The Splendid Spur

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

  CHAPTER XVI.

  THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD HEATH.

  Night came, and found us but midway between Temple and Lannceston: fortho' my comrade stepp'd briskly beside me, 'twas useless to put Mollybeyond a walk; and besides, the mare was new from her day's journey.This troubled me the less by reason of the moon (now almost at thefull), and the extreme whiteness of the road underfoot, so that therewas no fear of going astray. And Billy engaged that by sunrise we shouldbe in sight of the King's troops.

  "Nay, Jack," he said, when by signs I offered him to ride and tie:"never rode o' horseback but once, and then 'pon Parson Spinks his redmare at Bideford. Parson i' those days was courtin' the Widow Hambly,over to Torrington: an' I, that wanted to fare to Barnstaple, spent thatmornin' an' better part o' th' afternoon, clawin' off Torrington. Andth' end was the larboard halyards broke, an' the mare gybed, an' toTorrington I went before the wind, wi' an unseemly bloody nose. 'Lud!'cries the widow, ''tis the wrong man 'pon the right horse!' 'Pardon,mistress,' says I, 'the man is well enow, but 'pon the wrong horse, forsure.'"

  Now and then, as we went, I would dismount and lead Molly by the bridlefor a mile or so: and all the way to Launceston Billy was recounting hisadventures since our parting. It appeared that, after leaving me, theyhad come to Plymouth with a fair passage: but before they could unlade,had advertisement of the Governor's design to seize all vessels thenriding in the Sound, for purposes of war; and so made a quick escape bynight into Looe Haven, where they had the fortune to part with the bestpart of their cargo at a high profit. 'Twas while unlading here thatBilly had a mind to pay a debt he ow'd to a cousin of his at Altarnun,and, leaving Matt Soames in charge, had tramped northward throughLiskeard to Launceston, where he found the Cornish forces, and was metby the news of the Earl of Stamford's advance in the northeast. Further,meeting, in Sir Bevill's troop, with some north coast men of hisacquaintance, he fell to talking, and so learn'd about me and my ridetoward Braddock, which (it seem'd) was now become common knowledge. Thisled him to seek Sir Bevill, with the result that you know: "for," as hewound up, "'tis a desirable an' rare delight to pay a debt an' see somefun, together."

  We had some trouble at Launceston gate, where were a few burghers postedfor sentries, and, as I could see, ready to take fright at their ownshadows. But Billy gave the watchword ("One and All"), and presentlythey let us through. As we pass'd along the street we marked a lightin every window almost, tho' 'twas near midnight; and the people movingabout behind their curtains. There were groups too in the dark doorways,gather'd there discussing, that eyed us as we went by, and answeredBilly's _Good-night, honest men!_ very hoarse and doubtfully.

  But when we were beyond the town, and between hedges again, I think Imust have dozed off in my saddle. For, though this was a road full ofsharp memories, being the last I had traveled with Delia, I have noremembrance to have felt them; or, indeed, of noting aught but the freshnight air, and the constellation of the Bear blazing ahead, and Billy'svoice resonant beside me.

  And after this I can recall passing the tower of Marham Church, with thepaling sky behind it, and some birds chattering in the carved courses:and soon (it seem'd) felt Billy's grip on my knee, and open'd my eyes tosee his finger pointing.

  We stood on a ridge above a hollow vale into which the sun, though nowbright, did not yet pierce, but passing over to a high, conical hillbeyond, smote level on line after line of white tents--the prettiestsight! 'Twas the enemy there encamped on the top and some way down thesides, the smoke of their trampled watch fires still curling among thegorsebushes. I heard their trumpets calling and drums beating to arms;for though, glancing back at the sun, I judged it to be hardly past fourin the morning, yet already the slopes were moving like an ant-hill--theregiments gathering, arms flashing, horsemen galloping to and fro, andthe captains shouting their commands. In the distance this had a sweetand cheerful sound, no more disquieting than a ploughboy calling to histeam.

  Looking down into the valley at our feet, at first I saw no sign of ourown troops--only the roofs of a little town, with overmuch smoke spreadabove it, like a morning mist. But here also I heard the church bellsclashing and a drum beating, and presently spied a gleam of arms downamong the trees, and then a regiment of foot moving westward along thebase of the hill. 'Twas evident the battle was at hand, and we quicken'dour pace down into the street.

  It lay on the slope, and midway down we pass'd some watch fires burn'dout; and then a soldier or two running and fastening their straps; andlast a little child, that seem'd wild with the joy of living amid greatevents, but led us pretty straight to the sign of "The Tree," whichindeed was the only tavern.

  It stood some way back from the street, with a great elm before theporch: where by a table sat two men, with tankards beside them, and asmall company of grooms and soldiers standing round. Both men were morethan ordinary tall and soldier like: only the bigger wore a scarletcloak very richly lac'd, and was shouting orders to his men; whilethe other, dress'd in plain buff suit and jack boots, had a map spreadbefore him, which he studied very attentively, writing therein with aquill pen.

  "What a plague have we here?" cries the big man, as we drew up.

  "Recruits if it please you, sir," said I, dismounting and pulling off myhat, tho' his insolent tone offended me.

  "S'lid! The boy speaks as if he were a regiment," growls he, half aloud:"Can'st fight?"

  "That, with your leave, sir, is what I am come to try."

  "And this rascal?" He turned on Billy.

  Billy heard not a word, of course, yet answered readily--

  "Why, since your honor is so pleasantly minded--let it be cider."

  Now the first effect of this, deliver'd with all force of lung, wasto make the big man sit bolt upright and staring: recovering speech,however, he broke into a volley of blasphemous curses.

  All this while the man in buff had scarce lifted his eyes off the map.But now he looks up--and I saw at the first glance that the two menhated each other.

  "I think," said he quietly, "my Lord Mohun has forgot to ask the_gentleman's_ name."

  "My name is Marvel, sir--John Marvel." I answer'd him with a bow.

  "Hey!"--and dropping his pen he starts up and grasps my hand--"Then 'tisyou I have never thanked for His Gracious Majesty's letter."

  "The General Hopton?" cried I.

  "Even so, sir. My lord," he went on, still holding my hand and turningto his companion, "let me present to you the gentleman that inJanuary sav'd your house of Bocconnoc from burning at the hands of therebels--whom God confound this day!" He lifted his hat.

  "Amen," said I, as his lordship bowed, exceedingly sulky. But I didnot value his rage, being hot with joy to be so beprais'd by the firstcaptain (as I yet hold) on the royal side. Who now, not without a slytriumph, flung the price of Billy's cider on the table and, folding uphis map, address'd me again--

  "Master Marvel, the fight to-day will lie but little with the horse--orso I hope. You will do well, if your wish be to serve us best, to leaveyour mare behind. The troop which my Lord Mohun and I command togetheris below. But Sir Bevill Grenville, who has seen and is interested inyou, has the first claim: and I would not deny you the delight to fightyour first battle under so good a master. His men are, with Sir JohnBerkeley's troop, a little to the westward: and if you are ready I willgo some distance with you, and put you in the way to find him. My lord,may we look for you presently?"

  The Lord Mohun nodded, surly enough: so, Billy's cider being now drunkand Molly given over to an ostler, we set out down the hill together,Billy shouldering a pipe and walking after with the groom that led SirRalph's horse. Be sure the General's courtly manner of speech set myblood tingling. I seem'd to grow a full two inches taller; and when, inthe vale, we parted, he directing me to the left, where through a gapI could see Sir Bevill's troop forming at some five hundred paces'distance, I felt a very desperate warrior indeed; and set off at a run,with Billy behind me.

  'Twas an open space we had to cross, dott
ed with gorsebushes; and theenemy's regiments, plain to see, drawn up in battalia on the slopeabove, which here was gentler than to the south and west. But hardly hadwe gone ten yards than I saw a puff of white smoke above, then another,and then the summit ring'd with flame; and heard the noise of it roaringin the hills around. At the first sound I pull'd up, and then beganrunning again at full speed: for I saw our division already in motion,and advancing up the hill at a quick pace.

  The curve of the slope hid all but the nearest: but above them I sawa steep earthwork, and thereon three or four brass pieces of ordnanceglittering whenever the smoke lifted. For here the artillery was plyingthe briskest, pouring down volley on volley; and four regiments at leaststood mass'd behind, ready to fall on the Cornish-men; who, answeringwith a small discharge of musketry, now ran forward more nimbly.

  To catch up with them, I must now turn my course obliquely up the hill,where running was pretty toilsome. We were panting along when suddenly ashower of sand and earth was dash'd in my face, spattering me all over.Half-blinded, I look'd and saw a great round shot had ploughed a trenchin the ground at my feet, and lay there buried.

  At the same moment, Billy, who was running at my shoulder, plumps downon his knees and begins to whine and moan most pitiably.

  "Art hurt, dear fellow?" asked I, turning.

  "Oh, Jack, Jack--I have no stomach for this! A cool, wet death at seaI do not fear; only to have the great hot shot burning in a man'sbelly--'tis terrifying. I _hate_ a swift death! Jack, I be a sinner--Iwill confess: I lied to thee yesterday--never kiss'd the three maidsI spoke of--never kiss'd but one i' my life, an' her a tap-wench,that slapp'd my face for 't, an' so don't properly count. I be a veryboastful man!"

  Now I myself had felt somewhat cold inside when the guns began roaring:but this set me right in a trice. I whipp'd a pistol out of my sash andput the cold ring to his ear: and he scrambled up; and was a very lionall the rest of the day.

  But now we had again to change our course, for to my dismay I saw aline of sharpshooters moving down among the gorsebushes, to take theCornishmen in flank. And 'twas lucky we had but a little way furtherto go; for these skirmishers, thinking perhaps from my dress and ourrunning thus that we bore some message open'd fire on us: and tho' theywere bad marksmen, 'twas ugly to see their bullets pattering into theturf, to right and left.

  We caught up the very last line of the ascending troop--lean, hungrylooking men, with wan faces, but shouting lustily. I think they wereabout three hundred in all. "Come on, lad," called out a bearded fellowwith a bandage over one eye, making room for me at his side; "there'swork for plenty more!"--and a minute after, a shot took him in the ribs,and he scream'd out "Oh, my God!" and flinging up his arms, leap'd afoot in air and fell on his face.

  Pressing up, I noted that the first line was now at the foot of theearthwork; and, in a minute, saw their steel caps and crimson sashesswarming up the face of it, and their pikes shining. But now came ashock, and the fellow in front was thrust back into my arms. I reeleddown a pace or two and then, finding foothold, stood pushing. And next,the whole body came tumbling back on me, and down the hill we wentflying, with oaths and cries. Three of the rebel regiments had beenflung on us and by sheer weight bore us before them. At the same timethe sharpshooters pour'd in a volley: and I began to see how a man maygo through a battle, and be beat, without striking a blow.

  But in the midst of this scurry I heard the sound of cheering. 'Twas SirJohn Berkeley's troop (till now posted under cover of the hedges below)that had come to our support; and the rebels, fearing to advance toofar, must have withdrawn again behind their earthwork, for after a whilethe pressure eas'd a bit, and, to my amaze, the troop which but a minutesince was a mere huddled crowd, formed in some order afresh, and oncemore began to climb. This time, I had a thick-set pikeman in front ofme, with a big wen at the back of his neck that seem'd to fix all myattention. And up we went, I counting the beat of my heart that wasalready going hard and short with the work; and then, amid the rattleand thunder of their guns, we stopp'd again.

  I had taken no notice of it, but in the confusion of the first repulsethe greater part of our men had been thrust past me, so that now I foundmyself no further back than the fourth rank, and at the very foot of theearthwork, up the which our leaders were flung like a wave; and soon Iwas scrambling after them, ankle deep in the sandy earth, the man withthe wen just ahead, grinding my instep with his heel and poking his pikestaff between my knees as he slipp'd.

  And just at the moment when the top of our wave was cleaving a smallbreach above us, he fell on the flat of his pike, with his nose buriedin the gravel and his hands clutching. Looking up I saw a tall rebelstraddling above him with musket clubb'd to beat his brains out: whomwith an effort I caught by the boot; and, the bank slipping at thatinstant, down we all slid in a heap, a jumble of arms and legs, to thevery bottom.

  Before I had the sand well out of my eyes, my comrade was up and had hispike loose; and in a twinkling, the rebel was spitted through the middleand writhing. 'Twas sickening: but before I could pull out my pistoland end his pain (as I was minded), back came our front rank a-top ofus again, and down they were driven like sheep, my companion catching upthe dead man's musket and ammunition bag, and I followed down the slopewith three stout rebels at my heels. "What will be the end of _this?_"thought I.

  The end was, that after forty yards or so, finding the foremost closeupon me, I turn'd about and let fly with my pistol at him. He spun roundtwice and dropp'd: which I was wondering at (the pistol being but a poorweapon for aim) when I was caught by the arm and pull'd behind a clumpof bushes handy by. 'Twas the man with the wen, and by his smokingmusket I knew that 'twas he had fired the shot that killed my pursuer.

  "Good turn for good turn," says he: "quick with thy other pistol!"

  The other two had stopped doubtfully, but at the next discharge of mypistol they turn'd tail and went up the hill again, and we were leftalone. And suddenly I grew aware that my head was aching fit to split,and lay down on the turf, very sick and ill.

  My comrade took no notice of this, but, going for the dead man's musket,kept loading and firing, pausing now and then for his artillery to cool,and whistling a tune that runs in my head to this day. And all the timeI heard shouts and cries and the noise of musketry all around, whichmade me judge that the attack was going on in many places at once.When I came to myself 'twas to hear a bugle below calling again to thecharge, and once more came the two troops ascending. At their head was aslight built man, bare-headed, with the sun (that was by this, highover the hill) smiting on his brown curls, and the wind blowing them.He carried a naked sword in his hand, and waved his men forward ascheerfully as though 'twere a dance and he leading out his partner.

  "Who is that yonder?" asked I, sitting up and pointing.

  "Bless thy innocent heart!" said my comrade, "dostn't thee know? Tis SirBevill."

  * * * * *

  'Twould be tedious to tell the whole of this long fight, which,beginning soon after sunrise, ended not till four in the afternoon, orthereabouts: and indeed of the whole my recollection is but of continualadvance and repulse on that same slope. And herein may be seen thewisdom of our generals, in attacking while the main body of the enemy'shorse was away: for had the Earl of Stamford possessed a sufficientforce of dragoons to let slip on us at the first discomfiture, there islittle doubt he might have ended the battle there and then. As it was,the horse stood out of the fray, theirs upon the summit of the hill,ours (under Col. John Digby) on the other slope, to protect the town andact as reserve.

  The foot, in four parties, was disposed about the hill on all sides; tothe west--as we know--under Sir John Berkeley and Sir Bevill Grenville;to the south under General Hopton and Lord Mohun; to the east under theColonels Tom Basset and William Godolphin; while the steep side to thenorth was stormed by Sir Nicholas Slanning and Colonel Godolphin, withtheir companies. And as we had but eight small pieces of cannon and werein numbers les
s than one to two, all we had to do was to march up thehill in face of their fire, catch a knock on the head, may be, grin, andcome on again.

  But at three o'clock, we, having been for the sixth time beaten back,were panting under cover of a hedge, and Sir John Berkeley, near by, waswriting on a drumhead some message to the camp, when there comes a youngman on horseback, his face smear'd with dirt and dust, and rides up tohim and Sir Bevill. 'Twas (I have since learn'd) to say that the powderwas all spent but a barrel or two: but this only the captains knew atthe time.

  "Very well, then," cries Sir Bevill, leaping up gaily. "Come along,boys--we must do it this time." And, the troop forming, once more thetrumpets sounded the charge, and up we went. Away along the slope weheard the other trumpeters sounding in answer, and I believe 'twas a_sursum corda!_ to all of us.

  Billy Pottery was ranged on my right, in the first rank, and next to me,on the other side, a giant, near seven foot high, who said his name wasAnthony Payne and his business to act as body-servant to Sir Bevill. Andhe it was that struck up a mighty curious song in the Cornish tongue,which the rest took up with a will. Twas incredible how it put fire intothem all: and Sir Bevill toss'd his hat into the air, and after him likeschoolboys we pelted, straight for the masses ahead.

  For now over the rampart came a company of red musketeers, and two ofrusset-clad pikemen, charging down on us. A moment, and we were crushedback: another, and the chant rose again. We were grappling, hand tohand, in the midst of their files.

  But, good lack! What use is swordsmanship in a charge like this? Thefirst red coat that encounter'd me I had spitted through the lung,and, carried on by the rush, he twirled me round like a windmill. In aninstant I was pass'd; the giant stepping before me and clearing a spaceabout him, using his pike as if 'twere a flail. With a wrench I tugg'dmy sword out and followed. I saw Sir Bevill, a little to the left,beaten to his knee, and carried toward me. Stretching out a hand Ipull'd him on his feet again, catching, as I did so, a crack on theskull that would have ended me, had not Billy Pottery put up his pikeand broke the force of it. Next, I remember gripping another red coatby the beard and thrusting at him with shortened blade. Then the giantahead lifted his pike high, and we fought to rally round it; and withthat I seem'd caught off my feet and swept forward:--and we were on thecrest.

  Taking breath, I saw the enemy melting off the summit like a man'sbreath off a pane. And Sir Bevill caught my hand and pointed acrossto where, on the north side, a white standard embroider'd with goldgriffins was mounting.

  "'Tis dear Nick Slanning!" he cried; "God be prais'd--the day is oursfor certain!"