The Buccaneer - A Tale

"May it please ye," interrupted Gracious Meanwell, "his Highness has

just issued express orders that this man be carefully tended, and kept

within."

The Colonel cast a look full of displeasure at the messenger, and

without trusting himself to utter another word, strode from the hall.

"You see where we would send Jews," observed one of the lads.

"Even where they would rather be."

"How, where?"

"Far from ye."

"And deem ye it not an honour to be admitted within these walls?"

"Ay, sir, such honour as a poor merlin would feel at being caged with

honourable and right honourable eagles. But would ye unravel me, kind

young gentlemen, if Colonel Jones is often seen without his Patients?"

"Oh! you mean the preacher, do ye? Why, yes, frequently now-a-days."

"Ah! what a blessing that must be!"

"As how? master Jew."

"Because others can have their soles mended."

The jest upon the miserable fanatic Patients, who had been a

stocking-footer in London, was not lost upon the lads, though they dared

not countenance it by a very boisterous laugh: they resolved, however,

to become more intimately acquainted with the facetious Jew.

"You ought not to laugh so loud, Morrison," said the elder page. "You

know you are a sort of nephew to his Highness, now that your uncle,

Doctor Wilkins, is married to the Lady French, his Highness's sister."

"And here is my uncle," returned the other. "He said he had permission

to call for me. Ah! he is never angry at a little jest, so long as it

is innocent. I heard a gentleman say last night that 'he was by nature

witty, by industry learned, by grace godly.' What think ye of that for a

character?"

As the subject of this panegyric drew near, Robin thought he had never

seen a more sweet or gracious countenance: he looked "peace on earth and

good will towards men." His entire expression was that of pure

benevolence; and though the eye was something wild and dreamy, yet it

was gentle withal, and of marvellous intelligence. He seemed like one,

and such he truly was, to whom the future as well as the present would

be deeply indebted. The use he made of his alliance with the Cromwell

family must ever be regarded as most noble; instead of aggrandising

himself and his friends, he rendered it only subservient to the great

wish of his heart--the promotion of learning, which, it cannot be

denied, was at that time in danger of being overthrown by bigotry and

fanaticism: for this reason it was that he opportunely interposed to

shelter Oxford from the moroseness of Owen and Godwin. Well might his

eye look dreamy. How could that of the author of a "Discovery of a New

World" look otherwise? He openly maintained that, not only was the moon

habitable, but that it was possible for a man to go there. His reply to

the Duchess of Newcastle, herself a visionary, when she jested a little

at his theory, although sufficiently known, is still worthy of

repetition.