westward ho-第161章

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〃The　admiral　is　in　a　gracious　humor；　Leigh；　to　have　vouchsafed　you　so　long　a　letter。〃

〃St。　Catherine！　why；　that　was　the　galleon　we　hammered　all　yesterday！〃　said　Amyas；　stamping　on　the　deck。

〃Of　course　it　was。　　Well；　we　shall　find　her　again；　doubt　not。　　That　cunning　old　Drake！　how　he　has　contrived　to　line　his　own　pockets；　even　though　he　had　to　keep　the　whole　fleet　waiting　for　him。〃

〃He　has　given　the　lord　high　admiral　the　dor；　at　all　events。〃

〃Lord　Howard　is　too　high…hearted　to　stop　and　plunder；　Papist　though　he　is；　Amyas。〃

Amyas　answered　by　a　growl；　for　he　worshipped　Drake；　and　was　not　too　just　to　Papists。

The　fleet　did　not　find　Lord　Howard　till　nightfall；　he　and　Lord　Sheffield　had　been　holding　on　steadfastly　the　whole　night　after　the　Spanish　lanterns；　with　two　ships　only。　　At　least　there　was　no　doubt　now　of　the　loyalty　of　English　Roman　Catholics；　and　indeed；　throughout　the　fight；　the　Howards　showed　（as　if　to　wipe　out　the　slurs　which　had　been　cast　on　their　loyalty　by　fanatics）　a　desperate　courage；　which　might　have　thrust　less　prudent　men　into　destruction；　but　led　them　only　to　victory。　　Soon　a　large　Spaniard　drifts　by；　deserted　and　partly　burnt。　　Some　of　the　men　are　for　leaving　their　place　to　board　her；　but　Amyas　stoutly　refuses。　　He　has　〃come　out　to　fight；　and　not　to　plunder；　so　let　the　nearest　ship　to　her　have　her　luck　without　grudging。〃　　They　pass　on；　and　the　men　pull　long　faces　when　they　see　the　galleon　snapped　up　by　their　next　neighbor；　and　towed　off　to　Weymouth；　where　she　proves　to　be　the　ship　of　Miguel　d'Oquenda；　the　vice…admiral；　which　they　saw　last　night；　all　but　blown　up　by　some　desperate　Netherland　gunner；　who；　being　〃misused；〃　was　minded　to　pay　off　old　scores　on　his　tyrants。

And　so　ends　the　second　day；　while　the　Portland　rises　higher　and　clearer　every　hour。　　The　next　morning　finds　them　off　the　island。　Will　they　try　Portsmouth；　though　they　have　spared　Plymouth？　　The　wind　has　shifted　to　the　north；　and　blows　clear　and　cool　off　the　white…walled　downs　of　Weymouth　Bay。　　The　Spaniards　turn　and　face　the　English。　　They　must　mean　to　stand　off　and　on　until　the　wind　shall　change；　and　then　to　try　for　the　Needles。　　At　least；　they　shall　have　some　work　to　do　before　they　round　Purbeck　Isle。

The　English　go　to　the　westward　again：　but　it　is　only　to　return　on　the　opposite　tack；　and　now　begin　a　series　of　manoeuvres；　each　fleet　trying　to　get　the　wind　of　the　other；　but　the　struggle　does　not　last　long；　and　ere　noon　the　English　fleet　have　slipped　close…hauled　between　the　Armada　and　the　land；　and　are　coming　down　upon　them　right　before　the　wind。

And　now　begins　a　fight　most　fierce　and　fell。　　〃And　fight　they　did　confusedly；　and　with　variable　fortunes；　while；　on　the　one　hand；　the　English　manfully　rescued　the　ships　of　London；　which　were　hemmed　in　by　the　Spaniards；　and；　on　the　other　side；　the　Spaniards　as　stoutly　delivered　Recalde　being　in　danger。〃　　〃Never　was　heard　such　thundering　of　ordnance　on　both　sides；　which　notwithstanding　from　the　Spaniards　flew　for　the　most　part　over　the　English　without　harm。　Only　Cock；　an　Englishman〃　（whom　Prince　claims；　I　hope　rightfully；　as　a　worthy　of　Devon）；　〃died　with　honor　in　the　midst　of　the　enemies　in　a　small　ship　of　his。　　For　the　English　ships；　being　far　the　lesser；　charged　the　enemy　with　marvellous　agility；　and　having　discharged　their　broadsides；　flew　forth　presently　into　the　deep；　and　levelled　their　shot　directly；　without　missing；　at　those　great　and　unwieldy　Spanish　ships。〃　　〃This　was　the　most　furious　and　bloody　skirmish　of　all〃　（though　ending　only；　it　seems；　in　the　capture　of　a　great　Venetian　and　some　small　craft）；　〃in　which　the　lord　admiral　fighting　amidst　his　enemies'　fleet；　and　seeing　one　of　his　captains　afar　off　（Fenner　by　name；　he　who　fought　the　seven　Portugals　at　the　Azores）；　cried；　'O　George；　what　doest　thou？　　Wilt　thou　now　frustrate　my　hope　and　opinion　conceived　of　thee？　　Wilt　thou　forsake　me　now？'　　With　which　words　he　being　enflamed；　approached；　and　did　the　part　of　a　most　valiant　captain；〃　as；　indeed；　did　all　the　rest。

Night　falls　upon　the　floating　volcano；　and　morning　finds　them　far　past　Purbeck；　with　the　white　peak　of　Freshwater　ahead；　and　pouring　out　past　the　Needles；　ship　after　ship；　to　join　the　gallant　chase。　For　now　from　all　havens；　in　vessels　fitted　out　at　their　own　expense；　flock　the　chivalry　of　England；　the　Lords　Oxford；　Northumberland；　and　Cumberland；　Pallavicin；　Brooke；　Carew；　Raleigh；　and　Blunt；　and　many　another　honorable　name；　〃as　to　a　set　field；　where　immortal　fame　and　honor　was　to　be　attained。〃　　Spain　has　staked　her　chivalry　in　that　mighty　cast；　not　a　noble　house　of　Arragon　or　Castile　but　has　lent　a　brother　or　a　sonand　shall　mourn　the　loss　of　one：　and　England's　gentlemen　will　measure　their　strength　once　for　all　against　the　Cavaliers　of　Spain。　　Lord　Howard　has　sent　forward　light　craft　into　Portsmouth　for　ammunition：　but　they　will　scarce　return　to…night；　for　the　wind　falls　dead；　and　all　the　evening　the　two　fleets　drift　helpless　with　the　tide；　and　shout　idle　defiance　at　each　other　with　trumpet；　fife；　and　drum。

The　sun　goes　down　upon　a　glassy　sea；　and　rises　on　a　glassy　sea　again。　　But　what　day　is　this？　　The　twenty…fifth；　St。　James's…day；　sacred　to　the　patron　saint　of　Spain。　　Shall　nothing　be　attempted　in　his　honor　by　those　whose　forefathers　have　so　often　seen　him　with　their　bodily　eyes；　charging　in　their　van　upon　his　snow…white　steed；　and　scattering　Paynims　with　celestial　lance？　　He　might　have　sent　them；　certainly；　a　favoring　breeze；　perhaps；　he　only　means　to　try　their　faith；　at　least　the　galleys　shall　attack；　and　in　their　van　three　of　the　great　galliasses　（the　fourth　lies　half…crippled　among　the　fleet）　thrash　the　sea　to　foam　with　three　hundred　oars　apiece；　and　see；　not　St。　James　leading　them　to　victory；　but　Lord　Howard's　Triumph；　his　brother's　Lion；　Southwell's　Elizabeth　Jonas；　Lord　Sheffield's　Bear；　Barker's　Victory；　and　George　Fenner's　Leicester；　towed　stoutly　out；　to　meet　them　with　such　salvoes　of　chain…shot；　smashing　oars；　and　cutting　rigging；　that　had　not　the　wind　sprung　up　again　toward　noon；　and　the　Spanish　fleet　come　up　to　rescue　them；　they　had　shared　the　fate　of　Valdez　and　the　Biscayan。　　And　now　the　fight　becomes　general。　　Frobisher　beats　down　the　Spanish　admiral's　mainmast；　and；　attacked　himself　by　Mexia　and　Recalde；　is　rescued　by　Lord　Howard；　who；　himself　endangered　in　his　turn；　is　rescued　in　his　turn；　〃while　after　that　day〃　（so　sickened　were　they　of　the　English　gunnery）　〃no　galliasse　would　adventure　to　fight。〃

And　so；　with　variable　fortune；　the　fight　thunders　on　the　livelong　afternoon；　beneath　the　virgin　cliffs　of　Freshwater；　while　myriad　sea…fowl　rise　screaming　up　from　every　ledge；　and　spot　with　their　black　wings　the　snow…white　wall　of　chalk；　and　the　lone　shepherd　hurries　down　the　slopes　above　to　peer　over　the　dizzy　edge；　and　forgets　the　wheatear　fluttering　in　his　snare；　while　he　gazes　trembling　upon　glimpses　of　tall　masts　and　gorgeous　flags；　piercing　at　times　the　league…broad　veil　of　sulphur…smoke　which　welters　far　below。

So　fares　St。　James's…day；　as　Baal's　did　on　Carmel　in　old　time；　〃Either　he　is　talking；　or　he　is　pursuing；　or　he　is　on　a　journey；　or　peradventure　he　sleepeth；　and　must　be　awaked。〃　　At　least；　the　only　fire　by　which　he　has　answered　his　votaries；　has　been　that　of　English　cannon：　and　the　Armada；　〃gathering　itself　into　a　roundel；〃　will　fight　no　more；　but　make　the　best　of　its　way　to　Calais；　where　perhaps　the　Guises'　faction　may　have　a　French　force　ready　to　assist　them；　and　then　to　Dunkirk；　to　join　with　Parma　and　the　great　flotilla　of　the　Netherlands。

So　on；　before　〃a　fair　Etesian　gale；〃　which　follows　clear　and　bright　out　of　the　south…southwest；　glide　forward　the　two　great　fleets；　past　Brighton　Cliffs　and　Beachy　Head；　Hastings　and　Dungeness。　　Is　it　a　battle　or　a　triumph？　　For　by　sea　Lord　Howard；　instead　of　fighting　is　rewarding；　and　after　Lord　Thomas　Howard；　Lord　Sheffield；　Townsend；　and　Frobisher　have　received　at　his　hands　that　knighthood；　which　was　then　more　honorable　than　a　peerage；　old　Admiral　Hawkins　kneels　and　rises　up　Sir　John；　and　shaking　his　shoulders　after　the　accolade；　observes　to　the　representative　of　majesty；　that　his　〃old　woman　will　hardly　know　herself　again；　when　folks　call　her　My　Lady。〃

And　meanwhile　the　cliffs　a