The Presbyterian Church
judicatory of the bounds, considering the ceremony as a bravading insult
upon their authority, had applied to the Lord Keeper, as the nearest
privy councillor, for a warrant to prevent its being carried into
effect; so that, when the clergyman had opened his prayer-book, an
officer of the law, supported by some armed men, commanded him to be
silent. An insult which fired the whol assembly with indignation was
particularly and instantly resented by the only son of the deceased,
Edgar, popularly called the Master of Ravenswood, a youth of about
twenty years of age. He clapped his hand on his sword, and bidding
the official person to desist at his peril from farther interruption,
commanded the clergyman to proceed. The man attempted to enforce his
commission; but as an hundred swords at once glittered in the air, he
contented himself with protesting against the violence which had been
offered to him in the execution of his duty, and stood aloof, a sullen
adn moody spectator of the ceremonial, muttering as one who should say:
"You'll rue the day that clogs me with this answer.
Pages:
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70