Hansford: A Tale of Bacon's Rebellion Part 28

"It would, indeed, be a melancholy thought," said Hansford, with a deep sympathy for his friend-"if this were all. But when we remember that we stand but on the threshold of existence, and have a higher, a holier destiny to attain beyond, we need care but little for what is pa.s.sing here. I have sometimes thought, my friend, that as in manhood we sometimes smile at the absurd frivolities which caught our childish fancy, so when elevated to a higher sphere we would sit and wonder at the interest which we took in the trifling pleasures, the empty honours, and the glittering toys of this present life."

"And do you mean to say that honour and glory are nothing here?"

"Only so far as they reflect the honour and glory which are beyond."

"Pshaw, man!" cried Bacon, "you do not, you cannot think so. You ask me the reason of this desire for fame and remembrance when we are dust. I tell you it is an instinct implanted in us by the Almighty to impel us to glorious deeds."

"Aye," said Hansford, quietly, "and when that desire, by our own indulgence, becomes excessive, just as the baser appet.i.tes of the glutton or the debauchee, it becomes corrupt and tends to our destruction."

"You are a curious fellow, Hansford," said Bacon, laughing, "and should have been one of old Noll's generals-for I believe you can preach as well as you can fight, and believe me that is no slight commendation.

But you must excuse me if I cannot agree with you in all of your sentiments. I am sorry to say that old Butler's 'pulpit drum ecclesiastic' seldom beat me to a church parade while I was in England, and here in Virginia they send us the worst preachers, as they send us the worst of every thing. But a truce to the subject. Tell me are you a believer in presentiments?"

"Surely such things are possible, but I believe them to be rare,"

replied his companion. "Future events certainly make an impression upon the animal creation, and I know not why man should be exempt entirely from a similar law. The migratory birds will seek a more southern clime, even before a change of weather is indicated by the wind, and the appearance of the albatross, or the bubbling of the porpoise, if we may believe the sailors' account, portend a storm."

"These phenomena," suggested Bacon, "may easily be explained by some atmospheric influence, insensible to our nature, but easily felt by them."

"I might answer," replied Hansford, "that if insensible to us, we are not warranted in presuming their existence. But who can tell in the subtle mechanism of the mind how sensitive it may be to the impressions of coming yet unseen events. At least, all nations have believed in the existence of such an influence, and the Deity himself has deigned to use it through his prophets, in the revelation of his purposes to man."

"Well, true or not," said Bacon, in a low voice, "I have felt the effect of such a presentiment in my own mind, and although I have tried to resist its influence I have been unable to do so. There is something which whispers to me, Hansford, that I will not see the consummation of my hopes in this colony-and that dying I shall leave behind me an inglorious name. For what at last is an unsuccessful patriot but a rebel. And oh, as I have listened to the monitions of this demon, it seemed as though the veil of futurity were raised, and I could read my fate in after years. Some future chronicler will record this era of Virginia's history, and this struggle for freedom on the part of her patriot children will be styled rebellion; our actions misrepresented; our designs misinterpreted; and I the leader and in part the author of the movement will be handed down with Wat Tyler and Jack Cade to infamy, obloquy and reproach."

"Think not thus gloomily," said Hansford, "the feelings you describe are often suggested to an excited imagination by the circ.u.mstances with which it is surrounded; just as dreams are the run mad chroniclers of our daily thoughts and hopes and apprehensions. You should not yield to them, General, they unman you or at least unfit you for the duties which lie before you."

"You are right," returned Bacon; "and I banish them from me forever. I have half a mind to acknowledge myself your convert, Hansford; eschew the gaily bedizzened Glory, and engage your demure little Quaker, Duty, as my handmaiden in her place."

"I will feel but too proud of such a convert to my creed," said Hansford laughing. "And now what of your plans on Jamestown?"

"Why to tell you the truth," said Bacon gravely; "I am somewhat at fault in regard to my actions there. I could take the town in a day, and repulse those raw recruits of the old Governor with ease, if they would only sally out. But I suspect the old tyrant will play a safe game with me-and securely ensconced behind his walls, will cut my brave boys to pieces with his cannon before I can make a successful breach."

"You could throw up breastworks for your protection," suggested Hansford.

"Aye, but I fear it would be building a stable after the horse was stolen. With our small force we could not resist their guns while we were constructing our fortifications. But I will try it by night, and we may succeed. The d--d old traitor-if he would only meet me in open field, I could make my way 'through twenty times his stop.'"

"Well, we must encounter some risk," replied Hansford. "I have great hopes from the character of his recruits, too. Though they number much more than ourselves, yet they serve without love, and in the present exhausted exchequer of the colony, are fed more by promises than money."

"They are certainly not likely to be fed by _angels_," said Bacon, "as some of the old prophets are said to have been. But, Hansford, an idea has just struck me, which is quite a new manuvre in warfare, and from which your ideas of chivalry will revolt."

"What is it?" asked Hansford eagerly.

"Why if it succeeds," returned Bacon, "I will warrant that Jamestown is in our hands in twenty-four hours, without the loss of more blood than would fill a quart canteen."

"Bravo, then, General, if you add such an important principle to the stock of military tactics, I'll warrant that whispering demon lied, and that you will retain both Glory and Duty in your service."

"I am afraid you will change your note, Thomas, when I develope my plan.

It is simply this-to detail a party of men to scour the country around Jamestown, and collect the good dames and daughters of our loyal councillors. If we take them with us, I'll promise to provide a secure defence against the enemies' fire. The besieged will dare not fire a gun so long as there is danger of striking their wives and children, and we, in the meantime, secure behind this temporary breastwork, will prepare a less objectionable defence. What think you of the plan, Hansford?"

"Good G.o.d!" cried Hansford, "You are not in earnest General Bacon?"

"And why not?" said Bacon, in reply. "If such a course be not adopted, at least half of the brave fellows behind us will be slaughtered like sheep. While no harm can result to the ladies themselves, beyond the inconvenience of a few hours' exposure to the night air, which they should willingly endure to preserve life."

Hansford was silent. He knew how useless it was to oppose Bacon when he had once resolved. His chivalrous nature revolted at the idea of exposing refined and delicate females to such a trial. And yet he could not deny that the project if successfully carried out would be the means of saving much bloodshed, and of ensuring a speedy and easy victory to the insurgents.

"Why, what are you thinking of, man," said Bacon gaily. "I thought my project would wound your delicate sensibilities. But to my mind there is more real chivalry and more true humanity in sparing brave blood to brave hearts, than in sacrificing it to a sickly regard for a woman's feelings."

"The time has been when brave blood would have leaped gushing from brave hearts," said Hansford proudly, "to protect woman from the slightest shadow of insult."

"Most true, my brave Chevalier Bayard," said Bacon, in a tone of unaffected good humor, "and shall again-and mine, believe me, will not be more sluggish in such a cause than your own. But here no insult is intended and none will be given. These fair prisoners shall be treated with the respect due to their s.e.x and station. My hand and sword for that. But the time has been when woman too was willing to sacrifice her shrinking delicacy in defence of her country. Wot ye how Rome was once saved by the n.o.ble intercession of the wife and mother of Caius Marcus-or how the English forces were beaten from the walls of Orleans by the heroic Joan, or how-"

"You need not multiply examples," said Hansford interrupting him, "to show how women of a n.o.ble nature have uns.e.xed themselves to save their country. Your ill.u.s.trations do not apply, for they did voluntarily what the ladies of Virginia must do upon compulsion. But, sir, I have no more to say. If you persist in this resolution, unchivalrous as I believe it to be, yet I will try to see my duty in ameliorating the condition of these unhappy females as far as possible."

"And in me you shall have been a most cordial coadjutor," returned Bacon. "But, my dear fellow, your chivalry is too shallow. Excuse me, if I say that it is all mere sentiment without a substratum of reason. Now look you-you would willingly kill in battle the husbands of these ladies, and thus inflict a life-long wound upon them, and yet you refuse to pursue a course by which lives may be saved, because it subjects them to a mere temporary inconvenience. But look again. Have you no sympathy left for the wives, no chivalry for the daughters of our own brave followers, whose hearts will be saved full many a pang by a stratagem, which will ensure the safety of their protectors. Believe me, my dear Hansford, if chivalry be nought but a mawkish sentiment, which would throw away the real substance of good, to retain the mere shadow reflected in its mirror, like the poor dog in the fable-the sooner its reign is over the better for humanity."

"But, General Bacon," said Hansford, by no means convinced by the sophistry of his plausible leader, "if the future chronicler of whom you spoke, should indeed write the history of this enterprise, he will record no fact which will reflect less honour upon your name, than that you found a means for your defence in the persons of defenceless women."

"So let it be, my gallant chevalier," replied Bacon, gaily, determined not to be put out of humour by Hansford's grave remonstrance. "But you have taught me not to look into future records for my name, or for the vindication of my course-and your demure damsel Duty has whispered that I am in the path of right. Look ye, Hansford, don't be angry with your friend; for I a.s.sure you on the honour of a gentleman, that the dames themselves will bear testimony to the chivalry of Nathaniel Bacon. And besides, my dear fellow, we will not impress any but the sterner old dames into our service. You know the older they are the better they will serve for material for an _impregnable_ fortress."

So saying, Bacon ordered a halt, and communicating to his soldiers his singular design, he detailed Captain Wilford and a party of a dozen men, selected on account of their high character, to capture and bring into his camp the wives of certain of the royalists, who, though residing in the country, had rallied to the support of Sir William Berkeley, on his return to Jamestown. In addition to these who were thus found in their several homes, the detailed corps had intercepted the carriage of our old friend, Colonel Temple; for the old loyalist had no sooner heard of the return of Sir William Berkeley, than he hastened to join him at the metropolis, leaving his wife and daughter to follow him on the succeeding day. What was the consternation and mortification of Thomas Hansford as he saw the fair Virginia Temple conducted, weeping, into the rude camp of the insurgents, followed by her high-tempered old mother, who to use the chaste and cla.s.sic simile of Tony Lumpkin, "fidgeted and spit about like a Catherine wheel."

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

"It is the cry of women, good, my lord."

_Macbeth._

Agreeably with the promise of Bacon, the captured ladies were treated with a respect and deference which allayed in a great degree their many apprehensions. Still they could not refrain from expressions of the strongest indignation at an act so unusual, so violent, and so entirely at war with the established notions of chivalry at the time. As the reader will readily conjecture, our good friend, Mrs. Temple, was by no means the most patient under the wrongs she had endured, and resisting the kind attentions of those around her, she was vehement in her denunciations of her captors, and in her apprehensions of a thousand imaginary dangers.

"Oh my G.o.d!" she cried, "I know that they intend to murder us. To think of leaving a quiet home, and being exposed to such treatment as this.

Oh, my precious husband, if he only knew what a situation his poor Betsey was in at this moment; but never mind, as sure as I am a living woman, he shall know it, and then we will see."

"My dear Mrs. Temple," said Mrs. Ballard, another of the captives, "do not give way to your feelings thus. It is useless, and will only serve to irritate these men."

"Men! they are not men!" returned the excited old lady, refusing to be comforted. "Men never would have treated ladies so. They are base, cruel, inhuman wretches, and, as I said before, if I live, to get to Jamestown, Colonel Temple shall know of it too-so he shall."

"But reflect, my dear friend, that our present condition is not affected by this very natural resolution which you have made, to inform your husband of your wrongs. But whatever may be the object of these persons, I feel a.s.sured that they intend no personal injury to us."

"No personal injury, forsooth; and have we not sustained it already.

Look at my head-tire, all done up nicely just before I left the hall, and now scarcely fit to be seen. And is it nothing to be hauled all over the country with a party of ruffians, that I would be ashamed to be caught in company with; and who knows what they intend?"

"I admit with you, my dear madam," said Mrs. Ballard, "that such conduct is unmanly and inexcusable, and I care not who hears me say so. But still," she added in a low voice, "we have the authority of scripture to make friends even of the mammon of unrighteousness."

"Friends! I would die first. I who have been moving in the first circles, the wife of Colonel Temple, who, if he had chosen, might have been the greatest in the land, to make friends with a party of mean, sneaking, cowardly ruffians. Never-and I'll speak my mind freely too-they shall see that I have a woman's tongue in my head and know how to resent these injuries. Oh, for shame! and to wear swords too, which used to be the badge of gentlemen and cavaliers, who would rather have died than wrong a poor, weak, defenceless woman-much less to rob and murder her."

"Well, let us hope for the best, my friend," said Mrs. Ballard; "G.o.d knows I feel as you do, that we have been grossly wronged; but let us remember that we are in the hands of a just and merciful Providence, who will do with us according to his holy will."

"I only know that we are in the hands of a parcel of impious and merciless wretches," cried the old lady, who, as we have seen on a former occasion, derived but little comfort from the consolations of religion in the hour of trial. "I hope I have as much religion as my fellows, who pretend to so much more-but I should like to know what effect that would have on a band of lawless cut-throats?"