For Faith and Freedom

  CHAPTER III.

  THE BOYS.

  The family of Challis, of Bradford Orcas, is well known; here therehas always been a Challis from time immemorial. They are said tohave been on the land before the time of the Conqueror. But becausethey have never been a great family, like the Mohuns of Dunster,but only modest gentle-folk with some four or five hundred poundsa year, they have not suffered, like those great houses, from thecivil wars, which, when they raged in the land, brought in theirtrain so many attainders, sequestrations, beheadings, imprisonments,and fines. Whether the Barons fought, or whether Cavaliers andRoundheads, the Challises remained at Bradford Orcas.

  Since the land is theirs and the village, it is reasonable thatthey should have done everything that has been done for the place.One of them built the church, but I know not when; another builtthe tower; another gave the peal of bells. He who reigned here inthe time of Henry VII., built the Manor House; another built themill; the monuments in the church are all put up to the memory ofChallises dead and gone; there is one, a very stately tomb, whichfigures, to the life, Sir William Challis (who died in the timeof Queen Elizabeth), carved in marble, and coloured, kneeling ata desk; opposite to him is his second wife, Grace, also kneeling.Behind the husband are three boys, on their knees, and behind thewife are three girls. Apart from this group is the effigy of Filipa,Sir Christopher's first wife, with four daughters kneeling behindher. I was always sorry for Filipa, thus separated and cut off fromthe society of her husband. There are brasses on the floor withfigures of other Challises, and tablets in the wall, and the Challiscoat-of-arms is everywhere, cut in lozenges, and painted in wood,and shining in the east window. It seemed to me, in my young days,that it was the grandest thing in the world to be a Challis.

  In this family there was a laudable practice with the younger sons,that they stayed not at home, as is too often their custom, leadingindolent lives without ambition or fortune, but they sallied forthand sought fortune in trade, or in the Law, or in the Church, orin foreign service--wherever fortune is to be honourably won--sothat, though I daresay some have proved dead and dry branches,others have put forth flowers and fruit abundantly, forming newand vigorous trees sprung from the ancient root. Thus, some havebecome judges: and some bishops: and some great merchants: somehave crossed the ocean and are now settled in the Plantations: somehave attained rank and estates in the service of the Low Countries.Thus, Sir Christopher's brother Humphrey went to London and became aLevant merchant and adventurer, rising to great honour and becomingalderman. I doubt not that he would have been made Lord Mayor butfor his untimely death. And as for his wealth, which was rumoured tobe so great--but you shall hear of this in due time.

  That goodly following of his household which you have seen enterthe church on Farewell Sunday, was shortly afterwards broken intoby death. There fell upon the village (I think it was in the year1665) the scourge of a putrid fever, of which there died, besidesnumbers of the village folk, Madam herself--the honoured wife ofSir Christopher--Humphrey his son, and Madam Patience Boscorel, hisdaughter. There were left to Sir Christopher, therefore, only hisdaughter-in-law and his grandsons Robin and Benjamin. And in thatyear his household was increased by the arrival of his grand-nephewHumphrey. This child was the grandson of Sir Christopher's brother,the Turkey or Levant merchant of whom I have spoken. He was richand prosperous: his ships sailed out every year laden with I knownot what, and returned with figs, dates, spices, gums, silks,and all kinds of precious commodities from Eastern parts. It is,I have been told, a profitable trade, but subject to terribledangers from Moorish pirates, who must be bravely fought and beatenoff, otherwise ship and cargo will be taken, and captain and crewdriven into slavery. Mr. Challis dwelt in Thames-street, close toTower-hill. It is said that he lived here in great splendour, asbefits a rich merchant who is also an Alderman.

  Now, in the year 1665, as is very well known, a great plague brokeout in the city. There were living in the house in Thames-street theAlderman, his wife, his son, his son's wife, a daughter, and hisgrandson, little Humphrey. On the first outbreak of the pestilencethey took counsel together and resolved that the child should befirst sent away to be out of danger, and that they would follow ifthe plague spread.

  This was done, and a sober man, one of their porters orwarehousemen, carried the child with his nurse all the way fromLondon to Bradford Orcas. Alas! Before the boy reached hisgreat-uncle, the house in Thames-street was attacked by the plague,and everyone therein perished. Thus was poor little Humphreydeprived of his parents. I know not who were his guardians ortrustees, or what steps, if any, were taken to inquire into theAlderman's estate; but when, next year, the Great Fire of Londondestroyed the house in Thames-street, with so many others, allthe estate, whatever it had been, vanished, and could no more betraced. There must have been large moneys owing. It is certain thathe had ventures in ships. It has been supposed that he owned manyhouses in the City, but they were destroyed and their very sitesforgotten, and no deeds or papers, or any proof of ownership, wereleft. Moreover, there was nobody charged with inquiring into thisorphan's affairs. Therefore, in the general confusion, nothing atall was saved out of what had been a goodly property, and the childHumphrey was left without a guinea in the world. Thus unstable isFortune.

  I know not whether Humphrey received a fall in his infancy, orwhether he was born with his deformity, but the poor lad grew upwith a crooked figure, one shoulder being higher than the other, andhis legs short, so that he looked as if his arms were too long forhim. We, who saw him thus every day, paid no heed, nor did he sufferfrom any of those cruel gibes and taunts which are often passed uponlads thus afflicted. As he was by nature or misfortune debarred fromthe rough sports which pleased his cousins, the boy gave himself upto reading and study, and to music. His manner of speech was softand gentle; his voice was always sweet, and afterwards became strongas well, so that I have never heard a better singer. His face--ah!my brother Humphrey, what a lovely face was thine! All goodness,surely, was stamped upon that face. Never, never, did an unworthythought defile that candid soul, or a bad action cast a cloud uponthat brow!

  As for Robin, Sir Christopher's grandson, I think he was alwayswhat he is still, namely, one of a joyous heart and a cheerfulcountenance. As a boy, he laughed continually, would sing morewillingly than read, would play rather than work, loved to courseand shoot and ride better than to learn Latin grammar, and wouldreadily off coat and fight with any who invited him. Yet not a foolor a clown, but always a gentleman in manners, and one who readsuch things as behove a country gentleman, and scrupulous as to thepoint of honour. Such as he is still such he was always. And of acomely presence, with a rosy cheek and bright eyes, and the strengthof a young David, as well as his ruddy and goodly countenance.The name of David, I am told, means 'darling.' Therefore ought myRobin to have been named David. There were two other boys--Barnaby,my brother, who was six years older than myself, and, therefore,always to me a great boy; and Benjamin, the son of the Rev. Mr.Boscorel--the Rector. Barnaby grew up so broad and strong thatat twelve he would have passed easily for seventeen; his squareshoulders, deep chest, and big limbs made him like a bull forstrength. Yet he was shorter than most, and looked shorter thanhe was by reason of his great breadth. He was always exercisinghis strength; he would toss the hay with the haymakers, and carrythe corn for the reapers, and thresh with the flail, and guidethe plough. He loved to climb great trees, and fell to them withan axe. Everybody in the village admired his wonderful strength.Unfortunately, he loved not books, and could never learn anything,so that when, by dint of great application and many repetitions, hehad learned a little piece of a Latin verb, he straightway forgot itin the night, and so, next day, there was another flogging. But thathe heeded little. He was five years older than Robin, and taughthim all his woodcraft--where to find pheasants' eggs, how to catchsquirrels, how to trap weasels and stoats, how to hunt the otter,how to make a goldfinch whistle and a raven talk--never was theresuch a master of that wisdom which doth
not advance a man in theworld.

  Now, before Barnaby's birth, his mother, after the manner of Hannah,gave him solemnly unto the Lord all the days of his life, and, afterhis birth, her husband, after the manner of Elkanah, said: 'Dowhat seemeth thee good; only the Lord establish his word.' He was,therefore, to become a minister, like his father before him. Alas!poor Barnaby could not even learn the Latin verbs, and his heart,it was found, as he grew older, was wholly set upon the things ofthis world. Wherefore, my mother prayed for him daily while she satat her work, that his heart might be turned, and that he might getunderstanding.

  As for the fourth of the boys, Benjamin Boscorel, he was about twoyears younger than Barnaby, a boy who, for want of a mother, andbecause his father was careless of him, grew up rough and coarse inmanners and in speech, and boastful of his powers. To hear Ben talkyou would think that all the boys of his school (the grammar schoolof Sherborne) were heroes; that the Latin taught was of a qualitysuperior to that which Robin and Humphrey learnt of my father; andthat when he himself went out into the world, the superiority of hisparts would be immediately perceived and acknowledged.

  Those who watch boys at play together--girls more early learn togovern themselves and to conceal their thoughts, if not theirtempers--may, after a manner, predict the future character of everyone. There is the man who wants all for himself, and still wantsmore, and will take all and yield nothing, save on compulsion, andcares not a straw about his neighbour--such was Benjamin, as a boy.There is the man who gives all generously--such was Robin. There is,again, the man whose mind is raised above the petty cares of themultitude, and dwells apart, occupied with great thoughts--such wasHumphrey. Lastly, there is the man who can act but cannot think;who is born to be led; who is full of courage and of strength, andleaves all to his commander, captain, or master--such was Barnaby.

  As I think of these lads it seems as if the kind of man into whicheach would grow must have been stamped upon their foreheads. Perhapsto the elders this prognostic was easy to read.

  They suffered me to play with them or to watch them at play. Whenthe boys went off to the woods I went with them. I watched themset their traps--I ran when they ran. And then, as now, I lovedRobin and Humphrey. But I could not endure--no; not even the touchof him--Benjamin, with the loud laugh and the braggart voice, wholaughed at me because I was a girl and could not fight. The timecame when he did not laugh at me because I was a girl. And oh! tothink--only to think--of the time that came after that!