I am sent hither to warn thee, O
King, and thou wilt do well not to despise my words. Repent ere it be
too late. Wonderfully hath thy life been preserved. Dedicate the
remainder of thy days to the service of the Most High. Persecute not His
people, and revile them not. Purge thy City of its uncleanness and
idolatry, and thy Court of its corruption. Profane not the Sabbath"--
"I see how it is," interrupted Archee with a scream; "the man hath been
driven stark wud by your Majesty's Book of Sports."
"A book devised by the devil," cried Hugh Calveley, catching at the
suggestion; "and which ought to be publicly burnt by the hangman,
instead of being read in the churches. How much, mischief hath that
book done! How many abominations hath it occasioned! And, alas! how much
persecution hath it caused; for have not many just men, and sincere
preachers of the Word, been prosecuted in thy Court, misnamed of
justice, and known, O King! as the Star-Chamber; suffering stripes and
imprisonment for refusing to read thy mischievous proclamation to their
flocks."
"I knew it!--I knew it!" screamed Archee, delighted with the effect he
had produced. "Take heed, sirrah," he cried to the Puritan, "that ye
make not acquaintance wi' 'that Court misnamed of justice' yer ain
sell."
"He is liker to be arraigned at our court styled the King's Bench, and
hanged, drawn, and quartered afterwards," roared James, far more enraged
at the disrespectful mention made of his manifesto, than by anything
that had previously occurred.
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