Taunton, Or The Town We Live in ...F. May, 1858 - 175 pages |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adorned aisle Aline ancient Angersleigh arms army battle beautiful became Bishop of Bath Bishop of Winchester Bishop's Hull Black Ditch Blake borough Bridgwater building built called Castle Cavaliers chapel CHAPTER chief chiefly command dear Duke East England English entrance erected Exeter father fire friends gaol garrison gate Grey ground heart Henry Heptarchy horse inhabitants James King King Ina King's kingdom land London look Lord market-house monasteries Monmouth morning nave night observed Almavero once ornamental parish Parliament Perkin Warbeck poor Portman pretty Prince Charles priory rebels reign river river Tone road Robert Blake Romans Rome royal Royalist Sedgemoor sent Signor Almavero silk sister Somerset Somersetshire soon stone Storey Street Tangier Taunton Castle Taunton Deane tion took tower town of Taunton trees troops walls Warbeck Weldon West Saxons whilst Wilton Winchester Arms young
Popular passages
Page 159 - THE Lord bless us, and keep us : the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us : the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and give us peace, now and for evermore.
Page 146 - to that person." He then accosted John Ketch the executioner, a wretch who had butchered many brave and noble victims, and whose name has, during a century and a half, been vulgarly given to all who have succeeded him in his odious office. "Here," said the Duke, "are six guineas for you. Do not hack me as you did my Lord Russell. I have heard that you struck him three or four times. My servant will give you some more gold if you do the work well.
Page 141 - Rhine: but the guide, in the fog, missed his way. There was some delay and some tumult before the error could be rectified. At length the passage was effected: but, in the confusion, a pistol went off. Some men of the Horse Guards, who were on watch, heard the report, and perceived that a great multitude was advancing through the mist.
Page 140 - The clock struck eleven, and the Duke with his bodyguard rode out of the Castle. He was not in the frame of mind which befits one who is about to strike a decisive blow. The very children who pressed to see him pass, observed and long remembered that his look was sad and full of evil augury. His army marched by a circuitous path, near six miles in length, towards the royal encampment on Sedgemoor.
Page 149 - At every spot where two roads met, on every market place, on the green of every large village which had furnished Monmouth with soldiers, ironed corpses clattering in the wind, or heads and quarters stuck on poles, poisoned the air, and made the traveller sick with horror.
Page 150 - They exacted a thousand pounds from Roger Hoare, a merchant of Bridgewater, who had contributed to the military chest of the rebel army. But the prey on which they pounced most eagerly was one which it might have been thought that even the most ungentle natures would have spared. Already some of the girls who had presented the standard to Monmouth at Taunton had cruelly expiated their offence.
Page 141 - The wains which carried the ammunition remained at the entrance of the moor. The horse and foot, in a long narrow column , passed the Black Ditch by a causeway. There was a similar causeway across the Langmoor Rhine: but the guide, in the fog, missed his way.
Page 143 - ... down everything before them ; the king's infantry came pouring across the ditch. Even in that extremity the Mendip miners stood bravely to their arms, and sold their lives dearly. But the rout was in a few minutes complete. Three hundred of the soldiers had been killed or wounded, of the rebels more than a thousand lay dead on the moor. So ended the last fight, deserving the name of battle, that has been fought on English ground.
Page 139 - ... be attended with success. He resolved to run the hazard, and preparations were instantly made. " It was Sunday, and his followers who had for the most part been brought up after the Puritan fashion, passed a great part of the day in religious exercises.
Page 147 - The hangman addressed himself to his office. But he had been disconcerted by what the Duke had said. The first blow inflicted only a slight wound. The Duke struggled, rose from the block, and looked reproachfully at the executioner. The head sunk down once more.