A'Dale and I felt very proud as we escorted Mistress Aveline Radford
towards London. Brocktrop had supplied her friends with money to
purchase proper attire suitable to her position, for she was in truth a
young lady in all respects, having been nurtured delicately, and well
instructed. I foresaw that she would quickly become a favourite with
the Lady Anne, for she was a damsel much suited to her taste. I
esteemed her greatly, and so did A'Dale: I soon saw that. She rode on a
pillion behind Master Brocktrop, whose horse was more suited to carry
her than were our steeds, which were much smaller; besides, he was well
accustomed to carry ladies, Lady Anne herself often thus going out.
A'Dale and I rode on either side, talking to her, and endeavouring to
keep up her spirits, for she was much cast down, at leaving her kind
friends, and more so at the thought of the sad fate her dear mother had
suffered.
Master Overton would not quit Norwich for the present. He had there
work to do, and were he to venture into London, he would quickly be
recognised and put to death. We journeyed more slowly than we had done
when going north, as we were afraid of tiring the little lady.
We reached Lombard Street without any adventure. Lady Anne stretched
out her arms towards Aveline when she saw her, almost as if she had been
her own child, and pressed her to her bosom.
"I will be a mother to you," she said, gazing at her affectionately.
Truly Lady Anne had a tender heart. In a short time the little girl
recovered her spirits, though even in the midst of her play with young
Richard she would sometimes stop, and the tears would come into her
eyes. I knew then that she was thinking of her mother.
Richard was a delicate boy. He had gone to school at first with me, but
was unable to bear the rough treatment there, and he accordingly
remained at home, his mother being well competent to teach him various
branches of learning, while certain masters came at times to impart
other knowledge. He and Aveline soon became great friends. He watched
over her as if she was his sister, and she regarded him in the light of
a brother. He was never weary of playing with her, albeit she now and
then gave herself not a few airs when he was inclined to humour her.
Yet she was in no degree wayward, but always obedient and affectionate
to the Lady Anne.
Master Gresham returned from Spain, and proceeded again in the course of
a few days to Antwerp.
I may say here, that I did not note down his comings and goings.
Sometimes he remained in England only four or five days, scarcely
sufficient to recruit his strength, and then once more returned about
the Queen's business to Antwerp. He came over while King Philip was in
England, and I heard him tell Lady Anne that he was greatly disconcerted
with the course events were taking; that a war with France would neither
be profitable nor honourable; but the King had set his mind on it; and
the Queen, from her foolish fondness, would carry out his wishes, even
though it might prove the destruction of her kingdom.
A'Dale came to me one day about this time, and told me that he was
growing tired of the life of a mercer's apprentice, and that he was
minded to join the English forces who were going out to aid the Spanish
army on the Flemish frontier. It was to consist of seven thousand men:
four of infantry, one of cavalry, and two of pioneers. I had two strong
reasons to urge against this; one was that he would be united with
Romanists and supporting the cause of Rome and tyranny; and the other,
that being in an honourable position which must some day become
profitable to him, when he might marry and settle down as a citizen, he
would be wrong to abandon it for one where he might lose his life or
limbs, and, moreover, be employed in slaughtering his fellow-creatures.
He laughed at what he called my new ideas. I said that I was sure they
were right ideas, and that God never intended men to fight and destroy
one another.
"But if our country were attacked by foes, would you not fight?" he
asked.
"That is a different case," I said. "If I found myself a soldier, a
soldier I would remain, or if the country were attacked, I would become
one for the sake of defending it; but you have an honourable, peaceable
calling, and you propose quitting it without necessity for the sake of
going and fighting on the side of a people for whom you have no love,
against a nation many of whom are true Protestants and friendly disposed
to England."
He replied that he would think over what I had said; but I was afraid I
had made but little impression on him.
The army set forth without him, however. Some time after this I had
still greater difficulty in persuading him to remain at home, when news
came of the great battle fought on the banks of the Somme, near the town
of Saint Quentin. On one side were the Spanish, English, Flemish, and
German host, under the Duke of Savoy. The French were under Constable
Montmorency. They were beaten, with a dreadful loss. Never since the
fatal day of Agincourt had the French suffered a more disastrous defeat.
Six thousand were slain, and there were as many prisoners taken. The
Admiral Coligny bravely defended Saint Quentin to the last, but the
place was at length taken by storm, amidst horrors unspeakable.
When we heard of them, I asked A'Dale whether he still could wish he had
been there.
"No," he said; "honestly, I am thankful that I had not to take part in
such scenes."
And now I must briefly run over the events I find noted in my diary.
I bade farewell to school, and though Master Gresham talked of letting
me go to college, as he had gone, he afterwards altered his intentions,
since the Universities were under the complete control of Cardinal Pole
and his commissioners. "The object of going to college is to enlarge
the mind and gain knowledge; but while people such as these rule there,
I opine that neither one object nor the other is likely to be attained,"
observed Master Gresham. "I will therefore keep you with me, Ernst; you
can serve in my shop, and there gain a knowledge of such business as may
be greatly useful to you."
Master Gresham's house, I should have said, was one of the best in
Lombard Street, which was beyond doubt the handsomest street in London.
Over the door was a crest--a large metal grasshopper, so that no
stranger had any difficulty in finding the house. As is well-known,
this street gained its name from the Italian merchants who came from
Genoa, Lucca, Florence, and Venice, and were known as Lombards. They
were very useful to the Italian clergy who had benefices in England, and
who were thus able to receive their incomes drawn from England without
difficulty. Thus the English supported a number of foreign priests,
from whom they received no benefit whatever. By degrees Englishmen
entered into the same business.
As may be supposed, it would be difficult to describe the variety of
affairs in which my patron was engaged. Among others we bought and sold
plate, and foreign gold and silver coins. These we melted and culled.
Some were recoined at the Mint, and with the rest we supplied the
refiners, plate-workers, and merchants who required the precious metals.
Whenever we received money at usury, we gave a bond, and my patron was
always able to lend it out again, either to the Government or to others
at a still higher rate of usury. At times, the stranger from the
country might have supposed that all the gold and silver in England had
been collected in Lombard Street, for here were magnificent silver
vessels exposed for sale, and vast quantities of ancient and modern
coins. Gold chains, too, were seen hung up, and jewels of all sorts.
In truth, all articles of value might there be purchased or disposed of.
Master John Elliot was at this time factor and manager of the
establishment, my patron being seldom in England, or remaining, when he
did come, but a few days at a time. I was expecting every day to be
summoned to Antwerp. This would have been much to my sorrow, for I felt
unwilling to leave the Lady Anne, and still more so, I may confess, to
part from the little Aveline. My affection for her was that of a
brother for a sister--at least I thought so, and so it might have been.
At length Master Gresham returned. I knew not why, but suspected it was
owing to some difference with the Council. For some time, therefore, he
attended to his own private affairs. It had been arranged that he, with
Lady Anne, was to go down to Osterley, whither he delighted to retire
from the the cares of business.
I was one afternoon seated at my desk writing away rapidly, and intent
on my work, when the porter told me that a stranger wished to speak with
me. On going to the entrance, I found, standing in a recess where no
light fell, a person who, as I came up, uttered my name.
"Ernst Verner," he said, and I at once recognised the voice of Master
Overton, "you have already conferred on me a great favour; will you
increase it? I wish to see my young niece. I am about again to leave
England, and even this night hope to embark. The search after me is, I
find, very hot, and had I not managed to mislead my pursuers, who
believe that I am gone to the North, I could not have ventured into
London, even though I am so disguised that few would discover me. Did I
think that there would be any risk to the girl, I would not ask the
favour; but she is the only being on earth now remaining to whom I am
allied by ties of blood. Her mother was my dearest sister, and she was
the last of several who had before her death left this world."
The request seemed very simple, and I undertook to convey it to Lady
Anne, who would, I hoped, without difficulty grant it. A short way off
was an archway, beneath which I thought Overton could speak to his niece
unobserved, and I promised, should I obtain permission, to conduct her
there. Master Gresham was from home, and Lady Anne, when I told her of
Overton's request, had some hesitation as to allowing Aveline to go out
to meet him. The little girl, however, as soon as she heard the
invitation, entreated that she might bid farewell to her uncle. It had
become almost dark, but I assured Lady Anne this would make no
difference. At length, reluctantly, she gave Aveline permission to
visit the place appointed. I agreed to wait for her at a little
distance. This arrangement was safer, certainly, than allowing a
condemned priest to enter the house.
Overton was at the spot appointed. "I have a few farewell words to
speak to my young niece," he said, "and in ten minutes I beg you to
return to escort her back."
Scarcely had I retired, when I heard a cry, and through the gloom I saw
several persons crowding into the gateway. I ran towards it, wondering
what had occurred, but arrived in time only to catch a glimpse of
Overton and Aveline in the midst of a party who were hurrying them
along. I ran after them, but they heeded me not. One, however,
suddenly turned round and dealt me a blow which brought me to the
ground, almost senseless. When I recovered, they had disappeared, and I
knew not what road they had taken. I could not bring myself to go back
with the sad news to Lady Anne. I knew not in what direction to follow.
But I ran blindly on, hoping by some means I might overtake them. The
dreadful fear came over me that he was a traitor, and that all he had
said was but a cloak to cover his designs.
At length, broken-hearted, I returned to Lombard Street. Lady Anne
received me with a look of grief, not unmixed with indignation, such as
I had never seen.
"I have known you all your life, Ernst," she said at length, "or
otherwise I could not believe you innocent in this matter, so suspicious
an air does it wear. You must, though having no bad intentions, have
been most cruelly deceived by this man Overton; and yet what object
could he have had in carrying off the girl?"
When Master Gresham returned, he also was very indignant against
Overton, declaring his belief that he was a hypocrite; though what could
have been his object in taking away his niece it was impossible to say.
My patron bethought him of going immediately to the Privy Council, and
getting a warrant for the apprehension of the stranger; but he himself
was so much out of favour at that time, that he believed no object would
thus be gained. He had been so interested with Aveline's history,
though he had seen little of her, that he was sincerely grieved at what
had occurred, and at my suggestion ordered out several servants with
torches, directing them to proceed to various parts of the City, in the
hopes of meeting with Overton and his niece, or with those who had
carried them off, should this have occurred without his connivance. I
eagerly set out, calling on A'Dale to join in the search.
Such occurrences as I have described were too common to cause much
observation. People at that time were nightly dragged out of their beds
by the emissaries of Bishop Bonner, and hauled off to prison. At
length, as we were proceeding towards the river, we met a serving-man
with a torch, who was on his way to conduct his master back to his house
in that neighbourhood. He told us, in reply to our inquiries, that a
short time before he had met an armed band with a man, who seemed to be
a prisoner, and a young girl; that they had taken boat, and proceeded up
the Thames. I inquired whether he was sure that they had gone up, and
had not rather proceeded down the stream. He was certain, he said, that
they had gone upwards; that he had heard some one speak the word
"Lambeth," if that would prove any guidance to us.
This convinced me that Overton had truly fallen into the power of the
cruel Bonner, and that Aveline, found in his company, had been carried
off with him.
Once more I returned with the information we had gained to Lady Anne and
my patron. Never had I felt so great a sorrow. A'Dale and I devised
all sorts of plans for liberating Aveline; but, alas! one after the
other was thrown aside as hopeless. Master Gresham promised to exert
all his influence rather than allow her to suffer.
"Surely her Majesty would not wish that an innocent young girl like
Aveline should suffer hurt," cried Lady Anne.
"My dear wife, she who thinks she is doing God's service in burning
pious bishops and youths and maidens, such as some who have been brought
to the stake, would not hesitate to inflict the same doom on your
Aveline."
Lady Anne burst into tears. She was not a lady given to weeping, and I
had never seen her so moved before. Indeed, I could have joined her, so
grieved was I for the loss of Aveline, if lost she was.
Master Gresham began to chide, and told her not to weep. "I will see
what can be done for the damsel," he said. "I have seen so little of
her, that I knew not she had thus won upon your affections."
As my patron said this, my hopes began to revive; for I thought him
all-powerful, and that anything he undertook he would most assuredly
accomplish.
Some time passed by, and no tidings could be gained of Overton or his
niece. Meantime disastrous news came from the army in France, which did
not soften the disposition of Queen Mary nor of Bishop Bonner. Every
misfortune which occurred made her believe still more firmly than ever
that it was sent because she did not sufficiently support the Catholic
religion, and because so many of her subjects remained opposed to that
faith. To show her zeal and love for it, therefore, she resolved to
take further steps for the extirpation of what she called heresy.