The king was a protestant, but no less the king; and not this man, but his parents, had sinned in forsaking the church--of which sin their offspring had now to bear the penalty, reaping the whirlwind sprung from the stormy seeds by them sown.

For what were the puritans but the lawfully-begotten children of the so called reformation, whose spirit they inherited, and in whose footsteps they so closely followed?
In the midst of such reflections, dawned slowly in the mind of the devout old man the enchanting hope that perhaps he might be made the messenger of God to lead back to the true fold the wandering feet of his king.

But, fail or speed in any result, so long as his castle held together, it should stand for the king.
Faithful catholic as he was, the brave old man was English to the backbone.
And there was no time to lose.

This visit of search, let it have originated how it might, and be as despicable in itself as it was ludicrous in its result, showed but too clearly how strong the current of popular feeling was setting against all the mounds of social distinction, and not kingly prerogative alone.

What preparations might be needful, must be prudent.
That same night, then, long after the rest of the household had retired, three men took advantage of a fine half-moon to make a circuit of the castle, first along the counterscarp of the moat, and next along all accessible portions of the walls and battlements.