Nought is on earth more sacred or divine,
That gods and men do equally adore,
Than this same virtue that doth right define,
For th' heavens themselves, whence mortal men implore,
Right in their wrongs, are ruled by righteous lore.
SPENSER'S FAERY QUEEN.
It was with some embarrassment that Governor Winthrop received his
prisoner, though none was manifested in the mien of Sir Christopher.
On the contrary, his manner indicated conscious innocence, and just
that degree of resentment which a well-balanced mind and good temper
might be expected to exhibit under the circumstances. If there was any
change in his bearing, he was a trifle haughtier, as presuming on his
rank--a trait never noticed in him before, and it showed itself by his
speaking first, without waiting to be addressed, the moment he entered
the presence of the Governor.
"By what authority," he demanded with some sternness, "is it, that I,
a free-born Englishman, innocent of crime, have a price set on my
head, and am hunted by savages bribed for that purpose?"
Before making a reply, the Governor intimated his desire to be left
alone with the Knight, whereupon those present retired.
"You inquire by what authority you are arrested," said Winthrop. "I
answer, by that authority vested in me by charter, as the ruler of a
State; by common law, and by common sense. The question is not asked
by one with the endowments of Sir Christopher Gardiner because he is
ignorant, but for some other reason."
"Is it in humanity," returned the Knight, "not to be annoyed at the
outrage? How bitterly," he added, looking sorrowfully at Winthrop, "is
the pain of the wound aggravated by the knowledge from whose quiver
flew the arrow!"
"I may not choose between my duty and my inclination," responded the
Governor. "I were, otherwise, more unworthy than I am of the awfully
responsible station which Providence hath assigned me. It shall never
be said that, through favor or other motive, I buried the one talent
committed to my keeping."
"I dared not, at my entrance," replied the Knight, who strove to make
his tone and demeanor conciliatory, "entertain the thought that a
friendly feeling toward me lurked in his bosom, by whose mandate my
helpless household has been invaded in the night and made prisoners,
and my house turned into a heap of ashes."
"It was by no order of mine," said Winthrop, hastily, "that the house
was burned, and I lament its destruction as deeply as yourself. How it
caught fire, is to me unknown; but if by the act of our people and not
of the savages, ample recompense shall be made."
"How shall that be determined? But I will not waste my words
thereupon. The loss of my house and other property is insignificant,
compared with the cruel wrong done the Lady Geraldine and the dishonor
to my name."
"She, whom you call the Lady Geraldine, has been treated with all
courtesy; and, considering what, in the judgment of the Council, has
been proved against her, with more than she is entitled to. For
yourself, every opportunity shall be granted to clear off the clouds
of suspicion hovering over you."
"Only a clear field and no favor do I desire for myself; but for the
persecuted lady, my cousin, I pledge you my knightly word that any
charges reflecting upon her character as a virtuous and godly lady,
are infamous and false. You perceive, right worshipful sir, that I do
not pretend to be ignorant of the accusations which inventive malice,
hatched out of what cockatrice egg I know not, has brought against my
suffering cousin, but I pronounce them, again, alike dastardly and
without truth."
"If so, she is, indeed, greatly wronged, though partly responsible
herself therefor, as having confessed the same."
"Then have strange means been employed to make her acknowledge a lie,"
said the Knight, warmly, "for any such confession were utterly untrue.
I have heard of wretches, who, upon the rack, in order to escape its
intolerable agonies, have accused themselves of all sorts of crimes of
which they were innocent. Is this the way you have abused my
relative?"
"Sir Christopher," answered Winthrop, mildly, "you know as well as I
that such practices are alien to the spirit of British law and unused
by us. Touching this unhappy female, I think it meet to say no more at
present, but will wish you success in the vindication of yourself."
"For myself," replied the Knight, "I care little. The character of a
man is like a garment, which, when soiled, may be washed and restored
to a likeness of its pristine beauty; that of a woman resembles white
paper, whereupon if a drop of blood has ever fallen, it may never be
erased. But what are the accusations devised against me?"
"Sir Christopher," answered Winthrop, with some hesitation, "it were
hardly orderly to communicate them to you now. Before the Council,
perhaps, should you hear them first. And yet see I no reason why, in
harmony with the merciful spirit of our law, they should not be
disclosed. We desire to overpower no man by surprise, or to deprive
truth of a single aid. You shall know."
Here Winthrop entered into the particulars, which it is, we trust,
unnecessary to set down, as the reader is supposed to be already
informed of them. He mentioned the contents of the letters from
England, but did not exhibit them, concealing nothing except what
appertained to the examination of the Lady Geraldine, all inquiries
respecting which he either evaded or directly refused to answer.
Courteously, indeed, was it done; nor could Sir Christopher deny that
the information was rightfully withheld. It was only in accordance
with the usual proceedings of courts of justice, when those who are
considered accomplices are examined apart from one another, in order
that they may not, by a knowledge of each other's answers, be better
able to frame their own.
To every accusation Sir Christopher opposed a steady denial. "That
falsely suspected as I am," he said, "of other crimes and
misdemeanors, I should also be deemed an usurper of a title that does
not belong to me, surprises me not. But grant me time to send home (as
the English in the colonies affectionately call England to this day,)
and I will prove my knighthood honorably won upon a stricken field, by
irrefragable testimony. I will not deny that I have the honor of an
acquaintance with Sir Ferdinando Gorges, but I am in no sense his
agent, nor in any wise hold communication with him, save as a friend.
For the note-book found at my lodgings, and deemed conclusive proof
that I am a Catholic, I aver that the memorandum therein contained
refers not to myself but to one whom it concerns not you that I should
name; and it furnishes no evidence against me, except what arises out
of the fact that I acknowledge one who is of Rome to be my friend."
"Whatever my private thoughts," said Winthrop, "it were useless to
express them, seeing that thy fate hangs not entirely upon me. With no
unnecessary severity," he continued, in a kinder tone than he had
hitherto adopted during the conversation, "will I treat one, whom,
before these unhappy suspicions were raised, I was beginning to love
as a brother; and, if thou wilt pledge me thine honor neither to
attempt escape, nor by word or deed to practise aught against the
Commonwealth, thou shalt have liberty of the precincts of the
settlement until the Council shall take further orders."
"I accept thine offer," answered Sir Christopher, "and plight thee my
knightly troth to observe the conditions. And in this, my adversity,
it is a consolation to know that the noblest spirit who is to sit in
judgment on me, believes me not wholly lost to the duties and
sensibilities of a gentleman."
The Governor, without reply, summoned Lieutenant Venn, who was in
waiting; and, after communicating to him the conclusion to which he
had come, requested him to escort the Knight to his lodging.
A few days passed, during which Sir Christopher was seemingly in the
full enjoyment of freedom, though closely watched. He attempted to
speak with the Lady Geraldine, but was refused permission; and upon
her being told of his desire, she sent him word that she had no wish
to see him. No objection, however, was interposed to his intercourse
with Arundel, who, with his lovely mistress, did all in their power to
console the Knight and the unhappy lady in their misfortunes. The
relation which the latter stood to the colony affected not the young
people, except to excite their sympathies for those whom they
considered unjustly suspected and prosecuted.
It might be supposed that in these circumstances Sir Christopher would
betray some anxiety or gloom. Far from it. The command over his
emotions which nature and discipline had given him, concealed his
trouble of mind. He seemed to think but little of himself, and to be
principally occupied with the approaching nuptials of Arundel and
Eveline, who, immediately thereafter, were to sail for England in the
ship commanded by the jolly Captain Sparhawk. The ceremony, in order
to give it the greater dignity, was to be performed by Winthrop
himself, the right to tie the mystical knot being, among these
planters of new customs in a new world, confined to the civil
magistrate. Strongly, at first, did the young lady object, and it
needed all the eloquence of her lover, and all her affection for him,
to prevail upon her to dispense with the priestly blessing. However,
there was no alternative, if they meant to be married before their
departure; and the circumstances of their situation and mutual
inclination were persuasive arguments. Voyages, too, were not then as
safe as now; and to the romantic girl contemplating the dangers of the
sea, there was something sweet and even fascinating in the thought,
that if she perished, she should die in the arms of her husband. This
last consideration, above all, prevailed to overcome her scruples, and
the uncanonical marriage was accordingly determined upon.
At length the day arrived for the hearing of Sir Christopher, and,
attended by Arundel, he presented himself before the Council. It is
unnecessary to enter into details. The result is all that need be
stated. The accusations contained in the letters, though denied by the
Knight, (who vehemently protested against the liberties taken with
those addressed to himself, on which latter was founded the charge of
being in correspondence with Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the most dreaded
enemy of the colony,) obtained credence with his judges. Winthrop
blushed when reproached with the violation of the letters; but the
rough Dudley justified and commended the act, as fidelity to public
interests. There was a settled conviction in the minds of all of the
Assistants, that the Lady Geraldine was other than she seemed; and the
conclusion they had arrived at concerning her were not of a nature to
operate favorably for the Knight. The memorandum in the note-book was
also considered weighty evidence. It was recollected, that long before
suspicions were conceived concerning Sir Christopher, and when he
stood highest in the favor of the principal inhabitants, he had, in
speaking of his travels in foreign parts, mentioned that he was at the
very place where, and at the time when the scapula was assumed; and
his ascribing the reference to another, was regarded as only an
awkward attempt at deception. It was thought plainly to betray him as
a member of a religious order among the Roman Catholics. Winthrop
himself was of that opinion, and that, without more, was sufficient to
support an unfavorable decision. The idea of having covert Papists
lurking in their midst was not to be tolerated, and, by whatever
means, they were to be got rid of. Allusion was made to his embassy to
the Taranteens, and services rendered on that and other occasions, but
they were deemed insufficient to neutralize his guilt; yet, in
consideration of those services, they forbore to inflict any severe
punishment. The sentence of the Council was, that both the Knight and
lady should be sent back to England in the next ship, and forbidden to
return.
"All England shall ring with the report of your injustice," cried Sir
Christopher, when the decision was announced. "Ye do yourselves more
wrong than me, and the time will come when ye shall hang your heads
with shame for the deed. Ye have power, it is true, to extrude me from
this new world, but my presence will be a bane to you in the old. I go
with solemn protest against your violence."
"Enough," said Winthrop, rising with dignity, "of threats which we
notice not, because we are above them. The men who are founding an
empire, whose future extent and power human sagacity cannot limit, and
who, for the sake of present liberty of thought and action, and of
prospective blessings for their descendants, have renounced and count
as naught the vanities of this world, fear no arm of flesh. Their
shield is the Lord of Hosts. This Council is dissolved."