For Love and Liberty

Front matter

FOR LOVE AND LIBERTY. BY ALFRED HARCOURT. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON : CHAPMAN & HALL, ld. 1894. ERRATA. VOL. II. Page sr, line 23, for " fatuitous " read "fatuous." 213, line 2 from bottom, sor " Probecito " read " Probecita." CONTENTS. CHAPTFR PAGE I A Change ov Scene and a Clue T II. Chained to the Oar 19 III. IV. The Advance ov a Mighty Host 39 The Beginning of a Great Contest A Meeting of Two Grandees 6i V. 78 VI. The Second Act in a Great War Drama ... 90 VII. The Situation reviewed, and a Conference of Sea-Captains ... I IO 128 VIII. Arma Virumque Cano IX. Prisoners in a Strange Land i5° 169 X, In the Presence XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. A Parting of Friends 179 A Cornish Welcome 19; The Inquisition moves 203 For Hearth and Home 219 23S Liberty Home, Sweet Home 26l Apri.NDix

Chapter I

A CHANGE OF SCENE AND A CLUE. In the lower town of Corunna, within con venient proximity to the shore, rose the walls of an ancient and disreputable hostelry, mainly resorted to by the shadiest characters in the place. The Sailors' Friend boasted of only one low drinking-room, and so dark, dingy, and grimy were the roof and walls from years of smoke and general neglect, that the light from the apology for a window hardly allowed one to see who the occupants might be. There were but three men present, and these, like many others, good, bad, and in different, had drifted to Corunna in the hope of somehow or other in any capacity getting vol. ii. B T away from the country. The most notice able of the trio was no other than Carlo del Soto, who, with close-shaved face and a great patch over his left eye, was so well dis guised that his own mother would not have recognized him, garbed as he was in better clothes than he had known for some time — the proceeds probably of some recent rob bery.

He sat between the very two men, Pedro Cardona and Juan Tepia, who had been temporarily taken on in Don Manuel's homestead, and who, being driven out of the place, had given that information to the Holy Office which had brought about so much trouble. Having fled from Valladolid, they had wandered through Spain, and finally striking into the great northern road, now found themselves moneyless and at their wits' end at this seaport. They had been overheard on the beach discussing their most forlorn condition, and it was the mention of his own name that had induced del Soto to stop and listen to what they were saying. He soon learnt sufficient from the wrangling that went on to assure him that, if he played his cards aright, he could here gain to his side two allies who might also be very useful servants.

He lost no time in addressing the pair, and saying he had caught the name of one del Soto, whom he had once known, inquired what they could tell him. " But come, caballeros," said he, " it's dry work talking. I'll be the host. Follow me, and we will do penance together in the Venta yonder ; " and, the runaways making no objec tion, the three men were soon seated over a rude meal. This having been discussed, del Soto prepared to have his say. This Carlo del Soto was a thick-set, powerful fellow, truly as truculent a looking scoundrel as His Catholic Majesty had in his dominions, and the description that the Familiars had given concerning his personal appearance and enormous strength was not under-estimated. He had with the greatest audacity travelled up by the most public roads, his identity being so well concealed that he was never even suspected.

Giving himself out to be a steel-worker from Toledo, who had been unfortunate in his business, his services had been accepted as an assis tant armourer on the Senora de la Rosa ; and as he had acquired some small knowledge of gunnery in the Low Countries, his position on board the vessel was one of some responsibility. "Now, caballeros," he said, "let us come to business. I'm a man of few words, I am, so listen. You see I wish you well, or I would not have wasted my money on you. You mentioned the name of one Carlo del Soto, a friend of mine. Well, what do you know of him ? " " I know nothing of him," replied Cardona, carelessly; "nor does Juan Tepia either. How should we ? See, senor, the case lies thus. We informed the Inquisition about one Don Raymon D'Aguilar — whom all the fiends seize " " Never mind him ; eo on."

" Well, we were brought up and sworn, and I told all the lies I could think of, and this D'Aguilar was arrested. But what beats us was, that he was not taken at all for what we said, but because he was supposed to be this Carlo del Soto." "Why, what had Carlo del Soto done ?" " Knocked down an image of the Blessed Virgin, and then, when he was arrested, he broke loose." "And then they mistook this cockerel for del Soto, did they ? He ought to have been highly flattered." " All the same he was not, Vaya ! We heard he protested he was not the one they took him for." " Then what happened ? " " What happened ! How do I know ? Perhaps by this they've burnt him. A good riddance too, say I — eh, Juan ? " " Burning's too good for him," growled the other ruffian. " If I had my way I'd saw him alive between two planks."

" Toma ! who knows ? Perhaps that may be his fate yet," said del Soto. " But how came you to Corunna ? " "We began to fear," replied Tepia, "that we should get into trouble. Of course, this D'Aguilar was no heretic at all, and he had powerful friends. So we fled, and at last found our way here." " I see. A pair of rascally informers " — with contempt. " And a nice business you have made of it." " Who are you to take this tone with us ? " said Cardona, for the wine had got into his head. " Por Dios ! " replied del Soto, angrily, striking the rotten table till the dishes clattered again ; " don't speak to me like that. Be careful. I am Phillipo Llano, armourer on board the Senora de la Rosa. So much for myself, and a word from me and off you go to the Santa Casa. By the Mass, a spell at the galleys would do you both good."

" Honourable senor, what have we done to offend your highness ? " whined Cardona. " Well ! let it bide. Ca ! I can forgive. But you had best be careful. I was going to tell you, when interrupted, that this Don Rayrmon, to my knowledge, arrived here this day. What say you to that, caballeros ? " " He is the last man we dare meet. We are lost," cried Tepia. " Not if you act as I tell you. He was released from the Santa Casa — how I know not. At any rate, he is here, and, Vaya ! I owe him a good turn for taking my friend's imprisonment. I could present you to him " — with a grin. "No! you would rather not? Well, I won't press it. Now, if you both will swear to be true and faithful to me, I'll have you berthed on board my ship. You must get some new gear and I'll pay for it, and so long as you do as I tell you, you will have nothing to fear.

But just attempt to trifle with me, and, by St. James and all the Holy Apostles — However, that will do for the present. It is no easy matter," he muttered, " to get out of the hands of the Holy Office. There are precious few ever do that. I wonder who could have obtained Don Ray mon's release ! " " Senor," answered Tepia, now exceedingly humble, " we cannot be sure of this, but we afterwards learnt that the Marquis De Calde mar was a friend of his." Del Soto's face fell, and with an oath he sank back in his chair, and, forgetful of the presence he was in, showed every appearance of abject fear. " By the Mass," he muttered, " it must have been his Excellency the Marquis that was with Don Raymon. I did not catch his face." And then he rapidly recovered his equanimity, and proceeded : " I have heard of the Marquis De Caldemar.

Vaya ! Vaya ! If he interfered, of course the prisoner would be set free. Extraordinary," he went on to himself, " that fate should again throw me in his way ! " "You seem somewhat disturbed," mali ciously suggested Juan Tepia. " Am I ? " replied del Soto, with a sudden change to ferocity beneath which his listeners cowered. " But if I am, that won't concern you much, my friend. Come, both of you, march. I pay for this bout and for the clothes you are to have. I'll see you in them at once, and then we go on board ; " and, seizing the men in his powerful grasp, he swung out of the Venta. The path they pursued lay for some little distance along the shore, now crowded with a tumultuous throng of workmen, soldiers, sailors, and galley-slaves, lading and pushing off" boats to the great vessels of the Armada, some of which lay as close as possible, while others of laroer tonnage were moored in the offing ; the flagship of Media Sidonia being distinguishable by the gaudy imperial flag that hung from the mainmast in the still summer air, like a vast red-and-yellow snake.

Altogether, some hundred and thirty-one vessels were gathered together for this great enterprise, sixty of them being galleons of the heaviest tonnage, with four galleasses, each a third larger than the ordinary galley, the other vessels being of smaller dimen sions. The spectacle was indeed a magnificent one, and boded ill for the Island power that had dared to set at naught the majesty of Spain, which now sent forth over nineteen thousand of its soldiers, eight thousand three hundred and fifty sailors, with fourteen hundred gentlemen volunteers, to be joined hereafter by the Duke of Parma's army of some sixteen thousand tried veterans. There were also one hundred and eighty priests, about seventy surgeons, and two thousand and eighty galley-slaves. All was just now bustle and excitement, for on the morrow, Friday, the 22nd of July (Present Style), the Armada was again to set out on its career of long-conceived contest ; and every heart beat high at the approach of the great national triumph, which it was fervently prayed and fully believed would now bless the arms of His Most Catholic Majesty.

But much, as is so often the case in great undertakings, had been left to the very last, and boat-loads of soldiers, returning from the shore, were abeing rapidly sent off to the various ships, and stores of every kind and sort were lying piled in apparently hopeless confusion on the beach, strings of laden mules with the Maragato carriers forcing their way through the throngs of busy workers ; and the noise of angry command, and the busy murmur of so many voices, created a perfect Babel. Up till now the sun had scarcely seemed to have any power, but it had turned dry and sultry, and everything promised a continuance of fine weather. Surely at last the star of Spain was in the ascendant ; and after weeks of storm and driving tempest, which had once already scattered the various squadrons, and brought them, shattered and broken, into port, it appeared as if, on this new departure, fortune had at last got tired of being perverse.

For only that very morn ing, with blare and fanfare of trumpet, and array of banners and flags, had not the great Duke of Medina Sidonia attended at the ancient church of San Santiago, and there giving thanks to the Almighty for the favours vouchsafed, had solemnly with his chief officers taken the Blessed Sacrament ? Nor had he been less careful of the spiritual requirements of the mere rank and file, who n had — as they had when, two months before, starting from Lisbon — been here again taken to the altar, confessed and shriven ; which, said the pious duke, in writing to his sovereign, " is great riches and the most precious jewel I carry with me. They now are all well and content and cheerful." De Caldemar and the party who had travelled up with him from the Escorial had arrived at Corunna that very forenoon, and the Marquis meeting his old friend Don Juan Martinez de Recalde, it had been de cided that, until the duke gave orders to the contrary — and it was too late now to go to him, for his vessel lay far out — the Marquis, Raymon, and Fiduche should be received on his own vessel, the Gran Grin.

Lope Ruiz, with the other servants, had been at once sent off to the great galleon, one of the largest in the fleet ; and the three gentlemen, with some others, were standing in groups surveying the busy spectacle that lay before them. Fiduche and Raymon strolled on together, and presently found themselves interested in watching a gang of galley-slaves rolling tubs of fresh water down to the beach. The work was by no means easy, and, as time pressed, the comitis showed little mercy, and without reason layabout them with their heavy whips. The sight of men beaten in this brutal manner raised young D'Aguilar's ire, and he stepped forward to stop this needless cruelty; as he did so, a galley-slave near him, who was working his very hardest, receiving a lash over the legs which drew the blood.

" Stop that ! " cried Raymon, in generous anger. " I order you to desist." The overseer, surprised, held his hand. " Pardon me, senor, but I have to get the work done, and these villains will not work without flogging." " Toma ! then flog those that deserve it. Do you see how you have injured this man here, who was doing his best ? " " I don't know who your Excellency may be," returned the overseer, sullenly, " but I can't have the galley-slaves interfered with. These stores are for his Excellency the Commander-in-chief. Come," to the men, who had momentarily stopped in their exer tions, "to work again, and look sharp ; " and he ominously cracked his whip. " I don't want to needlessly interfere," said Raymon, " but see here how you have punished a good worker " — pointing to the galley-slave, whose leg was now streaming with blood.

" By the Mass," said the overseer, with some compunction, " I am sorry for that. This fellow, Englishman though he is, is the best man I have, and I owe him a good turn, too. Well, 2048, it's the luck of things that you came in the way. You can ease off a bit till you've staunched the wound." "Not such a bad fellow," remarked Fiduche. " Stay," said Raymon. " So this is an Englishman ! The first I have ever seen. A tall fellow for his inches, by Our Lady. I should like to have a word with him. I will make it worth your while," he added to the comiti, handings him over some coins. " Very good, Excellency, but I can't spare him for more than ten minutes, for there's a lot to be got through ; " and, so saying, he sauntered away, leaving Raymon and the galley-slave together, for Fiduche had strolled on.

There was no question but that No. 2048 was a very fine specimen of the English race, and it first seemed to Raymon that if this man was of the average island build, it would not be altogether child's play that lay before the soldiers of His Catholic Majesty. "You speak Spanish?" he asked in a kindly tone. " Enough, at any rate, to be able to thank the only gentleman in Spain who has ever said a kind word to me," gratefully responded the man, who now turned and fronted Raymon. "How did you come into this evil plight?" " A long story, senor." And here it struck Raymon somewhat curiously that this man, galley-slave though he was, in no way spoke as if he were other than his own equal. " It is at your service. I was wrecked on the coast of Portugal and taken prisoner. Con fined in the Inquisition, I nearly had my thumbs wrenched off.

See here ! " — showing how his hands were distorted — " but it seems, so I learnt afterwards, that luckily for me I bore all in silence. The result is as you see. For three years I have worked at the chain." " But you seem to be of gentle blood. Is there no one to raise a hand in your be half ? " " Who can do so ? I cannot send to tell my friends in England I am here. I have ample means if I only could get at them." " But this is grossly unjust ! You have committed no crime ? " " I have told you, senor, all I know against myself. I started on a wild-goose chase and paid for my folly." " Do you go on with the Armada ?" " Yes, I am in the Bazana galley ; that one out there with the white-and-blue flag on the mast. Pray God one of the English shot may finish me, and so end this life of hell upon earth."

" Nay, rather, good fellow, let us look forward to your release. I have some in terest, and will do all I can. Tell me who you are ? " And as he spoke he lifted his left hand to his throat to ease the breast piece he had on. The convict caught sight of the ring Raymond wore, and suddenly exclaimed, " Where did you get that ring ? " D'Aguilar haughtily drew back. " You forget yourself. What concern is it to you ? " he coldly answered. " Well, I know the ring, or one that is first cousin to it. As you please. If you decline to speak, of course you can be silent," said the man, bluntly. " Perhaps I have been too curt with you. But do you really mean to tell me," went on Raymon in a softer tone, " that you identify this ring ?" — holding it to him to examine. The convict galley-slave gazed carefully at the crest.

" Yes. Three bears' heads. I know it well. It is my own crest, and I can swear to the ring." " Then tell me what you know of it," demanded Raymon. " I will," returned the other, " when you tell me where you got it. Not otherwise." " What ? Por Dios ! this is too insolent. I can compel — but no ! I am sure I am talking to a gentleman. Pardon me." " Senor, will you tell me who you are ? We may never meet again, but I should like to know the name of the one person in this country who has not treated me like a wild beast." " I am Don Raymon D'Aguilar of Tortolia. And you ? " " I am Hilary De la Bere of Talland, in Cornwall. And I tell you this, senor : the ring you wear belonged to my elder brother, who was lost to us some fifteen or sixteen years ago. But here is the comite", and so no more."

" You and I must meet again, Senor De la Bere," returned Raymon, hastily. " You say that is your vessel ?" — pointing to the Bazana. " Vaya ! I will, if I can, be on board of her this night. Here " — to the overseer, who now came up — " I present you with a gold piece, and I ask you to show what kindness you can to this man I have been talking to." And then, passing by De la Bere, he slipped a couple of doubloons into his hand, with a muttered " For present needs." The gang now moved off, and Raymon, seeing De Caldemar alone, joined him, and eagerly narrating what had passed, inquired, as so much depended on his following up this strange clue regarding Mercedes' parentage, whether it would be possible for him to stay for the night in the galley that De la Bere had pointed out. Under ordinary circum stances, difficulties might have been raised ; but De Caldemar quite saw the importance to Raymon of the information of which he was in search, and, returning at once to a VOL. II.

C small office on the shore that was used for embarkation purposes, he there secured the necessary permit for Raymon and Fiduche, who had now come up and who professed his readiness to join in the adventure, to be received on the vessel. The Marquis promised that he would try and have Lope Ruiz despatched from the Gran Grin with some necessaries, if a boat could be procured ; but he held out small hopes of this, and, as time was pressing, Raymon and Fiduche at once chartered a gig, and went off to the galley. There they were very politely, even cordially welcomed, and given, with great hospitality, such food and accommodation as were procurable.

Chapter II. Chained To The Oar

The Bazana was one of the smaller galleys in the Armada, furnished with three masts and a raised poop, this last being covered for protective purposes with rough woodwork like a species of inverted cradle. There was not much room to spare, but such as there was the captain of the vessel made his new friends heartily welcome to. In the day time, as he explained, and at meals, his two under-officers were allowed the use of the poop, but they, like the crew — there were no soldiers on board — managed as well as they could for themselves on the decks, or in a species of hutch near the forecastle. The vessel carried five guns of small calibre, and was intended apparently for use as a species of despatch-boat. " I suppose," said Raymon to the commander, " this is smaller than one of the usual galleys ?

" "Yes, it is. I have only seven banks of oars on each side, and with six men to a bank, that gives us a working power of only eighty-four slaves." " And the crew ? " asked Fiduche " We have seventy-three sailors and no soldiers." " And," inquired Raymon, " where do the sailors stow themselves, for you don't seem to have much room to spare ? " " Caramba ! they manage somehow. You see, on shipboard one can't pick and choose much." " It does not look as if you could," said Fiduche, with some show of disgust. " Well, senor, you will have to make the best of matters. And may I ask why the illustrious cavaliers, have desired to visit my poor vessel, which is, indeed," he courteously added, " theirs from stem to stern ? " " I was interested, strange as it may appear to you, senor capitan, in an English galley-slave you have on board."

" We have nine of them. Good workers, too. Por Dios ! I wish," he laughed, "we had more of that lot. It will be a treat to these caballeros to again see their native land," he grimly added. " Caballeros ! " said Fiduche. " I suppose you speak sarcastically ? " " Not a bit of it. I mean exactly what I say. Several of them are certainly not common persons. It's just the luck of the thing." " But," urged Raymon, "surely this is no work for men moving in good positions ?" " Probably not," returned the captain, coolly. " But here they are, and they have to do the work. Oh yes, I know it's no easy toil. Santa Maria ! why, senor, you yourself might be in the same plight any day. I, the captain of this ship, have worked at the oars." " Excuse me, senor," said Fiduche, smiling. "You don't expect me to believe that!"

"Toma! Believe it or not, as you like. Nevertheless is it a fact. And I am not the only Spanish gentleman who has been fastened to the banks. Look you, senors ! I was under-officer in a galley in a fight against the Turks. I jumped on board their vessel as we touched, and then, by some cursed mischance, we drifted apart, and the enemy carried me off. Caramba ! For two years I had to do my spell at the oars, so I know what the work is. But tell me, who is the man your permit says you may see ? I mean his number, for we don't have names." " He figures, I believe, as No. 2048 — a tall, well-set-up fellow, with rather distorted hands." " I know him. The best man we have. Don't carry him away with you, senor ! " laughing. " Well, you shall see him tomorrow morning. " Is it not possible to see him to-night ?

" The captain gave a curious laugh. " Well — no," he replied. " As you are my guest, I must look after your comfort as well as I can, Senor Don Raymon D'Aguilar. And I don't think that the sight of these rascals would give you much stomach for the meal I shall hope to see you soon partake of." " Still, if I might press the matter — and I want to see everything there is to be seen, and in the Gran Grin there are no galley slaves — I should like to know what your arrangements are for housing the men." "Very good! Ah, Senor Don Juan Fiduche, you are going to be prudent and will stay. That is wise of you. Come then with me, Don Raymon, and your curiosity shall be gratified." The two went down the steps, it being now still twilight, and descended on to the deck, the sailors having retired to the fore part of the vessel.

Going below, the gloom was so intense that hardly anything could at first be distinguished. But the horrible fœtid odour from the mass of unwashed humanity in this fell den so sickened Raymon, that he felt as if he must perforce retire to the upper deck again. But even in this brief glimpse he grasped this much. Along the centre of the vessel ran a gang way for the use of the comiUs, or boatswains, who, whip in hand, kept the slaves to their toil. On benches not five feet apart, each bench a foot and a half broad, were seated, chained to their banks, the unhappy men, six to a bench, who were thus condemned to years of misery. There was barely sitting room, and as for lying down, where were they to lie except on the floor, which was filthy beyond words that can be used ? The stench even now, when the vessel had been in port and cleansed in so far as it could be, was appalling ; and imagination failed to picture what the situation must become, after days at sea, when not one of this living mass of human beings was ever allowed to go on the upper deck.

Openings above let out, it is true, some of the foul air, and had it not been for these, not a soul could have lived below. " I see you have had pretty well enough of it," said the captain. " We had better get out of this as quickly as we can. The cursed thing about a galley is, that it so swarms with vermin." " My God ! " said Raymon, " I never saw such a sight. What crime have these men committed?" " Crime, Valgame Dios ! I told you before. Most of the slaves are French, English, or Turks, with some nine or ten others who are the very scum of the world, and would put a knife in you to gain a peseda." They were now in the open air again. " Have they galleys in England ? " asked Raymon. " No, I believe they have not. And the more fools they. Why, we shall row round them before they know what we are about."

" And if they fire into you ! I suppose you have a surgeon of some sort on board to attend to the wounded ? " The captain stared at him. "A surgeon ! There are one or two surgeons in the big ships, but here we have no room for them. And what do we want with them ? No, no. Those who are wounded just get along as well as they can." " And the j galley-slaves — I suppose one shot coming in would disable two or three sets of oars ? " " True, and that is the one disadvantage ; and the worst of it is, that at sea we can't replace the killed." " Or the wounded ? " " You mean the galley-slaves. Oh, we can't have them messing about. Those who are dead or likely to die are cut out from the chain, and thrown into the sea." " But some, surely, might only be slightly wounded," urged Raymon. " If they can't work, they can't be kept on board," said the captain, with brutal cynicism.