westward ho-第78章

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　and　hautboys；　and；　in　the　end　of　their　jollity；　left　off　with　the　battle　and　doleful　knells；〃　struck　the　next　day　（the　Golden　Hind　and　the　Squirrel　sheering　off　just　in　time）　upon　unknown　shoals；　where　were　lost　all　but　fourteen；　and　among　them　Frank's　philosopher　friend；　poor　Budaeus；　and　those　who　escaped；　after　all　horrors　of　cold　and　famine；　were　cast　on　shore　in　Newfoundland。　　How；　worn　out　with　hunger　and　want　of　clothes；　the　crews　of　the　two　remaining　ships　persuaded　Sir　Humphrey　to　sail　toward　England　on　the　31st　of　August；　and　on　〃that　very　instant；　even　in　winding　about；〃　beheld　close　alongside　〃a　very　lion　in　shape；　hair；　and　color；　not　swimming；　but　sliding　on　the　water；　with　his　whole　body；　who　passed　along；　turning　his　head　to　and　fro；　yawning　and　gaping　wide；　with　ugly　demonstration　of　long　teeth　and　glaring　eyes；　and　to　bid　us　farewell　（coming　right　against　the　Hind）　he　sent　forth　a　horrible　voice；　roaring　or　bellowing　as　doth　a　lion。〃　　〃What　opinion　others　had　thereof；　and　chiefly　the　general　himself；　I　forbear　to　deliver；　but　he　took　it　for　bonum　omen；　rejoicing　that　he　was　to　war　against　such　an　enemy；　if　it　were　the　devil。〃

〃And　the　devil　it　was；　doubtless；〃　said　Adrian；　〃the　roaring　lion　who　goes　about　seeking　whom　he　may　devour。〃

〃He　has　not　got　your　brother；　at　least；〃　quoth　Amyas。

〃No；〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Hawkins　（smile　not；　reader；　for　those　were　days　in　which　men　believed　in　the　devil）；　〃he　roared　for　joy　to　think　how　many　poor　souls　would　be　left　still　in　heathen　darkness　by　Sir　Humphrey's　death。　　God　be　with　that　good　knight；　and　send　all　mariners　where　he　is　now！〃

Then　Amyas　told　the　last　scene；　how；　when　they　were　off　the　Azores；　the　storms　came　on　heavier　than　ever；　with　〃terrible　seas；　breaking　short　and　pyramid…wise；〃　till；　on　the　9th　September；　the　tiny　Squirrel　nearly　foundered　and　yet　recovered；　〃and　the　general；　sitting　abaft　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　cried　out　to　us　in　the　Hind　so　oft　as　we　did　approach　within　hearing；　'We　are　as　near　heaven　by　sea　as　by　land；'　reiterating　the　same　speech；　well　beseeming　a　soldier　resolute　in　Jesus　Christ；　as　I　can　testify　he　was。

〃The　same　Monday；　about　twelve　of　the　clock；　or　not　long　after；　the　frigate　（the　Squirrel）　being　ahead　of　us　in　the　Golden　Hind；　suddenly　her　lights　were　out；　and　withal　our　watch　cried；　the　general　was　cast　away；　which　was　true；　for　in　that　moment　the　frigate　was　devoured　and　swallowed　up　of　the　sea。〃

And　so　ended　（I　have　used　Hayes'　own　words）　Amyas　Leigh's　story。

〃Oh；　my　brother！　my　brother！〃　moaned　poor　Adrian；　〃the　glory　of　his　house；　the　glory　of　Devon！〃

〃Ah！　what　will　the　queen　say？〃　asked　Mrs。　Hawkins　through　her　tears。

〃Tell　me；〃　asked　Adrian；　〃had　he　the　jewel　on　when　he　died？〃

〃The　queen's　jewel？　　He　always　wore　that；　and　his　own　posy　too；　'Mutare　vel　timere　sperno。'　　He　wore　it；　and　he　lived　it。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Adrian；　〃the　same　to　the　last！〃

〃Not　quite　that；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃He　was　a　meeker　man　latterly　than　he　used　to　be。　　As　he　said　himself　once；　a　better　refiner　than　any　whom　he　had　on　board　had　followed　him　close　all　the　seas　over；　and　purified　him　in　the　fire。　　And　gold　seven　times　tried　he　was；　when　God；　having　done　His　work　in　him；　took　him　home　at　last。〃

And　so　the　talk　ended。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　expedition　had　been　an　utter　failure；　Adrian　was　a　ruined　man；　and　Amyas　had　lost　his　venture。

Adrian　rose；　and　begged　leave　to　retire；　he　must　collect　himself。

〃Poor　gentleman！〃　said　Mrs。　Hawkins；　〃it　is　little　else　he　has　left　to　collect。〃

〃Or　I　either；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　lend　me　one　of　your　son's　shirts；　and　five　pounds　to　get　myself　and　my　men　home。〃

〃Five？　　Fifty；　Mr。　Leigh！　　God　forbid　that　John　Hawkins's　wife　should　refuse　her　last　penny　to　a　distressed　mariner；　and　he　a　gentleman　born。　　But　you　must　eat　and　drink。〃

〃It's　more　than　I　have　done　for　many　a　day　worth　speaking　of。〃

And　Amyas　sat　down　in　his　rags　to　a　good　supper；　while　Mrs。　Hawkins　told　him　all　the　news　which　she　could　of　his　mother；　whom　Adrian　Gilbert　had　seen　a　few　months　before　in　London；　and　then　went　on；　naturally　enough；　to　the　Bideford　news。

〃And　by　the　by；　Captain　Leigh；　I've　sad　news　for　you　from　your　place；　and　I　had　it　from　one　who　was　there　at　the　time。　　You　must　know　a　Spanish　captain；　a　prisoner〃

〃What；　the　one　I　sent　home　from　Smerwick？〃

〃You　sent？　　Mercy　on　us！　　Then；　perhaps；　you've　heard〃

〃How　can　I　have　heard？　　What？〃

〃That　he's　gone　off；　the　villain？〃

〃Without　paying　his　ransom？〃

〃I　can't　say　that；　but　there's　a　poor　innocent　young　maid　gone　off　with　him；　one　Salterne's　daughterthe　Popish　serpent！〃

〃Rose　Salterne；　the　mayor's　daughter；　the　Rose　of　Torridge！〃

〃That's　her。　　Bless　your　dear　soul；　what　ails　you？〃

Amyas　had　dropped　back　in　his　seat　as　if　he　had　been　shot；　but　he　recovered　himself　before　kind　Mrs。　Hawkins　could　rush　to　the　cupboard　for　cordials。

〃You'll　forgive　me；　madam；　but　I'm　weak　from　the　sea；　and　your　good　ale　has　turned　me　a　bit　dizzy；　I　think。〃

〃Ay；　yes；　'tis　too；　too　heavy；　till　you've　been　on　shore　a　while。　Try　the　aqua　vitae；　my　Captain　John　has　it　right　good；　and　a　bit　too　fond　of　it　too；　poor　dear　soul；　between　whiles；　Heaven　forgive　him！〃

So　she　poured　some　strong　brandy　and　water　down　Amyas's　throat；　in　spite　of　his　refusals；　and　sent　him　to　bed；　but　not　to　sleep；　and　after　a　night　of　tossing；　he　started　for　Bideford；　having　obtained　the　means　for　so　doing　from　Mrs。　Hawkins。



CHAPTER　XIV

HOW　SALVATION　YEO　SLEW　THE　KING　OF　THE　GUBBINGS


〃Ignorance　and　evil；　even　in　full　flight；　deal　terrible　backhanded　strokes　at　their　pursuers。〃HELPS。


Now　I　am　sorry　to　say；　for　the　honor　of　my　country；　that　it　was　by　no　means　a　safe　thing　in　those　days　to　travel　from　Plymouth　to　the　north　of　Devon；　because；　to　get　to　your　journey's　end；　unless　you　were　minded　to　make　a　circuit　of　many　miles；　you　must　needs　pass　through　the　territory　of　a　foreign　and　hostile　potentate；　who　had　many　times　ravaged　the　dominions；　and　defeated　the　forces　of　her　Majesty　Queen　Elizabeth；　and　was　named　（behind　his　back　at　least）　the　King　of　the　Gubbings。　　〃So　now　I　dare　call　them；〃　says　Fuller；　〃secured　by　distance；　which　one　of　more　valor　durst　not　do　to　their　face；　for　fear　their　fury　fall　upon　him。　　Yet　hitherto　have　I　met　with　none　who　could　render　a　reason　of　their　name。　　We　call　the　shavings　of　fish　（which　are　little　worth）　gubbings；　and　sure　it　is　that　they　are　sensible　that　the　word　importeth　shame　and　disgrace。

〃As　for　the　suggestion　of　my　worthy　and　learned　friend；　Mr。　Joseph　Maynard；　that　such　as　did　inhabitare　montes　gibberosos；　were　called　Gubbings；　such　will　smile　at　the　ingenuity　who　dissent　from　the　truth　of　the　etymology。

〃I　have　read　of　an　England　beyond　Wales；　but　the　Gubbings　land　is　a　Scythia　within　England；　and　they　pure　heathens　therein。　　It　lieth　nigh　Brent。　　For　in　the　edge　of　Dartmoor　it　is　reported　that；　some　two　hundred　years　since；　two　bad　women；　being　with　child；　fled　thither　to　hide　themselves；　to　whom　certain　lewd　fellows　resorted；　and　this　was　their　first　original。　　They　are　a　peculiar　of　their　own　making；　exempt　from　bishop；　archdeacon；　and　all　authority；　either　ecclesiastical　or　civil。　　They　live　in　cots　（rather　holes　than　houses）　like　swine；　having　all　in　common；　multiplied　without　marriage　into　many　hundreds。　　Their　language　is　the　dross　of　the　dregs　of　the　vulgar　Devonian；　and　the　more　learned　a　man　is；　the　worse　he　can　understand　them。　　During　our　civil　wars　no　soldiers　were　quartered　upon　them；　for　fear　of　being　quartered　amongst　them。　Their　wealth　consisteth　in　other　men's　goods；　they　live　by　stealing　the　sheep　on　the　moors；　and　vain　is　it　for　any　to　search　their　houses；　being　a　work　beneath　the　pains　of　any　sheriff；　and　above　the　power　of　any　constable。　　Such　is　their　fleetness；　they　will　outrun　many　horses；　vivaciousness；　they　outlive　most　men；　living　in　an　ignorance　of　luxury；　the　extinguisher　of　life。　　They　hold　together　like　bees；　offend　one；　and　all　will　revenge　his　quarrel。

〃But　now　I　am　informed　that　they　begin　to　be　civilized；　and　tender　their　children　to　baptism；　and　return　to　be　men；　yea；　Christians　again。　　I　hope　no　CIVIL　people　amongst　us　will　turn　barbaria