The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

WOODSTOCK. 29
forth; therefore, do thou desist, or if thou wilt do by my advice, remain and
fructify with those poor goslings, to whom I am presently about to shako
forth the crumbs of comfortable doctrine."
" Give place, thou man of Satan," said the priest, waxingwroth, " respect
mine order- my cloth."
"I see no more to respect in the cut of thy cloak, or in the cloth of which
it is fashioned," said the other, "than thou didst in the Bishop's rochets -
they were black and white, thou art blue and brown. Sleeping dogs every
one of you, lying down, loving to slumber-shepherds that starve the flock
but will not watch it, each looking to his own gain- hum."
Scenes of this indecent lind were so common at the time, that no one
thought of interfering; the congregation looked on in silence, the better
class scandalized, and the lower orders, some laughing, and others backing
the soldier or minister as their fancy dictated. Meantime the struggle waxed
fiercer; Mr. Holdenough clamoured for assistance.
"Master Mayor of Woodstock," he exclaimed, " wilt thou be among those
wicked magistrates, who bear the sword in vain? -Citizens, will you not
help your pastor? - Worthy Alderman, will you see me strangled on the
pulpit stairs by this man of buff and Belial?-But lo, I will overcome him,
and cast his cords from me."
As Holdenough spoke, he struggled to ascend the pulpit stairs, holding
hard on the banisters. His tormentor held fast by the skirts of the cloak,
which went nigh to the choking of the wearer, until, as he spoke the words
last mentioned, in a half-strangled voice, Mr. Holdenough dexterously
slipped the string which tied it round his neck, so that the garment suddenly gave way; the soldier fell backwards down the steps, and the liberated
divine skipped into the pulpit, and began to give forth a psalm of triumph
over his prostrate adversary. But a great hubbub in the church marred
his exultation, and although he and his faithful clerk continued to sing the
hymn of victory, their notes were only heard by fits, like the whistle of a
curlew during a gale of wind.
The cause of the tumult was as follows: —The Mayor was a zealous Presbyterian, and witnessed the intrusion of the soldier with great indignation
from the very beginning, though he hesitated to interfere with an armed
man while-on his legs and capable of resistance. But no sooner did he
behold the champion of independency sprawling on his back, with the
divine's Geneva cloak fluttering in his hands, than the magistrate rushed
forward, exclaiming that such insolence was not to be endured, and ordered
his constables to seize the prostrate champion, proclaiming, in the magnanimity of wrath, " I will commit every red-coat of them all-I will commit
him were he Noll Cromwell himself!"
The worthy Mayor's indignation had overmastered his reason when he
made this mistimed vaunt; for three soldiers, who had hitherto stood motionless like statues, made each a stride in advance, which placed them betwixt
the municipal officers and the soldier, who was in the act of rising; then
making at once the movement of resting arms according to. the manual as
then practised, their musket-buts rang on the church pavement, within an
inch of the gouty toes of Master Mayor. The energetic magistrate, whose
efforts in favourof order were thus checked, cast one glance on his supporters,
but that was enough to show him that force was not on his side. All had
shrunk back on hearing that ominous clatter of stone and iron. He was
obliged to descend to expostulation.
"What do you mean, my masters?" said he; "is it like a decent and
God-fearing soldiery, who have wrought such things for the land as have
never before been heard of, to brawl and riot in the church, or to aid, abet,
and comfort a profane fellow, who hath, upon a solemn thanksgiving
excluded the minister from his own pulpit?"
"We have nought to do with thy church, as thou call'st it," said he who,
c2