Hildebrand; or, The Days of Queen Elizabeth, An Historic Romance, Vol. 3 of 3 Read online

  CHAPTER IV.

  After all, employment, next to a clear conscience, is the bestantidote to a brown-study. Hildebrand, it is true, did notpossess the one, but he was soon to forget his uneasiness inthe bustle of the other. On his arrival in London, he proceededstraight to the residence of Sir Walter Raleigh, in the Strand;and there, to his great contentment, found a sphere openedto him, which promised to leave him little opportunity formelancholy.

  Sir Walter received both him and Don Rafaele with the utmostwarmth and eagerness. Their greetings being despatched, heacquainted Hildebrand, in a few words, with the object and natureof the service in which he was to be employed. From what he said,Hildebrand learned that these particulars were yet secret, butthat it was understood, among the few who were informed on suchmatters, that he would be directed to sail immediately for thecoast of Spain, and collect information relative to the expectedarmada. He told him, further, that he would sail with the Queen’scommission, in his own ship, which had been taken up by theGovernment for the public service, and was now perfectly ready toput to sea.

  “And now that I have told thee all,” he concluded, “let usstraight to horse, and ride off to Deptford, to my Lord Admiral.I know he waits us with some impatience.”

  “We will to him out of hand, then,” answered Hildebrand. “DonRafaele will wait our return here.”

  The personage referred to, understanding what was said, at onceagreed to the proposal, and the two friends thereupon prepared toset forth. Their horses were soon ready; and, taking leave of DonRafaele, who followed them to the door, and waited to see themdepart, they quickly mounted, and set forward for Deptford.

  Hitherto Hildebrand had seen little preparation against theformidable armada of which he had brought the first intimationto England, and which threatened not only the independence, butthe religion, and even the very existence of the empire. Onhis way through the city, however, nothing was to be seen butmartial costumes, and warlike provisions. The staid citizens,who had never known any parade but Sir Thomas Gresham’s new“Bourse,” bore themselves like soldiers, and looked fresh fromthe drill-ground; and even the ’prentices walked erect, andaspired to look like Cæsars. Cutlers’ marts seemed to be thepopular places of resort; and the lucky shop that, among otherweapons, could exhibit to public view one of the clumsy firelocksthen in use, and which are to this day called after the reigningsovereign, by the name of “Brown Bess,” was more frequented thanthe Paris Garden. London-bridge and the Borough looked no lessalive to the crisis; and beyond, in St. George’s-fields, andthrough the whole line of road to Deptford, were seen companiesof recruits, arrayed in the most motley habits, undergoing theinitiatory and vexatious process of drill.

  But it was at Deptford, the principal depôt of the marine,that the greatest preparations against the expected invasionwere in progress. Here were clearly at work the master-spiritsof the age. Artificers, engineers, officers, mariners, andlabourers were seen engaged in their various departments with theregularity of machines. The burring of furnaces, the ringing ofanvils, the rattling of hammers, and the hilloing of sailors,as cannon were cast, balls moulded, and ships laid down orre-rigged, created so loud and confused a din, that sounds couldhardly be distinguished, and the voice could only be heard whenraised to its highest pitch.

  Pushing past various groups of officers and mariners, Sir Walterand Hildebrand proceeded straight to the office of the LordAdmiral, Lord Howard of Effingham, in the chief dock-yard. Onsending that officer his name, Sir Walter was ordered to beadmitted; and under the guidance of the porter, he repaired,together with Hildebrand, to the Admiral’s presence.

  There were two personages in the room to which they wereconducted. One of them, who was no other than the Lord Admiral,was an elderly man, of rather tall stature, and a grave, butcommanding presence. The other was little beyond the middleage; and but for his laced jerkin, which spoke him an officer,would hardly have been looked upon as a gentleman. Although,however, his stature was mean, and his manners far from graceful,there was a certain touch of daring in his face, especiallyin his eye, that quickly won him attention, and even gave hima look of authority. His features, moreover, were so familiarto Englishmen, from the respect which was paid to them by thesign-boards of taverns, and other places of resort, that theyrequired no beauty to recommend them to notice, but commandedadmiration by their very plainness. He was Sir Francis Drake.

  The two admirals rose as Sir Walter entered, and extended theirhands to welcome him.

  “My Lord Admiral, how is it with you?” cried Sir Walter, takinghis proffered hand. “Sir Francis,” he added, as he extended thatpersonage his other hand, “give thee the fair time of day!”

  “Fair time enough, Sir Walter,” replied Drake. “’Tis but littlepast six bells.”

  “Sir Walter wishes thee a fair day,” said the Lord Admiral, inexplanation of Sir Walter’s greeting.

  “Marry, come up, but methought he spoke to the clock!” criedDrake. “Howsomever, the day is a fair one, though it blowsmarvellous slack. I’ve seen windier days.”

  “Ay, ay, doubtless,” observed Sir Walter, laughing. “But, my LordAdmiral,” he continued, turning to that officer, “I have broughtthee the captain of the ‘Eliza,’ who was so heartily preferred tothy favour by her Highness.”

  Here Hildebrand, who had hitherto remained at the door, steppedsomewhat forward, and prepared to pay the Lord Admiral hisrespects. Before he could effect his purpose, however, he wasarrested by Drake, who, springing forward, came between him andthe Lord Admiral, and caught him by the hand.

  “Harkye, in your ear, tip us thy grappling-iron!” he cried. “Blowme taught, but thou’rt a fair-weather fellow, too, to overhaulthe Don’s shiners! Harkye, in your ear, we’ll have a jorum ofliquor anon, at the ‘Three Jolly Mariners,’ in the town yonder.”

  “I am marvellous grieved to stop good entertainment,” cried theLord Admiral, laughing; “but worthy Master Clifford (methinks, Ihave his name right) must even to sea straight.”

  “Though I would fain have spent an hour with good Sir Francis, myLord, I am ready to set forth incontinently,” smiled Hildebrand.

  “Marry, and splice my timbers, well spoken!” exclaimed Drake.“Harkye, in your ear, I be moored at ‘The Three Jolly Mariners;’and, sink me, but better liquor can be had nowhere!”

  “I’faith, I will speak it fair,” cried Sir Walter Raleigh, “bythe same token that your worship once nigh choked me with a cupon’t, which did cause my Lady Nottingham, and divers other ladiesof note, to laugh right heartily. But my Lord Admiral growsimpatient.”

  “The matter is urgent,” replied the Lord Admiral. “CaptainClifford,” he added to Hildebrand, “canst thou away to-night?”

  “I fear me, no, my Lord,” answered Hildebrand; “for I have notyet been aboard.”

  “Oh, all is ready aboard,” returned the Admiral. “Further, thyship lies off the dock here, and can away at once.”

  “Some time to-night, then, my Lord, we will go!” answeredHildebrand.

  “You will find your orders aboard, not to be opened till you areoff the Start,” said the Lord Admiral. “And now, not to detainthee longer, when thou hast so little time, give thee farewell,and God speed thee!”

  He extended his hand as he spoke, and Hildebrand, with aprofound bow, caught it up, and clasped it earnestly. He nextbade farewell to Sir Francis Drake, who, as he clasped his hand,implored him, “in his ear,” but in a very loud voice, to rememberthe sign of “The Three Jolly Mariners,” and to be sure to “bearup” thither on his return. Hildebrand promised compliance, asdid Sir Walter Raleigh also; and he and Hildebrand, without morewords, then departed.

  Although Hildebrand had expressed his readiness to leave Englandimmediately, he was not so fully prepared, in regard to hispersonal affairs, as he at first conceived. However he mightmanage respecting himself, he could not so easily resolve howto dispose of Don Rafaele. It would be impossible, he felt, totake that person with him, as the enterprise he w
as about toembark in would doubtless be attended with great peril; and toleave him in England, where he was unknown, and where his youthand inexperience would have no protector, was almost equallyrepugnant to him. Unable to determine how he should act in thematter, he disclosed his embarrassing position to Sir Walter; andasked that cavalier, to whose opinion he invariably deferred, forhis counsel thereon.

  “Prithee, let it give thee no concern, good Clifford,” answeredSir Walter. “He shall take up his abode with me; and, I promisethee, in case thou incur any mishap, he shall find in me a warmand hearty friend.”

  “That I am right sure of,” rejoined Hildebrand, “and heartilythank thee withal. But let us to the ship.”

  “Nay, we will send thither my groom,” said Sir Walter, “tonotify to Master Halyard, whom the Lord Admiral has retained asthy lieutenant, that thou wilt be aboard at eventide. We willstraight to town.”

  Hildebrand acquiesced in this arrangement; and it was,accordingly, on their arrival at the dock-yard gate, carriedinto execution. When the groom had been despatched to MasterHalyard, Sir Walter and Hildebrand, without further delay,mounted their horses, and set out for town.

  On reaching Durham House, they were hailed with eagerness by DonRafaele, who inquired as curiously after the news, especiallyin the matter which had taken them forth, as though he were anEnglishman.

  “The news is, that I am straightway to take to the seas again, myfair Rafaele,” answered Hildebrand. “But be not thou discomposedthereat. Our right noble friend, Sir Walter here, will stand tothee in my stead, and provide thee a homestead ashore.”

  Don Rafaele changed colour.

  “I’faith, he likes not me for a host so well as thou,” cried SirWalter, laughing. “I entreat thee, fair Senhor, look not on mewith disfavour. By my lady’s hand, thou shalt find me a rightfaithful friend.”

  Don Rafaele, whether he credited Sir Walter’s protestation, ornot, turned his head aside, and made no reply. That he was moved,however, and even deeply, was apparent; for his broad chestheaved again, and his face retained no trace of colour.

  “Nay, nay, be not downcast, Rafaele!” cried Hildebrand, yet in avoice far from cheering. “By my soul, the only grief that I knowin this matter is, that I shall leave thee behind.”

  “Then, wherefore not take me with thee?” asked Don Rafaele, in atone of reproach.

  “That were not reasonable,” answered Hildebrand. “I go on amission of singular and exceeding peril.”

  “Peril?” echoed Don Rafaele, raising his eyes, which, tohis surprise, Hildebrand now perceived were dashed withtears:--“Peril, saidst thou? We had peril, methinks, on our wayhither--ay, and singular and exceeding peril, too. Did I make anyplaint thereat? Did I--did I shrink?”

  “By my faith, no!” exclaimed Hildebrand.

  “I would be surety for thee, that thy valour is above question,”cried Sir Walter.

  “Thanks, thanks, noble Sir!” said Don Rafaele. “I hold thy heartyassurances right welcome; yet is thy face, for all that, notfamiliar to me as Master Clifford’s. I beseech thee, forget notI am in a strange land, where I have no kindred. Remember thee,furthermore, how notably young I am; and I was reared righttenderly, I dare affirm. Prithee, then, let me with thee!”

  “I’faith, I can refuse thee no further, my Rafaele,” criedHildebrand; “and only for the hazard to thyself, I were rightcontent to have thy fair company. We will even fix it so.”

  Don Rafaele was overjoyed at this answer. At Hildebrand’ssuggestion, he immediately proceeded, with more cheerfulness thanone might have looked for, to prepare himself for their meditatedvoyage. His preparations were soon completed; but those ofHildebrand, which were of a more varied character, and not somuch at command, occupied a longer time. They, too, however,were quite accomplished before the evening, and everything wasarranged for their instant departure.

  It was with evident discomposure that they achieved the finalstep of taking leave of Sir Walter. That cavalier, indeed, wouldhave accompanied them to the ship; but as he would have to comeback alone, and the night promised to be a dirty one, theywould by no means suffer him to do so. Having, after manifoldhesitating pauses, ultimately resolved to depart, they took leaveof him at the door, and set forward for Deptford by themselves.

  It was growing late by the time they arrived at the tavern wherethey were to leave their horses. Thence they walked to DeptfordCreek, where Hildebrand’s message to Halyard, conveyed by thegroom in the morning, had directed him to provide them a boat.Their luggage, which, as the greater part of their personaleffects had never been removed from the ship, consisted of onlytwo boxes, was, by the alertness of their groom, brought downwith them by two porters, and thus they had no care but totransport themselves to the ship.

  As they expected, they found a boat, manned by a picked crew,waiting at the creek for their reception. Amidst a loud hurrah,which made their hearts spring again, they took their seats inthe stern; their luggage was safely bestowed in the midships; andthey shoved off for the cruizer.

  She was lying but a little way out, with just water enough at lowtide, which was now turning, to keep her afloat. Everything wasarranged for her captain’s reception; and Master Halyard himself,with Tom Tarpaulin, now towering in the elevated quality ofmate, were seen in the gangway, keeping a look-out. As theanxiously expected boat began to be distinguished, the merrywhistle of the boatswain, which the prevailing stillness renderedaudible at a good distance, was heard piping to quarters; theseamen were seen scrambling up the rigging, manning the yards;and a picked squad, under the orders of Master Halyard, fellin file at the gangway, ready to receive their captain on hisarrival. Loud and renewed cheers broke from the crew, as, withhis head uncovered, in compliment to the national flag, whichwas flying aloft, Hildebrand stepped on to the deck. As he didso, Master Halyard, who also was uncovered, presented him witha sealed packet, stamped with the royal arms. Advancing to acontiguous light, Hildebrand tore the packet open; and foundwithin, in two separate envelopes, his sealed orders, and theQueen’s commission. He immediately ordered the crew to be pipedto the quarter-deck, and there, in their presence, read hiscommission aloud. This done, he proceeded to set his ship on herway.

  The wind, though somewhat light, was favourable; and as thetide turned, and the ship was cast off from her buoy, the sailssoon spread out, and carried her on gallantly. It was morning,however, before she cleared the river, and three days hadelapsed when she came off the Start. There, agreeably to theLord Admiral’s injunction, Hildebrand opened the packet whichcontained his orders. By these he was directed, in the firstplace, to sail for the Mediterranean, and endeavour to ascertainthe precise force and organization of the Spanish Armada. Shouldhe be unable to ascertain this information in that quarter, hewas to exercise his own judgment, though circumspectly, as towhere else he should seek it; but, at any hazard, he was to leavenothing undone that could lead to its acquisition.

  He sailed for the Mediterranean direct. The wind, however,occasionally varied, and, after he had cleared the channel, wasnot decidedly in his favour the whole voyage. Upwards of threeweeks elapsed, therefore, before he arrived at the Straits. Therethe wind took a turn, and carried him on, with occasional lulls,till he came in sight of Cape de Gatte. What wind ever doubledthat point? As the good ship “Eliza,” with her crew full ofhope, expecting to sustain no impediment, made it her landmark,the wind suddenly lulled, and left them off the eternal Capebecalmed. There they lay for three whole weeks, broiling in thesun, and rolling in sickening agitation on the long, swollen sea.

  But the wind came, at last--a scorching sirocco. Away scudded theship, like a water-witch, and, in a fortnight’s time, arrived offthe Bay of Naples. Mounting the Danish flag, Hildebrand ventured,though against the advice of Master Halyard, to enter the bay,and there come to an anchor. But though it was one of the chiefports of the Spanish empire, he saw nothing in the bay, as faras his observation could push itself, in the shape of warlikepreparation. After several days’ interval, find
ing that he wasnot noticed by the authorities, and, furthermore, that he couldgain no information without some greater risk, he determined tohazard a visit to the shore, and seek for information among thedisaffected natives. Accordingly, one night, when it came onvery dark, he manned his boat with a picked crew, and set outfor a neighbouring fishing village. He found the inhabitantsmore favourable to his design than he had even expected. Withoutincurring much risk, he learned, in answer to his inquiries, thatthe Neapolitan division of the armada had sailed for Lisbon,and that the Tagus was to be the rendezvous of the whole force.Satisfied that he could learn nothing further, he instantlyreturned to his ship; and resolved, if possible, to slip outof the harbour, and take a cruize off the Tagus. The night wasdark; the wind was as fair as could be wished; and the proverbialindolence of the Spanish authorities, which no emergency couldinduce them to discard, made him hopeful that he would be ableto get away unmolested. His expectations were realised, and hecleared the harbour without difficulty.

  When he had gained the open sea, the wind carried him on verysteadily, and at more than an average speed, till he came off theeverlasting Cape, when, of course, it dropped. After the usualinterval of three weeks, however, it returned, and bore him onto the Straits. Thence he had a fair passage to the north ofPortugal.

  The Bay of Biscay is by no means a pleasant district for acruizer; and after pitching about there for two whole days, inthe hope of picking up some venturous fisherman, and finallydespairing of such a result, Hildebrand made the bold resolutionof entering the Tagus. With the knowledge that there wascollected there an armada pronounced invincible, which had beenequipped for the purpose of subjugating his country, and effacingits name from the map of nations--with a perfect conviction that,if detected, escape, through hosts of foes, and in the face ofa hundred batteries, would be an utter impossibility--sensiblethat a mere suspicion of his being an Englishman would lead tohis immediate execution as a spy--this intrepid and fearless man,without one qualm of hesitation, without one apprehension ofthe result, turned his ship about, and steered straight for theTagus.