Constance Sherwood: An Autobiography of the Sixteenth Century

asshe said these words), "I will then send one of my gentlewomen tofetch thee from Lynn Court to London; and if that should happen, whymethinks our meeting may prove more merry than our parting."

  She then dispatched a messenger on horseback to Sir Hammondl'Estrange's house, which did return in some hours with a veryobliging answer; for his lady did write that she almost hoped my LadySurrey would be detained in London, if so be it would not discontenther, and so she should herself have the pleasure of my company for alonger time, which was what she greatly desired.

  For some miles, when she started, I rode with my lady in her coach,and then mounted on a horse she had provided for my commodity, and,accompanied by two persons of her household, went to Sir Hammondl'Estrange's seat. It stood in a bleak country without scarce so muchas one tree in its neighborhood, but a store of purple heath, then inflower, surrounding it on all sides. As we approached unto it, I forthe first time beheld the sea. The heath had minded me of CannockChase and my childhood. I ween not what the sea caused me to think of;only I know that the waves which I heard break on the shore had, to mythinking, a wonderful music, so exceeding sweet and pleasant to mineears that one only sound of it were able to bring, so it did seem tome, all the hearts of this world asleep. Yet although I listedthereunto with a quiet joy, and mine eyes rested on those vasty depthswith so much contentment, as if perceiving therein some image of theeternity which doth await us, the words which rose in my mind, andwhich methinks my lips also framed, were these of Holy Writ: "Great asthe sea is thy destruction." If it be not that some good angelwhispered them in mine ear for to temper, by a sort of forecasting ofwhat was soon to follow, present gladness, I know not what should havecaused so great a dissimilarity between my then thinking and the wordsI did unwittingly utter.

  Lady l'Estrange met me on the steps of her house, which was small, butsuch as became a gentleman of good fortune, and lacking none of thecommodities habitual to such country habitations. The garden at theback of it was a true labyrinth of sweets; and an orchard on one sideof it, and a wood of fir-trees beyond the wall, shielded the shrubswhich grew therein from the wild sea-blasts. Milicent was delightedfor to show me every part of this her home. The bettering of herfortunes had not wrought any change in the gentle humility of thisyoung lady. The attractive sweetness of her manner was the same,albeit mistress of a house of her own. She set no greater store onherself than she had done at the Charter-house, and paid her husbandas much respect and timid obedience as she had ever done her mistress.Verily, in his presence I soon perceived she scarce held her soul tobe her own; but studied his looks with so much diligence, and framedeach word she uttered to his liking with so much ingenuity, thatI marvelled at the wit she showed therein, which was not very apparentin other ways. He was a tall man, of haughty carriage andwell-proportioned features. His eyes were large and gray; his nose ofa hawkish shape; his lips very thin. I never in any face did noticethe signs of so set a purpose or such unyielding lineaments as in thisgentleman. Milicent told me he was pious, liberal, an activemagistrate, and an exceeding obliging and indulgent husband; butmethought her testimony on this score carried no great weight with it,for that her meekness would read the most ordinary kindnesses as rareinstances of goodness. She seemed very contented with her lot; and Iheard from Lady Surrey's waiting-maid (which she had sent with me fromKenninghall) that all the servants in her house esteemed her to be amost virtuous and patient lady; and so charitable, that all who knewher experience her bounty. On the next day she showed me her garden,her dairy, poultry-yard, and store-room; and also the closet where shekept the salves and ointments for the dressing of wounds, which shesaid she was every morning employed in for several hours. I said, ifshe would permit me, I would try to learn this art under herdirection, for that nothing could be thought of more useful for suchas lived in the country, where such assistance was often needed. Thenshe asked me if I was like to live in the country, which, from mywords, she hoped should be the case; and I told her, if it pleasedGod, in one year I would be married to Mr. Rookwood, of Euston Hall;which she was greatly rejoiced to learn.

  Then, as we walked under the trees, talk ensued between us touchingformer days at the Charter-house; and when the sun was setting amidstgold and purple clouds, and the wind blew freshly from the sea, whilstthe barking of Sir Hammond's dogs, and the report of his gun as hedischarged it behind the house, minded me more than ever of oldcountry scenes in past time, my thoughts drew also future pictures ofwhat mine own home should be, and the joy with which I should meetBasil, when he returned from the field-sports in which he did so muchdelight. And a year seemed a long time to wait for so much happinessas I foresaw should be ours when we were once married. "If Ladyl'Estrange is so contented," I thought, "whose husband is somewhatchurlish and stem, if his countenance and the reports of his neighborsare to be credited, how much enjoyment in her home shall be theportion of my dear Basil's wife! than which a more sweet-temperedgentleman cannot be seen, nor one endued with more admirable qualitiesof all sorts, not to speak of youth and beauty, which are perishableadvantages, but not without attractiveness."

  Mrs. l'Estrange, an unmarried sister of Sir Hammond, lived in thehouse, and some neighbors which had been shooting with him came tosupper. The table was set with an abundance of good cheer; andMilicent sat at the head of it, and used a sweet cordiality toward allher guests, so that every one should seem welcome to her hospitality;but I detected looks of apprehension in her face, coupled with hastyglances toward her husband, if any one did bring forward subjects ofdiscourse which Sir Hammond had not first broached, or did appear inany way to differ with him in what he himself advanced. Once when LordBurleigh was mentioned, one of the gentleman said somewhat indisparagement of this nobleman, as if he should have been to blame insome of his dealings with the parliament, which brought a dark cloudon Sir Hammond's brow. Upon which Milicent, the color coming into hercheeks, and her voice trembling a little, as she seemed to cast abouther for some subject which should turn the current of this talk, beganto tell what a store of patients she had seen that day, and todescribe them, as if seeking to stop the mouths of the disputants."One," quoth she, "hath been three times to me this week to have hishands dressed, and I be verily in doubt what his station should be. Hehath a notable appearance of good breeding, albeit but poorlyapparelled, and his behavior and discourse should show him to be agentleman. The wounds of his hands were so grievously galled for wantof proper dressing, when he first came, I feared they should mortify,and the curing of them to exceed my poor skill. The skin was rubbedoff the whole palms, as if scraped off by handling of ropes. A morecourageous patient could not be met with. Methought the dressingshould have been very painful, but he never so much as once did winceunder it. He is somewhat reserved in giving an account of the mannerin which he came by those wounds, and answered jestingly when Iinquired thereof. But to-morrow I will hear more on it, for I chargedhim to come for one more dressing of his poor hands."

  "Where doth this fellow lodge?" Sir Hammond asked across the table ina quick eager manner.

  "At Master Rugeley's house, I have heard," quoth his wife.

  Then his fist fell on the table so that it shook.

  "A lewd recusant, by God!" he cried. "I'll be sworn this is the popishpriest escaped out of Wisbeach, for whom I have this day receivedorders to make diligent search. Ah, ah! my lady hath trapped theJesuit fox."

  I looked at Milicent, and she at me. O my God, what looks those were!

  CHAPTER XV.

  Then methought was witnessed (I speak of the time when Sir Hammondl'Estrange made the savage speech which caused his lady and me toexchange affrighted looks) a rare instance of the true womanly couragewhich doth sometimes lie at the core of a timid heart. The meek wife,which dared not so much as to lift up her eyes to her lord if he didonly frown, or to oppose his will in any trifling matter; whose colorI had seen fly from her cheek if he raised his voice, albeit not inanger against herself, now in the presence of those at table, with aface as pale as ashe
s, but a steady voice, and eyes fixed on him, thusaddressed her husband:

  "Sir, since we married I have never opposed your will, or in anythingI wot of offended you, or ever would if I could help it. Do not,therefore, displeasure me so much, I beseech you, in this graveinstance, as to make me an instrument in the capture. And God knowethwhat should follow of one which came to me for help, and to whom theservice I rendered him would prove the means of his ruin if youpersist therein."

  "Go to, madam, go to," cries Sir Hammond; "your business doth lie withpoor people, mine with criminals. Go your way, and intrude notyourself in weightier matters than belong to your sex."

  "Sir," she answers, braving his frowning looks, albeit her limbs beganto tremble, "I humbly crave your patience; but I will not leave