In a house not far from the Strand, there was a dark room, of somewhat
large dimensions, lined with small square panels of black oak. The
mantelpiece was of the same wood, richly carved with monkeys, and
devils, and many a wild creature of the imagination, supporting the
various cornices and crowning the three-twisted columns on either
side, while, on a sort of entablature, appeared, in marquetry of
sandal-wood and ebony, the whole history of King David, from his first
encounter with Goliath of Gath to the death of Absalom. The figure of
the Psalmist king, it is true, was not in the most harmonious
proportions, his head being somewhat larger than his body, and his
crown, after he had attained the dignity of empire, rather larger than
his head. Goliath, from his protuberance before, must decidedly have
taken but little exercise, and appeared to have had a fondness for
turtle and venison, so that he might be strongly suspected of having
sat as an alderman at the civic festivals of Gath. About Absalom,
however, there could be no mistake, for his hair, which was of black
ebony, could have belonged to nobody else on earth but himself, and
greatly resembled the contents of an unpicked mattress. Some bears and
stags were introduced, for reasons unassigned, and there were harps
enough in various parts of the piece to have served David for twenty
more books of psalms than ever he composed.[1] Nevertheless, it was a
very splendid piece of sculpture in its way, and was the only thing
that enlivened the room, if we except a silver sconce of three
branches, with the lights which they contained.
---------------
[Footnote 1: A similar mantelpiece is still to be seen in the house of
J. Wood, Esq., of Sandwich, in which Queen Elizabeth resided during
her visit to that ancient town.]
---------------
In this chamber, not many days after the events which we have lately
related, sat a very respectable personage, about the middle age,
dressed in costly, but serious-coloured apparel, of the Spanish cut,
while near him appeared a gentleman considerably younger, in the
highest mode of the English fashion. The countenance of the latter
bore a quick, impatient, and somewhat discontented air, and while he
spoke he continued to trifle with the roses in his shoes, stirring
them from side to side with the point of his sword. The language that
they both used was French; in which tongue, however, the elder
gentleman was much more fluent than the other, although he himself did
not speak it with perfect purity, mingling, from time to time, several
Spanish expressions, and several Dutch ones also, with his
conversation.
At the moment which we choose for the purpose of introducing them to
the reader, a short pause had taken place, and each seemed buried in
thought. At length the elder looked round at his companion, saying,
"Well, my Lord?"
"Well, Count?" replied the other, and both fell again into thought.
"It is not impossible, I repeat, Lord Cobham," continued the elder at
length, "though the sum required be large--I say it is not impossible,
upon the conditions I have mentioned; but, if you look at the matter
rightly, you will find that it is not less for your safety than for
the security of the King my master, that these three points should be
ascertained. First, at the head of the party must be one who can lay a
good title to the crown of England. There is but one that I know of,
and she must be ours--of course, not to rule and guide us till she be
actually upon the throne, but as the colour and pretence of our
opposition to the King of Scotland, the rallying-point of the party,
and our justification in the eyes of Europe. Her title is better than
his, inasmuch as she is directly descended from Henry the Seventh. She
is also English by birth and education, which he is not; and long ago
the English nation pronounced that they would not have a foreigner sit
upon the throne. But not only that, I find that the law of England
declares no alien can inherit landed property in the realm. How, then,
can an alien, like this King James, inherit the crown, with all the
domain attached to it? This I have explained to you all before, and
this is absolutely necessary as the first condition. In the next
place, my very good Lord, I must see some commander of great
distinction engaged in the cause. Not that you are otherwise yourself
than a good and skilful soldier, in whom we could have all confidence,
and for whom----"
"Pooh! pooh!" cried Lord Cobham, "let us cease compliments, Count
Aremberg. What you want, of course, is some man whose name and
reputation, as well as his valour and skill, will inspire the whole
party with trust. But I will pledge myself for such a man."
"For whom?" demanded Count Aremberg.
"None other than my old and dear friend, Sir Walter Raleigh," replied
Lord Cobham. "He will never hang back when Cobham asks him to draw the
sword; and, moreover, he has already received disgust which makes his
blood boil. I saw him this morning, with a letter from Cecil in his
hand. The King refuses to see him, and he has a cool and complacent
hint that he had better resign his honourable post of captain of the
guard. An auspicious commencement of a new monarch's reign, to slight
and injure the best servants of the crown. What! you look dark, my
noble Count, remembering whose good sword has been so often drawn
against the power of Spain. But let not that be a stumbling-block.
Raleigh will serve his country when Spain is our friend as well as he
served her when Spain was her enemy; and whoever wishes to pull down
this slovenly Scotch tyrant--whose first act in England was to violate
the laws of the land he came to govern, must be a friend to our native
country."
"Nay," answered Count Aremberg, "you misinterpret my looks. Courage
and high qualities deserve respect as much in an enemy as in a friend;
and assuredly Sir Walter Raleigh has shown all the great points of a
distinguished captain. It is a pity, only, that his Queen gave him no
other occupation than that of a pirate."
He could not refrain from the sarcasm; but, seeing the colour come up
in Lord Cobham's cheek, he proceeded hastily, "I shall be right glad
to see him draw his sword in a nobler career. But, can you be sure of
him?--Have you sounded him?"
"Not yet," replied Lord Cobham,--"not yet; but I will undertake for
him; only he must have money to equip his forces. That is the first
necessity, and without it he is too wise to act. Now, Sir Count, to
your third demand. I forget what it was--something of less importance
than the others, I think."
"Not in my estimation," answered Count Aremberg. "It is, that the
heads of the Catholic party in England give you their adhesion; and
herein, my Lord, seems the greatest difficulty, for the favour which
the King has shown to the two Lords Howard has greatly divided the
feelings of those who in this country adhere to the true faith."
"Pshah!" cried Lord Cobham; "a piece of paper and a lump of wax will
soon set all that to rights. I mean a papa brief, my Lord. 'Odds life!
you zealous Catholics ought to know right well that there is not
a man of you who will venture to refuse his aid and assistance in
re-establishing the old ecclesiastical rule in England; and, I have
little doubt that, were it necessary, a brief of his Holiness would be
found, ere to-morrow at noon, within the limits of this good city of
London, commanding all true children of the Apostolic Church to give
their aid in excluding the heretic Scotchman from the throne."
"Indeed!" said Aremberg, with a doubtful look. "If it be so, his
Holiness has not made his intentions known to the Court of Spain."
"Pshah! most excellent sir!" replied Lord Cobham. "Use not your
diplomatic qualities on me, for it will only lengthen our discussion
without attaining any end. You know of the Pope's bull right well; and
your only object is to save the claim of the Infanta. But, be assured,
that no alien will ever sit upon the throne of England, if James be
rejected."
Count Aremberg smiled, and it must be remarked that his smile was
always a coarse and unpleasant one.
"Well," he said, "granting that it be as you declare, and that the
King of Spain be willing to aid in the great and laudable object of
re-establishing the Catholic religion in these realms, still, as he
must make a sacrifice of the claims of the Infanta, he is entitled to
some compensation. What have you to propose on that head?"
"We will first terminate the question of the three conditions you
require, worthy Count," replied Lord Cobham. "Two of them are disposed
of: you have the Lady Arabella as the head of the party, Sir Walter
Raleigh as its military leader; and I have shown you good means of
insuring that the Catholics of England will readily draw the sword for
a lady, whom we have every reason to believe well disposed to that
church. However, if you want more proof, I can bring you the head of
one of our chief Catholic families, and two excellent priests of your
religion, named Fathers Watson and Clarke, who will pledge themselves
for the rest of their community. The good fathers are below even now,
and Sir Griffin Markham will be here in a few minutes."
He rose as he spoke, as if to call the priests into the room; but
Count Aremberg stopped him, saying, "Stay, my Lord, stay. Give me yet
one minute of your private company. The last point is perhaps the most
important of all."
"Ay, so I thought," cried Lord Cobham.
"What is the King of Spain to receive as an equivalent," continued
Count Aremberg, "for relinquishing the claims of the Infanta?"
"I will show you what her claims are worth," said Lord Cobham, putting
his hand in his pocket: "thus much, and no more, most excellent
Count;" and he laid a silver groat upon the table, pointing to it with
the fore-finger of his right hand.
"'Tis a small sum," observed the Count, "for very great claims. But I
did think that something was mentioned about the loan or gift of six
hundred thousand Spanish crowns. Now this, my noble Lord, is a
considerable amount for any prince to give, especially when it is to
be employed for the purpose of doing away the claim of his own family,
though that claim be but worth a groat. Your Lordship must see," he
added, with a dry laugh, "that something as an equivalent must be
assigned to the King before he can entertain your proposals."
Cobham frowned, and bit his lip. He could not but feel that there was
much force in what the Spanish ambassador said; that he had no right
to expect, indeed, that the King of Spain, whatever might be his
bigotry in favour of the Church of Rome, would give so large a sum of
money, and at the same time resign long-cherished, though chimerical
hopes, without some strong human consideration totally independent of
religious zeal. He was not prepared, however, with any proposal to
meet Count Aremberg's objection, and consequently remained silent,
turning the matter moodily in his mind. Here the conference might have
broken off, perhaps; but a quick step was heard upon the stairs, and
he exclaimed,
"Here comes Sir Griffin Markham! It were as well to be silent with him
regarding this difficulty. The Catholics are easily discouraged. I
will discuss this question in secret with you hereafter."
As he spoke, the door was thrown open, and in came, booted and
spurred, a cavalier younger than either of the other two, with a frank
and somewhat reckless bearing, and an air of affected indifference, as
if he were entering some gay drawing-room.
"Ha! George," cried Lord Cobham, "is that you? I thought it was
Markham. When did you arrive?"
"Five minutes and a half ago," replied Sir George Brooke. "I saw the
King safely housed at Theobald's, and rode on hither with all speed.
Monday will see him at the Charter House, my good brother, where you
need not show yourself unless you like, for you will not have too
gracious a reception."
"You know Count Aremberg, I think?" rejoined Lord Cobham. "Count, you
know my brother?"
The Spanish ambassador bowed; and taking up the cover of a
richly-chased cup which stood upon the table, he said, "This is
exquisitely wrought, my Lord. Pray, are your goldsmiths in England
equal to such nice work as this?"
"Nay, that came from Italy," replied Lord Cobham, impatiently. "But,
to return to the matter before us, your Excellency need not fear my
brother. He is the soul of our party."
"I have nought to say more than I have said," replied Count Aremberg.
"I am here but to learn your wishes, and to hear your proposals; very
willing to give you any aid and assistance in my power--with due
regard for the interests of my master, the King of Spain."
"Well, Count, what does the King want?" cried George Brooke, casting
himself nonchalantly into a chair. "There is excellent brawn at
Oxford, excellent cheese in the county of Cheshire, capital venison
all over England; but, bating these articles, we have nothing else to
give that I know of."
"Except, it would seem, a crown," replied Count Aremberg; "for that
trifle you appear profusely disposed to deal withal, taking it from
one, denying it to another, bestowing it upon a third. What I ask,
sir, is, when you require his most Catholic Majesty to resign the
claims of the Infanta, and to bestow upon you six hundred thousand
crowns, for the purpose of raising a young lady of your own country to
the throne, what inducement have you to offer him?"
"Hum!" said George Brooke, pursing up his lips; "various things that
his Majesty has sought for many a year. First, a great deal of
confusion in England--perhaps a civil war. What a splendid set-off
against the destruction of the Armada! Secondly, the re-establishment
of the Roman-catholic religion. We may throw in a few fires at
Smithfield; and, if the matter be fully completed, perhaps we may
grant a touch or two of the Inquisition, at least as far as the rack
and thumb-screws go; though, as to the whole order of St. Dominic, and
other piebald gentry of the kind, I cannot exactly promise;--that must
depend upon circumstances."
"Weighty considerations these, certainly," answered Count Aremberg,
gravely; "but I do not think that they would figure well in a
dispatch."
"Better in a private and confidential letter," said George Brooke, in
the same easy tone. "However, for the public document, we will have a
firm and lasting peace between England and Spain,--an alliance
offensive and defensive, if you will."
"A treaty!" exclaimed Count Aremberg, shaking his head; "we have too
much parchment in Spain already. The kingdom is covered with
sheepskin."
"Can you get no wool off it?" asked George Brooke. "Methinks just now,
with the most Christian King of France and Navarre on the one side,
Meynheer Van Barneveldt on the other, and the unpleasant aspect of the
Emperor on a third, the Court of Spain, and more especially that of
Brussels, might be very well pleased to have the helping hand of
England, and rather see Raleigh thundering on the coast of Holland,
than setting the Indies in a flame, and sweeping the sea of your
galleons."
"Were England at peace with herself," said the Spanish ambassador,
"this proposal might have some weight."
"But she shall be at peace within a year, most excellent Count,"
replied George Brooke. "Let us but harpoon this Scotch porpoise, and
confine him for a season in the Tower, and then the very hem of sweet
Arabella's satin petticoat shall sweep the land clear of all
contention."
"But what," asked Count Aremberg, "if she choose to give her fair hand
to some enemy of Spain?"
Lord Cobham smiled, saying, "You are wondrous cautious, Count."
"Ha! are you there?" cried George Brooke. "Well, there we are prepared
to meet you. We will engage that the lady shall be guided in her
choice by the King of Spain."
"Now you speak reason," replied Count Aremberg; "but yet I will tell
you that it will be more satisfactory to me and to my master, if the
lady herself make the engagement. In a word, as these are your
proposals and not mine, if you can gain me the assurance under the
lady's own hand, guaranteed by yourselves, that she, when Queen of
England, will grant full toleration to the Catholic faith, will sign a
lasting peace between England and Spain, and be guided by the
sovereign I represent in her choice of a husband, the matter may go
forward: if not, I must pause."
"It shall be done," said George Brooke, and Lord Cobham echoed the
same words. "But," continued the former, "are you ready to give us
assurance that if we do, our request is granted?
"Nay," replied the ambassador, "I cannot give a definite promise. That
must depend upon the King himself."
"Then this is all foolery," said Lord Cobham. "The opportunity will be
lost sending between London and Madrid."
"You know right well, my Lord," replied Count Aremberg, "that I was
not sent to England on this matter, and consequently I have no
instructions."
He saw a cloud come over the brow of George Brooke, the bolder and
less cautious negotiator of the two, and added a few words to soften
the disappointment which was evidently felt, and to give such hopes as
might prevent the conspiracy from being abandoned in despair.
"I can but speak my own individual opinion," continued Count Aremberg,
"but, such as it is, you shall have it frankly."
"Frankly?" cried George Brooke, with a bitter laugh.
"Yes, on my life," answered the ambassador; "and it is, that there
cannot be the slightest doubt his Majesty the King will at once
consent to supply the money you require, if you give him the
assurances which I have pointed out. Nay, more," he added, in a quiet
tone, "should need be, he will, I, feel very sure, furnish you with a
body of soldiers sufficient to take the field at once."
"No, no," cried George Brooke, "no Spanish soldiers in England, noble
Count. The people have not yet forgot some late passages, in which the
Spanish soldiers and the English were less friendly than is pleasant.
They did nothing, it is true, but cut each other's throats; but still
that does not cement amity."
"They need not be Spanish soldiers," said Count Aremberg, in reply;
"they may be from Flanders."
"Still they will be the troops of a foreign sovereign," answered Lord
Cobham.
"Not if you raise and pay them yourselves," said Count Aremberg,
always bearing in view the strong inclination of the Spanish crown to
regain a hold upon England.
"That might be done, it is true," said George Brooke; "but that is an
after consideration; the present question is about the money. If we
once have means of engaging a sufficient number, by showing them that
we have strong support, and that the enterprise is feasible, we may
seize upon James, confine him in the Tower, and, with the command of
the capital, which we shall certainly possess, we have little
resistance to fear. An outbreak may take place here or there amongst
the Scotchman's friends in the country, but they will be speedily
suppressed. The two Howards _must_ remain neuter; for, though their
inclination would lead them to James, their religion will bind them to
us. Northumberland, though he will not begin the strife, will go with
us heart and soul when it is begun; and so will a thousand other noble
gentlemen, who have long suffered in their faith, or in their persons.
Others, again, will be upon our side, from hatred to the Scotch, and
disgust at the swine that Scotland has sent us. The great body of the
church will go with us; for ambition is the great vice of the
ecclesiastics, and the reestablishment of the Romish hierarchy must
naturally open to them a thousand new roads to their end. Many a sober
Protestant parson regrets the confessional, and the mass, and the
procession, and the embroidered garments, and the lordly rule of each
priest in his parish; and we should have thousands gladly coming back
to the good old days of Rome. But the question is now, how are we to
get the means of setting the enterprise agoing? James's movements are
uncertain; on Monday he will be at the Charter House; on Wednesday or
Thursday at the Tower; where he may be a fortnight hence no one can
tell. You cannot count upon a reply from Spain under six weeks, and it
is necessary to secure the bird while he is in the net. Six weeks'
delay will be ruinous."
Count Aremberg paused and mused, and, after waiting for a minute or
two, in expectation of his reply, Lord Cobham exclaimed, "Unless we
can have some certainty in less time than that, it were better to give
the whole thing up, and think no more of it."
"If the question be but regarding the money," said the Count, "I doubt
not the Archduke can settle that point at once. I believe that, sooner
than suffer a scheme for delivering his fellow Catholics from the yoke
under which they now groan, to fail, he would advance the sum out of
his private treasury."
"Although that may cause some delay," said George Brooke, "still it
will not present such an obstacle as the other plan. If this can be
done, then, and your Excellency is enabled by the next courier from
Brussels to treat definitely, we will go on, and obtain for you the
assurances you require from the Lady Arabella. If not, I fear the
enterprise must fall to the ground."
"I will write immediately," replied Aremberg, "and send the dispatch
by a trusty messenger."
"It were well," said George Brooke, "that he were accompanied by some
one on our part. What think you, Cobham--will Watson go?"
"Nay, Clarke is the shrewder of the two," replied his brother.
"Settle that between yourselves as you like, gentlemen," said Count
Aremberg, with the appearance of perfect indifference--though, to say
truth, he was not at all disinclined that a great part of the
responsibility of the transaction should be removed from his own
shoulders, and that he should escape the necessity of committing
himself on some delicate points in writing. "Choose your messenger
discreetly, and in my dispatch I will refer to him as intrusted by
certain English lords and gentlemen to convey their opinions upon
various points to the Archduke. Now, however, I will hie me home, for
I have been some time absent; and it must not be forgotten that I am
at this moment sick in bed."
"I wish your Excellency a happy delivery," cried George Brooke, with
one of his light laughs. "I shall come and inquire after the baby in a
day or two."
"I trust it may be a stout and healthy child," replied Count Aremberg,
in the same tone, "and at all events we will baptize it in the
Catholic faith."
Thus saying, he took up a large cloak which lay on the back of one of
the chairs, enveloped himself completely in its folds, and, lighted by
George Brooke, descended the stairs, at the bottom of which he was
joined by a man dressed as a servant, who was called from a little
room at the side. Without a farther word, but "Good night," the
ambassador issued forth into the street, and walked along for some
way, with the man close beside him.
"What have you learnt, Gonzalez?" he asked at length, in Spanish,
looking up and down the street by the moonlight, and seeing that no
one was near.
"According to their showing, your Excellency, full one-third of the
inhabitants of London are prepared to rise, and more than one-half of
the country. Making a little allowance for exaggeration, the
discontent seems to be very extensive, and likely to spread."
"What did they give you?" demanded Count Aremberg.
"Fifty gold angels," replied the man, after a short pause.
"Ha!" said the Count, "are you sure they did not discover you for what
you are?"
"Quite certain," he replied; "for though they were civil in the matter
of the money, the two priests kept me standing all the time."
"Then his Holiness is determined the matter shall proceed," said
Aremberg. "Fifty angels to a serving-man do not come from two poor
conspirators, or two persecuted Catholic priests. It may, perhaps,
turn out something of importance, after all."