The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 2 of 2

  CHAPTER IX.

  Amid all his misfortunes and gloomy anticipations, Bacon discovered onebright spot in his horizon. He had inquired of Captain Gardiner whetherMr. Beverly had accompanied the Governor to Accomac, and was answered inthe affirmative. This was the source of rejoicing, because he believedthat Virginia was yet in Jamestown. Harriet Harrison's letter had beenperused over and over again, during the first part of the voyage, andwas one cause of that restless anxiety to escape which we have attemptedto describe.

  He chafed the more as his imagination pictured his rival leading, orrather forcing Virginia to the altar, while he was thus ignoblydetained. But now having satisfied himself that Beverly was not leftbehind, his mind was comparatively at ease on that score. Neverthelesshis desire to escape was not diminished; the state of parties mightchange in the capital--Beverly might return and perpetrate his designwhile he was yet in confinement. That Sir William Berkley intended morethan to keep him in temporary duress, he could not now in his coolermoments believe--his repinings were caused by the interruption to hisown cherished schemes and ardent desires. He had hoped before thistime, to be in Jamestown--a conqueror--the accepted lover of VirginiaFairfax, and to satisfy the Recluse himself, that he was deceived as tohis birth and parentage. That there was some mysterious knowledge ofMrs. Fairfax's history possessed by that strange man, he doubted not;but he doubted as little that it had led to error with regard tohimself.

  The dark shadows of night had already closed over the broad expanse ofwaters on whose bosom our hero was thus far borne without chance ofescape. He could discern numerous lights flitting along thecircumscribed horizon, which he supposed to be upon the shores ofAccomac, from the dark curtain which skirted along as far as the eyecould reach, between the sky and the water. He was not left long indoubt upon this point, for the sailors were busily engaged furling thebroad sheets of canvass and heaving over the anchor. In a few moments abright flash illuminated the darkness around, followed by the boomingsound of a piece of ordnance let off from the ship. This was answered byanother from the shore, and Bacon perceived the lights which had beforeattracted his attention, moving, as he supposed, toward the boatlanding, there being no facilities for running the ship close in uponthe land. These he could perceive now rising and falling with theswelling and receding waves, and very soon faintly distinguished voicesin confused murmurs as they were borne along the water, and lost amidstthe roar of the waves lashing against the sides of the vessel, and theconfused noise and merriment of the ship's crew.

  Captain Gardiner took up his trumpet and hailed the approaching boat,after which a dead silence ensued on board, all hands listening intentlyfor the expected answer. Hoarse and confused sounds came sweeping on thewind, as if the person answering spoke through his hand instead of atrumpet, but no distinct words could be made out. Again the captainhailed, "boat ahoy," and again with the like result. The wind wasunfavourable for the transmission of sound, and he gave up the attempt.He had scarcely left the deck, however, before the boat came riding byon the buoyant waves, both parties having been deceived as to thedistance, by their inability to intercommunicate. The Captain raneagerly upon deck, and inquired of those in the boat, whether theGovernor had arrived? The answer was in the affirmative. Bacon nowunderstood the anxiety of Captain Gardiner to communicate with theshore. He learned too, from the dialogue going on, that the Governor andhimself were probably crossing the bay at the same time.

  When it was announced to the boat's crew that the rebel chief, Bacon,was a prisoner on board, a loud huzza burst simultaneously from twentyvoices, among which Bacon distinctly recognised those of Ludwell andBeverly. Bitter indeed were his unavailing regrets that he had left hisarmy, and thus fallen a prey to his most violent enemies. He nowremembered, with not less regret, that he had strictly enjoined upon histemporary successor, not to march into Jamestown until he should rejointhe troops. This he saw would effectually prevent his present situationfrom becoming known to his friends, until, possibly it would be too lateto render him any assistance.

  The boat very soon returned in order to ascertain the Governor'spleasure with regard to his prisoner, and Bacon waited with the mostintense anxiety for their return. His unavailing regrets were rapidlyforgotten in a fierce and burning desire to be confronted with hisenemies, alone and unsupported as he was. His noble mind could scarcelyconceive of that malignity which could trample upon a solitary anddefenceless individual, placed by accident in the hands of numerouspersonal enemies. He had yet to learn a bitter lesson in the study ofhuman nature. His own impulses were all high and generous, and henaturally looked even upon his foes as to some extent capable of thelike magnanimity. He imagined that Sir William Berkley, Ludwell, andBeverly would feel and acknowledge his indignant appeals to their honourand chivalry. How these youthful and sanguine expectations were realizedwill be seen in the sequel. The boat soon returned with orders from SirWilliam Berkley to detain the prisoner on board during the night, andto send him ashore as soon in the morning as it should be announced by ashot from a piece of ordnance, that the court had assembled. That he wasto be tried by a court-martial had barely entered his imagination.

  At dawn of day a gun from the shore announced the assembling of thecourt, and Bacon was brought upon deck by the orders of the Captain. Heperceived that the ship's boat was already in the water, supported oneach side by larger ones from the shore, filled with armed soldiers.However much he may have been surprised by these prudentialpreparations, he was still more surprised, and more fully began torealize his situation, when he perceived a man standing ready to securehis hands in irons. At first sight of this contemplated indignity, heshrank back instinctively with something of the natural feelings ofyouth, but the impression was only momentary; he shook it off and walkedfirmly to the smith, near whom stood Captain Gardiner, and a guard to dohis bidding in case of necessity. As the youthful Chieftain approached,the hardy veteran of the seas was evidently embarrassed. He wasreluctant to offer such a needless affront to one of so bold and manly abearing. An indistinct apology was commenced, of which the only partsthat Bacon distinguished or cared to learn was, that the precaution wastaken by the orders of Sir William Berkley. "I doubt it not--I doubt itnot, sir," he replied; "Do your duty--I am in his power for thepresent, and must submit with the best grace I can; but a day ofretribution is coming; and even should I be basely murdered upon thesedistant shores, as seems not unlikely from these preparations, and thetribunal of which I hear they are the precursors, my death will not gounavenged."

  His hands were soon confined within the iron bands, connected by chainssome two feet in length, and then, with the assistance of the Captainand crew, he was let down into the boat. He was not long in discoveringthat the military escort in the two outer boats was commanded by Mr.Philip Ludwell. No sign of recognition took place between them,notwithstanding they had moved in the same circles at the Capital beforethe interruption of the civil war. Bacon was too much of a soldierhimself, and too well versed in the duties of a subordinate to throw anyof the blame of his present condition upon his quondam acquaintance, andwould readily have exchanged the courtesies due from one gentleman toanother, had he not perceived a suppressed smile of triumph upon thecountenance of Ludwell as he entered the boat. Whether the latter viewedhim as rebel or patriot he felt indignant at his ungentlemanly conduct,and folding his chained arms upon his manly chest, took no farthernotice of its author.

  As they approached the shore, and the mists of early morning began tobreak away before the rising sun, Bacon recognised many landmarks whichhad not altogether been unknown to him in happier days. The house atwhich Sir William Berkley now exercised his vice-regal functions,surrounded by such of the Cavaliers as still adhered to his fortunes,became also visible. This Bacon recognised as the property of theofficer in command of the guard surrounding his own person. The shorewas covered with tents, marquees and soldiers, the latter being theEnglish mercenaries, and marshalled for his reception in imposing array.Two lines were formed fr
om the landing to the house, between which hewas now marched in the centre of his guard.

  When they arrived within the hall he found the martial tribunal readyassembled for his trial. A long table was placed in the centre of theroom, upon which lay swords, caps, and feathers. At the farther end fromthe entrance sat Sir William Berkley, as president of the court, and oneither side some eight or ten of his officers, all clad in the militarycostume of the day. Their gay doublets had been exchanged for buffcoats, surmounted by the gorget alone, for the vambraces, with theirconcomitants, had been abandoned during the commonwealth. Some of thecavalry and pikemen, indeed, still wore head and back pieces, in theking's army,[12] but the Virginian officers were generally dressed atthat time as we have described them.

  [Footnote 12: See statutes 13 and 14th Charles the 2d.]

  Among the number of officers now confronting the prisoner, sat FrancisBeverly. He seemed perfectly calm and collected, and not in the leastaware that there was any impropriety in his sitting in judgment upon theprisoner standing at the foot of the table.

  Bacon drew himself up to his utmost height, as he again folded his armsand ran his indignant eye over his accusers and judges; as it rested inits course upon Beverly, a fierce indignation lighted up its clear hazeloutlines, but it was only for an instant--his glance wandered on overthe other members of the court, while his lip curled in a settledexpression of scorn and contempt. The old Cavalier at the head of theboard rose in visible agitation--his eyes flashed fire and his handstrembled as he took the paper from the scribe and read the chargeagainst the prisoner.

  The merest form of an impartial trial was indecently hastened through.Witnesses were not wanting indeed, and those too, who could testify toevery thing the Governor desired, but no time had been allowed theprisoner to procure testimony in his own behalf, or prepare his defence.

  The times were perhaps somewhat out of joint; but the state of thecolony was by no means such as to require that a prominent citizen,standing high in the affection of his countrymen, should be deprived ofthose inestimable privileges secured by the laws of England, to everyone under accusation of high crimes and misdemeanors; and these lawshad been adopted and were in full force in the infant state. At the veryoutset of the trial, Gen. Bacon objected to the military character ofthe court, as well as to the indecent haste and the retired nature ofthe place in which it was held. He contended that his crime, if crime hehad committed, was a civil offence, and ought to be tried by the civiltribunals of the country. All these weighty objections were answered bya waive of the president's hand, and the trial proceeded to itspreviously well known conclusion, without farther interruption.

  Before the final vote was taken upon the question whether the prisonerwas guilty of high treason or not, he was ordered to be removed from thecourt-room for a few moments, in order that their deliberations might beuninterrupted. As the guard marched the prisoner through the house intothe back court of the establishment, his step still proud and hiscarriage elevated with the sense of conscious rectitude, he was at oncebrought to a stand by the sight of a spectacle which sent the blood,chilled with horror, back to his heart. This was a gibbet or gallows,erected in the very court to which they were conducting him, and upon ithung two of his own soldiers![13] All evidence of vitality had longsince departed, and their bodies swung round and round, under theimpulse of the morning breeze, in horrible monotony. Bacon's firstsensation was one of unmixed horror, but this was succeeded byindignation; not a thought for his own safety occurred to his mind whileunder the first impressions of the fearful spectacle. But as fierceindignation stirred up his torpid energies to thoughts of revenge, themeans began to present themselves, and then it was that he shook theiron fetters which bound him, in savage and morose despair. Perhaps achill from some more personal feeling ran through his veins, when hereflected how short had been the passage of his two humble followersfrom the sloop which had borne them across the bay on the precedingnight, to eternity. They had evidently suffered some hoursprevious--perhaps during the night. They were the two subalternofficers--selected by himself for his expedition down the river, andchosen for their desperate bravery at the battle of Bloody Run. And nowto see their manly proportions ignominiously exposed upon a gibbet,after having been most inhumanly murdered, was more than he could calmlybear. Bitter and unavailing were his reflections as he stood a spectatorof this outrage, while his own life hung suspended by a hair.

  [Footnote 13: See Sanguinary executions of Bacon's followers--withoutthe legal forms of trial, in the Histories of the times.]

  He was not left long a spectator of this cruel scene; the guard wasordered to present the prisoner again before the court to receivesentence.

  When Bacon stood once more at the foot of the table, surrounded by hisunrelenting enemies, his countenance evinced a total change. When firsthe stood in the same place, he had not fully realized his situation; hewas stupified with overwatching and fatigue. The young are always slowto apprehend the darker shadows in their own prospective, andinstinctively cling to the brighter aspect of events and circumstances,until some sudden calamity or unexpected reverse in their own immediatecareer, opens their eyes to the stern reality. When such a change isbrought immediately before the senses, then indeed the dreadful truthspeaks direct to the apprehension. Few criminals at the moment ofreceiving sentence of death, realize more than a horrid and oppressivesense of present calamity--all hope has not yet entirely forsaken them.But could they see upon the spot a fellow criminal undergoing the lastpenalty of the law, they would at once realize the truth in all itsterrors.

  The sight of his unfortunate followers had thus opened the eyes of theyouthful general, to the desperate character of his enemies, and theawful fate which immediately awaited him, but it was not fear which nowrevived his stupified powers to action. His look was bold and daring,while a preternatural brilliancy shot from his proud eye, as thepresident of the court, with an assumed calmness, pronounced upon himthe sentence of death. As the last fatal word fell from the lips of thestern old knight, the prisoner's countenance was rigid, cold anddeath-like for an instant, as he struggled to master his rebellious andscornful feelings into such a state of discipline as would enable himto express the little he had to say, with clearness and precision.

  Although the usual question, "if he had any thing to say why sentence ofdeath should not be pronounced against him," was not asked, he steppedboldly up to the end of the board, and notwithstanding the magisterialwaive of the president's hand for silence, and a simultaneous order tothe officer of the guard to remove him--gave utterance to his feelingsin these words, and with a manner powerfully subdued, yet energetic; hisvoice issuing from between his rigidly set teeth like that of one underthe influence of reckless desperation.

  "If it may so please the president, and gentlemen of the court-martial,I will not tamely and silently submit myself to be butchered in coldblood, without raising my voice and protesting against the jurisdictionof the court--the time--the place--the manner of the trial--the personswho compose the court, and especially him who presides over yourdeliberations.

  "Was it treason I committed, when I boldly and openly marched fromJamestown to Orapacks, at the head of the brave men who drove beforethem the savages by whom the dwellings of the Colony had been burned,and its women and children murdered? Did not the house of burgessesrequest the Governor to sign the commission, which the people hadunanimously put into my hands? Did he not pledge his knightly word thatthe commissions should be ratified? Under the authority of thatcommission and that promise, have I not driven the enemies of civilizedman before me, as I marched through the Peninsula? Have I not done whathas never before been done? cut out a broad line of separation betweenthe habitations of the white man and the savage? Have I not avenged themurders committed on the night of the massacre? Have I not avengedinjuries committed against more than one member of this very court, bythe bloody confederation? Have I not, with these hands, rescued thesister-in-law of the president of this very tr
ibunal from the murderoustomahawk of the savages? True, it was only to die--but it was worthy ofall my poor exertions to rescue her body from their unhallowed hands,that it might rest in consecrated ground. Have I not annihilated theconfederation itself, cut to pieces the assembled tribes--rescued theprisoners, razed to the ground the fortifications at the falls, and madeprisoners of the brave remnant of those misguided nations who erectedit? If this be treason, then indeed am I a traitor!

  "Why is it that this great and glorious country, opened to the oppressedand crowded nations of the old world by a kind and beneficentProvidence, must so often become the theatre of struggles for personalaggrandizement and power? Why is it that our arms must be turned againstourselves in fratricidal conflict, when so many enemies have beenswarming upon our frontiers, and devastating our settlements? Must thegreat and evident designs of the Creator be thus constantly retarded?the great destinies of this vast land obscured in the dawn, by the pettystruggles of contending chieftains? Who can tell how far to the mightywest the tide of civilization and emigration would have rolled theirswelling waves, but for the scenes of personal rivalry and contentionlike the present, which have disgraced our annals?

  "The rosy tints of the morning dawn of destiny have scarcely risen inthe east of this mighty continent--the boldest and the wildestimagination cannot soar into futurity, and predict its noon-day glories,or count up the tides and floods of human beings, that shall be waftedto these shores, and thence roll in successive waves, to the dark and asyet unknown west.

  "I have been but an humble instrument in the hands of the Great Mover ofthese mighty currents, and for this ye seek my life. But death to thisfrail body cannot arrest the great movement, in which I have been anactor. I have indeed been the first to point out the importance ofdrawing a broad line of separation between the European and the native,the first to show the necessity of rolling to the west the savagehordes, as the swelling numbers of our own countrymen increase upon ourhands. Future emigration must advance westward in a semicircularwave--like a kindred billow of the watery ocean, sweeping allobstruction before it.

  "If the natives flee before this rolling tide, and survive itsdestructive progress, well and happy will it be for them; but if theyattempt to buffet the storm, ruin hangs upon their tardy footsteps. Iconfess that I have been the first to maintain the impossibility of thetwo species living together in peace, and to execute the primitive andopening step in this great revolution of nations. If this be treason,then am I a traitor. But if I fall, think not that the great movementshall fall with me. The Great Ruler of the universe has opened thesefertile hills and dales to his oppressed creatures; and he has likewisepointed out the necessity of driving back them who make no use of theseblessings, and who rise not from their idolatry and ignorance to a statefitted to render glory to their Creator. The tide will move on to thewestward, in spite of such tribunals as this. If I am to die here inthis insulated neck of land, by the hands of those who are themselvesprisoners, so be it--I shall die contented in the knowledge that I havenot lived in vain, and that future generations will rescue from oblivionthe name of him who first opened an avenue to the mighty and unknownwest, and however illegally my life may be taken, I will show you that Ican die as becomes a soldier and a Cavalier. One request I would fainmake, even of them whose actions I abhor and despise; it is this; asyou have tried and condemned me by a military tribunal, that you inflictupon me the death of a soldier. This is a request which I would alikemake to a heathen or an infidel."

  "Take him immediately to the gallows," shouted Sir William Berkley.

  The officer of the guard approached with his myrmidons, and laid hold ofthe prisoner, in accordance with the mandate of the Governor; but threeor four members of the court rose at once, and expressed theirwillingness to allow the prisoner until the succeeding day to preparefor execution.

  "Away with him, away with him," again vociferated the president, at thesame time, menacing the official who stood holding the prisoner,doubtful how to act, and apparently willing to listen to the moremerciful suggestion. By this time the whole court was in confusion anduproar; every member was upon his feet, together with the president,each one endeavouring to be heard. A large majority of the members werefor the longest time, and these now demanded of the Governor to submitthe question to the court; but the old knight, having probablydiscovered that Ludwell and Beverly were his only supporters,clamorously persisted in ordering the prisoner to instant execution.

  Bacon himself, during this time, at first stood with his arms folded anda bitter smile of contempt playing upon his features, until the turmoilgrowing louder and more protracted, he too attempted to obtain ahearing. "It is perfectly indifferent to me," said he, "whether I ammurdered to-morrow, or at the next moment; let the hour come when itmay, my blood be upon your skirts!"

  His manly bearing served to reanimate those who contended for delay, andthe strife continued to grow more noisy and turbulent, until, as if bymagic, a side door of the apartment opened, and a new actor appearedupon the scene. The court was instantaneously hushed to silence, and SirWilliam Berkley stood as if he beheld an apparition, while Bacon boundedforward and clasped Virginia, who rushed into his outstretched (butfettered) arms.

  When she first gently pushed open the door, not one of the court or ofthe attendants perceived her. She was clad in the loose folds of thesick chamber--her blond curls fell in unheeded ringlets over her brow,temples and shoulders--her face was pale as monumental marble, and herframe weak and trembling, while a preternatural excitement of the momentshot from her eyes, as she gazed through the partly opened door, toascertain if her ears had not deceived her.

  Not a word was uttered louder than a deep impassioned whisper, untilVirginia perceived the chains upon his hands, when seizing the iron bythe middle she stepped forward and boldly elevating her head, addressedSir William--"Whence these chains, sir?--tell me quickly; tell me thatthey have not been put on by your orders--before I curse the hour thatunited my destiny in any manner with yours!"

  "Not only were they imposed by my orders, but they were so put on inpreparation for a ceremony which shall alike cure you of your vagariesand release me from his hated presence for ever! Guard, lead her to herchamber, and the prisoner to execution!"

  Scarcely had the words died upon his lips, ere she sprang from the graspof the officer, and locked her hands around the neck of her lover,exclaiming, "Now you may shoot him through me--no ball enters his bodybut through mine. You may hack off my arms with your swords, but untilthen I will never leave him!"

  The Governor and Beverly now came forward, and each of them seizing ahand, they tore her from his embrace, in the midst of a wild hystericallaugh, not however before Bacon had imprinted a kiss upon her paleforehead, and uttered a brief and agonizing farewell. He then seatedhimself upon a chair, and covering his face with his hands, gave himselfup to emotions which had not before been awakened during his trial.

  As they were leading Virginia from the room, she suddenly recovered hercomposure, sprang from their grasp, and placing herself against thewall, between two of the officers of the court, who were still standing,clung to their arms while she thus addressed Frank Beverly--"And this isthe method you have taken to win your way to my favour--this is theplan you have devised to rid yourself of a rival. And you too, hisdeadly enemy--to sit in judgment upon him, and mock justice by thecowardly device. Out upon you, sir, for a craven-hearted dastard. Isthis the way you were to meet and conquer him in battle? Where are yourtrophies for my bridal turban, taken from the standards of hisfollowers? You take trophies from Bacon in battle! One glance of hismanly eye would drive the blood chilled to your craven heart, and witherthe muscles of your coward arm."

  Again she was seized, and dragged from the court-room by the Governorand Beverly. In a few moments the president returned, and found thecourt proceeding in his absence deliberately to take the question ongranting the prisoner until the succeeding day to prepare for death, andallowing him the attendance of a c
lergyman. Sir William was fearfulperhaps, that by resisting the will of the majority, he should defeathis purpose, and therefore acquiesced in what he could not prevent, withmore amenity than might have been expected from his previous violence.

  The prisoner had not so suddenly regained his equanimity; he was indeedmaking strenuous exertions to that end, but now and then a piercingscream from the upper chambers of the mansion thrilled through hisnerves, and more than once he suddenly sprang to his feet, and made anattempt to rush past his vigilant keepers, but was as quickly remindedof his helplessness by the jarring sound of his fetters, and the readygrasp of the officials. After several such attempts, he at length foldedhis arms, and gave himself up to bitter reflections--a wretched smileflashing athwart his countenance indicating the violence of the internalstruggle and the cruel pangs that rent his bosom.

  The majority of the court having triumphed in the first matter, thequestion was again raised as to the manner of his death, and Bacon'scountenance was actually lit up by a smile when he heard the decision ofthe court in favour of his own request, that he might die the death of asoldier. The guard were at the moment leading him from the court room tohis prison house, and his step became more firm and elastic, and hecould now look upon the wretched spectacle in the court, without thesame degree of horror which he had before evinced.

  When he had marched several paces in his progress round the mansion, hehalted suddenly and wheeled round to survey the dormer windows peeringthrough the roof, as was the fashion with the long low houses of thetime. His eye rested from its piercing and steady gaze, in sadness anddisappointment, and he threw down his chained hands with a violentmotion, as he resumed his march between the soldiers. They conducted himto the door of a cellar at the end of the house, which was secured withdouble defences; in the next moment he was rudely thrust into a dampcellar, without a ray of light, and the door was closed and securelybolted.