The History of Arthur Penreath, sometime Gentleman of Sir Walter Raleigh, from his own writings, etc

Front matter

THE HISTORY OF ARTHUR PENREATH Frontispiece >' "whose assaults he withstood in a manner marvellous to uehold.' Page 3. The History of Arthur Penreath SOMETIME GENTLEMAN OF SIR WALTER RALEGH From His own Writings BY VERNEY LOVETT CAMERON, C.B., D.C.L. Commander, Royal Navy EUusinttcu bj) <§tanlej) $erkeleti LONDON GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN & WELSH (successors to Newbery and Harris) WEST CORNER ST PAUL'S CHURCHYARD AND SYDNEY, N.S.W. The Rights ot Translation and of Reproduction are reserved. TO Sir RICHARD FRANCIS BURTON, Soldier, Scholar, Poet, Explorer, FIRST AMONG THE 'ADVENTURERS' OF THE VICTORIAN ERA THIS TALE OF THOSE 'ADVENTURERS' WHO WERE THE GLORY OF THE ENGLAND OF ELIZABETH, IS DEDICATED BY HIS FRIEND AND WHILOM FELLOW-TRAVELLER VERNEY LOVETT CAMERON. ' We adventure all we have — our lives ! What can we more? ' THE HI STORY OF ARTHUR PENREATH

Chapter I

Y worthy and noble patron, Sir Walter Ralegh, having been done to death malignantly and despitefully — if it is lawful to use such words of our liege Lord and Sovereign — I have taken upon me the task of writing this, the story of my life, during the which I have at many times served under that valorous, learned, and charitable gentle man, in part that my descendants may preserve his memory among them as a model of a true knight and Christian gentleman, and also as showing what manner of men they were that were fostered under that paragon of regal virtues the late Queen of this Realm, Elizabeth, of blessed and happy memory, and in part that they may also, by an account of the many dangers and perils through which I myself have passed, learn that, to a man of moderate wit and passable courage, there should never come despair in the darkest moments of trial and misfortune, especially if they will only remember that the disposal of their life and fortunes are A in the hands of the Almighty, and, relying on His mercy and goodness, cast their cares at His footstool.

My father, James Penreath, was a Cornish gentleman of good birth though but moderate estate, residing on his own lands in the neighbourhood of Launceston, in the county of Cornwall. He married, early in life, Anne, daughter of John Tryarvan of Bodmin, and by her he had three sons and four daughters. The two eldest born were my brothers James, so called after my father, and John, named from my maternal grandfather ; my sisters were named Anne, Priscilla, Susan, and Eliza beth ; while I was the youngest of the whole flock, was named Arthur, in memory of the famous king of that name, whom all true Cornishmen hold in especial reverence. Of my sisters there is little for me to say. They all in due course married worthy knights and gentlemen, and have done their duty in that station of life to which they have been called.

My brothers were both gallant gentlemen, who played their part in the many glorious achievements of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when to be an Englishman was a source of justifiable pride ; and the elder, James, was one of the gallant crew that, with Sir Richard Grenvill in the Revenge, defied for a whole day the might of Spain, off Flores in the Azores, in which never-to-be-forgotten sea-fight he lost his life ; while my second brother was one of those who were swallowed up by the seas in the frigate Squirrel, with that brave and pious knight Sir Humphrey Gilbert, on the return voyage from Newfoundland. As the youngest child, my mother would fain have kept me at home, but the example of my brothers, who from time to time visited the ancestral hall, had more of attraction for me than the prospect of living an inglorious life of ease at home, and at the age of sixteen I so pestered my father with entreaties to let me seek my fortune abroad, that he at last consented to my wishes, being the more easily led thereto by my eldest brother having already won the favour of my most worthy patron Sir Walter Ralegh, then Captain Ralegh, by the services he had rendered him when he was joined in commission for the government of Munster with Sir William Morgan and Captain Piers, at which time he lay mostly at Lismore.

During this time they were constantly in action against the rebels, and my brother could tell of many stories of how the bare-legged yellow-shirted shock headed Kerns would lay in ambush for him and his fellows ; but the one which most tickled my fancy was that of a skirmish or encounter with that arch-traitor and rebel Barry, who was harbouring himself at the time at Clove. Captain Ralegh, attended by no more than fourscore foot, and eight horse, was on his way from Lismore, after a summer of continual action against the rebels, to take up his winter quarters at Cork, when he received intel ligence that the forsworn and treacherous Barry was sheltering himself at Clove, with several hundred men. Ralegh never considered the odds against him, but went straight toward the town, and offered combat.

The rebels met him at the town end, and in twenty minutes they were scattered like chaff and fleeing away, pursued by the followers of Captain Ralegh, who indeed himself performed prodigies of valour, not caring to turn his hand against the wild Kerns, who lacked defensive ar mour, but jeoparding his life against David, Lord Barry, Patrick Condon, and other leaders of the rebels, who wore armour of proof, and who, regardless of all courtesy, bore down together on him ; whose assaults he with stood in a manner marvellous to behold ; and finally, all his horsemen being likewise fully matched, drove no fewer than seven of these Irish traitors, all mounted men, and well-armed, before him like cattle before a drover. The Irish being beaten, and fleeing in all directions, Captain Ralegh now pressed on with his horsemen, who by this fight had been reduced to six, and these six were Captain Ralegh's trusty servant, Nicholas Wright, a York shire man ; another servant, Patrick Fagan ; Mr Fitz Richard, a loyal Irish gentleman, and his servant ; and my eldest brother, and a groom of his, named John Lee.

After passing through a miry way, and coming out from the cover of a wood, this little company espied, drawn together upon an open plain, rebel Irish to the number of some sixty or seventy ; and counting upon his foot arriving before long, Ralegh and his companions dashed in upon the rebels, and, after a sharp tussle, succeeded in defeating them, and capturing two of them, cousins of Lord Barry; but this was not effected without hard blows given and received, and at one time it seemed as if the numbers and brutish courage of the rebels would enable them to prevail against their opponents. As Ralegh and his companions drew near to the Irish they were assailed by darts, in the use of which missiles the Kerns are very expert, and before they could come to close-hand fighting, four of their horses were killed, and their riders had to fight afoot.

The Kerns, encour aged by this success, and by their numbers, pressed for ward and attacked the English. Ralegh was attacked by no less than ten at one time, and one who he mortally wounded, managed ere he died to draw his knife and by a skilful cut to disembowel the horse Captain Ralegh was riding. Before he could disengage himself from his steed, the Kerns swarmed upon him like wasps, and his life had been untimely ended by this rabble if my brother and Patrick Fagan had not hewed their way through toward him, and set him on his feet again, while Nicholas Wright encountered the onset of six men at once, and put them to flight, killing one of them. Ralegh, when he was again on his feet, saw that Fitz Richard was faring but badly, and that his servant, who had valiantly seconded him, was killed, and ordered Nicholas Wright and Patrick Fagan to charge above hand, and rescue the gentleman, so these two ploughed their way through the enemy, and saved him from his desperate plight.

The Irish again set on Ralegh and my brother, and among them were four men of great stature and exceeding dexterity, who wore armour of proof. My brother had two of these gentry on him at once, while the other two encountered Captain Ralegh, and their blows fell like a blacksmith's on an anvil. One of these mail-clad giants my brother struck with such force on his casque that it flew from his head, and, warding off a blow aimed at him by the other, with his target, he dealt him such a downright stroke that he cleft his head in twain ; but, alack ! his sword was shivered by the blow. Casting the hilt from him, he clasped his remaining foe round the waist, and wrestled with him Cornish fashion, and man aged to give him a hoist over his shoulder, so that he fell on his head, and lay like one dead.

Turning to see how it fared with Captain Ralegh, he found that he was sore beset, and would have made in to his assistance ; but he called to my brother to leave these two to him and go to the help of Fitz Richard and the two servants, who were makinghead against the Kerns a short distance off. Scarce had my brother joined in with them, than Ralegh passed his sword under the collar of one of his two foes, which, when his companion saw, he lost heart, and, dropping his sword, offered himself prisoner. On this the rest of the Irish became afeared, and fled ; and had the English had any horse, they might have extirpated the whole swarm of barbarians, but being light of foot, and knowing the paths through the bogs and morasses which abounded around, such of them as had not been slain outright managed to flee away to their lurking-places, leaving in the hands of Captain Ralegh and his com panions the mail-clad giant who had rendered himself, and his friend, to whom my brother had given the flying mare, a trick that he had learned as a lad at school at Launceston.

These two prisoners proved to be relations of Lord Barry, and his principal aiders and abetters in his many treasons and villainies, and, on arrival at Cork, after due trial, were sentenced to suffer death at the hand of the common hangman, and, after hanging, to be quartered, and their heads displayed in different places infested by the sept to which they belonged. Traitors and miscreants as they were, my brother said they faced their death with courage and resignation, only when they came to the place of execution they claimed the Irish privilege of being hung with green withies instead of with a rope, which it seems is, in their fancy, more honourable, and Captain Ralegh being ready to grant all things which might not be detrimental to the Queen's authority, agreed thereto.

Many another story of this Irish service did my brother James tell me, and from him, and my second brother John, I drank in glories of the strange countries which had just been discovered, of tropic seas and coral islands, of palm trees, of Indians clad in feathers, and many other marvellous and beautiful things ; and also how courageous seamen and gentlemen adventurers had reaped honour and renown, and no small quantity of wealth, by bravely thrusting out into unknown seas and The History of Arthur Peni-eath. 7 countries — of Drake.of Frobisher, of Davis, Cabot, Colum bus, Vespucci, and others, I was never aweary of hearing ; and not only from my brothers, but also from their followers, and from wandering sailors, did I gather in these stories, and resolve that when I was a man I would bear a part in the discovery of new countries ; and when I heard of the cruelties of the Spaniards, and saw, as not uncommonly happened, the scars of the tortures inflicted on English sailors in the dungeons of the Inquisition, I learned, as all honest Englishmen should, to hate Don and Papist, and longed for the time when I might wear a sword, and take part in the capture of some huge car rack or great galleon, laden with spice, gold, and pearl, and in some measure repay the Spaniards for the evils they wrought against our religion, and the many plots they practised against the life of our most gracious and glorious Queen.

I had reached the age of sixteen without having ever been farther away from home than Launceston, Bodmin and Exeter ; but I had learned how to handle sword and quarter-staff, and could shoot with both long and cross bow, while I was renowned round about my home as being the best wrestler of my years ; but, indeed, though I had not then come to my full stature and strength, I was tall and lusty, being six feet in height, and could lift as heavy a weight as any man within four miles of my father's house. I now began to consider myself a man, and having left school, daily begged of my father to let me go abroad and seek my fortune, as my brothers had done ; but my mother said I was over young ; and this same year, 1583. when I thought I had overcome her fears, and won her tardy consent to my offering my services to Captain Ralegh, who was at that time at Court pleading for letters-patent for the foundation of the famous colony of Virginia, the sad tidings arrived of my brother John having perished with his General, the ever'-to-be-lamented Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and so tortured her gentle heart, that I was fain to listen to her pleadings, and consent to remain yet awhile under the shelter of my paternal roof tree.

My eldest brother, who had been in London when the tidings of John's decease were brought to hand, came down at once to try to comfort my parents, but, far from being of my mother's advice that the sad fatality should be a reason for my remaining at home to grow up a country bumpkin, he said that it would be a disgrace to our family if a lad of my inches and ability were to do nothing for the honour of our family, and cited many instances of cadets of good families who had taken part in wars and adventures before they had arrived at my age ; and also that the Papists, in league with the Spaniards, were plotting the overthrow of the kingdom, and the barbarous murther of our glorious Queen ; the Pope even having given his approval of their schemes, and presented the King of Spain with a chalice out of which to drink her blood, if haply either by open war or by foul domestic treason her demise might be accom plished.

He so wrought upon my mother that at last, though with many tears, she consented to my going with him to where Ralegh lay at Hayes, his father's dwelling place at Budleigh, on the Ottery, in Devonshire, whither he had retired for a time, to lay at his ease his plans for the discovery and plantation of lands in America, be tween Florida and Newfoundland, which purpose he had already mooted as aforesaid to his most worthy and glorious mistress Queen Elizabeth, and had received such a meed of approval at her hands as to encourage him to proceed with his project. Before I lest home, my mother embraced me, weeping bitterly, and gave me her blessing, bidding me keep unspotted from the world, and to beware of Popery, and cling fast to the Reformed religion. The advice my father gave me was, though he was a God-fearing man, perhaps more worldly in its nature, for he said, ' Now, my lad, thou'rt going to leave thy father's home and thy father's people, and will be exposed to man)' ills and temptations, and I would have thee ever bear thyself seemly, and as becomes a gentleman.

Remember that thou art a Cornish man, and come of the ancient stock of these isles, of whom but a remnant are left, and that it behoves thee to maintain the honour of thy race and lineage. God hath blessed thee with thews and sinews beyond those ordinarily granted to man, but remember that strength without discretion is but a snare. In Captain Ralegh thou wilt find a leader who is the mirror of a perfect gentleman and of approved valour, and thou must at all times conduct thyself as his loyal servant, and never join in mutinies and brawls. The hot and ungoverned spirits of young men ill-disci plined have often caused the undertakings of valorous and sapient leaders to miscarry. I would have thee remember that it is not fit the councils of the generals and captains be discovered, lest haply the adversary might come to knowledge of the same, and that before ever a man is fitted to command, it is but proper that he should learn to obey, and place perfect reliance in those under whom he has to serve.

Beware also lest overweening trust in thy strength lead thee into quar rellings and fightings. " Enter not into a quarrel lightly, but, being in, bear thyself that thy adversaries may have cause to fear thee, and thy friends to respect thee." Now, my son, the blessing of God go with thee, and bring thee safe again to thy mother's arms.' I embraced my father, mother, and sisters, and bid ding farewell to the servants and retainers, who had assembled to witness the departure of Master Arthur, I mounted my steed, and with my brother and four men at arms, we set forth on our way, and lay that night at Tavistock. As soon as it was light, we were in our saddles, and pressed forward across the dreary wastes of Dartmoor, which, it being the middle of the winter season, were more than usually dangerous to traverse, and we had to trust to the guidance of one of the people of the moor, who, mounted on an active little pony, trotted in front of our party to show us where the track led amid the bog and morasses, where many a tall man and his steed have been swallowed up.

About midday snow, which had long been threaten ing, began to fall, and after trying to make our way against it for some time, our guide halted, and waiting for my brother to come up to him, in his barbarous language said that we could never reach Bovey Tracy, where we had intended to rest that night, and that we best had turn aside and make for Withycombe in the Moor, where at least we should find shelter from the storm. Knowing well how great the danger of a snow storm on Dartmoor was, my brother did not hesitate — though he knew that at these villages, if such the col lections of hovels might be named, in the moor there often harboured papist priests and broken men who were enemies of our liege Majesty — to follow the guide's advice, and, turning to the left hand, we quitted the track we had been following, and made our way over rocky tors and amid moss hags, where the senses of the guide seemed at times to be at fault, and he had to trust to the sagacity of his steed to escape dangerous places.

I rode close by my brother's side, and though he said but little, being indeed fully occupied with the management of his horse, I could divine that he was but ill at ease and misdoubted him of the faith of our guide, and I would fain have questioned as to what he feared, but that I would not sully my manhood by misseeming curiosity. The snow continued falling, and the path became more and more difficult, when suddenly from behind a bush a wild-looking figure, dressed in skins and carrying a long pole, sprang to the head of our guide's pony, and addressed to him a stream of gibberish of which I could not understand a word. Our guide came back to my brother, and said that this savage creature was one of his kinsmen, and that it was fortunate that we had met him, for in the snow he had missed his landmarks ; but that now a combe or valley lay a little to the westward of us in which were settled a family of moor men, and that among them we might find shelter until the weather mended.

My brother said to me, ' Well, Arthur, we must e'en make the best of a bad business, but I would not that we were delayed by the snow, for Captain Ralegh will soon be on the wing for London, and I'd rather that he saw thee first in the privacy of his father's house than amid the cares and distractions of a court,' and shortly bade the guide and his kinsman to lead the way to the promised shelter. In less than ten minutes we came to the top of a hill overhanging the combe, whence we could see some half-dozen hovels built of loose stones, and thatched with whin and heather ; faint wreaths of blue smoke were rising from their roofs ; and about a dozen ponies and some twenty small cattle were sheltering them selves under the lee of a steep bank, at the foot of which ran a small brook. We soon made our way down to the bottom of the combe, and found that the hovels did not improve as we drew nearer to them.

Windows they had none, and the doorways were closed by roughly-made hurdles, which when open disclosed an interior filled with smoke, where half-naked men, women, and children were hud dling together on the bare earthen floor. I suppose I must have shown some signs of disgust at the prospect of so poor a lodging, for my brother chid me, and said that in Ireland he had often been glad to put up with far meaner entertainment, and that Captain Ralegh was wont to say that though a gentleman should, when he had the means and opportunity, live delicately and dress in apparel suitable to his position, he should never complain at any hardships which befell him in the course of duty, and especially should never permit his hosts, however mean and humble, to perceive that he was not thoroughly pleased with what they had to offer him, for that indeed was to be lacking in true courtesy.

Our first necessity was to find shelter and fodder for our steeds, as they could not endure the tempestu ous weather like the moor bred ponies of these wild men, who were a branch of the famous Gubbinses of Exmoor ; and after considerable argument, and a certain amount of persuasion, one of the hovels was quitted by its inmates and placed at our disposal, for stable, dining-hall, and sleeping-room. The head man among these savages was the one who had accosted our guide and led us to this little-frequented spot, and he seemed to be most careful for our comfort, bringing smoked venison and oaten bread for our food, and store of turf for our fire, and kept coming and going, and, as far as his language would allow him, inquiring after our well being.

Chapter II

T last my brother said that we were weary and would be fain left to rest, and the man said that he would see that we were not dis turbed, and went away. As soon as he had gone, John Lee, the same man as had been in Ireland, and engaged in the skirmish I spoke of afore, came to us and said, — ' Maister Jaimes, I be afeard thiccan mun be up tu some devilry, an we mun keep gude guard, same as among the wild Irishry.' ' Why, John, man, what is it ? ' 1 1 been just tu fetch some water, and when I gained the brook side I heard a whistle as 'twere a peewit, and I thinks na peewit cry when snows a fallin', so I looks, and over beyond thiccan brook I see' mung the ling, whar' the snow do not lie as might be, smoke rising as 'twere from hill side, and so I jist covers behind a grat stoan, and by-'m-by I see wan of the moor men scrattin mung ling, and presently he go down i' the groand.

I wa-ait an wa-ait, and presently a Popish mass John he coam up fra the hole, and after him cum three mun wi' headpiece and buff co-oats, and they all go tu house where the man as ca'ad us here lie.' ' All right, John ; we are receiving these men's hospitality, such as it is, and we have no right to pry into their secrets ; but as these moor men are none ofthe most trusty, we will even keep a watch, lest they intend us any mischief, and so now we will see how this house will hold against an attack. We need not be afraid for any odds. You and I, John, have seen many a fight, and so have Simon, William, and Peter' (these were the three other servants) ; 'and as for Master Arthur here, if his heart is as stout as his body, he can count for some thing in a struggle.' ' I'se warrant un,' said John, and was going to con tinue speaking, when my brother said, ' Be quiet, and still, and we will watch.

You and I will guard the door, and the others can look out for any that may come through the roof.' We soon disposed ourselves as my brother directed, and then two of our number keeping awake, the rest laid down to sleep. The night passed away quietly, and without any alarm, and when day came we found that the snow had ceased, and that the sky was clear of clouds. We lost no time in saddling our horses and getting on our way, our host going with us, as he said, to put us into the road for Bovey Tracy. I asked my brother what he thought of the presence of the priest and men-at-arms John Lee had seen the night before, and he said evidently they were in hiding, but as we had been hospitably received, we had best be blind to their presence, though when we reached Budleigh he would tell Captain Ralegh what had been seen and let him take what action he thought fit.

After we had left the combe and had ridden about an hour, our host quitted us, pointing out a tor beyond which he said we should find the road we wanted. Freed from the fear of being mewed up on Dartmoor for days, and perhaps weeks, we rode on cheerfully, talking and chatting, when, as we passed the tor, which had been our landmark, we were confronted by a body of about a dozen pikemen, and a number of the moor men, who cried to us to halt and give ourselves up as prisoners. My brother asked by what right they interfered with honest travellers. The leader of the pikemen said, ' We will soon show you our right,' and ordered his men to advance their pikes, while some of the moor men, who were armed with long knives, ran in among us, to try and hamstring our horses. My brother drew his sword, and calling to the rest of us to do likewise, we rode down on the pikemen, who were posted on a narrow piece of sound ground, be tween two moss-bogs, and soon were hacking and hew ing at them.

I felt as if all my blood were rushing to my head, and a sort of mad desire to cut my way through, without any feeling of fear that I should be hurt myself, and was just lifting my sword to give a good downright blow at a fellow within whose pike I had got, when my horse reeled and fell, and I came to the ground heavily. I had scarce time to wrench myself clear from my saddle when my opponent fell on me and grappled with me, seizing me by the throat with one hand while with the other he essayed to draw a knife from his girdle. Taken at a disadvantage, I dashed my fist in his face, his head piece having no visor, and fortunately staggered him so that he lost his grip on my throat, and I was able to get my right hand in his collar, while with my left I caught his right, in which was the knife he had just drawn.

I wrestled and struggled with him, and managed, how I know not, to get on my feet again ; and putting out all my strength, I felt his arm go crack, and when I loosed my hold it fell helpless by his side ; and seeing he was almost black in the face, I seized him by his shoulders and pitched him into the moss-hag ; but as I rid myself of him, I found I was set on behind by two ofthe moor men. One I managed to get in my arms and give him a squeeze, under which I felt his ribs giving, he being but a poor kind of man, though as lithe and active as a cat ; but his comrade I could feel hacking at my corselet with his knife, but, fortunately, without finding an entrance, so dropping the one I had hugged, I stooped, and, catching the other by the leg, I gave him a twist and a heave, and threw him atop of the pikeman.