Loftus

“ It was Sybell Loftus's first season in London since her second marriage with Mr. Doll Loftus. After a very brief sojourn in that city of frivolity she had the acumen to discover that London society was hopelessly worldly and mercenary; that people only met to eat and to abuse each other; that the law of cutlet for cutlet was universal; that young men, especially those in the Guards, were garrisoned by a full complement of devils; that London girls lived only for dress and the excitement of husband-hunting. In short, to use her own expression, she "turned London society inside out." ”

“ An hour's rapid driving soon brought us in sight of the long avenue, the lighted windows, and quaint façade of the old mansion, at the door of which I drew up; and as I threw the whip and reins to Willie Pitblado, and, fearless now even of Mamma Chillingham, handed my companion down, tenderly and caressingly, I found myself an engaged man, and the fiancé of one of the fairest women in Britain—the brilliant Louisa Loftus! ”

“ Loftus, under the hope of separating us forever, has intercepted every letter to you and every letter from you. I suppose the wretch feared I might become impatient, and break my engagement if our correspondence were allowed. He trembled lest the business should be blown before the rector died, and he, in consequence, lose both the expected living and his present situation about Lord Avon. A villain! for once he has judged rightly. I will unmask him to my father, and show him what it is to purchase advancement at the expense of honor and justice. ”

“ I am not one to force myself on them as has got up in the world, and [227] think honest service a disgrace. It's Ephraim Loftus!"
"Not Mr. Loftus at the Poplars?"
"Mr. Loftus at the Poplars! The very same. My own sister's son, and little credit he is to either of us. Don't ask me how he made his money, for I don't know, and don't want to know. When he was a little boy, his pockets were always full of pennies that he got from the other boys, trading and the like, and nobody had a kindness for him, though they loved Martha. ”

“ Scully—I beg ye'r honor's pardon—but ye know that business must be minded," he said, and hurried off.
No man assumes the semblance of indifference, and masks his feelings more readily than an Irishman, and Pat Loftus was no exception to his countrymen. When summoned by the host's whistle, he came to the door lilting a planxty merrily,—but when he re-entered the stable, the melody ceased, and his countenance became serious.
"I hid behind the straw, yonder, Colonel, and overheard every syllable that passed, and under the canopy bigger villains are not than the two who are together now. ”

“ In 1629 the king granted Loftus the unusual favour of a general license to visit England when he pleased, leaving the great seal in the hands of the commissioners last appointed, of whom his cousin, Sir Adam Loftus of Rathfarnham, co. Dublin, was one (Morrin, p. 463) . Falkland left Ireland in August 1629, and the chancellor became lord justice along with Sir Richard Boyle, afterwards Earl of Cork. In 1632 Loftus took an active part in forcing William Newman, afterwards his chaplain, upon Trinity College as a fellow (Elrington, Life of Ussher, p. 150; Stubbs, p. 64) . ”

“ Be not so angry, good Sir Loftus! let us end this business for the present, and when I am at leisure to hear the remainder of your declarations, which has been so unfortunately interrupted, I'll send and let you know.
Sir Loft. No, 'faith, madam! you have heard the last words I shall ever say to you upon the subject. A large fortune may make amends for an ordinary person, madam, but not for vulgarity and impertinence. Good morning. (As he is going out enter Servant.)
Ser. Lord Saunter, and Colonel Gorget are coming up stairs, to see how Sir Loftus Prettyman does after his fall. ”

“ He challenged Sir Richard Bingham, President of Munster, to a duel, and came to actual blows in the council chamber with Sir Nicholas Bagenal. He aroused the deadly enmity of Loftus, Archbishop of Dublin, who set many plots on foot to work his undoing. One Philip Williams, a former secretary of Perrot's, was set on by Loftus to make revelations reflecting on Perrot's loyalty, which gained such credence that they resulted in his recall to England in 1588. ”

“ Henry with a smile.
"Exactly. Don't you think it was rather dishonourable of you to go and tell the English master of it this morning?"
"I did not do so."
"We think it was," continued Loftus, wholly disregarding the denial. "A gentleman could not be guilty of such an act. You have but just come among us, and in any case the matter was none of yours. Perhaps you will concern yourself in future with your own affairs, and not with ours. The first desk is not accustomed to this kind of thing." ”

“ Dr. Loftus furnished him with money to carry him to London, and he appealed to the committee of sequestrations for the benefits of the Dublin capitulation. On learning that he was the author of 'Vindiciæ Regum,' the committee told him he deserved to have his head cut off, and passed on to the next business without giving him any redress. Armed with a letter from Fairfax, he had better fortune with the committees at Northampton and Anglesey, to which he was driven by poverty to resort on foot. ”

“ You sha’n’t be worried about it any more.”
“It is paid already, dear. Steve saw to that at once. You are very kind, but Barney would not like it, and we have a good deal of money still left. Philippa drew it out of the bank.”
“You will be in the workhouse soon,” Mrs Loftus prophesied cheerfully. “I never heard anything more mad than to spend your capital as you are doing. Just think of the inroads you must have made into it this year!”
“I’d rather not, Aunt Loftus, if you don’t mind. It is always the first step which costs, but we have made a start, and hope to do wonders next year. ”

“ Loftus wrote that Walsh ‘was of great credit among his countrymen,’ who ‘depended wholly upon him as touching causes of religion.’ He suggested that Walsh should be sent to England to undergo the persuasions of English bishops. He seems, however, to have remained a prisoner at Dublin till Christmas 1572, when, probably with his gaoler's connivance, he escaped. ”

“ Loftus is on the borders of the Cleveland mining district, and it is for this reason that the town has grown to a considerable size. But although the miners' new cottages are unpicturesque, and the church only dates from 1811, the situation is pretty, owing to the profusion of trees among the houses, has railway-sidings and branch-lines running down to it, and on the hill above the cottages stands a cluster of blast-furnaces. In daylight they are merely ugly, but at night, with tongues of flame, they speak of the potency of labour. ”

“ In 1567 he was translated to the archbishopric of Dublin, where the queen looked to him to carry out reforms in the Church. On several occasions he temporarily executed the functions of lord keeper, and in August 1581 he was appointed lord chancellor of Ireland. Loftus was constantly occupied in attempts to improve his financial position by obtaining additional preferment. ”

“ He looked round the table and murmured in a low voice, "Cissie Loftus. Isn't it odd? I wrote and told her about it, but I never received an answer to my letter."
"Poor, poor boy! I call that really touching! Will you show me the initials some day?"
"Oh no. Impossible." He was stern, adamantine. She hastily went on. "So you're very keen—interested in the stage, Mr. Rathbone?"
"Well, in the stage door. I collect programmes, and I haven't missed a first night since I was twenty!"
"Fancy! Then I ought to remember your face, at all the theatres!" ”

“ Irish with 1,200 acres of land, and he was ‘minded rather to continue in the poor state’ of nominal primate with St. Patrick’s thrown in. He had, however, admitted that he could do no good in the Northern see, ‘for that altogether it lieth among the Irish.’ Love of money was throughout the bane of [Pg 356] Loftus, and went far to neutralise the good effects of his learning and eloquence. [361]
Loftus is removed to Dublin.
Having determined to remove Loftus to Dublin, the Queen seriously thought of making the Dean, Terence Daniel, Primate of All Ireland. ”

“ In fact, we know of a possible tenant already, and I think it quite likely that he may take the lease from us at Michaelmas if we decide to move.”
There was a rustle of silken skirts as Mrs Loftus sat upright in her chair and gave a short preliminary cough before entering into the conversation.
“But if you get it cheaply, why should you move at all? I think it would be a fatal mistake. Living must be very cheap in this out-of-the-world place; and you have a garden, I see, which must keep you supplied with vegetables. ”

“ The writer's name is not given, but he is described as a rector and Rural Dean in the late Established Church of Ireland, and a Justice of the Peace for two counties. It has this added interest that it was told to Queen Victoria by the Marchioness of Ely.
"Loftus Hall, in County Wexford, was built on the site of a stronghold erected by Raymond, one of Strongbow's followers. His descendants forfeited it in 1641, and the property subsequently fell into the hands of the Loftus family, one of whom built the house and other buildings. ”

“ Henry. "If you only knew the gain! There's not a kind action that we ever do, but insures its own reward; there's not a word of ill-nature, a secret deed of malice, but comes home to us fourfold, sooner or later. Look out carefully as you go through life, and see whether I do not tell you truth."
"Young Paradyne is free for me," said Loftus, speaking up frankly. And Irby nodded his head in acquiescence.
"Thank you greatly; I shall take it as a kindness shown myself," said Mr. Henry. He turned and looked at Trace. ”

“ But his activity in this sphere brought him into open conflict with many landowners, including the Earl of Ormonde, who objected to his trespassing in the county of Tipperary (ib. c. 52) . On the other hand, Archbishop Loftus admitted he had with his twenty-four horsemen ' done more good service than anyone captain in this land' (ib. lxxxviii. 26) . ”

“ During Gerard's absence in England, in 1576 and 1579, Loftus filled the office of lord keeper, and on 21 Nov. he received additional authority to hear causes. On 6 March 1581 he was again constituted lord keeper, and on 16 Aug. he was created lord chancellor, an office which he held till his death (Lib. Hib.) Apparently also about the same time, 1579, he obtained, ‘on account of the exility and tenuity of his see,’ the chancellorship of St. Patrick's, with the rectory of Finglas annexed. His desire to increase his income did not escape the notice of his enemies ”

“ Armagh, however, at this time was in the possession of Shane O'Neill, and on 2 Sept. 1562 Sussex explained that, owing to the absence of sundry of the chapter, ‘whereof the greatest part be temporal men and Shane O'Neill's horsemen,’ the dean could not proceed to the election (Shirley, Orig. Letters, xlv.) . In January 1562 Loftus accompanied Sussex to England, apparently on business connected with the archbishopric; for on 5 Oct., shortly after his return to Ireland, he received a commission to order ecclesiastical causes in the diocese, and to take the temporalities of the see from 30 Oct. ”

“ At their feet lie the shattered symbols of human greatness and power, and upon the narrow space of earth that overhangs the deep abyss are figured the brighter forms of illusions that endure through every changing fashion of the world. A knight in armour pricks on his horse in quick pursuit of the rainbow-tinted bubble of glory; on his right are two lovers; on his left an aged student still pores over his work by the last rays of the dying sun; while in the shadow of the group may be seen the form of a little child chasing a butterfly. ”

“ You are a man of great studiosity. To see the world in your company is an opportunity not to be sneezed upon. No, no, indeed."
"How did you like the life at Oxford?" asked the Doctor.
"Oh, passably, passably," said Bumpo. "I liked it all except the algebra and the shoes. The algebra hurt my head and the shoes hurt my feet. I threw the shoes over a wall as soon as I got out of the college quadrilateral this morning; and the algebra I am happily forgetting very fast—I liked Cicero—Yes, I think Cicero's fine—so simultaneous. ”

“ And then—you'll see—I'll soon find a way to make the King let us all out of prison."
"Oh, what can you do?" said Gub-Gub, turning up his nose and beginning to cry again. "You're only a bird!"
"Quite true," said the parrot. "But do not forget that although I am only a bird, I can talk like a man—and I know these darkies."
So that night, when the moon was shining through the palm-trees and all the King's men were asleep, the parrot slipped out through the bars of the prison and flew across to the palace. The pantry window had been broken by a tennis ball the week before ”

“ And that uppish you'd think they owned the place!"
"I'll soon settle them, when I get back," said Jip. "I hope we go soon."
"How does the garden look, Cheapside?" asked the Doctor.
"A1," said the sparrow. "Weeds in the paths, o' course. But the iris under the kitchen window looked something lovely, they did."
"Anything new in London?" asked the white mouse who was also city bred.
"Yes," said Cheapside. "There's always something doing in good old London. They've got a new kind of cab that goes on two wheels instead of four. A man called 'Ansom invented it. ”