westward ho-第38章

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〃Sir；〃　said　the　man；　proudly；　〃God　forbid　that　my　word　should　not　be　as　good　as　my　oath：　but　it　is　against　my　conscience　to　be　sworn。〃

〃What　have　we　here？　some　fantastical　Anabaptist；　who　is　wiser　than　his　teachers。〃

〃My　conscience；　sir〃

〃The　devil　take　it　and　thee！　　I　never　heard　a　man　yet　begin　to　prate　of　his　conscience；　but　I　knew　that　he　was　about　to　do　something　more　than　ordinarily　cruel　or　false。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　man；　coolly　enough；　〃do　you　sit　here　to　judge　me　according　to　law；　and　yet　contrary　to　the　law　swear　profane　oaths；　for　which　a　fine　is　provided？〃

Amyas　expected　an　explosion：　but　Sir　Richard　pulled　a　shilling　out　and　put　it　on　the　table。　　〃Theremy　fine　is　paid；　sirrah；　to　the　poor　of　Kilkhampton：　but　hearken　thou　all　the　same。　　If　thou　wilt　not　speak　an　oath；　thou　shalt　speak　on　compulsion；　for　to　Launceston　gaol　thou　goest；　there　to　answer　for　Mr。　Oxenham's　death；　on　suspicion　whereof；　and　of　mutiny　causing　it；　I　will　attach　thee　and　every　soul　of　his　crew　that　comes　home。　　We　have　lost　too　many　gallant　captains　of　late　by　treachery　of　their　crews；　and　he　that　will　not　clear　himself　on　oath；　must　be　held　for　guilty；　and　self…condemned。〃

〃My　good　fellow；〃　said　Amyas；　who　could　not　give　up　his　belief　in　the　man's　honesty；　〃why；　for　such　fantastical　scruples；　peril　not　only　your　life；　but　your　honor；　and　Mr。　Oxenham's　also？　　For　if　you　be　examined　by　question；　you　may　be　forced　by　torment　to　say　that　which　is　not　true。〃

〃Little　fear　of　that；　young　sir！〃　answered　he；　with　a　grim　smile；　〃I　have　had　too　much　of　the　rack　already；　and　the　strappado　too；　to　care　much　what　man　can　do　unto　me。　　I　would　heartily　that　I　thought　it　lawful　to　be　sworn：　but　not　so　thinking；　I　can　but　submit　to　the　cruelty　of　man；　though　I　did　expect　more　merciful　things；　as　a　most　miserable　and　wrecked　mariner；　at　the　hands　of　one　who　hath　himself　seen　God's　ways　in　the　sea；　and　His　wonders　in　the　great　deep。　　Sir　Richard　Grenville；　if　you　will　hear　my　story；　may　God　avenge　on　my　head　all　my　sins　from　my　youth　up　until　now；　and　cut　me　off　from　the　blood　of　Christ；　and；　if　it　were　possible；　from　the　number　of　His　elect；　if　I　tell　you　one　whit　more　or　less　than　truth；　and　if　not；　I　commend　myself　into　the　hands　of　God。〃

Sir　Richard　smiled。　　〃Well；　thou　art　a　brave　ass；　and　valiant；　though　an　ass　manifest。　　Dost　thou　not　see；　fellow；　how　thou　hast　sworn　a　ten…times　bigger　oath　than　ever　I　should　have　asked　of　thee？　　But　this　is　the　way　with　your　Anabaptists；　who　by　their　very　hatred　of　forms　and　ceremonies；　show　of　how　much　account　they　think　them；　and　then　bind　themselves　out　of　their　own　fantastical　self…　will　with　far　heavier　burdens　than　ever　the　lawful　authorities　have　laid　on　them　for　the　sake　of　the　commonweal。　　But　what　do　they　care　for　the　commonweal；　as　long　as　they　can　save；　as　they　fancy；　each　man　his　own　dirty　soul　for　himself？　　However；　thou　art　sworn　now　with　a　vengeance；　go　on　with　thy　tale：　and　first；　who　art　thou；　and　whence？〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　quite　unmoved　by　this　last　explosion；　〃my　name　is　Salvation　Yeo；　born　in　Clovelly　Street；　in　the　year　1526；　where　my　father　exercised　the　mystery　of　a　barber　surgeon；　and　a　preacher　of　the　people　since　called　Anabaptists；　for　which　I　return　humble　thanks　to　God。〃

Sir　Richard。Fie！　thou　naughty　knave；　return　thanks　that　thy　father　was　an　ass？

Yeo。Nay；　but　because　he　was　a　barber　surgeon；　for　I　myself　learnt　a　touch　of　that　trade；　and　thereby　saved　my　life；　as　I　will　tell　presently。　　And　I　do　think　that　a　good　mariner　ought　to　have　all　knowledge　of　carnal　and　worldly　cunning；　even　to　tailoring　and　shoemaking；　that　he　may　be　able　to　turn　his　hand　to　whatsoever　may　hap。

Sir　Richard。Well　spoken；　fellow：　but　let　us　have　thy　text　without　thy　comments。　　Forwards！

Yeo。Well；　sir。　　I　was　bred　to　the　sea　from　my　youth；　and　was　with　Captain　Hawkins　in　his　three　voyages；　which　he　made　to　Guinea　for　negro　slaves；　and　thence　to　the　West　Indies。

Sir　Richard。Then　thrice　thou　wentest　to　a　bad　end；　though　Captain　Hawkins　be　my　good　friend；　and　the　last　time　to　a　bad　end　thou　camest。

Yeo。No　denying　that　last；　your　worship：　but　as　for　the　former；　I　doubtabout　the　unlawfulness；　I　mean；　being　the　negroes　are　of　the　children　of　Ham；　who　are　cursed　and　reprobate；　as　Scripture　declares；　and　their　blackness　testifies；　being　Satan's　own　livery；　among　whom　therefore　there　can　be　none　of　the　elect；　wherefore　the　elect　are　not　required　to　treat　them　as　brethren。

Sir　Richard。What　a　plague　of　a　pragmatical　sea…lawyer　have　we　here？　　And　I　doubt　not；　thou　hypocrite；　that　though　thou　wilt　call　the　negroes'　black　skin　Satan's　livery；　when　it　serves　thy　turn　to　steal　them；　thou　wilt　find　out　sables　to　be　Heaven's　livery　every　Sunday；　and　up　with　a　godly　howl　unless　a　parson　shall　preach　in　a　black　gown；　Geneva　fashion。　　Out　upon　thee！　　Go　on　with　thy　tale；　lest　thou　finish　thy　sermon　at　Launceston　after　all。

Yeo。The　Lord's　people　were　always　a　reviled　people　and　a　persecuted　people：　but　I　will　go　forward；　sir；　for　Heaven　forbid　but　that　I　should　declare　what　God　has　done　for　me。　　For　till　lately；　from　my　youth　up；　I　was　given　over　to　all　wretchlessness　and　unclean　living；　and　was　by　nature　a　child　of　the　devil；　and　to　every　good　work　reprobate；　even　as　others。

Sir　Richard。Hark　to　his　〃even　as　others〃！　　Thou　new…whelped　Pharisee；　canst　not　confess　thine　own　villainies　without　making　out　others　as　bad　as　thyself；　and　so　thyself　no　worse　than　others？　　I　only　hope　that　thou　hast　shown　none　of　thy　devil's　doings　to　Mr。　Oxenham。

Yeo。On　the　word　of　a　Christian　man；　sir；　as　I　said　before；　I　kept　true　faith　with　him；　and　would　have　been　a　better　friend　to　him；　sir；　what　is　more；　than　ever　he　was　to　himself。

Sir　Richard。Alas！　that　might　easily　be。

Yeo。I　think；　sir；　and　will　make　good　against　any　man；　that　Mr。　Oxenham　was　a　noble　and　valiant　gentleman；　true　of　his　word；　stout　of　his　sword；　skilful　by　sea　and　land；　and　worthy　to　have　been　Lord　High　Admiral　of　England　（saving　your　worship's　presence）；　but　that　through　two　great　sins；　wrath　and　avarice；　he　was　cast　away　miserably　or　ever　his　soul　was　brought　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。　　Ah；　sir；　he　was　a　captain　worth　sailing　under！

And　Yeo　heaved　a　deep　sigh。

Sir　Richard。Steady；　steady；　good　fellow！　　If　thou　wouldst　quit　preaching；　thou　art　no　fool　after　all。　　But　tell　us　the　story　without　more　bush…beating。

So　at　last　Yeo　settled　himself　to　his　tale：

〃Well；　sirs；　I　went；　as　Mr。　Leigh　knows；　to　Nombre　de　Dios；　with　Mr。　Drake　and　Mr。　Oxenham；　in　1572；　where　what　we　saw　and　did；　your　worship；　I　suppose；　knows　as　well　as　I；　and　there　was；　as　you've　heard　maybe；　a　covenant　between　Mr。　Oxenham　and　Mr。　Drake　to　sail　the　South　Seas　together；　which　they　made；　your　worship；　in　my　hearing；　under　the　tree　over　Panama。　　For　when　Mr。　Drake　came　down　from　the　tree；　after　seeing　the　sea　afar　off；　Mr。　Oxenham　and　I　went　up　and　saw　it　too；　and　when　we　came　down；　Drake　says；　'John；　I　have　made　a　vow　to　God　that　I　will　sail　that　water；　if　I　live　and　God　gives　me　grace；'　which　he　had　done；　sir；　upon　his　bended　knees；　like　a　godly　man　as　he　always　was；　and　would　I　had　taken　after　him！　and　Mr。　O。　says；　'I　am　with　you；　Drake；　to　live　or　die；　and　I　think　I　know　some　one　there　already；　so　we　shall　not　be　quite　among　strangers；'　and　laughed　withal。　　Well；　sirs；　that　voyage；　as　you　know；　never　came　off；　because　Captain　Drake　was　fighting　in　Ireland；　so　Mr。　Oxenham；　who　must　be　up　and　doing；　sailed　for　himself；　and　I；　who　loved　him；　God　knows；　like　a　brother　（saving　the　difference　in　our　ranks）；　helped　him　to　get　the　crew　together；　and　went　as　his　gunner。　　That　was　in　1575；　as　you　know；　he　had　a　140…ton　ship；　sir；　and　seventy　men　out　of　Plymouth　and　Fowey　and　Dartmouth；　and　many　of　them　old　hands　of　Drake's；　beside　a　dozen　or　so　from　Bideford　that　I　picked　up　when　I　saw　young　Master　here。〃

〃Thank　God　that　you　did　not　pick　me　up　too。〃

〃Amen；　amen！〃　said　Yeo；　clasping　his　hands　on　his　breast。　　〃Those　seventy　men；　sir；seventy　gallant　men；　sir；　with　every　one　of　them　an　immortal　soul　within　him；where　are　they　now？　　Gone；　like　the　spray！〃　　And　he　swept　his　hands　abroad　with　a　wild　and　solemn　gesture。　　〃And　their　blood　is　upon　my　head！