Roanoke of Roanoke Hall: A Romance — page 85: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Roanoke of Roanoke Hall. 79 derous attempt to carry off the regalia of England, and, most strangely, received at court, which set many tongues wagging that had better have been still, yet did Stephen Ashland, knowing doubtless his own guilt and peril, fly for shelter to this most singular house of his, where, ever since, he had re- sided, the solitude and lack of pastime hav- ing undermined his wits. — I never after could think of this fearful old man without admiration, conjuring up in my boyish brain faint visions of the sights he must have seen, the deeds he must have had a hand in. He may have seen the good Queen Eliza- beth in her terrible old age; he may have spoken with that sweet singer, as he hath most rightfully been styled, William Shake- speare; he had sailed the Spanish Main, and had fought for gold and jewels in the Indies; he was already nine years old at the discovery of the damnable plot to blow ur the king, lords, and Parliament with gun- powder stored in the cellars ; he had shared in the bloody battles of the war ; and had grieved doubtless at the murder of the king. Of gonmicbooks.com