without even a groan.

“Whisht, lad, whisht!” said Jacob Trusty. “Thou art too young to talk of killing. Rest assured that whoever killed thy father will be sorry enow for it.

For there was never crime done in this world, lad, that did not come home to the doer. It may be long first, but come it will.

”

“No matter,” said he. “

Time is nothing to a lover. You see your sweetheart, and it is all over in an instant.

Why, Will, your eyes were upon her every minute of the time!”

“You will jest, Will. But there are other matters than hot weather that pull a man down. Though as to being fat, I am not sorry to see myself going thinner.

I had rather be a beanstalk than a butter-tub.

But seriously, Will, have you any objection to me for a brother-in-law?”

“Nay, lad, that I cannot answer yet awhile. I am for the monarchy, of course, for there is warrant for that. Yet I would hear something of the other side of the question before I take sword in hand.

Mark thee, Will, there will be many a man in England take sides in this quarrel who knows nothing of what he is fighting for.

It will be enough for such that they fight.”

“

Why, in one sense, Will, I am, for I am married to myself, and what worse partner can a man have?

I am neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring. However, I may be good enough to go to the wars and handle a pike.”

“Why, in one sense, Will, I am, for I am married to myself, and what worse partner can a man have?

I am neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring.

However, I may be good enough to go to the wars and handle a pike.”

Now, there were some that echoed Philip Lisle’s cry heartily. But there were others who said nothing and looked very grave, while Parson Drumbleforth shook his head sadly, saying that the kingdom which is divided against itself shall not stand.

And thus the red shadow of war suddenly loomed over all our merrymaking.

Indeed, to fight with Frenchmen or Spaniards seems to be one of the chief duties of a true Englishman who loves his country.

But for Englishmen to fight with Englishmen, that, indeed, is vastly out of place and ought never to be.

The assembly broke up into knots and fell to discussing the situation. Parson Drumbleforth, whose face had grown very anxious when he heard the news, drew near to Philip Lisle and began to question him.

Certainly the country had not been so peaceful during the past few years as to make us feel that we were suddenly thrown out of a state of security into a condition of danger.

No man, I suppose, had thought that the difference ’twixt King and Commons could have other ending than this.

For so many years had the struggle gone on and always with so much increase of bitterness on either side that nothing but the shedding of blood could bring peace to us again.

And yet I do think that in this matter his Majesty hath not been well advised and will ultimately suffer. I agree not with them who clamour for the right of the people.

I had rather be ruled by a tyrant than by Demos, for your tyrant is but one man, but Demos is a beast of many heads and dispositions.

Nevertheless, it had been well, I think, to humour the popular mind somewhat in this case. For I fear me, Master Lisle, that if it come to a case of endurance ’twixt the throne and the people, the throne will come badly out of it.”

“It is true,” sighed Parson Drumbleforth; “it is true there have been grievances.

Whenever was it not so?

As for me, though I am a Royalist, I can never forget that Saul was anything but a blessing to his people. What we want, sirs, is mutual long-suffering. If the King hath his rights, so have the people theirs.

“I am not without some strength,” said Ben, shaking his fist, “but I shall not use it in this quarrel, Jack, unless it be to defend myself or my own.

What, because Tom and Bill choose to fall out and fight, is that any reason why I should get my head broken between them?

”

Was I not right? For sore heads you have, if I mistake not; and as for me, here I am helping ye to sneak out of my neighbour’s cellar as if we were all thieves.”

“Peace, thou chattering knave!” said Jack.

“Thieves, indeed! Why, Master Ben, what does this mean?”

“As you please, Master Dale,” said he. “You seem inclined for enmity rather than friendship.”

“Between you and me,” I answered, “there can be no friendship, Master Dennis Watson. There is blood between us.”

Now, I would not have said that upon reflection, but it had slipped my lips ere I was aware. His face went pale and he glared at me angrily.

But she came rather closer to me, keeping herself between me and the pistol in his hand.

“Then, sir,” she said, “you may shoot him through me. For I shall not stand aside whatever you say or threaten.”

“Stand aside, dear Rose,” I said, speaking for the first time since she entered the clearing. “Let him fire, if he will: I do not believe he can hit me.”

The great sword in my hand felt like a switch. The fast pace intoxicated me, a red mist sprang up before my eyes;

I had no other desire but to kill, and kill, and kill again.

“Steady, Will, steady!” said Jack. “Now for the crush!” and the two wings met with a sound that echoed and tingled in my ears. But above it all I heard the cry of the Parliamentarians, “God with us!”

“And shall I find my stock and my furniture?” he groaned. “Alas!

I am a ruined man. However, they have not destroyed my money, lads, because Lucy and I buried what I had under the hearthstone at Dale’s Field.

”

But what was done was done, and we had to content ourselves for that time, being powerless to do anything.

Yet it made my heart sad to go round my granaries, and barns, and stables, in which I had always taken such pride, and to find them empty and lifeless.

Still, it was no use to sit down and lament, and we accordingly set to work to restock the farm and get things into order again. Only I was a much poorer man when all was done than I had ever looked to be.

We were close upon the scaffold. A bright jet of blood spurted across the boards near to me.

I raised my kerchief and dipped it in the King’s blood, and have it to this day⁠—a memento of that terrible event.

“Well, farmer,” said he, “I knew you, although I could not see your countenance.

There are not many Englishmen that stand six feet four.

Have you finished the business that brought you hither?”

“

Let God make me the means! Sir, you mean well, but I will not be put off from my work.

Whether it be the will of God or not, naught but death shall stay me from this matter.”