westward ho-第68章

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　all　I　have；　and　more；　adventured　in　her；　so　Manoa　must　wait。〃

〃It　will　wait　well　enough；　if　the　Spaniards　prosper　no　better　on　the　Amazon　than　they　have　done；　but　must　I　come　with　you？　　To　tell　the　truth；　I　am　quite　shore…sick；　and　to　sea　I　must　go。　　What　will　my　mother　say？〃

〃I'll　manage　thy　mother；〃　said　Raleigh；　and　so　he　did；　for；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　he　went　back　the　month　after；　and　he　not　only　took　home　letters　from　Amyas　to　his　mother；　but　so　impressed　on　that　good　lady　the　enormous　profits　and　honors　to　be　derived　from　Meta　Incognita；　and　（which　was　most　true）　the　advantage　to　any　young　man　of　sailing　with　such　a　general　as　Humphrey　Gilbert；　most　pious　and　most　learned　of　seamen　and　of　cavaliers；　beloved　and　honored　above　all　his　compeers　by　Queen　Elizabeth；　that　she　consented　to　Amyas's　adventuring　in　the　voyage　some　two　hundred　pounds　which　had　come　to　him　as　his　share　of　prize…money；　after　the　ever　memorable　circumnavigation。　　For　Mrs。　Leigh；　be　it　understood；　was　no　longer　at　Burrough　Court。　　By　Frank's　persuasion；　she　had　let　the　old　place；　moved　up　to　London　with　her　eldest　son；　and　taken　for　herself　a　lodging　somewhere　by　Palace　Stairs；　which　looked　out　upon　the　silver　Thames　（for　Thames　was　silver　then）；　with　its　busy　ferries　and　gliding　boats；　across　to　the　pleasant　fields　of　Lambeth；　and　the　Archbishop's　palace；　and　the　wooded　Surrey　hills；　and　there　she　spent　her　peaceful　days；　close　to　her　Frank　and　to　the　Court。　　Elizabeth　would　have　had　her　re…enter　it；　offering　her　a　small　place　in　the　household：　but　she　declined；　saying　that　she　was　too　old　and　heart…weary　for　aught　but　prayer。　So　by　prayer　she　lived；　under　the　sheltering　shadow　of　the　tall　minster　where　she　went　morn　and　even　to　worship；　and　to　entreat　for　the　two　in　whom　her　heart　was　bound　up；　and　Frank　slipped　in　every　day　if　but　for　five　minutes；　and　brought　with　him　Spenser；　or　Raleigh；　or　Dyer；　or　Budaeus　or　sometimes　Sidney's　self：　and　there　was　talk　of　high　and　holy　things；　of　which　none　could　speak　better　than　could　she；　and　each　guest　went　from　that　hallowed　room　a　humbler　and　yet　a　loftier　man。　　So　slipped　on　the　peaceful　months；　and　few　and　far　between　came　Irish　letters；　for　Ireland　was　then　farther　from　Westminster　than　is　the　Black　Sea　now；　but　those　were　days　in　which　wives　and　mothers　had　learned　（as　they　have　learned　once　more；　sweet　souls！）　to　walk　by　faith　and　not　by　sight　for　those　they　love：　and　Mrs。　Leigh　was　content　（though　when　was　she　not　content？）　to　hear　that　Amyas　was　winning　a　good　report　as　a　brave　and　prudent　officer；　sober；　just；　and　faithful；　beloved　and　obeyed　alike　by　English　soldiers　and　Irish　kernes。

Those　two　years；　and　the　one　which　followed；　were　the　happiest　which　she　had　known　since　her　husband's　death。　　But　the　cloud　was　fast　coming　up　the　horizon；　though　she　saw　it　not。　　A　little　longer；　and　the　sun　would　be　hid　for　many　a　wintry　day。

Amyas　went　to　Plymouth　（with　Yeo；　of　course；　at　his　heels）；　and　there　beheld；　for　the　first　time；　the　majestic　countenance　of　the　philosopher　of　Compton　castle。　　He　lodged　with　Drake；　and　found　him　not　over…sanguine　as　to　the　success　of　the　voyage。

〃For　learning　and　manners；　Amyas；　there's　not　his　equal；　and　the　queen　may　well　love　him；　and　Devon　be　proud　of　him：　but　book…　learning　is　not　business：　book…learning　didn't　get　me　round　the　world；　book…learning　didn't　make　Captain　Hawkins；　nor　his　father　neither；　the　best　ship…builders　from　Hull　to　Cadiz；　and　book…　learning；　I　very　much　fear；　won't　plant　Newfoundland。〃

However；　the　die　was　cast；　and　the　little　fleet　of　five　sail　assembled　in　Cawsand　Bay。　　Amyas　was　to　go　as　a　gentleman　adventurer　on　board　of　Raleigh's　bark；　Raleigh　himself；　however；　at　the　eleventh　hour；　had　been　forbidden　by　the　queen　to　leave　England。　　Ere　they　left；　Sir　Humphrey　Gilbert's　picture　was　painted　by　some　Plymouth　artist；　to　be　sent　up　to　Elizabeth　in　answer　to　a　letter　and　a　gift　sent　by　Raleigh；　which；　as　a　specimen　of　the　men　and　of　the　time；　I　here　transcribe*


〃BROTHERI　have　sent　you　a　token　from　her　Majesty；　an　anchor　guided　by　a　lady；　as　you　see。　　And　further；　her　Highness　willed　me　to　send　you　word；　that　she　wisheth　you　as　great　good　hap　and　safety　to　your　ship　as　if　she　were　there　in　person；　desiring　you　to　have　care　of　yourself　as　of　that　which　she　tendereth　and；　therefore；　for　her　sake；　you　must　provide　for　it　accordingly。　　Furthermore；　she　commandeth　that　you　leave　your　picture　with　her。　　For　the　rest　I　leave　till　our　meeting；　or　to　the　report　of　the　bearer；　who　would　needs　be　the　messenger　of　this　good　news。　　So　I　commit　you　to　the　will　and　protection　of　God；　who　send　us　such　life　and　death　as　he　shall　please；　or　hath　appointed。

〃Richmond；　this　Friday　morning；

〃Your　true　Brother；

〃W。　RALEIGH。〃


*　This　letter　was　a　few　years　since　in　the　possession　of　Mr。　Pomeroy　Gilbert；　fort…major　at　Dartmouth；　a　descendant　of　the　admiral's。


〃Who　would　not　die；　sir；　for　such　a　woman？〃　said　Sir　Humphrey　（and　he　said　truly）；　as　he　showed　that　letter　to　Amyas。

〃Who　would　not？　　But　she　bids　you　rather　live　for　her。〃

〃I　shall　do　both；　young　man；　and　for　God　too；　I　trust。　　We　are　going　in　God's　cause；　we　go　for　the　honor　of　God's　Gospel；　for　the　deliverance　of　poor　infidels　led　captive　by　the　devil；　for　the　relief　of　my　distressed　countrymen　unemployed　within　this　narrow　isle；　and　to　God　we　commit　our　cause。　　We　fight　against　the　devil　himself；　and　stronger　is　He　that　is　within　us　than　he　that　is　against　us。〃

Some　say　that　Raleigh　himself　came　down　to　Plymouth；　accompanied　the　fleet　a　day's　sail　to　sea；　and　would　have　given　her　majesty　the　slip；　and　gone　with　them　Westward…ho；　but　for　Sir　Humphrey's　advice。　　It　is　likely　enough：　but　I　cannot　find　evidence　for　it。　At　all　events；　on　the　11th　June　the　fleet　sailed　out；　having；　says　Mr。　Hayes；　〃in　number　about　260　men；　among　whom　we　had　of　every　faculty　good　choice；　as　shipwrights；　masons；　carpenters；　smiths；　and　such　like；　requisite　for　such　an　action；　also　mineral　men　and　refiners。　　Beside；　for　solace　of　our　people　and　allurement　of　the　savages；　we　were　provided　of　musique　in　good　variety；　not　omitting　the　least　toys；　as　morris…dancers；　hobby…horses；　and　May…like　conceits；　to　delight　the　savage　people；　whom　we　intended　to　win　by　all　fair　means　possible。〃　　An　armament　complete　enough；　even　to　that　tenderness　towards　the　Indians；　which　is　so　striking　a　feature　of　the　Elizabethan　seamen　（called　out　in　them；　perhaps；　by　horror　at　the　Spanish　cruelties；　as　well　as　by　their　more　liberal　creed）；　and　to　the　daily　service　of　God　on　board　of　every　ship；　according　to　the　simple　old　instructions　of　Captain　John　Hawkins　to　one　of　his　little　squadrons；　〃Keep　good　company；　beware　of　fire；　serve　God　daily；　and　love　one　another〃an　armament；　in　short；　complete　in　all　but　men。　　The　sailors　had　been　picked　up　hastily　and　anywhere；　and　soon　proved　themselves　a　mutinous；　and；　in　the　case　of　the　bark　Swallow；　a　piratical　set。　　The　mechanics　were　little　better。　　The　gentlemen…adventurers；　puffed　up　with　vain　hopes　of　finding　a　new　Mexico；　became　soon　disappointed　and　surly　at　the　hard　practical　reality；　while　over　all　was　the　head　of　a　sage　and　an　enthusiast；　a　man　too　noble　to　suspect　others；　and　too　pure　to　make　allowances　for　poor　dirty　human　weaknesses。　　He　had　got　his　scheme　perfect　upon　paper；　well　for　him；　and　for　his　company；　if　he　had　asked　Francis　Drake　to　translate　it　for　him　into　fact！　　As　early　as　the　second　day；　the　seeds　of　failure　began　to　sprout　above　ground。　　The　men　of　Raleigh's　bark；　the　Vice…Admiral；　suddenly　found　themselves　seized；　or　supposed　themselves　seized；　with　a　contagious　sickness；　and　at　midnight　forsook　the　fleet；　and　went　back　to　Plymouth；　whereto　Mr。　Hayes　can　only　say；　〃The　reason　I　never　could　understand。　　Sure　I　am　that　Mr。　Raleigh　spared　no　cost　in　setting　them　forth。　　And　so　I　leave　it　unto　God！〃

But　Amyas　said　more。　　He　told　Butler　the　captain　plainly　that；　if　the　bark　went　back；　he　would　not；　that　he　had　seen　enough　of　ships　deserting　their　consorts；　that　it　should　never　be　said　of　him　that　he　had　followed　Winter's　example；　and　that；　too；　on　a　fair　easterly　wind；　and　finally　that　he　had　seen　Doughty　hanged　for　trying　to　play　such　a　trick；　and　t