The Golden Grasshopper: A story of the days of Sir Thomas Gresham

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  DISAPPEARANCE OF AVELINE.

  A'Dale and I felt very proud as we escorted Mistress Aveline Radfordtowards London. Brocktrop had supplied her friends with money topurchase proper attire suitable to her position, for she was in truth ayoung lady in all respects, having been nurtured delicately, and wellinstructed. I foresaw that she would quickly become a favourite withthe Lady Anne, for she was a damsel much suited to her taste. Iesteemed her greatly, and so did A'Dale: I soon saw that. She rode on apillion behind Master Brocktrop, whose horse was more suited to carryher than were our steeds, which were much smaller; besides, he was wellaccustomed to carry ladies, Lady Anne herself often thus going out.A'Dale and I rode on either side, talking to her, and endeavouring tokeep up her spirits, for she was much cast down, at leaving her kindfriends, and more so at the thought of the sad fate her dear mother hadsuffered.

  Master Overton would not quit Norwich for the present. He had therework to do, and were he to venture into London, he would quickly berecognised and put to death. We journeyed more slowly than we had donewhen going north, as we were afraid of tiring the little lady.

  We reached Lombard Street without any adventure. Lady Anne stretchedout her arms towards Aveline when she saw her, almost as if she had beenher own child, and pressed her to her bosom.

  "I will be a mother to you," she said, gazing at her affectionately.Truly Lady Anne had a tender heart. In a short time the little girlrecovered her spirits, though even in the midst of her play with youngRichard she would sometimes stop, and the tears would come into hereyes. I knew then that she was thinking of her mother.

  Richard was a delicate boy. He had gone to school at first with me, butwas unable to bear the rough treatment there, and he accordinglyremained at home, his mother being well competent to teach him variousbranches of learning, while certain masters came at times to impartother knowledge. He and Aveline soon became great friends. He watchedover her as if she was his sister, and she regarded him in the light ofa brother. He was never weary of playing with her, albeit she now andthen gave herself not a few airs when he was inclined to humour her.Yet she was in no degree wayward, but always obedient and affectionateto the Lady Anne.

  Master Gresham returned from Spain, and proceeded again in the course ofa few days to Antwerp.

  I may say here, that I did not note down his comings and goings.Sometimes he remained in England only four or five days, scarcelysufficient to recruit his strength, and then once more returned aboutthe Queen's business to Antwerp. He came over while King Philip was inEngland, and I heard him tell Lady Anne that he was greatly disconcertedwith the course events were taking; that a war with France would neitherbe profitable nor honourable; but the King had set his mind on it; andthe Queen, from her foolish fondness, would carry out his wishes, eventhough it might prove the destruction of her kingdom.

  A'Dale came to me one day about this time, and told me that he wasgrowing tired of the life of a mercer's apprentice, and that he wasminded to join the English forces who were going out to aid the Spanisharmy on the Flemish frontier. It was to consist of seven thousand men:four of infantry, one of cavalry, and two of pioneers. I had two strongreasons to urge against this; one was that he would be united withRomanists and supporting the cause of Rome and tyranny; and the other,that being in an honourable position which must some day becomeprofitable to him, when he might marry and settle down as a citizen, hewould be wrong to abandon it for one where he might lose his life orlimbs, and, moreover, be employed in slaughtering his fellow-creatures.He laughed at what he called my new ideas. I said that I was sure theywere right ideas, and that God never intended men to fight and destroyone another.

  "But if our country were attacked by foes, would you not fight?" heasked.

  "That is a different case," I said. "If I found myself a soldier, asoldier I would remain, or if the country were attacked, I would becomeone for the sake of defending it; but you have an honourable, peaceablecalling, and you propose quitting it without necessity for the sake ofgoing and fighting on the side of a people for whom you have no love,against a nation many of whom are true Protestants and friendly disposedto England."

  He replied that he would think over what I had said; but I was afraid Ihad made but little impression on him.

  The army set forth without him, however. Some time after this I hadstill greater difficulty in persuading him to remain at home, when newscame of the great battle fought on the banks of the Somme, near the townof Saint Quentin. On one side were the Spanish, English, Flemish, andGerman host, under the Duke of Savoy. The French were under ConstableMontmorency. They were beaten, with a dreadful loss. Never since thefatal day of Agincourt had the French suffered a more disastrous defeat.Six thousand were slain, and there were as many prisoners taken. TheAdmiral Coligny bravely defended Saint Quentin to the last, but theplace was at length taken by storm, amidst horrors unspeakable.

  When we heard of them, I asked A'Dale whether he still could wish he hadbeen there.

  "No," he said; "honestly, I am thankful that I had not to take part insuch scenes."

  And now I must briefly run over the events I find noted in my diary.

  I bade farewell to school, and though Master Gresham talked of lettingme go to college, as he had gone, he afterwards altered his intentions,since the Universities were under the complete control of Cardinal Poleand his commissioners. "The object of going to college is to enlargethe mind and gain knowledge; but while people such as these rule there,I opine that neither one object nor the other is likely to be attained,"observed Master Gresham. "I will therefore keep you with me, Ernst; youcan serve in my shop, and there gain a knowledge of such business as maybe greatly useful to you."

  Master Gresham's house, I should have said, was one of the best inLombard Street, which was beyond doubt the handsomest street in London.

  Over the door was a crest--a large metal grasshopper, so that nostranger had any difficulty in finding the house. As is well-known,this street gained its name from the Italian merchants who came fromGenoa, Lucca, Florence, and Venice, and were known as Lombards. Theywere very useful to the Italian clergy who had benefices in England, andwho were thus able to receive their incomes drawn from England withoutdifficulty. Thus the English supported a number of foreign priests,from whom they received no benefit whatever. By degrees Englishmenentered into the same business.

  As may be supposed, it would be difficult to describe the variety ofaffairs in which my patron was engaged. Among others we bought and soldplate, and foreign gold and silver coins. These we melted and culled.Some were recoined at the Mint, and with the rest we supplied therefiners, plate-workers, and merchants who required the precious metals.Whenever we received money at usury, we gave a bond, and my patron wasalways able to lend it out again, either to the Government or to othersat a still higher rate of usury. At times, the stranger from thecountry might have supposed that all the gold and silver in England hadbeen collected in Lombard Street, for here were magnificent silvervessels exposed for sale, and vast quantities of ancient and moderncoins. Gold chains, too, were seen hung up, and jewels of all sorts.In truth, all articles of value might there be purchased or disposed of.Master John Elliot was at this time factor and manager of theestablishment, my patron being seldom in England, or remaining, when hedid come, but a few days at a time. I was expecting every day to besummoned to Antwerp. This would have been much to my sorrow, for I feltunwilling to leave the Lady Anne, and still more so, I may confess, topart from the little Aveline. My affection for her was that of abrother for a sister--at least I thought so, and so it might have been.

  At length Master Gresham returned. I knew not why, but suspected it wasowing to some difference with the Council. For some time, therefore, heattended to his own private affairs. It had been arranged that he, withLady Anne, was to go down to Osterley, whither he delighted to retirefrom the the cares of business.

  I was one afternoon seated
at my desk writing away rapidly, and intenton my work, when the porter told me that a stranger wished to speak withme. On going to the entrance, I found, standing in a recess where nolight fell, a person who, as I came up, uttered my name.

  "Ernst Verner," he said, and I at once recognised the voice of MasterOverton, "you have already conferred on me a great favour; will youincrease it? I wish to see my young niece. I am about again to leaveEngland, and even this night hope to embark. The search after me is, Ifind, very hot, and had I not managed to mislead my pursuers, whobelieve that I am gone to the North, I could not have ventured intoLondon, even though I am so disguised that few would discover me. Did Ithink that there would be any risk to the girl, I would not ask thefavour; but she is the only being on earth now remaining to whom I amallied by ties of blood. Her mother was my dearest sister, and she wasthe last of several who had before her death left this world."

  The request seemed very simple, and I undertook to convey it to LadyAnne, who would, I hoped, without difficulty grant it. A short way offwas an archway, beneath which I thought Overton could speak to his nieceunobserved, and I promised, should I obtain permission, to conduct herthere. Master Gresham was from home, and Lady Anne, when I told her ofOverton's request, had some hesitation as to allowing Aveline to go outto meet him. The little girl, however, as soon as she heard theinvitation, entreated that she might bid farewell to her uncle. It hadbecome almost dark, but I assured Lady Anne this would make nodifference. At length, reluctantly, she gave Aveline permission tovisit the place appointed. I agreed to wait for her at a littledistance. This arrangement was safer, certainly, than allowing acondemned priest to enter the house.

  Overton was at the spot appointed. "I have a few farewell words tospeak to my young niece," he said, "and in ten minutes I beg you toreturn to escort her back."

  Scarcely had I retired, when I heard a cry, and through the gloom I sawseveral persons crowding into the gateway. I ran towards it, wonderingwhat had occurred, but arrived in time only to catch a glimpse ofOverton and Aveline in the midst of a party who were hurrying themalong. I ran after them, but they heeded me not. One, however,suddenly turned round and dealt me a blow which brought me to theground, almost senseless. When I recovered, they had disappeared, and Iknew not what road they had taken. I could not bring myself to go backwith the sad news to Lady Anne. I knew not in what direction to follow.But I ran blindly on, hoping by some means I might overtake them. Thedreadful fear came over me that he was a traitor, and that all he hadsaid was but a cloak to cover his designs.

  At length, broken-hearted, I returned to Lombard Street. Lady Annereceived me with a look of grief, not unmixed with indignation, such asI had never seen.

  "I have known you all your life, Ernst," she said at length, "orotherwise I could not believe you innocent in this matter, so suspiciousan air does it wear. You must, though having no bad intentions, havebeen most cruelly deceived by this man Overton; and yet what objectcould he have had in carrying off the girl?"

  When Master Gresham returned, he also was very indignant againstOverton, declaring his belief that he was a hypocrite; though what couldhave been his object in taking away his niece it was impossible to say.My patron bethought him of going immediately to the Privy Council, andgetting a warrant for the apprehension of the stranger; but he himselfwas so much out of favour at that time, that he believed no object wouldthus be gained. He had been so interested with Aveline's history,though he had seen little of her, that he was sincerely grieved at whathad occurred, and at my suggestion ordered out several servants withtorches, directing them to proceed to various parts of the City, in thehopes of meeting with Overton and his niece, or with those who hadcarried them off, should this have occurred without his connivance. Ieagerly set out, calling on A'Dale to join in the search.

  Such occurrences as I have described were too common to cause muchobservation. People at that time were nightly dragged out of their bedsby the emissaries of Bishop Bonner, and hauled off to prison. Atlength, as we were proceeding towards the river, we met a serving-manwith a torch, who was on his way to conduct his master back to his housein that neighbourhood. He told us, in reply to our inquiries, that ashort time before he had met an armed band with a man, who seemed to bea prisoner, and a young girl; that they had taken boat, and proceeded upthe Thames. I inquired whether he was sure that they had gone up, andhad not rather proceeded down the stream. He was certain, he said, thatthey had gone upwards; that he had heard some one speak the word"Lambeth," if that would prove any guidance to us.

  This convinced me that Overton had truly fallen into the power of thecruel Bonner, and that Aveline, found in his company, had been carriedoff with him.

  Once more I returned with the information we had gained to Lady Anne andmy patron. Never had I felt so great a sorrow. A'Dale and I devisedall sorts of plans for liberating Aveline; but, alas! one after theother was thrown aside as hopeless. Master Gresham promised to exertall his influence rather than allow her to suffer.

  "Surely her Majesty would not wish that an innocent young girl likeAveline should suffer hurt," cried Lady Anne.

  "My dear wife, she who thinks she is doing God's service in burningpious bishops and youths and maidens, such as some who have been broughtto the stake, would not hesitate to inflict the same doom on yourAveline."

  Lady Anne burst into tears. She was not a lady given to weeping, and Ihad never seen her so moved before. Indeed, I could have joined her, sogrieved was I for the loss of Aveline, if lost she was.

  Master Gresham began to chide, and told her not to weep. "I will seewhat can be done for the damsel," he said. "I have seen so little ofher, that I knew not she had thus won upon your affections."

  As my patron said this, my hopes began to revive; for I thought himall-powerful, and that anything he undertook he would most assuredlyaccomplish.

  Some time passed by, and no tidings could be gained of Overton or hisniece. Meantime disastrous news came from the army in France, which didnot soften the disposition of Queen Mary nor of Bishop Bonner. Everymisfortune which occurred made her believe still more firmly than everthat it was sent because she did not sufficiently support the Catholicreligion, and because so many of her subjects remained opposed to thatfaith. To show her zeal and love for it, therefore, she resolved totake further steps for the extirpation of what she called heresy.