beneath it the regicide, Henry Martin, spent the last twenty years of
his life and died." The man spoke the word "regicide" as though he felt
the stigma that it carries with it everywhere in England, even though
applied to the judge who condemned to death Charles Stuart, a man who
well deserved to die. And when Britain punished the regicides and
restored to power the perfidious race of the Stuarts, she was again
putting upon herself the yoke of misgovernment and storing up another
day of wrath and bloodshed.

[Illustration: RUINS OF RAGLAN CASTLE, SOUTH WALES.]

From Chepstow it is only a short journey to Raglan, whose ruined castle
impressed us in many ways as the most beautiful we saw in Britain. It
was far different from the rude fortress at Chepstow. In its best days
it combined a military stronghold with the conveniences and artistic
effects of a palace. It is fortunately one of the best-preserved of the
castellated ruins in the Kingdom. Impressive indeed were the two square
towers flanking its great entrance, yet their stern aspect was
softened by the heavy masses of ivy that covered them almost to the top.
The walls, though roofless, were still standing, so that one could gain
a good idea of the original plan of the castle. The fire places, with
elaborate mantels still in place, the bits of fine carvings that clung
to the walls here and there, the grand staircase, a portion of which
still remains, all combined to show that this castle had been planned as
a superb residence as well as a fortress. From the Gwent tower there was
an unobstructed view stretching away in every direction toward the
horizon. The day was perfect, without even a haze to obscure the
distance, and save from Ludlow Castle, I saw nothing to equal the
prospect which lay beneath me when standing on Raglan Tower.