westward ho- 第5部分

〃They　say；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃that　he　told　her　plainly　he　should　be　a　prince　before　he　died；　and　that　she　gave　him　one　of　her　pretty　quips　in　return。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　her　majesty　had　the　best　of　it。　　A　fool　is　many　times　too　strong　for　a　wise　man；　by　virtue　of　his　thick　hide。　　For　when　she　said　that　she　hoped　she　should　hear　from　him　in　his　new　principality；　'Yes；　sooth；'　says　he；　graciously　enough。　　'And　in　what　style？'　asks　she。　　'To　our　dear　sister；'　says　Stukely：　to　which　her　clemency　had　nothing　to　reply；　but　turned　away；　as　Mr。　Burleigh　told　me；　laughing。〃

〃Alas　for　him！〃　said　gentle　Mrs。　Leigh。　　〃Such　self…conceitand　Heaven　knows　we　have　the　root　of　it　in　ourselves　alsois　the　very　daughter　of　self…will；　and　of　that　loud　crying　out　about　I；　and　me；　and　mine；　which　is　the　very　bird…call　for　all　devils；　and　the　broad　road　which　leads　to　death。〃

〃It　will　lead　him　to　his；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃God　grant　it　be　not　upon　Tower…hill！　for　since　that　Florida　plot；　and　after　that　his　hopes　of　Irish　preferment　came　to　naught；　he　who　could　not　help　himself　by　fair　means　has　taken　to　foul　ones；　and　gone　over　to　Italy　to　the　Pope；　whose　infallibility　has　not　been　proof　against　Stukely's　wit；　for　he　was　soon　his　Holiness's　closet　counsellor；　and；　they　say；　his　bosom　friend；　and　made　him　give　credit　to　his　boasts　that；　with　three　thousand　soldiers　he　would　beat　the　English　out　of　Ireland；　and　make　the　Pope's　son　king　of　it。〃

〃Ay；　but；〃　said　Mr。　Leigh；　〃I　suppose　the　Italians　have　the　same　fetch　now　as　they　had　when　I　was　there；　to　explain　such　ugly　cases；　namely；　that　the　Pope　is　infallible　only　in　doctrine；　and　quoad　Pope；　while　quoad　hominem；　he　is　even　as　others；　or　indeed；　in　general；　a　deal　worse；　so　that　the　office；　and　not　the　man；　may　be　glorified　thereby。　　But　where　is　Stukely　now？〃

〃At　Rome　when　last　I　heard　of　him；　ruffling　it　up　and　down　the　Vatican　as　Baron　Ross；　Viscount　Murrough；　Earl　Wexford；　Marquis　Leinster；　and　a　title　or　two　more；　which　have　cost　the　Pope　little；　seeing　that　they　never　were　his　to　give；　and　plotting；　they　say；　some　hare…brained　expedition　against　Ireland　by　the　help　of　the　Spanish　king；　which　must　end　in　nothing　but　his　shame　and　ruin。　And　now；　my　sweet　hosts；　I　must　call　for　serving…boy　and　lantern；　and　home　to　my　bed　in　Bideford。〃

And　so　Amyas　Leigh　went　back　to　school；　and　Mr。　Oxenham　went　his　way　to　Plymouth　again；　and　sailed　for　the　Spanish　Main。



CHAPTER　II

HOW　AMYAS　CAME　HOME　THE　FIRST　TIME


〃Si　taceant　homines；　facient　te　sidera　notum；　　　　　Sol　nescit　comitis　immemor　esse　sui。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Epigram　on　Drake。


Five　years　are　past　and　gone。　　It　is　nine　of　the　clock　on　a　still；　bright　November　morning；　but　the　bells　of　Bideford　church　are　still　ringing　for　the　daily　service　two　hours　after　the　usual　time；　and　instead　of　going　soberly　according　to　wont；　cannot　help　breaking　forth　every　five　minutes　into　a　jocund　peal；　and　tumbling　head　over　heels　in　ecstasies　of　joy。　　Bideford　streets　are　a　very　flower…　garden　of　all　the　colors；　swarming　with　seamen　and　burghers；　and　burghers'　wives　and　daughters；　all　in　their　holiday　attire。　Garlands　are　hung　across　the　streets；　and　tapestries　from　every　window。　　The　ships　in　the　pool　are　dressed　in　all　their　flags；　and　give　tumultuous　vent　to　their　feelings　by　peals　of　ordnance　of　every　size。　　Every　stable　is　crammed　with　horses；　and　Sir　Richard　Grenville's　house　is　like　a　very　tavern；　with　eating　and　drinking；　and　unsaddling；　and　running　to　and　fro　of　grooms　and　serving…men。　Along　the　little　churchyard；　packed　full　with　women；　streams　all　the　gentle　blood　of　North　Devon；tall　and　stately　men；　and　fair　ladies；　worthy　of　the　days　when　the　gentry　of　England　were　by　due　right　the　leaders　of　the　people；　by　personal　prowess　and　beauty；　as　well　as　by　intellect　and　education。　　And　first；　there　is　my　lady　Countess　of　Bath；　whom　Sir　Richard　Grenville　is　escorting；　cap　in　hand　（for　her　good　Earl　Bourchier　is　in　London　with　the　queen）；　and　there　are　Bassets　from　beautiful　Umberleigh；　and　Carys　from　more　beautiful　Clovelly；　and　Fortescues　of　Wear；　and　Fortescues　of　Buckland；　and　Fortescues　from　all　quarters；　and　Coles　from　Slade；　and　Stukelys　from　Affton；　and　St。　Legers　from　Annery；　and　Coffins　from　Portledge；　and　even　Coplestones　from　Eggesford；　thirty　miles　away：　and　last；　but　not　least　（for　almost　all　stop　to　give　them　place）；　Sir　John　Chichester　of　Ralegh；　followed　in　single　file；　after　the　good　old　patriarchal　fashion；　by　his　eight　daughters；　and　three　of　his　five　famous　sons　（one；　to　avenge　his　murdered　brother；　is　fighting　valiantly　in　Ireland；　hereafter　to　rule　there　wisely　also；　as　Lord　Deputy　and　Baron　of　Belfast）；　and　he　meets　at　the　gate　his　cousin　of　Arlington；　and　behind　him　a　train　of　four　daughters　and　nineteen　sons；　the　last　of　whom　has　not　yet　passed　the　town…hall；　while　the　first　is　at　the　Lychgate；　who；　laughing；　make　way　for　the　elder　though　shorter　branch　of　that　most　fruitful　tree；　and　so　on　into　the　church；　where　all　are　placed　according　to　their　degrees；　or　at　least　as　near　as　may　be；　not　without　a　few　sour　looks；　and　shovings；　and　whisperings；　from　one　high…born　matron　and　another；　till　the　churchwardens　and　sidesmen；　who　never　had　before　so　goodly　a　company　to　arrange；　have　bustled　themselves　hot；　and　red；　and　frantic；　and　end　by　imploring　abjectly　the　help　of　the　great　Sir　Richard　himself　to　tell　them　who　everybody　is；　and　which　is　the　elder　branch；　and　which　is　the　younger；　and　who　carries　eight　quarterings　in　their　arms；　and　who　only　four；　and　so　prevent　their　setting　at　deadly　feud　half　the　fine　ladies　of　North　Devon；　for　the　old　men　are　all　safe　packed　away　in　the　corporation　pews；　and　the　young　ones　care　only　to　get　a　place　whence　they　may　eye　the　ladies。　　And　at　last　there　is　a　silence；　and　a　looking　toward　the　door；　and　then　distant　music；　flutes　and　hautboys；　drums　and　trumpets；　which　come　braying；　and　screaming；　and　thundering　merrily　up　to　the　very　church　doors；　and　then　cease；　and　the　churchwardens　and　sidesmen　bustle　down　to　the　entrance；　rods　in　hand；　and　there　is　a　general　whisper　and　rustle；　not　without　glad　tears　and　blessings　from　many　a　woman；　and　from　some　men　also；　as　the　wonder　of　the　day　enters；　and　the　rector　begins；　not　the　morning　service；　but　the　good　old　thanksgiving　after　a　victory　at　sea。

And　what　is　it　which　has　thus　sent　old　Bideford　wild　with　that　〃goodly　joy　and　pious　mirth；〃　of　which　we　now　only　retain　traditions　in　our　translation　of　the　Psalms？　　Why　are　all　eyes　fixed；　with　greedy　admiration；　on　those　four　weather…beaten　mariners；　decked　out　with　knots　and　ribbons　by　loving　hands；　and　yet　more　on　that　gigantic　figure　who　walks　before　them；　a　beardless　boy；　and　yet　with　the　frame　and　stature　of　a　Hercules；　towering；　like　Saul　of　old；　a　head　and　shoulders　above　all　the　congregation；　with　his　golden　locks　flowing　down　over　his　shoulders？　　And　why；　as　the　five　go　instinctively　up　to　the　altar；　and　there　fall　on　their　knees　before　the　rails；　are　all　eyes　turned　to　the　pew　where　Mrs。　Leigh　of　Burrough　has　hid　her　face　between　her　hands；　and　her　hood　rustles　and　shakes　to　her　joyful　sobs？　　Because　there　was　fellow…　feeling　of　old　in　merry　England；　in　county　and　in　town；　and　these　are　Devon　men；　and　men　of　Bideford；　whose　names　are　Amyas　Leigh　of　Burrough；　John　Staveley；　Michael　Heard；　and　Jonas　Marshall　of　Bideford；　and　Thomas　Braund　of　Clovelly：　and　they；　the　first　of　all　English　mariners；　have　sailed　round　the　world　with　Francis　Drake；　and　are　come　hither　to　give　God　thanks。

It　is　a　long　story。　　To　explain　how　it　happened　we　must　go　back　for　a　page　or　two；　almost　to　the　point　from　whence　we　started　in　the　last　chapter。

For　somewhat　more　than　a　twelvemonth　after　Mr。　Oxenham's　departure；　young　Amyas　had　gone　on　quietly　enough；　according　to　promise；　with　the　exception　of　certain　occasional　outbursts　of　fierceness　common　to　all　young　male　animals；　and　especially　to　boys　of　any　strength　of　character。　　His　scholarship；　indeed；　progressed　no　better　than　before；　but　his　home　education　went　on　healthily　enough；　and　he　was　fast　becoming；　young　as　he　was；　a　right　good　archer；　and　rider；　and　swordsman　（after　the　old　school　of　buckler　practice）；　when　his　father；　having　gone　down　on　business　to　the　Exeter　Assizes；　caught　（as　was　too　common　in　those　days）　the　gaol…fever　from　the　prisoners；　sickened　in　the　very　court；　and　died　within　a　week。

And　now　Mrs。　Leigh　was　left　to　God　and　her　own　soul；　with　this　young　lion…cub　in　leash；　to　tame　and　train　for　this　life　and　the　life　to　come。　　She　had　loved　her　husband　fervently　and　holily。　　He　had　been　often　peevish；　often　melancholy；　for　he　was　a　disappointed　man；　with　an　estate　impoverished　by　his　father's　folly；　and　his　own　youthful　ambition；　which　had　led　him　up　to　Court；　and　made　him　waste　his　heart　and　his　purse　in　following　a　vain　shadow。　　He　was　one　of　those　men；　moreover；　who　possess　almost　every　gift　except　the　gift　of　the　power　to　use　them；　and　though　a　scholar；　a　courtier；　and　a　soldier；　he　had　found　himself；　when　he　was　past　forty；　without　settled　employment　or　aim　in　life；　by　reason　of　a　certain　shyness；　pride；　or　delicate　honor　（call　it　which　you　will）；　which　had　always　kept　him　from　playing　a　winning　game　in　that　very　world　after　whose　prizes　he　hankered　to　the　last；　and　on　which　he　revenged　himself　by　continual　grumbling。　　At　last；　by　his　good　luck；　he　met　with　a　fair　young　Miss　Foljambe；　of　Derbyshire；　then　about　Queen　Elizabeth's　Court；　who　was　as　tired　as　he　of　the　sins　of　the　world；　though　she　had　seen　less　of　them；　and　the　two　contrived　to　please　each　other　so　well；　that　though　the　queen　grumbled　a　little；　as　usual；　at　the　lady　for　marrying；　and　at　the　gentleman　for　adoring　any　one　but　her　royal　self；　they　got　leave　to　vanish　from　the　little　Babylon　at　Whitehall；　and　settle　in　peace　at　Burrough。　　In　her　he　found　a　treasure；　and　he　knew　what　he　had　found。

Mrs。　Leigh　was；　and　had　been　from　her　youth；　one　of　those　noble　old　English　churchwomen；　without　superstition；　and　without　severity；　who　are　among　the　fairest　features　of　that　heroic　time。　　There　was　a　certain　melancholy　about　her；　nevertheless；　for　the　recollections　of　her　childhood　carried　her　back　to　times　when　it　was　an　awful　thing　to　be　a　Protestant。　　She　could　rem