The true northerner., 1877-08-24
MOnmOuth's Rebellion.

After the battle in which Lord Fever
sham, the general of James H., overthrow
the army of the rebel Duke of Monmouth,
some sad acts of cruelty were perpetrated
by the Boyalists Among other incidents
connected with that rebellion and ts re-
suits, we shall quote one which is known
to the historian by the name IF The Legend
OF the swori." 1t appears that while Lord
Fcvcrshan WAS entertaining himself with
the execution of the prisoners, many of HIS
officers returned 10 Weston, and, without
ceremony, went into the different houses
and ordered refreshment One, an i'll bred
ruffian, went into the family house OF the
Bridges, which had been so recently the
head quarters of his general, who. though
not welcome guest had received all the
attenti ons due to a stranger, by the rules
of old English hospitality. The intruder
fastened through the great hall TO the par
lor where the ladies were assembled, who
had not recovered from the fright which
the long continued sound of great guns had
occasioned. After having made use of the
most ungentlemanlike expressions, the
armed and cowardly miscreant proceeded
TO offer gross insult to the lady of the
mansion. when her daughter, Miss Mary
Bridge, (between eleven and twelve years
of age). drew his sword and stabbed him to
the heart She was brought before Colonel
Kirke. and tried by court-martial, when
the fair, young and interesting heroine
was not only honorably acquitted but also
received an order that the sword should be
given to her, and that it should descend 10
the future Mary Bridges of the family.
The relic was last in the possession OF Miss
Mary Bridge, of Bishops Hull, near Taun-
ton, who bore on her seal, Mary Bridge,
$685. surmounted by an exact representa-
tion of the sworde."
When the battle of Sedgemoor was won,
q cruel act of wanton barbarity was com
mitted upon n prisoner. A very fine young
man, holding au ensign's commission In
the Dukes army, was among the prison
ers; and IL was represented to Feversham
that he could show extraordinary feats Of
agility. With promise of saving his life.
he submitted 10 be stripped. when one end
of "A halter was fastened round his neck,
and the other round that of wild young
colt They started ut furious rate, in
Weston, and the horse fell exhausted by
the side of his ill-fated companion at Brins-
field Bridge, in Chedzoy, distance of three
quarters of mile, when the young man.
worn down with fatigue, claimed his par
don but the inhuman general ordered him
TO be hanged with the rest on the fatal
Sussex tree. The natives of the Zoylands
speak Of the White Lady," who was long
seen about the great grave, dressed in
white. and who died, bereft Of reason, at
Weston. She was the betrothed of this
young soldier.
But another intended victim was moro
fortunate This was John Swain, native
of Shapwick. He was taken in his bed a
few nights after the fight by two of Kirkc's
dragons, who, on the following morning,
were marching him TO Bridgewater His
young wife and two children, attended by
several Of the villagers, followed him and
when he arrived al that part of tho parish
called Loxley Wood, he fell on his knees
and petitioned that the prayer of father
doomed to death might be heard, and that
he might be allowed to show g how far he
could leap, that his children, when grown
up, might keep him in remembrance" His
prayer was granted when he ran and took
three successive leaps, and before the SOL
diers had recovered from their astonish-
ment, he had entered the adjoining coppice.
which was so thfckly wooded and full Of
swamps as 20 render it impossible for the
horses to follow. He remained in the
bitches of the neighborhood until the time
of slaughter was overpassed, when he 70
turned to his happy family.