When Charles the First was King by J.S. Fletcher

I think there was little more dancing amongst us upon that evening, for no one seemed to have much heart left for merrymaking after hearing Philip Lisle's news. Certainly the country had not been so peaceful during the past few years as to make us feel that we were suddenly thrown out of a state of security into a condition of danger. No man, I suppose, had thought that the difference 'twixt King and Commons could have other ending than this. For so many years had the struggle gone on and always with so much increase of bitterness on either side that nothing but the shedding of blood could bring peace to us again. And yet civil war is a terrible and a fearful thing, for it is, as I think, a setting of brother against brother and father against son. Now, I think naught of one nation going to war with another, for that seems natural and is only to be looked for, seeing that human nature is what it is. Indeed, to fight with Frenchmen or Spaniards seems to be one of the chief duties of a true Englishman who loves his country. But for Englishmen to fight with Englishmen, that, indeed, is vastly out of place and ought never to be.

The assembly broke up into knots and fell to discussing the situation. Parson Drumbleforth, whose face had grown very anxious when he heard the news, drew near to Philip Lisle and began to question him. A group of others stood round us, hearkening to what was said.