Whitefriars, or, The days of Charles the Second Volume 1-2; an historical romance

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 Excerpt: …for a boat, a boat!” Numbers of small boats instantly put off to the rescue of these unfortunate individuals, but pver all Blood’s terrible voice was pre-eminent. A sculler approached, rowed by a gigantic fellow, who, however, kept ax a Cautious distance from the stairs, calling out, ” Cash first, cash first!–wont be diddled!”; “Ay, ’tis the only friend in need!” exclaimed Blood, tossing a moidore into the fellow’s boat. ” Here, here–another at Shadwell Lock.” 4 The sculler’s head instantly touched the stairs, and a crowd of miserable fugitives made a rush to enter it. But the colonel knocked them down right and left with his bludgeon, threw Mervyn in, followed himself, and instantly pushed off. amidst a general yell of despair from the crowd. But the colonel’s heart was steeled to supplications, and he laughed scornfully as every stroke of the oar placed them at a greater distance. ” The birds are flown for whom the springe is set,” he observed. ” But I’ll be revenged on master fowler Oates some day!–Eogues! I’ll warrant, they’ll have a good swill at my claret!” This thought seemed to be very bitter to him, for he dwelt on it almost till they reached Shadwell, which they soon accomplished, as both wind and tide were in their favour. Blood dismissed the waterman on landing, with a moidore more than his fee, to secure his secrecy, and Mervyn found himself standing on a stone causeway which led to two or three straggling houses. Shadwell at that period was a mean village, surrounded by marshy fields, and principally tenanted by fishers, and men who picked up a living in various ways on the river. Blood led the way up a narrow miry lane, and paused before the ruins of a house, which, from the black and …