It is impossible to read or meditate concerning that period of history
in which the scene and action of my tale are laid without partaking of
the feelings of both parties in that great quarrel, and “being (in an
innocent sense) on both sides.”
In such a spirit has my story been conceived and written. Until the
sword was drawn, the more generous and constitutional Royalists were
separated by but a faint line from the best and most patriotic men of
the Parliament party.
I have, however, confined myself more particularly to the
contemplation of those miseries and violent acts of persecution which
the appeal to arms brought upon many private families, and especially
upon those of the clergy.
In the contrivance of such a fiction, it became necessary to introduce
pictures of fanaticism and hypocrisy, and to describe scenes of
cruelty and of low interested persecution; but such parts of the story
must not be considered separately from the rest. The general tenor of
my volumes will, I trust, be found in strict consistency with that
charity that “thinketh no evil,” but “hopeth all things.”