The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-01-21
A Long Prayer

i "A Long Prayer /.
losiglnall
One evening soon after the accession
0f King Charles ii, Of England d young
Eia called at the palace Of Whitehall
and begged 10 see Tue sovereign. She
wnnld not have succeeded had II not
Heen that he was leaving TO 80 to the
rooms OF his mistress, Lady Castle
maine. Charles passing the girl. who
was evidently suffering from some
great mental strain, asked her what
she wanted.
"Oh, sire, give me the life OF my
brother, Arthur Hewer, who - to De
executed tomorrow Oh Tower hill
Hewer had fought Oh the side Of the
parliament, and upon the restoration
certain parties high IN power deemed
it expedlent that he should be put to
death. The king was not blood
thirsty man. but a great admirer Of
beautiful women. Alsry Hewer. who
was beautiful. gained from him
promise that her brother should be
pardoned. Then the king passed On.
Mary, delighted, was abouts to hurry
away when d courtieri young Sir Rich
ard Tyner, called To her
tsYou do not know the king, he said,
His majesty intends TO grant the par
don he has promised. but he has gone
to visit Lady CastIeHlaine. and heaven
knows when be will come away 5lasn
her Itstnay be 100 late 10 keep his
promise or be may forget It. l win Do
what.I car for son by reminding him
Of it as soon as he comes again
Mary Hswer was greatly cast down
at this information. but gained hope At
the young mans PROMISE Tie next
morning she received a message from
him saying that the king hasl not re
turned To the palace. and he feared he
would not return III time 10 order the
pardon sent to the Tower before the
hour at execution
Hewer was III be executed at 8
o'clock IN the afternoon. In those days
all people. the highest and the lowest.
attended these executions. for which
places were engaged ahead. III a diary
OF a prominent man who then four
ished is an entry. Engaged a place
for my wife to see she execution. then
went to the Office When the hour
for the tragedy came the prisoner was
conducted to the scanold. from whence
he looked down upon 4 sen Of upturned
faces. There were dukes aud bakers
and tallow chambers
"A few minutes before . the a0nef
chaplain offered d short prayer for tie
prisoners soul. Then as THE execu-
toner stepped forward d young man
Ia the canonleals Of the Church Of
England produced an order from
James, duke Of York (the kings
younger hrotherl. that be should be
permitted 10 pray for the, condemned
man so long as be desired. The young
clergyman then knelt and began to
pray.
A half hour passed. when the leu
tenant Of the Tower interrupted the
clergyman, reminding him that the
spectators were getting impatient for
the execution. The young man drew
the dukes order and pointed 70 Tie
words as long as DE. desires The
kings brother was too high 4 person
age for his order to be dlsobeyed. 50
the lieutenant stepped back. aud tie
clergyman went on with his prayer
But the clamoF became 50 great that
the lieutenant again Interrupted. teg
ging the clergyman 10 deslst This
time the young man pafa no attention
I to the request. He was kneeling. with
one hand on the block, his head Sink.
ling lower aud lower, his voice bacom.
/ ing fainter and fainter For nearly
/ two hours he prayed Then there was
chatter Of horses hoofs heard coming
up from the city. and d rider was seen
/ dashlng toward the Tower holding al0ff
q paper. He was Sir Richard Yyner
and bore a pardon from the king As
! be threw himself from his horse and
eIbowed his way through the crowd to
the scaffold the wouis died on the
clergyman's lips and he sank IN a
gwoon
Both the prisoner nov by the kings
order free man-and Sir Richard
leaving the crowd TO mingle shouts Of
dIsapproval or approval, turned their
attention to ne young clergyman
whose extraordinary effort Ut prayer
| had saved the formers life. Since he
could not he at once revived they sert
for a coach-and. putting aim IN i. got
in themsel IS and droSe away 60 the
home az tho released man. Before thy
/ reached IL the clergyman opened his
eyes and seeing Hewer beside him.
threw his arms about his neck
] Arthur
/ Mary
Mary Hewer during the morning hes
fore the execution had conceived the
plan, IL delay should be necessary q
achieving II by spending time ia pray
er. She had sent ID Sir Richard ygner
asking IL he could Eet her permission
for clergyman to do SO. and the
knight. finding the Duke Of York. with
whom he was a favorite, prevailed on
him to give him the order II was sent