westward ho-第1节

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Westward　Ho！

by　Charles　Kingsley





TO

THE　RAJAH　SIR　JAMES　BROOKE；　K。C。B。

AND

GEORGE　AUGUSTUS　SELWYN；　D。D。

BISHOP　OF　NEW　ZEALAND


THIS　BOOK　IS　DEDICATED


By　one　who　（unknown　to　them）　has　no　other　method　of　expressing　his
admiration　and　reverence　for　their　characters。

That　type　of　English　virtue；　at　once　manful　and　godly；　practical
and　enthusiastic；　prudent　and　self…sacrificing；　which　he　has　tried
to　depict　in　these　pages；　they　have　exhibited　in　a　form　even　purer
and　more　heroic　than　that　in　which　he　has　drest　it；　and　than　that
in　which　it　was　exhibited　by　the　worthies　whom　Elizabeth；　without
distinction　of　rank　or　age；　gathered　round　her　in　the　ever　glorious
wars　of　her　great　reign。

C。　K。

FEBRUARY；　1855。



CONTENTS



I。　HOW　MR。　OXENHAM　SAW　THE　WHITE　BIRD

II。　HOW　AMYAS　CAME　HOME　THE　FIRST　TIME

III。　OF　TWO　GENTLEMEN　OF　WALES；　AND　HOW　THEY　HUNTED　WITH　THE
HOUNDS；　AND　YET　RAN　WITH　THE　DEER

IV。　THE　TWO　WAYS　OF　BEING　CROST　IN　LOVE

V。　CLOVELLY　COURT　IN　THE　OLDEN　TIME

VI。　THE　COMBES　OF　THE　FAR　WEST

VII。　THE　TRUE　AND　TRAGICAL　HISTORY　OF　MR。　JOHN　OXENHAM　OF　PLYMOUTH

VIII。　HOW　THE　NOBLE　BROTHERHOOD　OF　THE　ROSE　WAS　FOUNDED

IX。　HOW　AMYAS　KEPT　HIS　CHRISTMAS　DAY

X。　HOW　THE　MAYOR　OF　BIDEFORD　BAITED　HIS　HOOK　WITH　HIS　OWN　FLESH

XI。　　HOW　EUSTACE　LEIGH　MET　THE　POPE'S　LEGATE

XII。　HOW　BIDEFORD　BRIDGE　DINED　AT　ANNERY　HOUSE

XIII。　HOW　THE　GOLDEN　HIND　CAME　HOME　AGAIN

XIV。　HOW　SALVATION　YEO　SLEW　THE　KING　OF　THE　GUBBINGS

XV。　HOW　MR。　JOHN　BRIMBLECOMBE　UNDERSTOOD　THE　NATURE　OF　AN　OATH

XVI。　THE　MOST　CHIVALROUS　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　GOOD　SHIP　ROSE

XVII。　HOW　THEY　CAME　TO　BARBADOS；　AND　FOUND　NO　MEN　THEREIN

XVIII。　HOW　THEY　TOOK　THE　PEARLS　AT　MARGARITA

XIX。　WHAT　BEFELL　AT　LA　GUAYRA

XX。　SPANISH　BLOODHOUNDS　AND　ENGLISH　MASTIFFS

XXI。　HOW　THEY　TOOK　THE　COMMUNION　UNDER　THE　TREE　AT　HIGUEROTE

XXII。　THE　INQUISITION　IN　THE　INDIES

XXIII。　THE　BANKS　OF　THE　META

XXIV。　HOW　AMYAS　WAS　TEMPTED　OF　THE　DEVIL

XXV。　HOW　THEY　TOOK　THE　GOLD…TRAIN

XXVI。　HOW　THEY　TOOK　THE　GREAT　GALLEON

XXVII。　HOW　SALVATION　YEO　FOUND　HIS　LITTLE　MAID　AGAIN

XXVIII。　HOW　AMYAS　CAME　HOME　THE　THIRD　TIME

XXIX。　HOW　THE　VIRGINIA　FLEET　WAS　STOPPED　BY　THE　QUEEN'S　COMMAND

XXX。　HOW　THE　ADMIRAL　JOHN　HAWKINS　TESTIFIED　AGAINST　CROAKERS

XXXI。　THE　GREAT　ARMADA

XXXII。　HOW　AMYAS　THREW　HIS　SWORD　INTO　THE　SEA

XXXIII。　HOW　AMYAS　LET　THE　APPLE　FALL



WESTWARD　HO！


CHAPTER　I


HOW　MR。　OXENHAM　SAW　THE　WHITE　BIRD


　　　　　〃The　hollow　oak　our　palace　is；
　　　　　　　　Our　heritage　the　sea。〃


All　who　have　travelled　through　the　delicious　scenery　of　North　Devon　must　needs　know　the　little　white　town　of　Bideford；　which　slopes　upwards　from　its　broad　tide…river　paved　with　yellow　sands；　and　many…arched　old　bridge　where　salmon　wait　for　autumn　floods；　toward　the　pleasant　upland　on　the　west。　　Above　the　town　the　hills　close　in；　cushioned　with　deep　oak　woods；　through　which　juts　here　and　there　a　crag　of　fern…fringed　slate；　below　they　lower；　and　open　more　and　more　in　softly　rounded　knolls；　and　fertile　squares　of　red　and　green；　till　they　sink　into　the　wide　expanse　of　hazy　flats；　rich　salt…marshes；　and　rolling　sand…hills；　where　Torridge　joins　her　sister　Taw；　and　both　together　flow　quietly　toward　the　broad　surges　of　the　bar；　and　the　everlasting　thunder　of　the　long　Atlantic　swell。　Pleasantly　the　old　town　stands　there；　beneath　its　soft　Italian　sky；　fanned　day　and　night　by　the　fresh　ocean　breeze；　which　forbids　alike　the　keen　winter　frosts；　and　the　fierce　thunder　heats　of　the　midland；　and　pleasantly　it　has　stood　there　for　now；　perhaps；　eight　hundred　years　since　the　first　Grenville；　cousin　of　the　Conqueror；　returning　from　the　conquest　of　South　Wales；　drew　round　him　trusty　Saxon　serfs；　and　free　Norse　rovers　with　their　golden　curls；　and　dark　Silurian　Britons　from　the　Swansea　shore；　and　all　the　mingled　blood　which　still　gives　to　the　seaward　folk　of　the　next　county　their　strength　and　intellect；　and；　even　in　these　levelling　days；　their　peculiar　beauty　of　face　and　form。

But　at　the　time　whereof　I　write；　Bideford　was　not　merely　a　pleasant　country　town；　whose　quay　was　haunted　by　a　few　coasting　craft。　　It　was　one　of　the　chief　ports　of　England；　it　furnished　seven　ships　to　fight　the　Armada：　even　more　than　a　century　afterwards；　say　the　chroniclers；　〃it　sent　more　vessels　to　the　northern　trade　than　any　port　in　England；　saving　（strange　juxtaposition！）　London　and　Topsham；〃　and　was　the　centre　of　a　local　civilization　and　enterprise；　small　perhaps　compared　with　the　vast　efforts　of　the　present　day：　but　who　dare　despise　the　day　of　small　things；　if　it　has　proved　to　be　the　dawn　of　mighty　ones？　　And　it　is　to　the　sea…　life　and　labor　of　Bideford；　and　Dartmouth；　and　Topsham；　and　Plymouth　（then　a　petty　place）；　and　many　another　little　western　town；　that　England　owes　the　foundation　of　her　naval　and　commercial　glory。　　It　was　the　men　of　Devon；　the　Drakes　and　Hawkins'；　Gilberts　and　Raleighs；　Grenvilles　and　Oxenhams；　and　a　host　more　of　〃forgotten　worthies；〃　whom　we　shall　learn　one　day　to　honor　as　they　deserve；　to　whom　she　owes　her　commerce；　her　colonies；　her　very　existence。　　For　had　they　not　first　crippled；　by　their　West　Indian　raids；　the　ill…gotten　resources　of　the　Spaniard；　and　then　crushed　his　last　huge　effort　in　Britain's　Salamis；　the　glorious　fight　of　1588；　what　had　we　been　by　now　but　a　popish　appanage　of　a　world…　tyranny　as　cruel　as　heathen　Rome　itself；　and　far　more　devilish？

It　is　in　memory　of　these　men；　their　voyages　and　their　battles；　their　faith　and　their　valor；　their　heroic　lives　and　no　less　heroic　deaths；　that　I　write　this　book；　and　if　now　and　then　I　shall　seem　to　warm　into　a　style　somewhat　too　stilted　and　pompous；　let　me　be　excused　for　my　subject's　sake；　fit　rather　to　have　been　sung　than　said；　and　to　have　proclaimed　to　all　true　English　hearts；　not　as　a　novel　but　as　an　epic　（which　some　man　may　yet　gird　himself　to　write）；　the　same　great　message　which　the　songs　of　Troy；　and　the　Persian　wars；　and　the　trophies　of　Marathon　and　Salamis；　spoke　to　the　hearts　of　all　true　Greeks　of　old。


One　bright　summer's　afternoon；　in　the　year　of　grace　1575；　a　tall　and　fair　boy　came　lingering　along　Bideford　quay；　in　his　scholar's　gown；　with　satchel　and　slate　in　hand；　watching　wistfully　the　shipping　and　the　sailors；　till；　just　after　he　had　passed　the　bottom　of　the　High　Street；　he　came　opposite　to　one　of　the　many　taverns　which　looked　out　upon　the　river。　　In　the　open　bay　window　sat　merchants　and　gentlemen；　discoursing　over　their　afternoon's　draught　of　sack；　and　outside　the　door　was　gathered　a　group　of　sailors；　listening　earnestly　to　some　one　who　stood　in　the　midst。　　The　boy；　all　alive　for　any　sea…news；　must　needs　go　up　to　them；　and　take　his　place　among　the　sailor…lads　who　were　peeping　and　whispering　under　the　elbows　of　the　men；　and　so　came　in　for　the　following　speech；　delivered　in　a　loud　bold　voice；　with　a　strong　Devonshire　accent；　and　a　fair　sprinkling　of　oaths。

〃If　you　don't　believe　me；　go　and　see；　or　stay　here　and　grow　all　over　blue　mould。　　I　tell　you；　as　I　am　a　gentleman；　I　saw　it　with　these　eyes；　and　so　did　Salvation　Yeo　there；　through　a　window　in　the　lower　room；　and　we　measured　the　heap；　as　I　am　a　christened　man；　seventy　foot　long；　ten　foot　broad；　and　twelve　foot　high；　of　silver　bars；　and　each　bar　between　a　thirty　and　forty　pound　weight。　　And　says　Captain　Drake：　'There；　my　lads　of　Devon；　I've　brought　you　to　the　mouth　of　the　world's　treasure…house；　and　it's　your　own　fault　now　if　you　don't　sweep　it　out　as　empty　as　a　stock…fish。'〃

〃Why　didn't　you　bring　some　of　they　home；　then；　Mr。　Oxenham？〃

〃Why　weren't　you　there　to　help　to　carry　them？　　We　would　have　brought　'em　away；　safe　enough；　and　young　Drake　and　I　had　broke　the　door　abroad　already；　but　Captain　Drake　goes　off　in　a　dead　faint；　and　when　we　came　to　look；　he　had　a　wound　in　his　leg　you　might　have　laid　three　fingers　in；　and　his　boots　were　full　of　blood；　and　had　been　for　an　hour　or　more；　but　the　heart　of　him　was　that；　that　he　never　knew　it　till　he　dropped；　and　then　his　brother　and　I　got　him　away　to　the　boats；　he　kicking　and　struggling；　and　bidding　us　let　him　go　on　with　the　fight；　though　every　step　he　took　in　the　sand　was　in　a　pool　of　blood；　and　so　we　got　off。　　And　tell　me；　ye　sons　of　shotten　herrings；　wasn't　it　worth　more　to　save　him　than　the　dirty　silver？　for　silver　we　can　get　again；　brave　boys：　there's　more　fish　in　the　sea　than　ever　came　out　of　it；　and　more　silver　in　Nombre　de　Dios　than　would　pave　all　the　streets　in　the　west　country：　but　of　such　captains　as　Franky　Drake；　Heaven　never　makes　but　one　at　a　time；　and　if　we　lose　him；　good…bye　to　England's　luck；　say　I；　and　who　don't　agree；　let　him　choose　his　weapons；　and　I'm　his　man。〃

He　who　delivered　this　harangue　was　a　tall　and　sturdy　personage；　with　a　florid　black…bearded　face；　and　bold　restless　dark　eyes；　who　leaned；　with　crossed　legs　and　arms　akimbo；　against　the　wall　of　the　house；　and　seemed　in　the　eyes　of　the　schoolboy　a　very　magnifico；　some　prince　or　duke　at　least。　　He　was　dressed　（contrary　to　all　sumptuary　laws　of　the　time）　in　a　suit　of　crimson　velvet；　a　little　the　worse；　perhaps；　for　wear；　by　his　side　were　a　long　Spanish　rapier　and　a　brace　of　daggers；　gaudy　enough　about　the　hilts；　his　fingers　sparkled　with　rings；　he　had　two　or　t