Stung almost to madness by the sense of intolerable wrong, our young
knight quitted Whitehall, never, as he imagined at the moment, to enter
the palace again. Yet he was not humiliated by his disgrace, because he
felt it to be wholly unmerited. His enemies had triumphed over him; but
he would not have heeded the defeat, provided he could efface the foul
stigma cast upon his reputation, and rebut the false charge brought
against him by De Gondomar.
With a heart overflowing with rage and bitterness, and with a thousand
wild projects passing through his brain, Sir Jocelyn took a boat at
Whitehall stairs, and ordered the watermen to row down the river,
without assigning any paticular place of landing. After awhile, he
succeeded, to a certain extent, in controlling his angry emotions; and
as the watermen rested on their oars for a moment, to inquire his
destination, he looked round, and perceiving he was just opposite the
Three Cranes in the Vintry, he desired to be put ashore there.
No better retreat wherein to recover his composure seemed to offer
itself than Madame Bonaventure's comfortable house of entertainment;
and thither, therefore, he proceeded, and at his request was shown into
a private room overlooking the river. Scarcely was he installed within
it, than the buxom hostess, who had caught sight of him as he mounted
the stairs, entered, and in her blandest accents, and with her most
bewitching smiles, begged to know his commands; declaring that all that
her house possessed was at his service.
She was running on thus, but perceiving the young knight to be much
disturbed, she instantly changed her tone, and expressed such genuine
concern for him, that he could not fail to be moved by it. Without
making her an entire confidante, Sir Jocelyn told her enough of what had
occurred to make her comprehend his position; and highly indignant she
was at the treatment he had experienced. She did her best to console
him; and so far succeeded, that he was prevailed upon to partake of some
delicacies which she caused Cyprien to set before him, together with a
flask of the best vintage in her cellar; and the discussion of these
good things, coupled with the hostess's assiduities, certainly operated
as a balm upon his wounded feelings.
The repast over, the good-natured dame thought it best to leave him to
himself; and drawing his chair to the open window, he began to ruminate
upon the many strange events that had happened to him since he first
beheld that fair prospect almost from the same place; and he was
indulging in this retrospect, when his own name, pronounced in tones
familiar to him, caught his ear, and looking forth, he perceived Dick
Taverner, seated on a bench in front of the house, drinking in company
with some half dozen other apprentices, his boon companions.
The conversation of these roysterers was held in so loud a key that it
could not fail to reach his ears; and he soon ascertained that his own
dismissal from court was the theme of their discourse, and that they
rightly attributed it--doubtless owing to information derived from their
hostess--to the instrumentality of De Gondomar. It was evidently Dick
Taverner's design to rouse the indignation of his companions; and he had
little difficulty in accomplishing his purpose, as they were all
composed of very inflammable material, and prone to take fire on the
slightest application of the match. Dick denounced the plotting and
perfidious Spaniard as a traitor to the King and a subverter of the
Protestant faith; and counselled vengeance upon him.
Finding Dick's suggestions eagerly caught up by his companions, and that
the number of his listeners was momently increasing, while all were
becoming excited by what the orator uttered, Sir Jocelyn, apprehensive
that mischief might ensue, thought it right to interfere, and
accordingly, leaning forward from the casement, he made himself known
to the group below.
On seeing him, and learning who he was, the 'prentices began to shout
and declaim vehemently against the Spanish ambassador; and instigated by
Dick Taverner, who refused to listen either to the entreaties or
commands of the young knight, the whole party seized their cudgels, and
dispersing themselves in different directions, vociferated as they
went--"Clubs! clubs!"
It was now as vain to arrest them as it would have been to stop the
course of a conflagration; and Sir Jocelyn was deploring the damage
which must necessarily be done to his cause by these injudicious
friends, when Dick Taverner, with a look of exultation, and brandishing
his cudgel, burst into the room, crying--"We have heard all from Madame
Bonaventure. We have heard of De Gondomar's perfidy, and his Majesty's
injustice. We will set you right. The bold London 'prentices have taken
your cause in hand, and will avenge you. They will hang the treacherous
Spaniard, and burn his house."
"Hark ye, my good friend, Dick Taverner," said Sir Jocelyn, "this must
not be. Because I have been unjustly treated, and may perchance find it
difficult, if not impossible, to obtain redress, it does not follow that
you and your fellow 'prentices are to violate the law. These riotous
proceedings will prejudice my cause rather than aid it; and if you have
any regard for me you will use your influence with your comrades to
check them ere mischief ensue."
"Impossible!" exclaimed Dick. "The matter has gone too far to be stopped
now. You might as well attempt to turn back a mill-dam that has burst
its bounds, as the headstrong London 'prentices when they have taken up
their cudgels. Go through with the business they will. This is not the
only quarrel we have with De Gondomar. We hate him for his insolence and
arrogance, which have been often displayed towards us; We hate him
because he is the sworn enemy of our religion, and would subvert it if
he could. As regards myself, I have my own particular reasons for hating
him. Do not you meddle with the affair, but leave its arrangement to
us."
"But I _must_ interfere," cried Sir Jocelyn; "if you act thus, in spite
of all my remonstrances. I must regard you in the light of enemies
rather than friends, and shall lend my help to quell the disturbance you
will occasion. Be ruled by me, good Dickon, and desist from it. Call in
your comrades, who are raging about like savage dogs broken loose."
"If they be dogs," rejoined Dick, with a laugh, "the Spanish ambassador
is likely enough to become acquainted with their teeth. But I might
whistle loudly enough to them before the staunch hounds would come back
to me; and, in good sooth, I have no inclination to obey your commands
in his instance, Sir Jocelyn."
So saying, and fearing he might be detained altogether if he waited
longer, he darted out of the room, and presently afterwards was heard
shouting along the wharf with the loudest of his riotous companions--"No
Papists! No Spanish spies! Clubs!--clubs!"
Sir Jocelyn saw that a storm was roused which it would be very difficult
to allay; but an effort must be made to do so, even if he were compelled
to act against his friends; and he was about to follow the apprentice
into the street, when he was prevented by the sudden entrance of a tall
personage, wrapped in a black cloak, and masked, whom he at once
recognised as the individual who had given him the token to De Gondomar.
"I am glad to have found you, Sir Jocelyn," said this personage. "I have
been on the look-out for you to give you a warning. Avoid any place you
have been in the habit of frequenting; and, above all, go not near
Aveline's dwelling. The officers of the Star-Chamber are on the watch
for you; and if found, your arrest is certain."
"I can place little reliance on aught you tell me, Sir," rejoined Sir
Jocelyn, "after the trick you played me in causing me to deliver that
ring to the Conde de Gondomar. Nothing you can say shall hinder me from
going forth as I am accustomed to do; and it is my purpose to proceed
ere long to the dwelling you specially caution me to avoid."
"You will repent your rashness, young Sir," said the other; "but I pray
you not to go forth till you have heard certain disclosures which I have
to make to you, and which I am well assured will induce you to alter
your opinion of me."
"I can put no faith in the statements of a hireling, base enough to play
the spy for an enemy of his country," rejoined Sir Jocelyn, scornfully.
"Stand aside, Sir. Your employer, De Gondomar, is in danger from these
hot-headed apprentices; and if you owe him any gratitude for past
favours, you may find occasion for its display now."
"What! are you about to take part with your enemy and against your
friends? These apprentices are about to redress your wrongs--in a
lawless manner it is true--but the circumstances justify their conduct."
"No circumstances can justify outrage, and violation of the law," said
Sir Jocelyn; "and if injury be attempted against De Gondomar, I must
defend him."
"This is mere madness," cried the other. "Stay and hear what I have to
say to you. It imports you much to know it."
"Not now," replied Sir Jocelyn, pushing past him. "On some other
occasion."
"You are throwing life and liberty away, Sir Jocelyn, and to no
purpose," cried the other. "He heeds me not," he added, in a tone of
deep disappointment. "Imprudent that he is! he will thwart all the plans
I have formed for his benefit, and at the very moment they have arrived
at maturity. I must follow and protect him."
And he too rushed down the stairs, and made all the haste he could
across the Vintry wharf after Sir Jocelyn, who was hurrying up a narrow
thoroughfare communicating with Thames Street.
Here a numerous body of 'prentices were already collected, holding a
consultation as to their plan of attack. After listening to a brief but
stirring harangue from Dick Taverner, who got upon a horse-block for the
purpose of addressing them, and recommended them to proceed to Ely
House, in Holborn, the residence of the offending Ambassador, and there
await his return from Whitehall; they approved of his proposal, and
unanimously electing Dick as their leader, set forth on their
expedition, gathering strength as they went along.
By the time they reached Blackfriars they numbered many hundreds. Little
or no interruption was offered them on their route; and the slight
hindrance they encountered from a detachment of the city-watch was
speedily overborne. Skirting Bridewell, they traversed Shoe Lane, and
ascending Holborn Hill, found themselves in the vicinity of Ely House,
where they came to a halt, and arranged their forces.