The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-26

vent prayers or DUKE or MONMOUTH
thanks that all sin was about to be
abolished and that a pious man was
leading their country back to the
good old days" Of Oliver Cromwell.
The "pious man" was James, Duke
OF Monmouth. He had about as much
piety as a peacock-and almost as
much beauty. To this day it Is hard
to decide whether he was more black.
guard or arrant coward. Probably an
equal blend Of both.
Charles II of England died without
direct heir. Thus his younger broth
er mounted the throne as King James
IL Many English people hated and
distrusted King James. Many politi-
clans looked on him as an enemy of
their pet schemes. A large number
Of Englishmen were Puritans who
were disguised with the dissipation
and extravaganza of Charles reign
and sighed for the graver, godlier
times of Cromwell
Monmouth was the son Of one Lucy
Walters, who claimed to have been
secretly married to Charles III. Mon
rightful heir to the British throne.
He land the politicians who made use
OF him) said the records of the mar
riage and OF his birth were hidden
in a mysterious black box" and
would be produced at the proper time.
Charles had publicly denied this story.
But this proved little. For Charles
had had a way Of denying anything
he did not want to confess. And be
had lent color 20 the rumor by his
great affection for young Monmouth.
Now that Charles was dead and
James was on the throne, in 1885,
Monmouth was thrust forward by a
group Of shrewd men as England's
Lawful King. His advisers first
worked on the weak Dukes ambitions,
then persuaded the Puritans that he
would bring back the customs of
Cromwell. They induced Monmouth
to raise the flag OF rebellion in the
west of England where Puritanism
was Strongest. Monmouth proclaimed
himself King at Taunton, and de
clared James II had poisoned King
Charles to gain the crown.
st once thousands Of farmers, peas.
ants and shopkeepers hocked to tho
Dukes standard. They were simple,
honest, God-fearing men who believed
Monmouth's promises and hated evil
living. But no noblemen Except a
few exiled adventures, etc. joined
him.
At Sedgemoor, in the early morning
nP TIL
found themselves close to the Kings
army. The Duke had planned a night
attack. But in the darkness his forces
came to water ditch they could not
cross. There, unable to advance, they
were attacked and routed by the royal
soldiery. The peasants and other Pur-
itans fought like heroes and were lit
orally cut to pieces before they would
retreat. But at almost the very be-
ginning of the battle Monmouth fed in
terror, leaving the helpless followers
to die for a man who was deserving
them. This was the last battle ever
fought on English soilD Those not
killed in fight were hunted out and
slaughtered by the soldiery or hanged
by hundreds at Judge Jeffrey's cruel
orders.
Monmouth galloped away, closely
pursued. Later. disguised as a beg.
gar, he was caught in a bean field
where he had hidden. In vain he went
down on his knees weeping, entreating
his captors to spare him He was sent
TO London Tower, and was condemned
to death. He offered the King any
thing to spare him, promising to be-
tray his associates, change his reli-
gion-anything! Says Macaulay: HE
chung In agonies Of supplication
around the knees Of the King" But
James knew no mercy. Then Mon
mouth wrote to the Queen, begging
her to intercede for his life, saying
with better fervor than spelling:
i do abhor the thing that l have
done. l detest all those
people who have brought me to this.
I am an object Of your pity.
having been cOusened and cheated in
to this horrid business.
Your prairs cannot be refused. since
/ am begging for life only to serve the
King"
Even this whine did not save him,
though II was later reported that hs
was smuggled to a French prison and
became The Man in the Iron Mask"
yet Monmouth was really beheaded,
July Is, 1885. Finding he could not
live, he managed TO go to the scaffold
with some show of bravery, even ad-
yising the executioner how best to
sever his head at one stroke. This
advice made the executioner SO nerY\
Gus that he bungled the deed.
So persisted the handsomest, vain
est, most tickle man of his time A
man unworthy to rule; unworthy to
hAys led drawer. trusr men to their