society of their friends, exercise of their professions, comfort of books
’”
-
ho! ho! —’”
‘“use of paper or ink, but even violated that near union which God hath established between men and their wives, whereby they have been bereaved of the comfort and conversation one of another for many years together, without hope of relief…
”
- Comfort of books -
this is excellent for our trade, Robert!’
‘We shall see …’ Allibone was rightly cautious. Printers would soon be summoned to the bar of the House of Commons to account for seditious material, and in coming weeks an order would be given to collect certain books from stationers and burn them. The conclusion is good.’ Allibone retrieved the paper.
‘“That His Majesty may have cause to be in love with good counsel and good men”…’
Gideon pulled a face. ‘Why not simply say they hate the cut of his beard?’
Revolts come and go but young men remain the same. At twenty Gideon Jukes was obsessed with beard and whisker design. With fair hair and equally fair skin-tones, the current fashions made him look from almost any distance as if he had a long upper lip and a pointed chin. He had let his hair grow down to his shoulders, an unsuccessful experiment to show he was no longer an apprentice, but was tormented by whether or not to remain clean-shaven.
Robert had been beardless as long as Gideon had known him, his chestnut hair clean, trimmed and parted centrally. For all the usual reasons, Gideon wanted more dash. He had been brought up to aim for a plain appearance — but, having given much thought to this, he knew women would not be tempted to adventure by a demurely respectable look.
‘I saw King Charles once.’ Gideon chose not to mention that he had been acting in a masque at the time. (One thing was sure; he could not have a courtier’s beard.) ‘His Majesty smiles to right and left — but does not see or listen.’
‘He must hear this.’
And if not?’
‘I fear he will rue it.’
And I fear we shall all be hanged,’ replied Gideon, the pragmatist. It did not hold him back from supporting the Remonstrance.
When the King arrived home from Scotland, surprisingly, he was received with fervent rejoicing. He entered London in procession and enjoyed a four-course feast in Guildhall. This did not go down well with Robert and Gideon nearby in Basinghall Street. Church bells pealed and the fountains ran with wine. There was divisiveness, however. The King dined in his majesty with the House of Lords; the Lord Mayor and alderman, though his hosts for the event, were allowed only to form an audience in the upper gallery. The House of Commons was snubbed entirely; none was invited.
The Scottish Presbyterians had been pacified, but the Irish Catholics rebelled, fired by resentment towards the many English settlers. Horrific stories of massacre and mutilation circulated.
Is this true, or invented to arouse passions?’ Gideon demanded as he read the details, all eagerly believed by the public, who were appalled and terrified.
‘Oh, we must publish and let the people judge,’ his partner answered.
Gideon was silent for a moment. He remained an idealist. ‘People will believe these stories
because
they are printed.’
A few printers provided reasoned comments but most were selling sensational stories. The King viewed Ireland as a conquered province full of savages. Now came sickening accounts of the revenge taken by these downtrodden people: the Lord Justice forced to hide in a hen-house, a bishop’s family found shivering in rags in a snowdrift, an immigrant Englishwoman hanged by her hair from her door, a bulky Scotsman murdered and rendered into candles, allegedly hundreds of thousands killed, pregnant wives and young daughters raped, babies spitted on pikes, children hanged. Official reprisals followed. Horrors carried out by the King’s forces were then reported, horrors on a scale that even shocked veterans of the brutal war
’”
-
ho! ho! —’”
‘“use of paper or ink, but even violated that near union which God hath established between men and their wives, whereby they have been bereaved of the comfort and conversation one of another for many years together, without hope of relief…
”
- Comfort of books -
this is excellent for our trade, Robert!’
‘We shall see …’ Allibone was rightly cautious. Printers would soon be summoned to the bar of the House of Commons to account for seditious material, and in coming weeks an order would be given to collect certain books from stationers and burn them. The conclusion is good.’ Allibone retrieved the paper.
‘“That His Majesty may have cause to be in love with good counsel and good men”…’
Gideon pulled a face. ‘Why not simply say they hate the cut of his beard?’
Revolts come and go but young men remain the same. At twenty Gideon Jukes was obsessed with beard and whisker design. With fair hair and equally fair skin-tones, the current fashions made him look from almost any distance as if he had a long upper lip and a pointed chin. He had let his hair grow down to his shoulders, an unsuccessful experiment to show he was no longer an apprentice, but was tormented by whether or not to remain clean-shaven.
Robert had been beardless as long as Gideon had known him, his chestnut hair clean, trimmed and parted centrally. For all the usual reasons, Gideon wanted more dash. He had been brought up to aim for a plain appearance — but, having given much thought to this, he knew women would not be tempted to adventure by a demurely respectable look.
‘I saw King Charles once.’ Gideon chose not to mention that he had been acting in a masque at the time. (One thing was sure; he could not have a courtier’s beard.) ‘His Majesty smiles to right and left — but does not see or listen.’
‘He must hear this.’
And if not?’
‘I fear he will rue it.’
And I fear we shall all be hanged,’ replied Gideon, the pragmatist. It did not hold him back from supporting the Remonstrance.
When the King arrived home from Scotland, surprisingly, he was received with fervent rejoicing. He entered London in procession and enjoyed a four-course feast in Guildhall. This did not go down well with Robert and Gideon nearby in Basinghall Street. Church bells pealed and the fountains ran with wine. There was divisiveness, however. The King dined in his majesty with the House of Lords; the Lord Mayor and alderman, though his hosts for the event, were allowed only to form an audience in the upper gallery. The House of Commons was snubbed entirely; none was invited.
The Scottish Presbyterians had been pacified, but the Irish Catholics rebelled, fired by resentment towards the many English settlers. Horrific stories of massacre and mutilation circulated.
Is this true, or invented to arouse passions?’ Gideon demanded as he read the details, all eagerly believed by the public, who were appalled and terrified.
‘Oh, we must publish and let the people judge,’ his partner answered.
Gideon was silent for a moment. He remained an idealist. ‘People will believe these stories
because
they are printed.’
A few printers provided reasoned comments but most were selling sensational stories. The King viewed Ireland as a conquered province full of savages. Now came sickening accounts of the revenge taken by these downtrodden people: the Lord Justice forced to hide in a hen-house, a bishop’s family found shivering in rags in a snowdrift, an immigrant Englishwoman hanged by her hair from her door, a bulky Scotsman murdered and rendered into candles, allegedly hundreds of thousands killed, pregnant wives and young daughters raped, babies spitted on pikes, children hanged. Official reprisals followed. Horrors carried out by the King’s forces were then reported, horrors on a scale that even shocked veterans of the brutal war
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