The proclamation was against public vice and immorality of various
sorts which were unpunishable by law. It set forth that there were
many persons who had no method of expressing their allegiance to their
Sovereign but that of drinking his health, and others who had so
little regard for morality and religion as to have no respect for the
virtue of the female sex.

The loyaly of the Lancasterians might be unimpeachable, but their
amusement at the proclamation was equally beyond question.

"That from Charles Stuart!" said one, with a laugh; and he added, with
more familiarity of affection for his King than reverence for his
august state, "What a sly dog he is, to be sure!"

"Who is that big man in the long coat?" said another, who had not
participated in the banter of his companions on the Puritanical
devices of Charles and his cronies. He was jerking his head aside to
where a man whom we have known in other scenes was pushing his way
through the crowd.

"Don't know; no one knows, seemingly," answered the politician whose
penetration had solved the mystery of the proclamation against vice
and all loose livers.

"He's been in Lancaster this more nor a week, hasn't he?"

"Believe he has; and so has the little withered fellow that haunts him
like his shadow. Don't seem over-welcome company, so far as I can
see."