“These marks,” he said to the mercer, “are, I suppose, private, and could not be read save by one in the merchant’s confidence?”

“That is so,” the mercer replied.  “I myself am in ignorance of the meaning of these various symbols.”

“You will forgive me,” the Parliament officer said to Harry.  “In these times one cannot be too suspicious, and even the best friends of the Commons need not grudge a little delay in their journeyings, in order that the doings of the malignants may be arrested.”

Harry in a few words assured the officer that he bore him no malice for his arrest, and that, indeed, his zeal in the cause did him credit.  Then again mounting his horse, he quietly rode out of Abingdon.  This time he met with no difficulties, and an hour later entered Oxford.

Here he found his father and many of his acquaintances.  A great change had come over the royal city.  The tone of boastfulness and anticipated triumph which had pervaded it before the second battle of Newbury had now entirely disappeared.  Gloom was written upon all faces, and few entertained any hopes of a favorable termination to their cause.  Here a year passed slowly and heavily.  The great proportion of Sir Henry Furness’ troop were allowed to return to their farms, as at present there was no occasion for their services in the field.

All this time the king was negotiating and treating; the Parliament quarreling furiously among themselves.  The war had languished everywhere.  In the west a rising had been defeated by the Parliament troops.  The Prince of Wales had retired to France; and there was now no force which could be called an army capable of taking the field.

The bitterness of the conflict had for a long time ceased; and in the general hope that peace was at hand, the rancor of Cavalier against Roundhead softened down, A great many of the adherents of Charles returned quietly to their homes, and here they were allowed to settle down without interruption.

The contrast between this state of things and that which prevailed in Scotland was very strong, and has been noted by more than one historian.  In England men struggled for principle, and, having fought the battle out, appeared to bear but little animosity to each other, and returned each to his own pursuits unmolested and unharmed.  In Scotland, upon the other hand, after the defeat of Montrose, large numbers of prisoners were executed in cold blood, and sanguinary persecutions took place.

In Parliament the disputes between the Independents and Presbyterians grew more and more bitter, the latter being strengthened by the presence of the Scotch army in England.  They were greatly in the majority in point of numbers; but the Independents made up for their numerical weakness by the violence of their opinions, and by the support of the army, which was entirely officered by men of extreme views.