The Jolly Roger. A story of sea heroes and pirates

Front matter

■ ■ I I ■ I The Glwstly Carrack THE "JOLLY ROGER" A Story of Sea Heroes and Pirates BY HUME NISBET AUTHOR OF -'bail ur" "a colonial tramp" " eight bells" "the savage quebn THE BLACK DROP " ETC. ETC. After Panama % 0 It b 0 II UIGBY, LONG & CO., Publishers. ,8, BOUVERIE STREET, FLEET STREET, E.C. DEDICATION. TO MY FRIEND, W. H. K. WRIGHT, F.E.Hist.Soc, OF PLYMOUTH, I DEDICATE THIS STORY OF SEA HEROES AND PIRATES, WITH ADMIRATION FOR HIS UNTIRING EFFORTS TO MAKE ENGLISHMEN REMEMBER THAT GLORIOUS SUMMER FOR ENGLAND AND LIBEI.TT, 1363 b PEEFACE. In the following pages I have attempted to trace the adventures of one Humphrey Boliu, with his son, young Humphrey, who fell amongst pirates, aud sailed to the Island of Laverna. The strange aud mystic phenomena which the young man witnessed, while under the influence of the evil witch Penelope Ancrum, I have not tried to explain, as I prefer to leave that task to the modern student of hypnotism to prove or disprove as he best may ; also to the consideration of the Psychological Society, as a plausible theory for what was termed witchcraft by our ancestors, — a strange gift, which was be lieved in as implicitly by the witches themselves as by the victims whom they bewitched.

I have no apology to give for the introduction of William Shakespeare, convinced as I am by close re search that my portrait of the Poet is a correct one, and also that my belief is shared by many authorities on this subject, notwithstanding all that Mr. Ignatius Donnelly and his disciples have said and written to the contrary. As he has appeared to me I give him back to you, to take or reject, as seemeth best to you. The "Jolly Roger" floats over the blood-stained decks of the pirate fleet, and from the masthead of the ship Vigo vii c

Preface

. VIII blackens the tropic skies. King Death flashes his sword and meets his reward. Penelope plays her wicked pranks as long as she can; while young Humphrey looks on with admiration and wonder ; as will also, I trust, my young readers, not forgetting, while following the dariug actions of the pirates, the equally dariug but more noble sea heroes who did so much to build up the glory and freedom of England. H. N. Hogarth Club, 36, Dover Street, Piccadilly, November, 1891. CONTENTS. BOOK FIRST. The Wizard's Venture. CHAPTER PAGB I. — How the Ship "Vigo" came to "Witestaple . 1 II. — Necromancy 0 III. — The Men Enlist tor Long Service . . 11 IV. — An Old English Supper 20 V. — Humphrey Bolin tells his Story . . . .26 VI— A May Dream 34 VII. — "Come Back, Bard Shakespeare" . . . 40 VIII. — The Powers of Darkness and the Powers that be 48 IX. — The Escape 56 BOOK SECOND.

Journal of Humphrey Bolin the younger, written at the request of and addressed to one William Shakespeare, actor, of the City of London, and found at sea in the year 1612. CHAPTER PAGE I— The Island 64 II. — Shipmates 69 III.— The Evil Eye 76 IV — Shark Fishing SO V. — The Resurrection of Alsander .... 90 VI. — Raising the Wind 95 VII. — Father Neptune Boards the "Vigo" . . . 105 VIII.— The Home of King Death 112 IX. — A Merry Night 117 X. — The Palace of the King 125 is CONTENTS. X CHAPTER PAGE XL — The Keeper of his Jealousy .... 132 XII. — How the Pirates Lived at Laverna . . 136 XIII.— The Inland Ride 141 XIV. — Through the Valley of Serpents . . . 148 XV — Quassatta is Born 156 XVI. — The Escape from the Volcano . . . 162 XVII. — A Dangerous Dream 165 XVIII.— The Spartan Boy and his Hidden Fox . 171 XIX. — A Twilight Sail 176 XX. — The Watchdog Betrays his Trust . . 185 XXI. — Bringing Home the Treasure Galliases . 189 XXII. — Admiral Humphrey Bolin . . ... 197 XXIII. — Humphrey Asserts his Position . . . 204 XXIV. — The Capture of the Gallias .... 211 XXV.— A Game of Bluff 220 XXVI. — Pierre Denis takes the only Road left open to Him 227 XXVII.— That Voice Again 232 XXVIII. — The Sailing of the Pirates' Fleet . . 241 XXIX. — Towards the Spanish Main .... 246 XXX. — A Successful Raid 254 XXXI.— The Fever of Battle 260 XXXII. — The Taking of Porto Bello .... 264 XXXIIL— The Battle of the Plain . . . .268 XXXIV. — Death of Alsander 276 XXXV.— The Escape from the Church . . . 283 XXXVI.— The Return to Porto Bello . . . .289 XXXVII. — Humphrey ends his Journal .... 293

Epilogue

. Te House of one William Shakespeare, Stratford-on-Avon. Time, April 22nd, 1616. CHAPTER PAGE I. — Sir Humphrey Bolin's Adventures .... 298 II— The Last THE "JOLLY EOGrEE," ■ ■tin—— BOOK FIRST. Til E WIZARD'S VENTURE.

Chapter I

now the stiip riao came to wit e staple. One morning iu the spring of the year 1G05 the honest dredgers of Witestaple were startled out of the calm and repose of their customary occupations by the some what unusual sight of a stately carrack, which swung round the Isle of Sheppey, and made directly towards their own town front, as if their little harbour was its destination. It was a handsomely built ship, freshly painted and gilt, with new cordage and sails upon her, as if she had just come out of dock, as indeed she had. A gallant sight she presented to the staring eyes of these watchers on the shore, as she bore in before that easterly breeze — all sails set ancl bulging, with ensigns aud pennons flying gaily, the morning sun gilding the sea under her, and herself like a purple haze against that golden glory.

The dredgers of Witestaple were an independent and a chartered body of men, who took life remarkably easy, 1 E and made the most of their royal privileges. They were rather conservative also in their ideas about strangers, and did not welcome them very graciously unless they cousidered something worth while could be made out of them. But a newly-bedecked carrack, fitted out for a sea-voyage as this one was, looked like something worth while, and therefore not to be regarded in the light of an ordinary stranger. She must have wanted something special from Witestaple, else she would never have turned out ofher way dowu the Channel; and that some thing flavoured of profit to these hardy burghers of the waters ; therefore with one accord they set down their morning mugs of beer, so that they might the better use their hands for the shading of their eyes ; and rose from their seats, so that they might be ready to stroll down to the pier head, and lend a help with the ropes, by the time the carrack got there.

" Whoever is at the wheel o' that ship knows his way in," remarked one of the loungers as they stood waiting and watchin <**>■. "Ay, and they seem mighty short-handed by the way they handle her/*' observed another. "A fine, fast craft, but curiously emblazoned," said a third. " Lord a mussy ! if she ain't a flying the wizard's en sign ! Look, Aaron, the queer signs all over it done in silver, same as he shows up on the hill — stars and snakes, and sick-like devilish devices ; and, by all the powers, yonder the old 'un comes with his witch sister to meet them. This is a curious sight, honest lads, and something that our good king might like to know about, if any one could be found bold enough to tell it." " Perchance, William, only the less one meddles with HOW THE "VICO" CA HE TO WITESTAPLE. 3 sich-like cattle the better for himself.

I, for one, feel like going back to my beer." "Right you are, uncle, so will we with you." Thus, as with one accord the dredgers had left their work and come to the jetty to see the ship, they all went back again and left the harbour clear, for that was their habit and how they were wont to receive unwelcome strangers. Ancient families have always peculiar habits of their own to distinguish them from the people of yesterday. The Honourable Company of Royal Dredgers had pedigrees reaching as far back as any noble in the laud — from the time when William the Conqueror granted to them ex clusive fishing aud dredging rights to the present day. And they had taken means to retain these rights, and transmit them jealously from father toj son. From generation to generation the eldest son inherited* the rights and drew the dues, and so never lost his interest in his native land.

The younger sons, as is the case with the aristocracy, could go off and better their conditions as they liked best; so they mostly became either servants to their eldest brother, or else went off as sailors, while the heirs remained ashore on duty, and looked after the family privileges as eldest sons and heirs generally do. While the industrious dredgermen were regaling them selves in the sea-facing yard of The Neptune, and show ing their independence by ostentatiously neglecting the strangers, the bulky carrack was slowly and majestically advancing towards the deserted pier, the tide being at the time high enough to carry it safely into the harbour. It was a picturesque sight, with its lofty and richly decorated forecastles, towering stern, and bulging sides. The anchors hung at the bows ready for dropping, while the men were hard at work taking in sail.

They worked leisurely in those days, aud seemed to be rather short handed from the way they laboured; but as the wind was light, and their progress easy, that did not seem to matter much in the present instance. Onward she glided, slowing off as the sails were furled one by one, and throwing her shadow in front of her until it reached nearly to that all but deserted quay. A carrack of about five hundred tons, very lofty in the bows and stern, with the maindeck low and exposed, and with but little bulwark to protect it, at present; in time of war or during a storm, however, they used net tings to keep off boarders and guard the passengers. She was coming on, and showing more of her bows, with the sides fore-shortened; curved, rounded upper bows plentifully ribbed aud barred, with her four anchors hanging over, and the figure-head, a female half-length, protruding under tho bowsprit, picturesque and clumsy looking as a Thames barge of the present day, only more so, with her gun-holes and guns sticking out at every available space, from the top line right down to almost the water edge.

An old ship, aud of Spanish build, which had been recently thoroughly overhauled, patched, and fresh painted, so that she glowed upon the waters in all tho glory of her new coat. All the sails were at last reefed, so that she was crawling in with the tide, and the impetus of the wind which had lately bellied out her sails. A four-master, with two yards on the fore and main masts, and lateen sails on the small stern poles. Heavy masts the two mainmasts were, with solid cages at the top of the shrouds, from where guus also stuck out, as indeed they did from every part, fore and aft. "What- HOW THE "VIGO" CAME TO WITESTAPLE. 5 ever her present mission might be, she was plentifully equipped as far as firearms were concerned. Along her exposed side could be counted eighteen large guns; three more lay flush with the maindeck ; a double tier of twelves could be seen on the poop, facing the forecastle, to cover boarders ; which, with the usual number ou the stern, would make her a sixty-guu carrack, the description of vessel wliich explorers used for a long sea voyage iu those days.

" Will she do, William ? " There were only three figures ou the quay cud, watching the approach of the ship. An old gentleman, with thin, fragile figure, dressed plainly in black velvet, with rapier at his belt to denote his quality ; a weak-looking, elderly gentleman ho ap peared to be, who trembled as he leaned heavily upon his ebony staff, with scanty white hair aud beard, aud watery, bleared eyes, which originally had been dark-brown. His companions were a lady, who appeared to be as old as himself, and a man of about thirty-nine years of age, florid-faced and inclined to stoutness. The lady was costumed plainly, and also in sable hue, and she too leaned heavily upou a staff of ebony. Oa her head she wore a black hood, which nearly concealed her face, allowing ouly tho straight, thin nose aud sharp chin to show, with the piercing dark eyes, which glowed in the shadow, and a single patch of white hair to show out amongst the black cloth — a sallow aud withered looking face, albeit showing very few wrinkles upou it.

The younger man at first sight looked commonplace and plebeiau, and he carried no sword at his thigh; his dress also was perfectly plain and saffron-tinted, an overlapping linen collar and cuffs being the only relief to au otherwise monotony of uninteresting colours. He wore his brown hair long and his beard short cut aud pointed. Not a bad-looking face, but ordinary as far as features were concerned, with the exception of tho large and bright blue eyes, which darted vivaciously from side to side, taking in every detail within range, aud never for an instant keeping still. It was to him that the old gentleman addressed his inquiry : — "Will she do, William, lad?" "As far as looks be; she is as gaily bedizened as a youug bride; and so that she is sound within I can see no reason why you should not trust your fortuues with her."

"Good, William, good; she is sound, I warrant, for her age, which is under twenty." "A good, seasonable age for a woman, Sir John, and not too old for a ship, either, so that neither have had rough usage in their youth. My friend, Sir Walter, took her from the Dons, didn't he ? " " Not Sir Walter, but the Admiral Drake." " Ha ! methinks I see an old friend on board," cried the younger man, shading his eyes with his hand. " As I live, my old shipmate Humphrey Bolin ! " " Ay, he is my master for the voyage," answered the old man; "specially recommended as a good seaman aud an honest man, who has been well tried both at home and abroad." " I have heard something of his trials at home," muttered William, with a laugh and a bright sparkle in his rolling eye. " Good old Humphrey, he hath a shrew for a better half."

HOW THE "VIGO" CAME TO WITESTAPLE. 7 " Ahoy there, ashore ! lend a hand and catch a rope." " Ay, ay, master," replied William, leaping forward and dexterously catching the line which the boatswain had flung towards him, drawing it haud over hand until he had the hawser well in, which he twisted round the post. Next moment the anchors were dropped with a rattle of chains, aud the carrack was butting and rubbing softly against the planks of tho pier, while the master had left the wheel, and, followed by a couple of sailors and a boy of about fifteen, leaped ashore from the maindeck, which was almost level with the quay. "Sir John Fenton?" inquired the master, touching his hat to tho old gentleman. "That is my name; and yours is Humphrey Bolin, I believe ? " " Yes, sir; old Humphrey I am now; and there stands young Humphrey, whom I took the liberty to bring with me as cabin-boy."

" And the dog Martin, Humphrey, where is he ? " broke in the voice of the saffron -garb ed stranger — a rich, clear voice, which made the master wheel round abruptly and examine him closely. " The dog Martin is dead; yet I have a true son of his on board. But who are you that asks the question? " " Hast thou forgotten me, Humphrey ? " " Say that again, if you please." Humphrey Bolin shut his eyes. " Hast thou forgotten me, Humphrey Boliu ? " " That is the voice of jesting Will Shakespeare, my old shipmate on the Revenge. And now I see thy eyes, they flash the same merry light, although thou hast grown out of all recognition. Art thou the same lad ? " " No, Humphrey ; but for all that my name is Will Shakespeare. When we chased the Spaniards from the Channel, methinks I was a different man."

"Ay, I heard that thou hadst turned mummer, and drank thy sack with lords. But, zounds ! thou didst look better ou Queen Bess's beer, bad as it was." " Yes, Humphrey, lad, I was young then, without a feather-weight of care ; and thou, also, hadst not married." " Tush ! let the past be, Will/' growled out Humphrey gruffly, with a changed face. " Is that thy son, master ? " inquired the old lady, fixing her bright eyes on the boy. " Ay, madam ; my only child." " So. He is a pretty boy, and will see some strange sights before he comes home again, if ho goes with us." "Ay, madam, his mind is set on going. Besides, I have no one to leave him with, so that it is as well that he should accompany me." " Better, Master Humphrey Bolin, for I shall take charge of him, and make a man of him. Come, young Humphrey, give me thy arm and show mo through the ship."

Chapter II

"NECROMANCY. Sik John Fenton dabbled iu the dark arts, aud was kuown throughout the country-side as the Wizard of Witestaple. He was not a very formidable magician iu himself — or rather would not have been, if it had not been for his familiar, the Witch of Canterbury, for so this dark-eyed and withered-looking companion who had watched the ship coming in was generally known. It was not a very hard matter to win the reputation of a witch or a wizard in the days of Queen Bess or her Solomon successor, James, — a much safer time during the former reign than iu the present for the possessor of the evil gift, as the kingly witch-hunter had a keen nose and an uncommon zeal in the game of fighting the devil and all his ministers. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth Sir John Fenton had turned his attention to the study of astrology and necromancy.

He had been a pupil of the famous Dr. Dee, and was fairly respected in the court of the virgin queen in consequence of his supposed gifts. But with the crowning of King James men of his lean ings considered it to be the best part of valour to put some distance betweeu themselves and the capital, so he had prudently retired to a little estate which he possessed on the Kentish coast, and where he could continue his studies in secret, giving shelter to such-like professors of the forbidden science as came in his direction, with a o smack always at anchor close by, in order to carry him out of danger, if the need for flying happened. Penelope Ancrum had, some months before this, sought and found shelter in his mansion; she had fled from Canterbury, after making that place too hot to hold her, aud in her Sir John had found a veritable treasure.

All that Dr. Dee's youug man had been able to accomplish this mysterious old woman had surpassed; where Sir John had been long fumbling in the dark aud meeting only failures aud rebuffs, Mistress Penelope cleared up with remarkable promptitude aud success. Under her hands Sir John was able to call up whatever demon ho particularly faucied, aud see sights wliich had before been only vague surmises. As Dr. Dee, in spite of his faith and enthusiasm, had never been able to arrive at any satisfactory results until he joined partnership with that gifted adventurer Edward Kelly, so Sir John had entered into familiar intercourse with many before tho coming of Penelope, suffering grievous disappointments ; for the spirits were most erratic in their coming and going, generally maliciously leaving him in the lurch when most wanted.

Now, however, the old geutleman stood upon a firm basis, and there were no more uncertainties or sportive tricks on the part of the Imps of Darkness. Penelope had them all under her complete control. No magic mirrors were needed, as in the case of Dr. Dee and Edward Kelly, but a certain formula was required, as no crowned head likes to be approached nans ecremonie, and the devils who came to the call of Penelope were all princes of greater or lesser magnitude, from his Royal Highness Lucifer to the meanest of his imps; but as the times went Penelope did her feats NECROMANCY. 11 with fewer preparations than most of her sisters iu witchcraft used. Before the coming of the Witch of Canterbury Sir John had beeu regarded by the neighbours as a harmless lunatic, and his magic dabbling as a foolish waste of time.

But now that opinion altered ; he was now allowed to have at last broken through the magic circle, and to havo sigued his name in the devil's private ledger. AVith the aid of his familiar, he could at length perform feats at which the strongest man trembled. But never without the presence and aid of Penelope ; indeed, he was never to be seen now absent from her when they walked abroad. The fishermen said that their spirits melted when she fixed her burning eyes upon them, so that they had to drop their lids ; and that when they lifted them agaiu, even in the broad daylight, they had seen her change herself, sometimes into a cat or a dog, or some other strauge aud uncouth beast. She had fled for her life from Canterbury after a few weeks' stay there, but where she had come from before uo one knew.

She was white-haired and old-looking, with the exception of her eyes and teeth, wliich were singularly bright and well preserved ; but few people could have told exactly what she was like after the first steady look into her dark and glowing eyes. " She is not the devil," remarked Sir John to his friend Shakespeare, after he had beeu introduced to this domestic treasure ; " for I have seen the Prince of Darkness in her company. And she is human, like tho rest of us, for she is vulnerable to physical pain ; but in all else she is a marvel. She has also the great secret of renewing her life and youth, aud will take me where I can find the insredients for the elixir." "Has she tried it ou herself?" inquired Shakespeare a little incredulously. "Yes; thirteen times have I become a young girl since my first youth," answered Penelope, who had glided in upon them as they sat over their sack iu the sitting-room of Sir John's mansion.

It was Shakespeare's first visit to his former friend since they had parted iu London two years previously, aud they were waiting upou the coming of Humphrey Bolin, who had been hard at work all day seeking re cruits for the voyage; if he was successful, two more days would see them all afloat. " How many years ago is it since your first youth, Mistress Ancrum ? " inquired the illustrious guest, fixiug his deep blue eyes upou the dark eyes of the witch. " Eleven hundred and thirteen years, Master William Shakespeare. I was born in the year 370, just after the Emperor Theodosius drove the Picts aud Scots from London." Penelope spoke gravely, never moving her steady eyes from the twinkling orbs of her questioner. As she looked the humorous expression changed, while his glance be came a fixed stare.

Then, as his eyelids fell before her regard, a subtle smile of triumph curled up her thiu lips aud displayed her small white teeth. " Yes, Master Shakespeare, I can show you afterwards, if you wish to see, some of the kings who have lived and passed away during my long life; they may help you in your future dramas." Skakespeare gave a start, aud passed his hand over his broad high brow, as one docs who has been beset with a vagueness. NECROMANCY. 13 " Wilt thou try my skill ? " " Yes, Mistress Penelope ; yet I seem already to have witnessed that battle of Valentia." "It happened two years before I was born. Sir John, what do you see now ? " " My master, Humphrey Bolin, with his recruits and sailors." " Where are they ? " " Entering the park gate." " Now, Master Shakespeare, you will be able to prove Sir John ; they should be here within five more minutes if he has foretold truly.

How many of them are coming ? " " Humphrey Bolin and his son lead the way, followed by seven new men and five of thj old crew." Sir John spoke monotonously, with his head on his chest and his eyes half closed, while Peuelope stood in the centre of the lamplit room, stooping over her crutch, wliich she held with both hands. She was for a woman very tall and thin. " Good Sir John, are they willing to come here ? " " No, they come most unwillingly." " But they are forced to come for all that. Listen, William Shakespeare ; you will hear them knock in another moment." As she sin*fshed speaking a loud knocking was heard at the hall door. " Come, gentlemen, we will let them in, aud see it they enter in the order which Sir John has described."

Chapter III. The Men Enlist For Long Service

Tite moon was shining brightly over the shingley walk and between the thinly-clad branches of the old oak trees in the park beyond, falling in chequered patches of pale green upon the tender young grass — such a landscape as only fair Kent could furnish in the beginning of the seventeenth century. An old-fashioued, gabled, and mullioned-windowed mansion, surrounded by extensive grounds, with well cared-for park of centuries growth, the grass soft and thick as the plot in front of Canterbury Cathedral, such a pile as is not easily disturbed or broken up; reaches of oak avenues, where the deer disported, and lovers had walked over under the summer suns and the autumn moons, losing themselves in that misty past, as they were lost now from mortal ken. " Pity Sir John Fenton was a bachelor, and the last of his race, with so fair a heritage, unless his dream of renewed youth comes to pass/' thought William Shake speare, as he leaned against the doorway of the hall, and looked over this moonlit panorama of knarlcd oaks and bosky dells, with the silver mists creeping along from the distant sea, and mingling with the under growth.

The seamen and recruits stood iu the path, with the moonlight showing them up, and Humphrey Bolin and n THE MEN ENLIST FOR LONG SERVICE. 15 his son in advance, occupying the steps near to the open door. Yes, they were standing as they had come, in the order that Sir John had mentioned, a most unwilling crowd, upon this enchanted ground ; for the Witestaple recruits had communicated to the sailors the darkly mysterious character of their employers and the reputa tion of the house to which they had been invited ; hence, although curiosity, with the mention of the high pay, had drawn them along, their superstitious fears were now tugging them backwards, so that they resembled very unhappy schoolboys just after the holidays. " Welcome, my brave fellows; come into the light and be sworn to our service before supper," cried Sir John Fenton, as he showed himself bare-headed at the door way with his familiar, Penelope, at his side.

" So please you, Sir John," replied Humphrey, rather reluctantly, "my men have deputed me to ask a few questions before they decide to take service with your honour." " By all means, Humphrey ; that is only to be ex pected. But come inside and ask them." " So please your honour, they would rather have the matter settled outside." " Ha ! let me manage these foolish fellows, Sir Johu," here cried Penelope, pushing past her master aud taking her stand on the steps, where she could face the discon tented group, the moon striking full upon her white tresses and pallid cheeks. " You know me, men of Witestaple ? " "Ay, ay, the witch, the Witch of Canterbury, lads; let us get home while we can," shouted one of the recruits as they all shrank back. " Stay where you are, fellows ! ' Penelope, as she uttered the words, threw out her thin white hand towards them— a shapely and youthful look ing hand it was which now pointed each one out m turn.

" Why, what ails the men ? Are they afraid to go to sea?" " No." " Then come within without further parley, or I'll make tom-cats of you and send you all home mewing." The threat was a singular one and seemingly took effect, for with a groan they moved towards her. " Come inside, my brave fellows, and we will take your oaths and fix your time of servitude." Truly Penelope, in spite of her great age and ancient appearance, had a majestic and taking manner with her which few could long resist. As William Shakespeare watched her now, stretched up to her full height, with her dark eyes blazing and her lips curling scornfully from her white even teeth, he likened her more to a high priestess of some pagan deity than to one of the poor witches which were so often seen at Smithfield. She had power, and knew how to exercise it.