CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
ROMISH PLOTS.
On reaching Gresham House we were received by Sir Thomas and Lady Annewith their usual kindness. Aveline was especially welcomed. MasterClough and his lady were also gladly received. They did not remainlong, being anxious to set forth for Wales, in order to visit theirrelatives, and to see the new house they had a short time before causedto be erected. Sir Thomas was somewhat vexed on finding that A'Dale hadquitted his service and joined the Beggars of the Sea.
"Not that I object to their cause," he observed; "that is a right nobleone, though they carry it on in a rough and somewhat barbarous manner.But I consider that mercantile pursuits are among the most honourable inwhich a young man can engage, and A'Dale, had he persevered, had everyprospect of success."
I saw poor Margery, who was present, look very sad and uncomfortablewhen these remarks were made, so much so that Lady Anne observed her.
"What have you to say to this matter, Mistress Margery?" she asked."Are you the cause in any way of the young man's joining the SeaRovers?"
Poor Margery burst into tears.
"I had far rather he had returned home than have done so," she answered;"but he told me that he could not expect to make a fortune sufficient tomarry me, and to live as we ought to do, for a long time, if he followedcommerce; but that he hoped by some lucky stroke to gain enough in ashort time to come home and settle comfortably."
"He is more likely to gain a broken head, the silly lad," observed SirThomas; "but we must not have you weeping. Mistress Margery, about thematter. I will send to him and induce him to return. I had purposedconsiderably increasing his pay, or obtaining some post for him in whichhe would enjoy a good income."
Margery, drying her tears, thanked Sir Thomas for his kind intentions,and was not in any way chary of her abuse of poor A'Dale for hisconduct.
"You say he is on board the Captain de Treslong's ship, do you, Ernst?"he asked, turning to me. "You shall forthwith write a letter to him,which I will sign, and despatch it without delay. Perchance it mayreach him before the ship leaves the English coast; if not, it may besome time before it overtakes these roving gentry."
I had purposed waiting the arrival of Captain Radford before I told SirThomas and Lady Anne of my engagement to Aveline. Seeing my patron,however, in so kind a mood, and believing that he would not be lessinclined to obtain a post for me than he was to find one for A'Dale, Imustered up courage to confess to him that the chief object of my heartwas to marry Aveline.
"Eh! is it so?" said Sir Thomas, turning to her.
A blush rose to her cheeks as she confessed that she had resolved tomarry no one else, having also, she added, her father's permission; andshe then narrated the way in which she had discovered her father atMaster Clough's house. Sir Thomas was not a little surprised to findthat he was the Captain Rover whom he had for so long known, who wasemployed in the service of the merchant adventurers. Still moresurprised was he when I introduced the minister, Overton, and told himhow we had again met each other.
"He will, then, be glad to meet a friend who is in the house--that mostexcellent divine, Master John Foxe," he observed. "He lately came up toLondon from his living in Wiltshire, which he has for some time held.Happy is the parish which enjoys his ministrations; for not only does hepreach the word of truth from the pulpit, but he carries the Gospel fromdoor to door, and ministers both to the temporal and spiritual wants ofhis people. He is indeed a true shepherd of sheep, and spends his lifein imitation of the blessed example set by our Lord and Master."
While he was speaking, Master John Foxe entered the room. He lookedconsiderably older and somewhat thinner than when I last had seen him,but the same pleasing smile lighted up his countenance. He welcomedMaster Overton and me warmly, knowing us both immediately.
"And now, my friend," he said, turning to Master Overton, "you willcontinue in this country, I trust, to preach the Word, as I hear youhave been doing in Antwerp; and that you may have the means of so doing,I will forthwith endeavour to obtain a cure for you."
Master Overton warmly thanked the minister, saying that it was his wishto devote himself as heretofore to the work of the Lord. That firstevening we spent at Gresham House, after our arrival, was one not easilyto be forgotten. We all had so many adventures to relate. John Foxenarrated the circumstances which occurred while he resided inSwitzerland; Master Overton described his wanderings, and his numberlessescapes. Master Clough had to give an account of many events,especially of those which had taken place in the Netherlands since helast wrote.
Two days after Master Clough and his lady had taken their departure,Captain Radford arrived. Aveline had promised that, should he notobject to it, she would be mine as soon as arrangements could be madefor our marriage. I had not forgotten the packet in the possession ofLady Anne, though of the contents I had no distinct recollection. Wenow applied for it. Great was Captain Radford's satisfaction when itwas delivered to him. After examining it, he rose up and kissed hisdaughter.
"There can be little doubt," he said, "that you will become possessedere long, through means of these papers, of considerable property. I amnot sorry for it, being assured that you will have one well able tomanage it, and to be your true protector as long as you two remain inthis life."
"The course of true love does continue to run smooth," I whispered toAveline.
"I pray it may; but we are not married yet," she answered.
I do not deem that the matters concerning the estate in question willprove interesting to my readers. I will, therefore, merely state that,being placed before the law authorities, it was finally decided that shewas its rightful possessor. It consisted of upwards of five hundredacres; and, greatly to my satisfaction, I found that it was situated inthe same parish in which Master Foxe ministered. Still our marriage wasnot to take place just yet. Lady Anne insisted that she could not,after so long a separation, be again parted from her young attendant;besides which, Sir Thomas had received notice that a certain lady ofrank was to be committed to his charge--of whom more anon. It wasnecessary that Lady Anne should have a younger and more active lady thanherself to assist in taking charge of the said personage.
Shortly after this, Sir Thomas received notice that a foreigner of rankand consideration had arrived at Dover, and also a request from Cecil--the Queen's minister--that he would receive him into his house. Thestranger was the Cardinal Chastillon, as he was still called, thebrother of the famous French Admiral, Gaspard de Coligny. He had beeneducated for the Church, in which he was placed in his childhood; and,from the powerful influence of his family, he had been appointed to theDeanery of Marseilles, as also to the dignity of Cardinal. When onlythirteen years of age, he was promoted to the Bishopric of Beauveax; andby the time he was twenty-two, he had been made Archbishop of Toulouse.It might have been supposed that so great a number of honours, bestowedon so young a man, would have bound him to the Church from which theyhad proceeded; but, instead of that, the abominable system which couldproduce such a result struck him forcibly. Having thus seen some of theabuses of Romanism, he did not fail to discover many more; and, at theage of twenty-eight, he had openly embraced Protestant opinions, andthrew in all his support to the cause of the Lutherans.
The house in Bishopsgate Street having been got ready for his reception,I, with Sir Thomas Gresham, rode down to Tower Wharf, where the Cardinalarrived at three o'clock in the afternoon. Here other persons ofdistinction joined us, to do honour to the illustrious stranger, and,together, we all accompanied him to Gresham House. He was a remarkablyhandsome, courteous man, excessively insinuating in his manners, at thesame time with a firm and determined look. He was said to be a refinedcourtier and a consummate politician. Probably the Romanists had nomore watchful enemy. His eagle eye was everywhere, and his great aimwas to counteract all their plots and machinations, at this timeespecially so rife in England for the destruction of Queen Elizabeth andall who desired to support Protestant t
ruth. Though people still calledhim a Cardinal, he wore the dress of an ordinary gentleman, with a shortcloak over his shoulders and a rapier by his side. Soon after hearrived, the French Ambassador came to pay his respects, whom Sir Thomasinvited to stop to supper. It was very evident that there was no greatfriendship between the two, and that the Ambassador's object was ratherto act as a spy on Chastillon--of which fact the latter was well aware.In the train of the Cardinal, among other noblemen, came the Bishop ofAries, who, I concluded, had embraced Protestant principles.
The Cardinal remained at Gresham House for a week, during which timebanquets were given to him, and every respect shown. Sir Thomas had thepleasure of exhibiting to him his new Bourse. We then rode on to SaintPaul's Church, and came back to dinner--having first, I should havesaid, attended the Protestant service in the French Church. Meantimethe Queen had directed Zion House to be prepared for the Cardinal'sresidence. Here, at the end of that time, he went with his attendants.The Queen was greatly pleased with him, it is said, and bestowed on himmuch favour. Her minister, Cecil, too, held him in high estimation;indeed, the Cardinal afforded him the greatest assistance with regard tothe unravelling of Popish plots.
I had by this time many friends in London. Among the principal, andcertainly the oldest, was Sir John Leigh, who resided in a handsomehouse in the Strand. I frequently paid him a visit, and was now sorryto see that his health was breaking, and that he was becoming graduallyweaker and weaker. Still he was as vivacious and full of anecdote asever, while he took a keen interest in public affairs.
"Ernst," he said one day, soon after I came in, "see to the door, thatno one is near. I have a matter of great importance which I know I canentrust to you. You always supposed that I was a Romanist; and so Iwas, as far as I could be said to have any religion; but the things Ihave witnessed in England, and which are now going forward in theNetherlands, in France, and in Spain, and which are, I have undoubtedproof, encouraged in every possible way by the head of the RomishChurch, have made me inquire into the claims and authority of thatChurch. I find that the Pope has no ground whatever on which to supporthis claim to be head of the Christian Church, and that the religion hepromulgates is rather a system organised by Satan for leading souls todestruction than one for teaching them the way to attain to happiness inanother life. I say this, that you may understand why I have taken thepart I have done in an important matter. You are well aware that theRomanists consider any means lawful to attain their ends. They areresolved to re-establish their faith in England; and I, as a patriot,consider that no greater curse could happen to the country. Everyeffort has been made to induce the Queen to accept a Popish husband.They think possibly that, if they could get rid of Cecil, they mightsucceed in inducing the Queen to marry as they have proposed; but ifnot, I know to a certainty that they will not scruple to use violence,even to the taking away of her life. I have thoroughly fathomed theplot to ruin Sir William Cecil, aided by the information I have receivedfrom Cardinal Chastillon, who is himself well acquainted with it. Iwish you to communicate faithfully to Sir Thomas Gresham the matters ofwhich I shall speak to you, and he will then take such steps as hejudges best for informing Sir William. There is now residing in Londona Florentine gentleman, Roberto Ridolfi, who pretends to be a merchant.He by some means became acquainted with Lords Arundel and Lumley, towhom he offered the loan of a sum of money. Now this Ridolfi is anagent of the Pope, and receives express instructions from Rome on alloccasions how to act. When meeting the two lords I have mentioned onthe business of the loan, he managed to win them over to support theplot he had arranged. They agreed readily, and undertook to gain overthe Duke of Norfolk. Many other nobles averse to the Protestant faithhave joined them; among the most influential of whom are the Earls ofNorthumberland, Derby, Shrewsbury, Pembroke, and Leicester. They hopeto accomplish their object, as I have said, without bloodshed orconfusion. Sir William has, I doubt not, been greatly surprised at theway in which they have absented themselves from the Queen's Council.`To be forewarned is to be forearmed.' A man of Cecil's judgment anddiscretion, when once he has a right clue to their conduct, will knowhow to act; but let both him and the Queen beware of foes of everydescription, and especially--I scarcely like to speak it aloud, Ernst--of poison. There are those who are fully capable of using it, if theythink their ends can be accomplished by no other means. Not only does agood understanding subsist between them and the Pope, but they havesecured the Duke of Alva. They have also opened a negotiation with theKings of France and Spain. They have traitorously suggested that theformer should issue an edict forbidding all commerce with England; and,more than that they have urged the Pope to send his troops which havelately come out of Italy to the coast of Normandy and Picardy, in orderto give the English Roman Catholics courage to proceed; so that, shouldmatters come to extremities, they would have the support of a Papal armyof mercenaries. That fact, my young friend, as much as any othercircumstance, has made me, as a patriotic Englishman, feel not only arepugnance for their scheme, but a hatred and disdain of principleswhich can so blind their eyes, and induce them thus to act. Should theplot be successful, one of the first things which Alva would do would beto make a descent on the English coast; thus, as he would hope,preventing the English from aiding the Prince of Orange.
"Ernst Verner, our beloved country is at the present moment in a verydangerous position. On one side we have, as I have shown you, Franceand Spain, urged by the Pope, wanting nothing but ability to attack us.By Alva's designs our commerce in the Low Countries has been crippled.In Scotland there is a strong Roman Catholic party, who are doing theirutmost to subvert the throne of Elizabeth, and to substitute Mary Stuartin her place. The disaffected, whether in religion or politics, makethat unhappy lady their rallying-point. Ireland is in a state ofrebellion; and, as if this were not enough, there are those traitors ofwhom I have spoken to you, and many more at home, seeking again tointroduce the despotism of Rome, and to keep the nation in that state ofignorance and superstition which the Papal power finds to best answerits purpose."
These remarks, as may be supposed, made a deep impression on me; and,after some further conversation with my old friend, I bade him farewell,promising faithfully to convey the warning given, through Sir Thomas, tothe Secretary. I felt eager to be of service in the cause, and saw theimportance of every man of intelligence and influence rallying round thestatesman who alone appeared capable of counteracting the numerous evilinfluences associated for the destruction of the State. Though onlyhalf an Englishman, as a true Protestant all my sympathies were nowenlisted on behalf of my adopted country.
The Golden Grasshopper: A story of the days of Sir Thomas Gresham Page 29