The Knight Of The Golden Melice, John Turvill Adams [the reading list TXT] 📗

To The Customs Of The Congregation,

And Might Yet, From The Influence Of Godly Edmund Dunning's Child, Be

Converted Into A Vessel Of Grace. Moreover, The Story Was Pretty Well

Known, And The Romantic Love Which Had Attracted Him From New-England,

And The Wrong The Two Had Suffered From Spikeman, Worked In Their

Favor In The Hearts Of The Puritans. The Marked Attention Which The

Generous Winthrop Manifested Now Toward Them, Seeming As If Anxious By

Present Kindness To Atone For Former Injustice, Contributed Also Not A

Little To The Feeling; And, Honored And Beloved, The Young Couple,

With The Sanguine Anticipations Of Youth, Looked Forward To A

Cloudless Future. Yet Was Their Happiness, Especially That Of Arundel,

Damped By Reflections Upon The Condition Of The Pequot Chief And The

Lady In The Prison, And Of The Knight Wandering Homeless In The

Forest, With No Place Of Shelter For His Defenseless Head Save The

Wigwams Of The Friendly Savages. Knowing The Severity Of The

Government, The Foreboding Mind Of The Young Man Was Harrassed With

Apprehensions For The Fate Which Might Befall Them. Access To The Lady

Geraldine Was Permitted To Him And Eveline, And Thus Were They Able To

Bestow Upon The Unhappy Lady At Least Their Sympathy, For Of Nothing

Else Would She Accept; But No One Was Allowed To See The Sagamore. In

Vain Arundel Pleaded And Intreated; In Vain He Recounted His Personal

Obligations To The Chief; He Was Firmly Repulsed, And Told That Though

The Feeling Was Honorable, It Constituted No Claim For The Violation

Of A Rule Which Their Circumstances Imposed.

  

 

Disappointed And Somewhat Incensed At The Unnecessary Harshness, As He

Conceived, Wherewith The Chief Was Treated, And At The Suspicion

Implied Toward Himself, He, One Day On His Return From An Unsuccessful

Attempt To Obtain An Order For Admission To The Prison, From Winthrop,

Poured Out His Vexation And Wounded Pride To His Mistress. 

 

 

"Is It Not," He Said, "Most Extraordinary, This Refusal To Allow Me To

Say To A Man Who Saved My Life, That I Have Not Forgotten Him? Is It

Because Their Treatment Of The Unfortunate Sagamore Is So Bad That

They Are Unwilling It Should Be Known? Or Do They Think That In Open

Day I Would Attempt To Rescue Him?"

  

 

"It Is More Likely," Said Eveline, "To Conceal The Weakness Of The

Prison."

  

 

"By Heaven, Eveline, Thy Woman's Wit Hath Discovered The Cause. I Have

Been Thinking Over His Wrongous Confinement, And My Debt, Till I Can

Endure My Inaction No Longer, And I Swear By St. George Of England,

That I Will Soon Seek An Opportunity To Deliver The Noble Savage From

The Undeserved Death, Which Sure Am I, Is His Intended Doom."

  

 

"I Blame Thee Not, Miles," Said Eveline. "One Were Craven To Forget A

Benefit. Only Show Me How I Can Aid Thee, And My Assistance Shall Not

Be Wanting." 

 

 

"Nay," Said Her Lover. "This Is No Matter Wherein Soft, Small Hands

Like Thine Must Interfere."

 

 

 

"It Is Not So Big As Thine," She Said, Measuring The Little Hand On

The Palm Of Arundel, "But Such As It Is, It Shall Ever Be At The

Service Of Honor And Justice. Were I A Man I Would Strike A Blow For

The Sake Of The Generous Chief, Even Although Sure Of Being Prostrated

To The Earth By A Hundred The Next Instant." 

 

 

The Color Of Eveline Was Heightened, And Her Voice Trembled A Little,

As She Made The Declaration.

 

  

"Thy Language, Dearest, Is A Spur To A Determination Already Formed.

Were Sassacus To Lose His Life, And I To Leave This Land, Conscious Of

Having Omitted Anything To Save It, (At Present So Greatly

Imperilled,) The Thought Would Cast A Gloom Over The Remainder Of My

Days, Which, Even Thy Love Could Not Chase Away."

 

  

"Yet Run Into No Unnecessary Danger--Do Not Be Rash. What Have I Done

By My Imprudent Words?" Said The Young Lady, Tears Swelling Into Her

Eyes, As The Possible Consequences Of What She Had Said, Occurred To

Her Mind. "O Miles, Heed Me Not. What Do I Know Of Such Things!"

  

 

"To Prudence And Courage," Said Arundel, "There Is Little Danger In

Any Enterprise; But Sooner Shall Life Desert Me, Than I The Pequot

Chief." 

 

 

They Parted, He To Ponder Means To Accomplish His Purpose, And She

Alternately To Reproach And To Forgive Herself, For Encouraging Her

Lover In An Undertaking Full Of Peril, Yet Demanded By Gratitude And

Honor.

 

Chapter XXIX (No Wound, Which Warlike Hand Of Enemy Inflicts With Dint Of Sword, So Sore Doth Light, As Doth The Poisonous Sting Which Infamy Infixeth In The Name Of Noble Wight; For By No Art, Nor Any Leeches Might, It Ever Can Reco

 

 

  

  Spenser's Faery Queen.

 

  

 

The Reader Is Introduced, Once More, Into The Company Of The Assembled

Magnates Of The Massachusetts Bay, In New-England, And Into The Same

Room Where We Beheld Them Before. Governor Winthrop, Upon The Elevated

Dais, In His Elbow Chair, Presides, While, Ranged Around The Central

Table, Is A Full Attendance Of The Assistants. Not As Before, However,

Are Spectators Admitted. Saving The Honorable Council, No Person Is

Present, For The Business Before Them Has Reference To Concerns Of

State, As Well As To A Judicial Examination, And It Is Considered

Expedient To Conduct It In Secrecy. The Members, At The Moment We

Enter, Are Engaged In An Earnest Discussion, And It Is The Rough Voice

Of Deputy Governor Dudley Which First Salutes The Ear.

 

  

"It Were Of Little Avail," He Said, As If Objecting To Something Which

Had Been Proposed. "Let Us Not, Like The Ancient Pharisees, Lay Upon

The Shoulders Of The People Burdens Too Heavy To Be Borne."

 

 

 

"Thy Comparison," Said Endicott, In Reply, "Is Somewhat Unpleasing,

And The Shoe Fits Us Not; But In Vain Hath Been Our Pilgrimage Hither,

If We Continue To Imitate The Unhappy Model We Left Behind."

 

 

 "Call You," Said Dudley, "The Accidental Shaping Of A Ruff, Or The

Manner Of Disposing Of The Folds Of My Galligaskins, An Imitation Of A

Prelatical Model?"

  

 

"And Call You," Retorted Endicott, "The Requiring Of People Vowed To

The Lord, To Dress Themselves In A Plain And Unpretentious Manner, A

Burden Too Heavy To Be Borne?"

 

 

 

"Gentlemen," Said Winthrop, "Ye Be Both In The Right, _Procul Dubio_,

It Becomes Us, Of All Men, To Apparel Ourselves In A Sober Manner, As

Thus Protesting Against The Foolish Vanities Of The World, And Yet Is

It In Some Sort A Burden, To Be Required To Change The Fashion Of Our

Garments."

  

 

"I Perceive, Already, With Much Sadness Of Heart," Said Endicott, "A

Declension In That Strictness Of Regimen Which Marked The Earlier

Time. Have Ye Not Heard Of The Godly Man Who, Long Time, Had Been

Prisoner At Norwich For The Cause, And Was By Judge Cook Set At

Liberty? Now, This Man, Desiring To Go Into The Low Countries By Ship

From Yarmouth, Did Turn Into The House Of An Ancient Woman In The

City, Who Had Been Very Kind And Helpful To Him In His Sufferings, In

Order To Return Thanks, And She Knowing His Voice, Made Him Welcome.

But When He Was Ready To Depart, She Came Up To Him And Felt Of His

Band, (For Her Eyes Were Dim With Age,) And Perceiving It Was Somewhat

Stiffened With Starch, She Was Much Displeased, And Reproved Him Very

Sharply, Fearing God Would Not Prosper His Journey. Yet Was The Man A

Plain Countryman, Clad In Grey Russet, Without Either Welt Or Guard,

(As The Proverb Is,) And The Band He Wore Scarce Worth Three Pence,

Made Of Their Own Homespinning. What Would Such Professors, If They

Were Now Living, Say To The Excess Of Our Times?"

 

  

"Thy Tale," Said Dudley, A Little Sarcastically, "Reproaches Thine Own

Band."

  

 

"I Did Instance This Case," Replied Endicott, Slightly Abashed, "Not

As Acknowledging Myself Literally Bound To Accept It As A Guide For

Mine Own Conduct, But For The Wholesome Admonition Therein Contained."

 

 

 

"That Is To Say," Returned Dudley, "Inasmuch As It Jumps Not With Thy

Humor, Thou Wilt None Of It; But Being Fitted, As Thou Conceivest, To

Reproach Us Withal, Thou Dost Accept It." But Having Sufficiently

Annoyed The Other, He Added, By Way Of Makepeace, "There Is One Custom

Which My Soul Abhors, And Against The Which I Desire With Thee, Master

Endicott, To Bear My Testimony, And That Is The Coming Of Women

Unveiled Into The Congregation. I Remember That The Venerable Countess

Of Lincoln Had A Falling Veil To Conceal Her Features, When She Came

Into The House Of The Lord, To Worship With His People."

 

  

In Spite Of Himself, A Smile Passed Over The Face Of Winthrop, As It

Did Also Over Those Of Several Assistants.

  

 

"What Excites Your Risibles, Gentlemen," Asked Dudley, Severely. "I

Trust That I Am Not The Subject Of Your Mirth."

 

 

 "For Me, Sir," Said Master Simon Bradstreet, On Whom The Eyes Of The

Deputy Happened To Rest At The Conclusion Of The Sentence, "If Thou

Desirest An Answer, I Will Crave Permission First To Inquire, If This

Discreet Lady, Who, From Thy Epithet, I Infer To Be Somewhat Advanced

In Life, Was Preeminently Distinguished For Beauty?"

  

 

"Although Of A Gracious Presence, I Cannot Say That She Greatly

Excelled In That Respect," Answered Dudley.

 

 

 "Then," Replied Master Bradstreet, "I See Not How The View Of Her Face

Could Disturb The Devotions Of The Congregation."

 

 

 "Ye Smile, My Masters," Said Dudley, Looking Round, "As Though Ye Had

Me At Advantage; But Ye Consider Not The Importance Of The Example Of

A Lady So High In Station, And So Exemplary In Her Christian Calling.

Not So Much On Account Of Herself, But For Other's Sakes, Was It Done

By The Godly And Honorable Lady."

 

  

"I See No Foundation Therefor In Scripture," Said An Assistant.

"Surely Married Women Have No Pretext To Wear Veils As Virgins,

Neither Would Married Nor Unmarried Choose To Do So From The Example

Of Tamar The Wanton, Nor Need They Do It For Such Purpose As Ruth Did,

In Her Widowhood."

 

  "We Claim No Certain Warrant Of Scripture For The Practice," Said

Endicott, Coming Up To The Rescue Of The Deputy, "But Only As Being

Based On The Propriety And Fitness Of Things."

 

  

"Fall You Not Then Into The Very Condemnation Of The Scribes And

Pharisees, Who Imposed Upon The People Burdens Enjoined Neither By

Moses Nor The Prophets?" Said The Same Assistant, Using The Deputy's

Own Argument. 

 

 

"Nay," Said Master Increase Nowell. "If We Confine Ourselves Strictly

To What We Find In The Scripture, I Fear It Might Strike, In Some

Respects, At The Proceedings Of Our Government. The Sounder Rule, It

Appears To Me, Is To Follow Scripture As Far As We May, Having Regard

To The Difference Of The Circumstances."

 

 

 

"Such Hath Been Our Endeavor," Said Endicott. "The Manner Of Our

Dealing With The Vile And Pernicious Weed, Tobacco, Sufficiently

Illustrates The Principle Of Our Government. The Wisdom Of The Godly

Founders Of The Plantation At Salem, The Charge Whereof Was Entrusted

To My Weak Hands, Did Clearly Perceive The Lamentable Effects, Both To

The Souls And Bodies Of The Users, Hebetating The Former, And

Debauching The Latter, Likely To Arise From An Indulgence Therein, And

They Did Therefore, Both In Their First And Second Letter Of

Instructions To Myself And The Council, Straightly Enjoin That No

Tobacco Should Be Planted By Any Of The New Planters Under Our

Government, Saving Under Close Restrictions, And That The Same Might

Be Taken By Ancient Men And None Other, And That Privately. Now, There

Were Those Affecting To Be Pinched With Tender Consciences, Who Said

That This Was An Infringement Of Their Natural Liberty, Authorized By

No Rule Of Scripture, To Whom We Made Answer That The Said Abominable

Weed, The Smoke Whereof May Fitly Be Compared To The Vapor From The

Bottomless Pit, Was Not Known In Those Primitive Days, And For That

Reason, No Rule Regarding It Was To Be Found, Showing At The Same Time

That Other Things, Less Objectionable, (As It Would Seem,) Were

Prohibited, And Thus By Parity Of Reasoning, Establishing Our Point.

Concerning This Matter, As