westward ho-第135节

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y　more　or　less　that　she　was　in　love　with　him。

Of　her　the　Jesuits　were　not　unmindful；　and　found　it　convenient；　indeed；　to　forget　awhile　the　sorrows　of　the　Queen　of　Heaven　in　those　of　the　Queen　of　Scots。　　Not　that　they　cared　much　for　those　sorrows；　but　they　were　an　excellent　stock…in…trade。　　She　was　a　Romanist；　she　was　〃beautiful　and　unfortunate；〃　a　virtue　which；　like　charity；　hides　the　multitude　of　sins；　and　therefore　she　was　a　convenient　card　to　play　in　the　great　game　of　Rome　against　the　Queen　and　people　of　England；　and　played　the　poor　card　was；　till　it　got　torn　up　by　over…using。　　Into　her　merits　or　demerits　I　do　not　enter　deeply　here。　　Let　her　rest　in　peace。

To　all　which　the　people　of　England　made　a　most　practical　and　terrible　answer。　　From　the　highest　noble　to　the　lowest　peasant；　arose　one　simultaneous　plebiscitum：　〃We　are　tired　of　these　seventeen　years　of　chicanery　and　terror。　　This　woman　must　die：　or　the　commonweal　of　England　perish！〃　　We　all　know　which　of　the　two　alternatives　was　chosen。

All　Europe　stood　aghast：　but　rather　with　astonishment　at　English　audacity；　than　with　horror　at　English　wickedness。　　Mary's　own　French　kinsfolk　had　openly　given　her　up　as　too　bad　to　be　excused；　much　less　assisted。　　Her　own　son　blustered　a　little　to　the　English　ambassador；　for　the　majesty　of　kings　was　invaded：　whereon　Walsingham　said　in　open　council；　that　〃the　queen　should　send　him　a　couple　of　hounds；　and　that　would　set　all　right。〃　　Which　sage　advice　（being　acted　on；　and　some　deer　sent　over　and　above）　was　so　successful　that　the　pious　mourner；　having　run　off　（Randolph　says；　like　a　baby　to　see　the　deer　in　their　cart）；　returned　for　answer　that　he　would　〃thereafter　depend　wholly　upon　her　majesty；　and　serve　her　fortune　against　all　the　world；　and　that　he　only　wanted　now　two　of　her　majesty's　yeoman　prickers；　and　a　couple　of　her　grooms　of　the　deer。〃　　The　Spaniard　was　not　sorry　on　the　whole　for　the　catastrophe；　for　all　that　had　kept　him　from　conquering　England　long　ago　was　the　fear　lest；　after　it　was　done；　he　might　have　had　to　put　the　crown　thereof　on　Mary's　head；　instead　of　his　own。　　But　Mary's　death　was　as　convenient　a　stalking…horse　to　him　as　to　the　pope；　and　now　the　Armada　was　coming　in　earnest。

Elizabeth　began　negotiating；　but　fancy　not　that　she　does　nothing　more；　as　the　following　letter　testifies；　written　about　midsummer；　1587。


〃F。　Drake　to　Captain　Amyas　Leigh。　　This　with　haste。

〃DEAR　LAD；

〃As　I　said　to　her　most　glorious　majesty；　I　say　to　you　now。　　There　are　two　ways　of　facing　an　enemy。　　The　one　to　stand　off；　and　cry；　'Try　that　again；　and　I'll　strike　thee'；　the　other　to　strike　him　first；　and　then；　'Try　that　at　all；　and　I'll　strike　thee　again。'　　Of　which　latter　counsel　her　majesty　so　far　approves；　that　I　go　forthwith　（tell　it　not　in　Gath）　down　the　coast；　to　singe　the　king　of　Spain's　beard　（so　I　termed　it　to　her　majesty；　she　laughing）；　in　which　if　I　leave　so　much　as　a　fishing…boat　afloat　from　the　Groyne　unto　Cadiz；　it　will　not　be　with　my　good　will；　who　intend　that　if　he　come　this　year；　he　shall　come　by　swimming　and　not　by　sailing。　　So　if　you　are　still　the　man　I　have　known　you；　bring　a　good　ship　round　to　Plymouth　within　the　month；　and　away　with　me　for　hard　blows　and　hard　money；　the　feel　of　both　of　which　you　know　pretty　well　by　now。

〃Thine　lovingly；

〃F。　Drake。〃


Amyas　clutched　his　locks　over　this　letter；　and　smoked　more　tobacco　the　day　he　got　it　than　had　ever　before　been　consumed　at　once　in　England。　　But　he　kept　true　to　his　promise；　and　this　was　his　reply：



〃Amyas　Leigh　to　the　Worshipful　Sir　F。　Drake；　Admiral　of　her　Majesty's　Fleet　in　Plymouth。

〃MOST　HONORED　SIR；

〃A　magician　keeps　me　here；　in　bilboes　for　which　you　have　no　picklock；　namely；　a　mother　who　forbids。　　The　loss　is　mine：　but　Antichrist　I　can　fight　any　year　（for　he　will　not　die　this　bout；　nor　the　next）；　while　my　motherbut　I　will　not　trouble　your　patience　more　than　to　ask　from　you　to　get　me　news；　if　you　can；　from　any　prisoners　of　one　Don　Guzman　Maria　Magdalena　Sotomayor　de　Soto；　whether　he　is　in　Spain　or　in　the　Indies；　and　what　the　villain　does；　and　where　he　is　to　be　found。　　This　only　I　entreat　of　you；　and　so　remain　behind　with　a　heavy　heart。

〃Yours　to　command　in　all　else；　and　I　would　to　Heaven；　in　this　also；

〃AMYAS　LEIGH。〃


I　am　sorry　to　have　to　say；　that　after　having　thus　obeyed　his　mother；　Master　Amyas；　as　men　are　too　apt　to　do；　revenged　himself　on　her　by　being　more　and　more　cross　and　disagreeable。　　But　his　temper　amended　much；　when；　a　few　months　after；　Drake　returned　triumphant；　having　destroyed　a　hundred　sail　in　Cadiz　alone；　taken　three　great　galleons　with　immense　wealth　on　board；　burnt　the　small　craft　all　along　the　shore；　and　offered　battle　to　Santa　Cruz　at　the　mouth　of　the　Tagus。　　After　which　it　is　unnecessary　to　say；　that　the　Armada　was　put　off　for　yet　another　year。

This　news；　indeed；　gave　Amyas　little　comfort；　for　he　merely　observed；　grumbling；　that　Drake　had　gone　and　spoiled　everybody　else's　sport：　but　what　cheered　him　was　news　from　Drake　that　Don　Guzman　had　been　heard　of　from　the　captain　of　one　of　the　galleons；　that　he　was　high　in　favor　in　Spain；　and　commandant　of　soldiers　on　board　one　of　the　largest　of　the　marquis's　ships。

And　when　Amyas　heard　that；　a　terrible　joy　took　possession　of　him。　When　the　Armada　came；　as　come　it　would；　he　should　meet　his　enemy　at　last！　　He　could　wait　now　patiently：　ifand　he　shuddered　at　himself；　as　he　found　himself　in　the　very　act　of　breathing　a　prayer　that　Don　Guzman　might　not　die　before　that　meeting。

In　the　meanwhile；　rumor　flew　thousand…tongued　through　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　land；　of　vast　preparations　going　on　in　Spain　and　Italy；　of　timber　felled　long　before　for　some　such　purpose；　brought　down　to　the　sea；　and　sawn　out　for　shipbuilding；　of　casting　of　cannon；　and　drilling　of　soldiers；　of　ships　in　hundreds　collecting　at　Lisbon；　of　a　crusade　preached　by　Pope　Sixtus　the　Fifth；　who　had　bestowed　the　kingdom　of　England　on　the　Spaniard；　to　be　enjoyed　by　him　as　vassal　tributary　to　Rome；　of　a　million　of　gold　to　be　paid　by　the　pope；　one…half　down　at　once；　the　other　half　when　London　was　taken；　of　Cardinal　Allen　writing　and　printing　busily　in　the　Netherlands；　calling　on　all　good　Englishmen　to　carry　out；　by　rebelling　against　Elizabeth；　the　bull　of　Sixtus　the　Fifth；　said　（I　blush　to　repeat　it）　to　have　been　dictated　by　the　Holy　Ghost；　of　Inquisitors　getting　ready　fetters　and　devil's　engines　of　all　sorts；　of　princes　and　noblemen；　flocking　from　all　quarters；　gentlemen　selling　their　private　estates　to　fit　out　ships；　how　the　Prince　of　Melito；　the　Marquess　of　Burgrave；　Vespasian　Gonzaga；　John　Medicis；　Amadas　of　Savoy；　in　short；　the　illegitimate　sons　of　all　the　southern　princes；　having　no　lands　of　their　own；　were　coming　to　find　that　necessary　of　life　in　this　pleasant　little　wheat…garden。　　Nay；　the　Duke　of　Medina　Sidonia　had　already　engaged　Mount…Edgecombe　for　himself；　as　the　fairest　jewel　of　the　south；　which　when　good　old　Sir　Richard　Edgecombe　heard；　he　observed　quietly；　that　in　1555　he　had　the　pleasure　of　receiving　at　his　table　at　one　time　the　admirals　of　England；　Spain；　and　the　Netherlands；　and　therefore　had　experience　in　entertaining　Dons；　and　made　preparations　for　the　visit　by　filling　his　cellars　with　gunpowder；　with　a　view　to　a　house…warming　and　feu…de…joie　on　the　occasion。　　But　as　old　Fuller　says；　〃The　bear　was　not　yet　killed；　and　Medina　Sidonia　might　have　catched　a　great　cold；　had　he　no　other　clothes　to　wear　than　the　skin　thereof。〃

So　flew　rumor；　false　and　true；　till　poor　John　Bull's　wits　were　well…nigh　turned：　but　to　the　very　last；　after　his　lazy　fashion；　he　persuaded　himself　that　it　would　all　come　right　somehow；　that　it　was　too　great　news　to　be　true；　that　if　it　was　true；　the　expedition　was　only　meant　for　the　Netherlands；　and；　in　short；　sat　quietly　over　his　beef　and　beer　for　many　a　day　after　the　French　king　had　sent　him　fair　warning；　and　the　queen；　the　ministry；　and　the　admirals　had　been　assuring　him　again　and　again　that　he；　and　not　the　Dutchman；　was　the　destined　prey　of　this　great　flight　of　ravenous　birds。

At　last　the　Spaniard；　in　order　that　there　should　be　no　mistake　about　the　matter；　kindly　printed　a　complete　bill　of　the　play；　to　be　seen　still　in　Van　Meteran；　for　the　comfort　of　all　true　Catholics；　and　confusion　of　all　pestilent　heretics；　which　document；　of　course；　the　seminary　priests　used　to　enforce　the　duty　of　helping　the　invaders；　and　the　certainty　of　their　success；　and　from　their　hands　it　soon　passed　into　those　of　the　devout　ladies；　who　were　not　very　likely　to　keep　it　to　themselves；　till　John　Bull　himself　found　his　daughters　buzzing　over　it　with　very　pale　faces　（as　young　ladies　well　might　who　had　no　wish　to　follow　the　fate　of　the　damsels　of　Antwerp）；　and　condescending　to　run　his　eye　through　it；　discovered；　what　all　the　rest　of　Europe　had　known　for　months　past；　that　he　was　in　a　very　great　scrape。

Well　it　was　for　England；　then；　that　her　Tudor　sovereigns　had　compelled　every　man　（though　they　kept　up　no　standing　army）　to　be　a　trained　soldier。　　Well　it　was　that　Elizabeth；　even　in　those　dangerous　days　of　intrigue　and　rebellion；　had　trusted　her　people　enough；　not　only　to　leave　them　their　weapons；　but　（what　we；　forsooth；　in　these　more　〃free〃　and　〃liberal〃　days　dare　not　do）　to　teach　them　how　to　use　the