Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason: An Historical Romance

by William Harrison Ainsworth

  CHAPTER VII.

  DOCTOR DEE.

  "How now, ye impious violators of the tomb! ye worse thanfamine-stricken wolves, that rake up the dead in churchyards!" criedGuy Fawkes, in a voice of thunder, to Doctor Dee and his companion; who,startled by his sudden appearance, dropped the body, and retreated to ashort distance. "What devilish rites are ye about to enact, that ye thusprofane the sanctity of the grave?"

  _Guy Fawkes discovers Doctor Dee & Edward Kelleydisintering the body of Elizabeth Orton_]

  "And who art thou that darest thus to interrupt us?" demanded Dee,sternly.

  "It matters not," rejoined Fawkes, striding towards them. "Suffice ityou are both known to _me_. You, John Dee, warden of Manchester, whodeserve to be burnt at the stake for your damnable practices, ratherthan hold the sacred office you fill; and you, Edward Kelley, hisassociate, who boast of familiar intercourse with demons, and, unlessfame belies you, have purchased the intimacy at the price of your soul'ssalvation. I know you both. I know, also, whose body you havedisinterred--it is that of the ill-fated prophetess, Elizabeth Orton.And if you do not instantly restore it to the grave whence you havesnatched it, I will denounce you to the authorities of the town."

  "Knowing thus much, you should know still more," retorted Doctor Dee,"namely, that I am not to be lightly provoked. You have no power to quitthe churchyard--nay, not so much as to move a limb without mypermission."

  As he spoke, he drew from beneath his cloak a small phial, the contentsof which he sprinkled over the intruder. Its effect was wonderful andinstantaneous. The limbs of Guy Fawkes stiffened where he stood. Hishand remained immovably fixed upon the pommel of his sword, and heseemed transformed into a marble statue.

  "You will henceforth acknowledge and respect my power," he continued."Were it my pleasure, I could bury you twenty fathoms deep in the earthbeneath our feet; or, by invoking certain spirits, convey you to thesummit of yon lofty tower," pointing to the church, "and hurl you fromit headlong. But I content myself with depriving you of motion, andleave you in possession of sight and speech, that you may endure thetorture of witnessing what you cannot prevent."

  So saying, he was about to return to the corpse with Kelley, when GuyFawkes exclaimed, in a hollow voice,

  "Set me free, and I will instantly depart."

  "Will you swear never to divulge what you have seen?" demanded Dee,pausing.

  "Solemnly," he replied.

  "I will trust you, then," rejoined the Doctor;--"the rather that yourpresence interferes with my purpose."

  Taking a handful of loose earth from an adjoining grave, and muttering afew words, that sounded like a charm, he scattered it over Fawkes. Thespell was instantly broken. A leaden weight seemed to be removed fromhis limbs. His joints regained their suppleness, and with a convulsivestart, like that by which a dreamer casts off a nightmare, he wasliberated from his preternatural thraldom.

  "And now, begone!" cried Doctor Dee, authoritatively.

  "Suffer me to tarry with you a few moments," said Guy Fawkes, in adeferential tone. "Heretofore, I will freely admit, I regarded you as animpostor; but now I am convinced you are deeply skilled in the occultsciences, and would fain consult you on the future."

  "I have already said that your presence troubles me," replied DoctorDee. "But if you will call upon me at the College to-morrow, it may be Iwill give you further proofs of my skill."

  "Why not now, reverend sir?" urged Fawkes. "The question I would ask isbetter suited to this dismal spot and witching hour, than to daylightand the walls of your study."

  "Indeed!" exclaimed Dee. "Your name?"

  "Guy Fawkes," replied the other.

  "Guy Fawkes!" echoed the Doctor, starting. "Nay, then, I guess thenature of the question you would ask."

  "Am I then known to you, reverend sir?" inquired Fawkes, uneasily.

  "As well as to yourself--nay, better," answered the Doctor. "Bring thelantern hither, Kelley," he continued, addressing his companion. "Look!"he added, elevating the light so as to throw it upon the countenance ofFawkes: "it is the very face,--the bronzed and strongly-markedfeatures,--the fierce black eye,--the iron frame, and foreign garb ofthe figure we beheld in the show-stone."

  "It is," replied Kelley. "I could have singled him out amid a thousand.He looked thus as we tracked his perilous course, with his threecompanions, the priest, Chetham, and Viviana Radcliffe, across ChatMoss."

  "How have you learned this?" cried Guy Fawkes, in amazement.

  "By the art that reveals all things," answered Kelley.

  "In proof that your thoughts are known to me," observed Dee, "I willtell you the inquiry you would make before it is uttered. You wouldlearn whether the enterprise on which you are engaged will succeed."

  "I would," replied Fawkes.

  "Yet more," continued Dee. "I am aware of the nature of the plot, andcould name to you all connected with it."

  "Your power is, indeed, wonderful," rejoined Fawkes in an altered tone."But will you give me the information I require?"

  "Hum!" muttered Dee.

  "I am too poor to purchase it," proceeded Fawkes, "unless a relic I havebrought from Spain has any value in your eyes."

  _Doctor Dee, in conjunction with his Seer Edward Kelley,exhibiting his magical skill to Guy Fawkes_]

  "Tush!" exclaimed Dee, angrily. "Do you suppose I am a common juggler,and practise my art for gain?"

  "By no means, reverend sir," said Fawkes. "But I would not willingly putyou to trouble without evincing my gratitude."

  "Well, then," replied Dee, "I will not refuse your request. And yet Iwould caution you to beware how you pry into the future. You may repentyour rashness when it is too late."

  "I have no fear," rejoined Fawkes. "Let me know the worst."

  "Enough," answered Dee. "And now listen to me. That carcass having beenplaced in the ground without the holy rites of burial being dulyperformed, I have power over it. And, as the witch of Endor called upSamuel, as is recorded in Holy Writ,--as Erichtho raised up a corpse toreveal to Sextus Pompeius the event of the Pharsalian war,--as Elishabreathed life into the nostrils of the Shunamite's son,--as Alcestis wasinvoked by Hercules,--and as the dead maid was brought back to life byApollonius Thyaneus,--so I, by certain powerful incantations, willallure the soul of the prophetess, for a short space, to its formertenement, and compel it to answer my questions. Dare you be present atthis ceremony?"

  "I dare," replied Fawkes.

  "Follow me, then," said Dee. "You will need all your courage."

  Muttering a hasty prayer, and secretly crossing himself, Guy Fawkesstrode after him towards the grave. By the Doctor's directions, he, withsome reluctance, assisted Kelley to raise the corpse, and convey it tothe charnel. Dee followed, bearing the lantern, and, on entering thebuilding, closed and fastened the door.

  The chamber in which Guy Fawkes found himself was in perfect keepingwith the horrible ceremonial about to be performed. In one corner lay amouldering heap of skulls, bones, and other fragments of mortality; inthe other a pile of broken coffins, emptied of their tenants, and rearedon end. But what chiefly attracted his attention, was a ghastlycollection of human limbs, blackened with pitch, girded round with ironhoops, and hung, like meat in a shambles, against the wall. There weretwo heads, and, though the features were scarcely distinguishable, owingto the liquid in which they had been immersed, they still retained aterrific expression of agony. Seeing his attention directed to theserevolting objects, Kelley informed him they were the quarters of the twopriests who had recently been put to death, which had been left therepreviously to being placed on the church-gates. The implements, and somepart of the attire used by the executioner in his butcherly office, werescattered about, and mixed with the tools of the sexton; while in thecentre of the room stood a large wooden frame supported by trestles. Onthis frame, stained with blood and smeared with pitch, showing thepurpose to which it had been recently put, the body was placed. Thisdone, Doctor Dee set down the lantern beside it; and, as th
e light fellupon its livid features, sullied with earth, and exhibiting traces ofdecay, Guy Fawkes was so appalled by the sight that he half repented ofwhat he had undertaken.

  Noticing his irresolution, Doctor Dee said, "You may yet retire if youthink proper."

  "No," replied Fawkes, rousing himself; "I will go through with it."

  "It is well," replied Dee. And he extinguished the light.

  An awful silence now ensued, broken only by a low murmur from DoctorDee, who appeared to be reciting an incantation. As he proceeded, histones became louder, and his accents those of command. Suddenly, hepaused, and seemed to await a response. But, as none was made, greatlyto the disappointment of Guy Fawkes, whose curiosity, notwithstandinghis fears, was raised to the highest pitch, he cried, "Blood is wantingto complete the charm."

  "If that is all, I will speedily supply the deficiency," replied GuyFawkes; and, drawing his rapier, he bared his left arm, and pricked itdeeply with the point of the weapon.

  "I bleed now," he cried.

  "Sprinkle the corpse with the ruddy current," rejoined Doctor Dee.

  "Your commands are obeyed," replied Fawkes. "I have placed my hand onits breast, and the blood is flowing upon it."

  Upon this the Doctor began to mutter an incantation in a louder and moreauthoritative tone than before. Presently, Kelley added his voice, andthey both joined in a sort of chorus, but in a jargon whollyunintelligible to Guy Fawkes.

  All at once a blue flame appeared above their heads, and, slowlydescending, settled upon the brow of the corpse, lighting up the sunkencavities of the eyes, and the discoloured and distorted features.

  "The charm works," shouted Doctor Dee.

  "She moves! she moves!" exclaimed Guy Fawkes. "She is alive!"

  "Take off your hand," cried the Doctor, "or mischief may ensue." And heagain continued his incantation.

  "Down on your knees!" he exclaimed, at length, in a terrible voice. "Thespirit is at hand."

  There was a rushing sound, and a stream of dazzling lightning shot downupon the corpse, which emitted a hollow groan. In obedience to theDoctor's commands, Guy Fawkes had prostrated himself on the ground: buthe kept his gaze steadily fixed on the body, which, to his infiniteastonishment, slowly arose, until it stood erect upon the frame. Thereit remained perfectly motionless, with the arms close to the sides, andthe habiliments torn and dishevelled. The blue light still retained itsposition upon the brow, and communicated a horrible glimmer to thefeatures. The spectacle was so dreadful that Guy Fawkes would fain haveaverted his eyes, but he was unable to do so. Doctor Dee and hiscompanion, meanwhile, continued their invocations, until, as it seemedto Fawkes, the lips of the corpse moved, and an awful voice exclaimed,"Why have you called me?"

  "Daughter!" replied Doctor Dee, rising, "in life thou wert endowed withthe gift of prophecy. In the grave, that which is to come must berevealed to thee. We would question thee."

  "Speak, and I will answer," replied the corpse.

  "Interrogate her, my son," said Dee, addressing Fawkes, "and be brief,for the time is short. So long only as that flame burns have I powerover her."

  "Spirit of Elizabeth Orton," cried Guy Fawkes, "if indeed thou standestbefore me, and some demon hath not entered thy frame to delude me,--byall that is holy, and by every blessed saint, I adjure thee to tell mewhether the scheme on which I am now engaged for the advantage of theCatholic Church will prosper?"

  "Thou art mistaken, Guy Fawkes," returned the corpse. "Thy scheme is notfor the advantage of the Catholic Church."

  "I will not pause to inquire wherefore," continued Fawkes. "But, grantthat the means are violent and wrongful, will the end be successful?"

  "The end will be death," replied the corpse.

  "To the tyrant--to the oppressors?" demanded Fawkes.

  "To the conspirators," was the answer.

  "Ha!" ejaculated Fawkes.

  "Proceed, if you have aught more to ask," cried Dr. Dee. "The flame isexpiring."

  "Shall we restore the fallen religion?" demanded Fawkes.

  But before the words could be pronounced the light vanished, and a heavysound was heard, as of the body falling on the frame.

  "It is over," said Doctor Dee.

  "Can you not summon her again?" asked Fawkes, in a tone of deepdisappointment. "I had other questions to ask."

  "Impossible," replied the Doctor. "The spirit is fled, and will not berecalled. We must now commit the body to the earth. And this time itshall be more decently interred."

  "My curiosity is excited,--not satisfied," said Guy Fawkes. "Would itwere to occur again!"

  "It is ever thus," replied Doctor Dee. "We seek to know that which isinterdicted,--and quench our thirst at a fountain that only inflames ourcuriosity the more. Be warned, my son. You are embarked on a perilousenterprise, and if you pursue it, it will lead you to certaindestruction."

  "I cannot retreat," rejoined Fawkes, "and would not, if I could. I ambound by an oath too terrible to be broken."

  "I will absolve you of your oath, my son," said Dr. Dee, eagerly.

  "You cannot, reverend sir," replied Fawkes. "By no sophistry could Iclear my conscience of the ties imposed upon it. I have sworn never todesist from the execution of this scheme, unless those engaged in itshall give me leave. Nay, so resolved am I, that if I stood alone Iwould go on."

  As he spoke, a deep groan issued from the corpse.

  "You are again warned, my son," said Dee.

  "Come forth," said Guy Fawkes, rushing towards the door, and throwing itopen. "This place stifles me."

  The night has already been described as bright and beautiful. Before himstood the Collegiate Church bathed in moonlight. He gazed abstractedlyat this venerable structure for a few moments, and then returned to thecharnel, where he found Doctor Dee and Kelley employed in placing thebody of the prophetess in a coffin, which they had taken from a pile inthe corner. He immediately proffered his assistance, and in a shortspace the task was completed. The coffin was then borne towards thegrave, at the edge of which it was laid while the burial-service wasrecited by Doctor Dee. This ended, it was lowered into its shallowresting-place, and speedily covered with earth.

  When all was ready for their departure, the Doctor turned to Fawkes,and, bidding him farewell, observed,

  "If you are wise, my son, you will profit by the awful warning you havethis night received."

  "Before we part, reverend sir," replied Fawkes, "I would ask if you knowof other means whereby an insight may be obtained into the future?"

  "Many, my son," replied Dee. "I have a magic glass, in which, with duepreparation, you may behold exact representations of coming events. I amnow returning to the College, and if you will accompany me, I will showit to you."

  The offer was eagerly accepted, and the party quitted the churchyard.