HOW THE SUBURBS OF THE CITY WERE BURNT.
Every moment of that eventful day had its employment for the king,
who had now a most painful duty to perform. Most reluctantly had he
given his assent to the execution of the stern decree of the council
of war, which enjoined that all persons dwelling without the walls
should remove their goods forthwith, and take refuge within the city,
since it was necessary that their habitations should be burnt down,
in order that they might not afford shelter to the foe. Now, the
suburbs of Worcester, as we have already explained, were extremely
populous, and consequently great numbers of houses--indeed, several
small streets--were thus doomed to destruction. The greater part of
the luckless occupants obeyed the mandate without a murmur, though
it deprived them of a home. The mayor, the aldermen, and the sheriff
rendered every assistance in their power, and the goods of the poor
folks thus ousted, were temporarily placed in the churches. The king
expressed his profound sympathy for the sufferers, and promised them
compensation for their losses. Alas! it was but a promise.
The occasion called forth the active zeal of Jane Lane, and never
had it been more energetically displayed. Accompanied by Sir Clement
Fisher and her brother, she rode through all the districts destined to
destruction, and wherever she found a little crowd assembled, or heard
murmurs, she halted and earnestly exhorted submission to the decree.
"Blame not the king," she said, "for this severe measure, but blame
the great rebel and regicide, who has rendered it necessary. It is
Cromwell, the murderer of your martyred sovereign, who comes hither to
ravage your city, and slay your rightful king, that he may set himself
up in his place, who thus drives you from your homes. Charles, your
king, loves you, and would save you from this ruthless general and his
fierce and fanatical soldiery, who will put you all to the sword if
they obtain the victory. Resist, therefore, to the uttermost. Better
that your houses should be burnt down than that they should afford
shelter to such an enemy. Better your wives should be driven forth than
exposed to the insults of Cromwell's soldiery. Quit your homes without
hesitation and without murmuring, but with the deep determination to be
avenged upon the foe. 'Tis a sacrifice you are called upon to make for
your king--but we all make sacrifices for him. Right, justice, truth
are on our side: treason of the darkest dye, rebellion and oppression,
are on the other. Fight for your lawful king. Place your trust in
Heaven, and you will triumph over these bloodthirsty rebels."
While uttering these stirring words, which produced an extraordinary
impression upon those who heard them, she looked as if inspired. Her
beautiful features assumed a very different expression from that which
they ordinarily wore. For the moment they had lost all their softness,
and when speaking of Cromwell, her eyes flashed as with lightning, her
proud nostrils distended, and her delicate lips curled fiercely. Her
beauty, her energetic language, and fiery looks produced, as we have
said, the strongest effect upon her auditors, and roused within them
a burning desire of vengeance. No longer they thought it a hardship
to quit their homes, but were eager to fight for the king, and, if
need be, lay down their lives for him. All feelings of discontent were
subdued, and the greatest enthusiasm for the royal cause was awakened.
Even the women who listened to her were almost as much roused as their
husbands. Nor when she had departed did the effect of her eloquence
subside. Wrath against Cromwell had now taken possession of every
breast. Old Noll was the real author of the cruel decree. Old Noll had
driven them from their homes. Old Noll would burn down the city itself,
and massacre them all, men, women, and children, if he could. But the
king would prevent it. Long live the king!--Down with the Republic!
Night had come on before all the necessary preparations were completed.
Combustibles having been placed in most of the houses, and bands of men
employed to set fire to them at a given signal, the conflagration began
almost simultaneously on every side, and in a surprisingly short space
of time the city was encompassed by a semicircle of fire. The spires
and towers of the churches caught the red reflection of the flames, and
a ruddy glow illumined the massive roof and tower of the cathedral. All
the principal buildings were lighted up.
Viewed from the heights, it seemed as if the fire, which burnt with
great fierceness, was gaining upon the walls and gates; but this was
not so, all needful precautions having been taken to prevent its too
near approach. Luckily the night was almost calm. A gentle breeze from
the south carried the flames from the city. Overhead hung a cloud of
smoke. The spectacle was magnificent; the soldiers could be seen on
the gates and walls, the engineers on the summit of Fort Royal and
the Blockhouse, while all the troops outside the city were clearly
distinguishable.
The conflagration did the Royalists an unexpected service by revealing
the engineers engaged in raising the breastwork in front of Perry Wood.
The operations of these men were quickly stopped by the guns of Fort
Royal, to which they offered an excellent mark. Two artillerymen and a
matross were killed, and the rest dispersed.
The defenders of the fort, having thus learnt that a detachment of the
enemy was hidden in Perry Wood, continued their cannonade briskly, and
sent shot into different parts of the thicket in the hope of dislodging
the Parliamentarians. Little did they think that among those whom they
had driven off was the Lord General himself, who chanced at the time
to be superintending the construction of the breastwork. One of the
artillerymen was killed close beside him.
With the utmost calmness, Cromwell gave orders to the engineers to
suspend their work till the fire had burnt out, and then deliberately
withdrew to a place of safety, whence he watched the progress of the
conflagration, the cause of which he had comprehended from the first.
Several shots passed over his head and shattered the trees beyond him,
as he stood behind a hedge bank with his constant attendant Dighton.
His curiosity was excited, for the fortifications were more completely
revealed by this fierce glare than by daylight. He could count the
large guns on Fort Royal, and the sakers, demi-cannons, culverins, and
falcons on the Blockhouse.
"Ha!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Methinks I see the young man, Charles
Stuart, on the summit of yon blustering fort, which he took from
Colonel James, and which I shall soon retake from him. Were he wise,
he would stop this furious and senseless cannonading. But the noise
pleases him. Dost note what he has done, Dighton?"
"He has fortified the city strongly, according to my opinion, your
excellency."
"Ay, he has fenced it--doubly fenced it with high walls and
bulwarks--he has armed his forts better than I thought he could have
done, chiefly yon new fort on the Castle Hill, for this Blockhouse hath
no real ordnance--and he hath placed his troops with some judgment;
but neither troops nor defences will avail him. There will soon be a
breaking down of the walls, and then woe to those within the city that
has upheld him. I shall not spare them. England must never again be
invaded by a Stuart."
"This pretender to the throne must die on the same scaffold as his
father at Whitehall," observed Dighton.
"'Twere better he should die here at Worcester," rejoined Cromwell,
sternly. "Then these bigoted fools cannot make a martyr of him. In any
case, he must not escape to give me further trouble. I mean not that he
troubles me, but the state."
"I quite understand your excellency."
"Mark well what I say to thee, Dighton," pursued Cromwell. "On the 3rd
of last September, as thou knowest well, a great victory was wrought
at Dunbar; but on the anniversary of that day, now close at hand, a
still greater victory will be achieved here at Worcester. The false
light that has deluded so many will then be as utterly extinguished
as yon fire will be ere long, and nothing more will be heard of
Charles Stuart and his pretensions to the throne. But the power of the
army must then be recognised, and----" He paused, as if unwilling to
complete the sentence.
But Dighton finished it for him, by adding:
"And the ruler of the country can be no other than the Lord General
Cromwell."
"I do not desire to rule, Dighton; but I would have my country well
governed and wisely."
"And no one could govern it so wisely and so well as your
excellency--of that I am assured."
"Thou flatterest me," said Cromwell, not displeased. "But this is idle
talk. The decisive battle has yet to be fought."
"I look upon it as already won," rejoined Dighton. "As the Lord
instructed Joshua how to take Ai, so will he instruct a greater general
than Joshua how to take this rebellious city."
"That the great work will be perfected I nothing doubt," said Cromwell.
"But I have seen enough of yon burning houses, and will tarry here
no longer. I must visit all the outposts, in case a sally should be
made; though, judging from appearances, I do not think aught will be
attempted to-night."
He then made his way through the wood, closely followed by Dighton,
and ere many minutes reached a sheltered spot where his escort awaited
him. Mounting his charger he next proceeded to the camp at Red Hill,
where he found Colonel Lilburn and Lord Grey on horseback and attended
by several officers. They had been watching the conflagration which was
now almost extinguished. Cromwell and Lilburn visited all the outposts,
after which the Lord General rode through the park to Spetchley.