Synopses & Reviews
WOODSTOCK OK, THE CAVALIER. INTRODUCTION WOODSTOCK. r l HE busy period of the great Civil War was one in which the character arid g o enius of dif ferent parties were most brilliantly displayed, and, accordingly, the incidents which took place on either side were of a striking and extraordinary character, and afforded ample foundation for fictitious composition. The author had in some measure attempted such in Peveril of the Peak but the scene was in a remote part of the kingdom, and mingled with other national differences, which left him still at liberty to glean another harvest out of so ample a store. IV INTRODUCTION TO In these circumstances, some wonderful ad ventures winch happened at Woodstock in the year 1049, occurred to him as something he had lone ago read of, although he was unahle to tell where, and of which the hint appeared sufficient, although, doubtless, it might have been much better handled if the author had not, in the lapse of time, lost every thing like an accurate recollection of the real story. It was not until about this period, namely, 1831, that the author, hcingcallcd upon to write this Introduction, obtained a general account of what really happened upon the marvellous occasion in question, in a work termed The Every-day Book published by Mr Hone, and full of curious antiquarian research, the object being to give a variety of original information concerning manners, illustrated by curious in stances, rarely to be found elsewhere. Among other matter, Mr Hone quotes an article from the British Magazine for 1747, in the following words, and which is probably the document whicli the author of Woodstock had formerly perused, although he wan unable to refer to thesource of his information. The tract IN entitled, The Genuine History of the Good Devil of Woodstock, famous in the world, iu WOODSTOCK. V the year 1649, and never accounted for, or at all understood to this time. The teller of this Genuine History pro ceeds verbatim as follows Some original papers having lately fallen into my hands, under the name of Authentic Memoirs of the Memorable Joseph Collins of Oxford, commonly known by the name of Funny Joe, and now intended for the press I was extremely delighted to find in them a circumstantial and unquestionable account of the most famous of all invisible agents, so well known in the year KUi, under the name of the Good Devil of Woodstock, and even adored by the people of that place, for the vexation and distress it occasioned some people they were not much pleased with. As this famous story, though related by a thousand people, and attested in all its circumstances, beyond all possibility of doubt, by people of rank, learn ing, and reputation, of Oxford and the adjacent towns, has never yet been generally accounted for, or at all understood, and is perfectly ex plained, in a manner that can admit of no doubt, in these papers, I could not refuse my readers the pleasure it gave me in reading. There is, therefore, no doubt that, in the vi INTRODUCTION TO year 1649, a number of incidents, supposed to be supernatural, took place at the Kings palace of Woodstock, which the Commissioners of Parliament were then and there endeavouring to dilapidate and destroy. The account of this by the Commissioners themselves, or under their authority, was repeatedly published, and in particular, is inserted as relation sixth of Satans Invisible WorldDiscovered, by George Sinclair, Professor of Philosophy in Glasgow, an approved collector of such tales...
Synopsis
This book contains the first volume of Walter Scott's 1826 historical novel, Woodstock. Set immediately after the English Civil War, it tells the story of Charles II's escape in 1652 - his ensuing life - and his victorious entry back into London in 1660. Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, poet, and playwright. He is considered the first truly international English-language author and many of his works remain classics of both English and of Scottish literature. Many vintage texts such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now, in an affordable, high-quality, modern edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author.