By Pike and Dyke: a Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XIX
THE QUEEN'S SERVICE
A few days after Ned's return home his aunt and cousins moved intoa house close by, which they had taken a short time before; DamePlomaert's half of the property, purchased with the money thathad been transmitted by her father-in-law and his sons to England,being ample to keep them in considerable comfort. Just as Ned wasleaving Delft some despatches had been placed in his hands fordelivery upon his arrival in London to Lord Walsingham. The greatminister was in attendance upon the queen at Greenwich, and thitherNed proceeded by boat on the morning after his arrival. On statingthat he was the bearer of despatches from the Prince of OrangeNed at once obtained an audience, and bowing deeply presented hisletters to the queen's counsellor. The latter opened the letteraddressed to himself, and after reading a few words said:
"Be seated, Captain Martin. The prince tells me that he sends itby your hand, but that as you are prostrate by fever you will beunable to deliver it personally. I am glad to see that you are sofar recovered."
Ned seated himself, while Lord Walsingham continued the perusal ofhis despatches.
"The prince is pleased to speak in very high terms of you, CaptainMartin," he said, "and tells me that as you are entirely in hisconfidence you will be able to give me much information besidesthat that he is able to write." He then proceeded to question Nedat length as to the state of feeling in Holland, its resources andmeans of resistance, upon all of which points Ned replied fully.The interview lasted near two hours, at the end of which time LordWalsingham said:
"When I hand the letter inclosed within my own to the queen I shallreport to her majesty very favourably as to your intelligence, andit may possibly be that she may desire to speak to you herself, forshe is deeply interested in this matter; and although circumstanceshave prevented her showing that warmth for the welfare of Hollandthat she feels, she has no less the interest of that country atheart, and will be well pleased to find that one of her subjectshas been rendering such assistance as the prince is pleased toacknowledge in his letter to me. Please, therefore, to leave youraddress with my secretary in the next room, in order that I maycommunicate with you if necessary."
Two days later one of the royal servants brought a message thatCaptain Martin was to present himself on the following day atGreenwich, as her majesty would be pleased to grant him an audience.Knowing that the queen loved that those around her should bebravely attired, Ned dressed himself in the suit that he had onlyworn once or twice when he had attended the prince to meetings ofthe Estates.
It was of a puce coloured satin, slashed with green, with a shortmantle of the same material, with the cape embroidered in silver.The bonnet was to match, with a small white feather. He placed thechain the prince had given him round his neck, and with an ampleruff and manchets of Flemish lace, and his rapier by his side, hetook his place in the boat, and was rowed to Greenwich. He feltsome trepidation as he was ushered in. A page conducted him to theend of the chamber, where the queen was standing with Lord Walsinghamat her side. Ned bowed profoundly, the queen held out her hand,and bending on one knee Ned reverently placed it to his lips.
"I am gratified, Captain Martin," she said, "at the manner in whichmy good cousin, the Prince of Orange, has been pleased to speakof your services to him. You are young indeed, sir, to have passedthrough such perilous adventures; and I would fain hear from yourlips the account of the deliverance of Leyden, and of such othermatters as you have taken part in."
The queen then seated herself, and Ned related modestly the eventsat Leyden, Haarlem, Alkmaar, and the two sea fights in which hehad taken part. The queen several times questioned him closely asto the various details.
"We are much interested," she said, "in these fights, in which theburghers of Holland have supported themselves against the soldiersof Spain, seeing that we may ourselves some day have to maintainourselves against that power. How comes it, young sir, that youcame to mix yourself up in these matters? We know that many of oursubjects have crossed the water to fight against the Spaniards;but these are for the most part restless spirits, who are attractedas much, perhaps, by a love of adventure as by their sympathy withthe people of the Netherlands."
Ned then related the massacre of his Dutch relations by the Spaniards,and how his father had lost a leg while sailing out of Antwerp.
"I remember me now," the queen said. "The matter was laid beforeour council, and we remonstrated with the Spanish ambassador, andhe in turn accused our seamen of having first sunk a Spanish galleywithout cause or reason. And when not employed in these dangerousenterprises of which you have been speaking, do you say that youhave been in attendance upon the prince himself? He speaks in hisletter to my Lord Walsingham of his great confidence in you. Howcame you first, a stranger and a foreigner, to gain the confidenceof so wise and prudent a prince?"
"He intrusted a mission to me of some slight peril, your majesty,and I was fortunate enough to carry it out to his satisfaction."
"Tell me more of it," the queen said. "It may be that we ourselvesshall find some employment for you, and I wish to know upon whatgrounds we should place confidence in you. Tell me fully the affair.I am not pressed for time, and love to listen to tales of adventure."
Ned thus commanded related in full the story of his mission toBrussels.
"Truly the prince's confidence was well reposed in you," she said,when Ned had finished. "You shall hear from us anon, Captain Martin.Since you know Holland so well, and are high in the confidence ofthe prince, we shall doubtless be able to find means of utilizingyour services for the benefit of the realm."
So saying she again extended her hand to Ned, who, after kissingit, retired from the audience chamber delighted with the kindnessand condescension of Elizabeth. When he had left, the queen saidto Lord Walsingham.
"A very proper young officer, Lord Walsingham; and one of partsand intelligence as well as of bravery. Methinks we may find himuseful in our communications with the Prince of Orange; and fromhis knowledge of the people we may get surer intelligence from himof the state of feeling there with regard to the alliance they areproposing with us, and to their offers to come under our protection,than we can from our own envoy. It is advisable, too, at times tohave two mouthpieces; the one to speak in the public ear, the otherto deliver our private sentiments and plans."
"He is young for so great a responsibility," Lord Walsingham saidhesitatingly.
"If the Prince of Orange did not find him too young to act inmatters in which the slightest indiscretion might bring a scoreof heads to the block, I think that we can trust him, my lord. Insome respects his youth will be a distinct advantage. Did we senda personage of age and rank to Holland it might be suspected thathe had a special mission from us, and our envoy might complain thatwe were treating behind his back; but a young officer like thiscould come and go without attracting observation, and without evenPhilip's spies suspecting that he was dabbling in affairs of state."
At this time, indeed, the queen was, as she had long been, playinga double game with the Netherlands. Holland and Zeeland were beggingthe prince to assume absolute power. The Prince of Orange, who hadno ambition whatever for himself, was endeavouring to negotiatewith either England or France to take the Estates under theirprotection. Elizabeth, while jealous of France, was unwilling toincur the expenditure in men and still more money that would benecessary were she to assume protection of Holland as its sovereignunder the title offered to her of Countess of Holland; and yet,though unwilling to do this herself, she was still more unwillingto see France step in and occupy the position offered to her, while,above all, she shrank from engaging at present in a life and deathstruggle with Spain.
Thus, while ever assuring the Prince of Orange of her good-will,she abstained from rendering any absolute assistance, althoughcontinuing to hold out hopes that she would later on accept thesovereignty offered.
For the next three weeks Ned remained quietly at home. The gatheringsin the summer house were more largely attended t
It was a continual source of wonder to them how Will Martin's son,who had seemed to them a boy like other boys, should have gonethrough such perilous adventures, should have had the honour ofbeing in the Prince of Orange's confidence, and the still greaterhonour of being received by the queen and allowed to kiss herhand. It was little more than two years back that Ned had been aboy among them, never venturing to give his opinion unless firstaddressed, and now he was a young man, with a quiet and assuredmanner, and bearing himself rather as a young noble of the courtthan the son of a sea captain like themselves.
It was all very wonderful, and scarce seemed to them natural,especially as Ned was as quiet and unaffected as he had been asa boy, and gave himself no airs whatever on the strength of thegood fortune that had befallen him. Much of his time was spent inassisting his aunt to get her new house in order, and in aiding herto move into it. This had just been accomplished when he receivedan order to go down to Greenwich and call upon Lord Walsingham.He received from him despatches to be delivered to the Princeof Orange, together with many verbal directions for the prince'sprivate ear. He was charged to ascertain as far as possible theprince's inclinations towards a French alliance, and what groundhe had for encouragement from the French king.
"Upon your return, Captain Martin, you will render me an account ofall expenses you have borne, and they will, of course, be defrayed."
"My expenses will be but small, my lord," Ned replied; "for itchances that my father's ship sails tomorrow for Rotterdam, and Ishall take passage in her. While there I am sure that the prince,whose hospitality is boundless, will insist upon my staying withhim as his guest; and, indeed, it seems to me that this would bebest so, for having so long been a member of his household it willseem to all that I have but returned to resume my former position."
The public service in the days of Queen Elizabeth was not sought forby men for the sake of gain. It was considered the highest honourto serve the queen; and those employed on embassies, missions, andeven in military commands spent large sums, and sometimes almostbeggared themselves in order to keep up a dignity worthy of theirposition, considering themselves amply repaid for any sacrifices byreceiving an expression of the royal approval. Ned Martin thereforereturned home greatly elated at the honourable mission that hadbeen intrusted to him. His father, however, although also gratifiedat Ned's reception at court and employment in the queen's servicelooked at it from the matter of fact point of view.
"It is all very well, Ned," he said, as they were talking the matterover in family conclave in the evening; "and I do not deny that Ishare in the satisfaction that all these women are expressing. Itis a high honour that you should be employed on a mission for hermajesty, and there are scores of young nobles who would be delightedto be employed in such service; but you see, Ned, you are nota young noble, and although honour is a fine thing, it will buyneither bread nor cheese. If you were the heir to great estates youwould naturally rejoice in rendering services which might bring youinto favour at court, and win for you honour and public standing;but you see you are the son of a master mariner, happily the ownerof his own ship and of other properties which are sufficient tokeep him in comfort, but which will naturally at the death of yourmother and myself go to the girls, while you will have the GoodVenture and my share in other vessels. But these are businessesthat want looking after, and the income would go but a little wayto support you in a position at court. You have now been two yearsaway from the sea. That matters little; but if you were to continuein the royal service for a time you would surely become unfittedto return to the rough life of a master mariner. Fair words butterno parsnip, Ned. Honour and royal service empty the purse insteadof filling it. It behooves you to think these matters over."
"I am surprised at you, Will," Dame Martin said. "I should havethought that you would have been proud of the credit and honourthat Ned is winning. Why, all our neighbours are talking of nothingelse!"
"All our neighbours will not be called upon, wife, to pay for MasterNed's support, to provide him with courtly garments, and enable himto maintain a position which will do credit to his royal mistress.I am proud of Ned, as proud as anyone can be, but that is no reasonwhy I should be willing to see him spend his life as a needy hangeron of the court rather than as a British sailor, bearing a goodname in the city, and earning a fair living by honest trade. Nedknows that I am speaking only for his own good. Court favour isbut an empty thing, and our good queen is fickle in her likings,and has never any hesitation in disavowing the proceedings of herenvoys. When a man has broad lands to fall back upon he can riskthe loss of court favour, and can go into retirement assured thatsooner or later he will again have his turn. But such is not Ned'sposition. I say not that I wish him at once to draw back fromthis course; but I would have him soberly think it over and judgewhether it is one that in the long run is likely to prove successful."
Mrs. Martin, her sister-in-law, and the four girls looked anxiouslyat Ned. They had all, since the day that he was first sent for toGreenwich, been in a high state of delight at the honour that hadbefallen him, and his father's words had fallen like a douche ofcold water upon their aspirations.
"I fully recognize the truth of what you say, father," he said,after a pause, "and will think it deeply over, which I shall havetime to do before my return from Holland. Assuredly it is not amatter to be lightly decided. It may mean that this royal servicemay lead to some position of profit as well as honour; althoughnow, as you have put it to me, I own that the prospect seems to meto be a slight one, and that where so many are ready to serve forhonour alone, the chance of employment for one requiring moneyas well as honour is but small. However, there can be no need forinstant decision. I am so fond of the sea that I am sure that,even if away from it for two or three years, I should be ready andwilling to return to it. I am as yet but little over eighteen, andeven if I remained in the royal service until twenty-one I shouldstill have lost but little of my life, and should not be too oldto take to the sea again.
"In time I shall see more plainly what the views of Lord Walsinghamare concerning me, and whether there is a prospect of advancementin the service. He will know that I cannot afford to give my lifeto the queen's service without pay, not being, as you say, a nobleor a great landowner."
"That is very well spoken, Ned," his father said. "There is noneed in any way for you to come to any resolution on the subjectat present; I shall be well content to wait until you come of age.As you say, by that time you will see whether this is but a briefwind of royal favour, or whether my Lord Walsingham designs tocontinue you in the royal service and to advance your fortunes.I find that I am able to get on on board a ship better than Ihad expected, and have no wish to retire from the sea at present;therefore there will be plenty of time for you to decide when youget to the age of one and twenty. Nevertheless this talk will nothave been without advantage, for it will be far better for you notto have set your mind altogether upon court service; and you willthen, if you finally decide to return to the sea, not have tosuffer such disappointment as you would do had you regarded it asa fixed thing that some great fortune was coming to you. So letit be an understood thing, that this matter remains entirely openuntil you come to the age of twenty-one."
Ned accordingly went backwards and forwards to Holland for the nexttwo years, bearing letters and messages between the queen and thePrince of Orange.
There was some pause in military operations after the relief ofLeyden. Negotiations had for a long time gone on between the Kingof Spain, acting by Royal Commissioners, on the one side, and theprince and the Estates on the other. The Royal Commissioners werewilling in his name to make considerable concessions, to withdrawthe Spanish troops from the country, and to permit the EstatesGeneral to assemble; but as they persisted that all heretics shouldeither recant or leave the provinces, no possible agreement couldbe arrived at, as the question of religion was at the bo
During the year 1575 the only military operation of importance wasthe recovery by the Spaniards of the Island of Schouwen, which, withits chief town Zierickzee, was recovered by a most daring feat ofarms--the Spaniards wading for miles through water up to the neckon a wild and stormy night, and making their way across in spiteof the efforts of the Zeelanders in their ships. Zierickzee indeedresisted for many months, and finally surrendered only to hunger;the garrison obtaining good terms from the Spaniards, who were soanxious for its possession that to obtain it they were even willingfor once to forego their vengeance for the long resistance it hadoffered.
In March, 1576, while the siege was still going on, Requesens diedsuddenly of a violent fever, brought on partly by anxiety caused byanother mutiny of the troops. This mutiny more than counterbalancedthe advantage gained by the capture of the Island of Schouwen, forafter taking possession of it the soldiers engaged in the serviceat once joined the mutiny and marched away into Brabant.
The position of Holland had gone from bad to worse, the utmostefforts of the population were needed to repair the broken dykesand again recover the submerged lands. So bare was the country ofanimals of all kinds, that it had become necessary to pass a lawforbidding for a considerable period the slaughter of oxen, cows,calves, sheep, or poultry. Holland and Zeeland had now united ina confederacy, of which the prince was at the head, and by an Actof Union in June, 1575, the two little republics became virtuallyone. Among the powers and duties granted to the prince he was tomaintain the practice of the reformed evangelical religion, andto cause to cease the exercise of all other religions contrary tothe Gospel. He was, however, not to permit that inquisition shouldbe made into any man's belief or conscience, or that any man bycause thereof should suffer trouble, injury, or hindrance.
Upon one point only the prince had been peremptory, he would haveno persecution. In the original terms he had been requested tosuppress "the Catholic religion," but had altered the words into"religion at variance with the Gospel." Almost alone, at a time whenevery one was intolerant, the Prince of Orange was firmly resolvedthat all men should have liberty of conscience.
Holland suffered a great loss when Admiral Boisot fell in endeavouringto relieve Zierickzee. The harbour had been surrounded by Spaniardsby a submerged dyke of piles of rubbish. Against this Boisot drovehis ship, which was the largest of his fleet. He did not succeed inbreaking through. The tide ebbed and left his ship aground, whilethe other vessels were beaten back. Rather than fall into thehands of the enemy, he and 300 of his companions sprang overboardand endeavoured to effect their escape by swimming, but darknesscame on before he could be picked up, and he perished by drowning.
The mutiny among the Spanish regiments spread rapidly, and thegreater part of the German troops of Spain took part in it. Themutineers held the various citadels throughout the country, andravaged the towns, villages, and open country. The condition ofthe people of Brabant was worse than ever. Despair led them to turnagain to the provinces which had so long resisted the authorityof Spain, and the fifteen other states, at the invitation of theprince, sent deputies to Ghent to a general congress, to arrange fora close union between the whole of the provinces of the Netherlands.
Risings took place in all parts of the country, but they were alwaysrepressed by the Spaniards; who, though in open mutiny againsttheir king and officers, had no idea of permitting the people ofthe Netherlands to recover the liberty that had at the cost of somuch blood been wrung from them. Maastricht drove out its garrison;but the Spaniards advanced against the town, seized a vast numberof women, and placing these before them advanced to the assault.The citizens dared not fire, as many of their own wives or sisterswere among the women; the town was therefore taken, and a hideousmassacre followed.
Ned Martin had now been two years engaged upon various missions toHolland, and Lord Walsingham himself acknowledged to his mistressthat her choice of the young officer had been a singularly goodone. He had conducted himself with great discretion, his reportswere full and minute, and he had several times had audiences withthe queen, and had personally related to her matters of importanceconcerning the state of Holland, and the views of the princeand the Estates General. The congress at Ghent, and the agitationthroughout the whole of the Netherlands, had created a lively interestin England, and Ned received orders to visit Ghent and Antwerp,and to ascertain more surely the probability of an organization ofthe provinces into a general confederation.
When he reached Ghent he found that the attention of the citizenswas for the time chiefly occupied with the siege of the citadel,which was held by a Spanish garrison, and he therefore proceededto Antwerp. This was at the time probably the wealthiest cityin Europe. It carried on the largest commerce in the world, itswarehouses were full of the treasures of all countries, its merchantsvied with princes in splendour. The proud city was dominated,however, by its citadel, which had been erected not for the purposeof external defence but to overawe the town.
The governor of the garrison, D'Avila, had been all along recognizedas one of the leaders of the mutiny. The town itself was garrisonedby Germans who still held aloof from the mutiny, but who had beentampered with by him. The governor of the city, Champagny, althougha sincere Catholic, hated the Spaniards, and had entered intonegotiations with the prince. The citizens thought at present butlittle of the common cause, their thoughts being absorbed by fearsof their own safety, threatened by the mutinous Spanish troops whohad already captured and sacked Alost, and were now assembling withthe evident intention of gathering for themselves the rich bootycontained within the walls of Antwerp.
As they approached the town, a force of 5000 Walloon infantry and1200 cavalry were despatched from Brussels to the aid of its sistercity. No sooner, however, did this force enter the town than itbroke into a mutiny, which was only repressed with the greatestdifficulty by Champagny. It was at this moment that Ned entered thecity. He at once communicated with the governor, and delivered tohim some messages with which he had been charged by the Prince ofOrange, whom he had visited on his way.
"Had you arrived three days since I could have discussed thesematters with you," the governor said; "but as it is we are hourlyexpecting attack, and can think of nothing but preparations fordefence. I shall be glad if you can assist me in that direction.Half the German garrison are traitors, the Walloons who have justentered are in no way to be relied upon, and it is the burghersthemselves upon whom the defence of the town must really fall. Theyare now engaged in raising a rampart facing the citadel. I am atonce proceeding thither to superintend the work."
Ned accompanied the governor to the spot and found twelve thousandmen and women labouring earnestly to erect a rampart, constructedof bales of goods, casks of earth, upturned wagons, and other bulkyobjects. The guns of the fortress opened upon the workers, and soimpeded them that night fell before the fortifications were nearlycompleted. Unfortunately it was bright moonlight, and the artillerymencontinued their fire with such accuracy that the work was at lastabandoned, and the citizens retired to their homes. Champagny didall that was possible. Aided by some burghers and his own servants,he planted what few cannon there were at the weakest points; buthis general directions were all neglected, and not even scouts wereposted.
In the morning a heavy mist hung over the city, and concealed thearrival of the Spanish troops from all the towns and fortresses inthe neighbourhood. As soon as it was fairly daylight the defendersmustered. The Marquis of Havre claimed for the Walloons the postof honour in defence of the lines facing the citadel; and 6000men were disposed here, while the bulk of the German garrison werestationed in the principal squares.
At ten o'clock the mutineers from Alost marched into the citadel,raising the force there to 5000 veteran infantry and 600 cavalry.
Ned had been all night at work assisting the governor. He had nowlaid aside his ordinary attire, and was clad in complete armour.He was not there to fight; but there was clearly nothing else todo, unless indeed
Just before daybreak he made his way down to the quays, ascertainedthe exact position of the fleet, and determined how he had bestget on board. He chose a small boat from among those lying at thequay, and removed it to the foot of some stairs by a bridge. Hefastened the head rope to a ring and pushed the boat off, so thatit lay under the bridge, concealed from the sight of any who mightpass along the wharves. Having thus prepared for his own safety,he was making his way to rejoin the governor when a woman came outfrom a house in a quiet street. As she met him he started.
"Why, Magdalene!" he exclaimed, "is it you? What are you doing inAntwerp? Is the countess here?"
The woman looked at him in surprise.
"Don't you remember me, Magdalene? the boy you dressed up as a girlat Brussels, and whom you last saw at Maastricht?"
"Bless me!" the old servant exclaimed, "is it you, sir? I shouldnever have known you again."
"Three years make a great deal of difference," Ned laughed; "andit is more than that now since we last met."
"Please to come in, sir; the countess will be right glad to seeyou, and so will Miss Gertrude. They have talked of you hundredsof times, and wondered what had become of you." She opened the dooragain with the great key, and led the way into the house.
"Mistress," she said, showing the way into the parlour, "here isa visitor for you." The countess and her daughter had, like everyone else in Antwerp, been up all night, and rose from her seat bythe fire as the young officer entered. He took off his helmet andbowed deeply.
"What is your business with me?" the countess asked, seeing thathe did not speak.
"I have not come exactly upon business, countess," he replied, "butto thank you for past kindnesses."
"Mother, it is the English boy!" exclaimed the young lady sittingupon the side of the fire, rising from her seat. "Surely, sir, youare Master Edward Martin?"
"Your eyes are not in fault, Fraulein. I am Edward Martin."
"I am glad, indeed, to see you, sir," the countess said. "How oftenmy daughter and I have longed for the time when we might againmeet you to tell how grateful we are for the service you did us. Iwonder now that I did not recognize you; but you have changed froma lad into a man. You must remember it is more than four years sincewe were together at Brussels. As for the meeting near Maastricht,it was such a short one; and I was so full of joy at the thoughtthat Gertrude and I had escaped the fearful danger hanging over usthat I scarce noticed your appearance, nor had we any time to talkthen. We received the letter you wrote after leaving us at Brussels,from the Hague, telling us that you had arrived there safely. Butsince you did us that service at Maastricht we have never heard ofyou."
"I had not your address," Ned replied. "And even had I known whereyou were I should not have dared to write; for there was no sayinginto whose hands the letter might not fall. But, countess, excuseme if I turn to other matters, for the time presses sorely. Youknow that the city will be attacked today."
"So every one says," the countess replied. "But surely you do notthink that there is any danger. The Walloons and Germans shouldbe able alone to hold the barricades, and behind them are all thecitizens."
"I put little faith in the Walloons," Ned said shortly; "and someof the Germans we know have been bribed. I would rather that allwere out of the way, and that it were left to the burghers aloneto defend the barricades. I have seen how the citizens of theNetherlands can fight at Haarlem and Alkmaar. As for these Walloons, Ihave no faith in them. I fear, countess, that the danger is great;and if the Spaniards succeed in winning their way into the town,there is no mercy to be expected for man, woman, or child. I considerthat it would be madness for you to stay here."
"But what are we to do, sir?" the countess asked.
"The only way, madam, is to make your way on board the prince'sfleet. I am known to many of the officers, and can place you onboard at once. If you wait until the Spaniards enter it will betoo late. There will be a wild rush to the river, and the boatswill be swamped. If the attack fails, and the Spaniards retire frombefore the city, you can if you choose return to shore, though Ishould say that even then it will be better by far to go to Rotterdamor Delft; unless you decide to do as you once talked about, to finda refuge for a time in England."
"I will accept your offer gladly, sir," the countess said. "I havelong been looking for some way to leave the city. But none can goon board the ships without a pass, and I have not dared to ask forone. Not for worlds would I expose my daughter to the horrors ofa sack. Can we go at once?"
"Yes, madam, I have everything in readiness, and would advise nodelay."
"I have nothing that I need mind leaving behind. I am, as you see,more comfortable here than I was at Brussels; but I am still forcedto keep my concealment. In five minutes we shall be ready."