CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
A DESPATCH CUNNINGLY CONVEYED.
The officers had separated into two groups, one on each side theGovernor, as the odd trinity of personages was presented to him; these,as they came up, falling into line--Rob on the right, the woman left,and Jack central, as a pollard between two tall trees.
Not yet aware of his colonel being in the room, the sergeant, asintroducer of the other pair, was about to make known their business--ofwhich Winny after all had given him a hint--when Sir Richard steppedforward to interrogate them. The knight had received instructions forthis, on account of his acquaintance with the party.
"Well, sergeant," he said, after nodding recognition to Jack and hissister, "what may your Forest friends be wanting? I hope they haven'tgot into any trouble with our soldiers, or the Bristol folk?"
"No, Sir Richard; nothin' o' that sort whatsoever. They ha' justentered the city, comin' frae Gloster, an' wi' a message from ColonelMassey to his honner here." The speaker, by a look, indicated the headfigure of the listening assemblage; then added, "They think it besomethin' o' very great consarn, seein' how the Colonel ha' told themnot to lose a minnit in the deliverin' o't."
At this all eyes turned eagerly upon the cadgers. A message fromMassey, who commanded at Gloucester, and at such a crisis! It shouldmean something of importance.
"Perhaps your Excellency would prefer hearing it in private?" suggestedSir Richard, with a feint at withdrawing, imitated by the otherofficers.
"No, no!" rejoined the _ci-devant_ lawyer, who, unlike hisconfraternity, was of aught but secretive habit. "Stay, gentlemen!Whatever it be, we're all equally interested in it. Now, my worthyfriends," he continued, his glance alternating between the little manand big woman, "what is this matter with which Colonel Massey hasentrusted you? You may speak out openly and without fear."
The words of encouragement were superfluous. Neither Jerky Jack nor hissister were of the stuff to be affrighted, though they stood in thepresence of Royalty itself. They had travelled too far, and seen toomuch of the world for that.
"It be wrote, yer honner." The woman it was who spoke. "The thing be'sall put down on paper; an' Jack--my brother, sir--ha' got it on him, hidaway, as there was a fear us might meet the Cavalieres."
"Well, you needn't fear meeting them here. So let Jack produce it."
Which Jack did, though not _presto_, on the instant. It took some time,with an amount of manipulation, before the secreted despatch could belaid open to the light. The cadger's artificial leg had to beunstrapped and separated from what remained of the real one; then acavity in the former, being uncorked, disclosed to view a roll of paper,bearing resemblance to a cartridge.
This, drawn forth by Jerky himself, was handed to Sir Richard, andpassed on to the Governor; who, having directed the temporary withdrawalof the messenger party, unrolling it, read--
"Gloucester, March 7.--Report here of Rupert, with 8,000 men, on march for Bristol. Expected to arrive before your gates early in the night. Be careful to keep them shut. Sorry I can do nothing for you in the way of diversion. Myself pressed on Monmouthshire side. Brett and Lord John Somerset, with their Popish crew, have crossed the Forest, and are now threatening us from Highnam. But I'll hold Gloucester at all hazards, as I know you will Bristol.
"Massey."
"That will I!" cried Fiennes, in a fresh burst of enthusiasm, inspiredby the last words of the despatch. "Hold and defend it to the death.We will, gentlemen!"
Needless to say, they all again echoed his resolve loudly anddeterminedly as before.
While their responses were still ringing through the room, the door wasonce more pushed open by a man who entered in haste, withoutannouncement of usher, or introduction of any kind. The expression uponhis features was sufficient apology for intrusion, but better the wordsthat leaped from his lips, soon as he was inside:
"Your Excellency--gentlemen all--we're standing upon a mine!"
"`Standing upon a mine!'" echoed the Governor. "Explain yourself,Captain Birch!"
"Treason in our midst--a conspiracy--the conspirators met at this verymoment."
"Where?" demanded several voices. "I heard first of a party in thehouse of Robert Yeomans, and another at George Boucher's. But I'vesince been told about more of them at Edward Dacre's."
"And they're assembled now, you think?"
"I'm sure of it, your Excellency. Armed, too; ready for rising."
In view of the contents of Massey's despatch, now hastily communicatedto the Volunteer captain, this seemed probable as intelligible. Rupertto assault from outside, aweing the loyal citizens by an attack, suddenas unexpected; the disloyal ones, these conspirators, to take advantageof it and act in concert--the programme beyond a doubt!
Withal, Langrish and one or two others were disposed to discredit it.For in that confidential council itself was a leaven of treason.Luckily not enough to control it; and when Fiennes put the question,"Shall we arrest these men?" a majority of voices declared promptly anddecisively in the affirmative.
"Captain Birch!" said the Governor, once more turning to the youngofficer of Volunteers, "you hear our determination. I commit thismatter to you, who best know the guilty parties, and the places. Takeyour own men, and whatever other force you think necessary. Thisgentleman will go with you as my authority for the requisition."
He referred to an aide-de-camp by his side, who, after receiving somedirections in undertone, parted from him, and, with Birch, hastily leftthe room.
Scarce were they outside, when another officer presented himself in thecouncil-chamber; in haste also, and unannounced, on the plea of pressingmatter. A Volunteer captain, too; for Bristol had already raised morethan one company of these citizen soldiers. Captain Jeremiah Buck, itwas--the "busy mercer," as the Restoration writers contemptuously stylehim. But whatever he may have been otherwise, he was a busy soldier,too busy that night for Royalist likings, and brought furtherintelligence of the conspiracy, obtained from other sources--confirmingthat of Birch.
And, as the latter, he also received instant commands to proceed on thearrest of the conspirators. As there were several distinct "clatches"of them, more than one force was needed to catch them simultaneously.
So commissioned, off went Buck, to all appearance greatly elated, andpossibly indulging himself in the thought of satisfying some privatespite.
Whether or no, the door that had closed behind him was still vibratingto the clash, when one who needed no usher to announce him caught holdof its handle and pushed it open, with an alacrity which proclaimed himalso the bearer of tidings that would not brook delay.
"What is it, Trevor?" asked Sir Richard Walwyn, advancing to meet histroop captain. "Why have you left your guard at the gate?"
"Because, Colonel," panted out the young officer, "I've thought itbetter to come myself and make sure of the news reaching you in goodtime, as the Governor here."
"What news?"
"Prince Rupert and the Royalist army reported outside the city. Acountryman just come in says they are pitching tents on Durdham Down.And his report's confirmed by what I've myself seen from the top of thegate tower."
"What saw you, Captain Trevor?" asked the Governor, who, with the otherofficers, had been all the while anxiously listening.
"A glare of light, your Excellency; such as would proceed from the blazeof camp-fires."
This was confirmation full, of Massey's warning despatch, theconspiracy, everything. But, for better assurance of it, the Governor,with the assembled officers, rushed out of the council-chamber and up tothe Castle donjon; there to see the horizon lit up with a yellowishglare which, as soldiers, they knew to be the reflection from bivouacfires. And a wide spread of them, the sky illumined all over DurdhamDown, away to King's Weston.
"Rupert it must be--he, and his plundering host!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Birch made qu
ick work of the duty assigned to him. In less thantwenty minutes after receiving the Governor's commands, he stood beforethe door of Robert Yeomans's house, demanding admission. He had thestrength at his back to enforce it--his own Volunteers afoot, with abody of horse, lest the conspirators should escape by flight. And someof both, distributed round the house, already enfiladed it.
It was a large house, its owner being one of the wealthy citizens ofBristol. Forty men were within it, all armed, as the Volunteer officerhad been told. At word of what was without they sprang to their arms,some of the more courageous counselling fight. But when they lookedthrough the windows, saw that formidable array, and heard the sternsummons "Surrender!" their hearts failed them, and they surrendered.Wisely, too. Had they resisted, instant death would have been theirfate. For, among the men with Birch, were some fresh from the affair ofCirencester; themselves escaped, but leaving behind friends, relatives,even brothers, butchered in cold blood. Exasperated, maddened, by thememory of that slaughter--some of them with wounds still unhealed fromit--Birch, who was moderate as brave, had a difficulty to restrain themfrom dealing out death to the malignants. The troopers who accompaniedhim, smarting under late reverses, would have gladly hailed the order to"fall on." But the cowed conspirators submitted like sheep, and weremarched off to the Castle, every man-jack of them; there to meet otherbatches brought in by Buck and the different officers who had beendetailed for their arrest.
In houses here and there throughout the city, parties of them were foundand picked up; all armed, waiting for a signal to sally forth and shedthe blood of their fellow-citizens. This has been denied, but a letterfrom the barbarous Lord Byron to Prince Rupert puts the design beyonddoubt. But for the vigilance of the merchant-soldier Birch, and theactivity of the "busy mercer" Buck, that night the streets of Bristolwould have run blood, and every house in it belonging to aParliamentarian been sacked and plundered. For the head plunderer,Rupert--he who introduced the word to the English language--stood atthat very hour on the top of King's Weston hill, awaiting a triplesignal--the bells of three churches to be rung--Saint John's, forsummoning the Royalist sailors; that of Saint Nicholas, to call out thebutchers for butchers' work congenial to them; while from the tower ofSaint Michael's he expected to hear a peal more especially meant forhimself and his freebooters, as it were saying, "You may come on! Thegates of Bristol are unbarred for you!"
But he heard it not. They who had been entrusted with the ringing ofthat fatal peal never rang it. Instead of bell ropes in their hands,they now had manacles around their wrists, and grim sentries standingguard over them.
Rupert waited, watched, and listened, till the break of day showed himthe great seaport of the Severn still calm; its gates close shut; itswalls and towers bristling with armed men, in attitudes that told themdetermined on its defence.
Thinking he had been made a fool of, and fearing further betrayal, hehastily beat retreat from Durdham Down to seek the pillage of some citymore easy of being entered.
The rising sun saw his back turned upon Bristol; he and his Cavaliersventing loud curses--reviling their partisans inside, whose misleadingcorrespondence had lured them to an expedition ludicrous as bootless.