kets, five thousand strong, strove to break into us upon passing the wood. Received them steadily-desperate sharp fire !battalions moving in line-horrible difficult ground!-got broke-reformed-wheeling up into line at last, obtained a marvellous fine position. Enemy kept gaining strength at this point. Charged again and again, and were beaten back. Monstrous hard work! but a singular, admirable piece of good fighting. Went with my regiment to take the village. Every house a fortalice and a windmill at the entrance strongly garrisoned, that opened on us a dreadful villanous fire -took it by assault. Forced the Spaniards out of the village at the point of the pike. Pushed on to take the guns. Were charged by the enemy's cavalry-fell back upon the village in exceeding creditable order. Enemy's foot in great force advanced to retake the village. Magnificent fighting! Wonderful fine heavy fire! Admirable famous slaughter! Received a shot in the shoulder. Dreadful hard pressed by numbers. Got separated from my regiment. Killed a few of the enemy. Had my sword knocked out of my hand-was overpowered and taken prisoner."

"I remember that battle well," observed Sir Walter, "'twas right hotly contested."

"Odds wounds! that it was, I promise you," continued the Colonel, after quaffing a goodly cup of wine: then looking with some contempt at Master Francis, who was absorbed in his own reflections, added expressively, "But we had men about us, Sir Walter! Proper fellows of their inches. No pale-visaged varlets in fine doublets. No popinjays. No chamberers. Men were they, Sir Walter-men of the true breed, that looked on the barrel of a musket as the best pouncet box, and preferred the flashing of a row of pikes to the wanton glances of a bevy of idle women. There were no scribbling skipjacks amongst them. They consorted not with a parcel of trumpery poor rhymesters. They were excellent brave fellows, Sir Walter-gallant hearts, every man of them." "I doubt it not," observed Raleigh. "But what became of you after you were taken prisoner." "I was known," replied the colonel. me well. By this sword! I had given them infinite good reason for it! I doubt much had I been a mere absolute fine gallant my name would have been so famous amongst them. I was none such, I promise you-can't abide them-fit for nothing. Well-the Spaniards were mightily rejoiced at having got

"The enemy knew

hold of me. I was taken to the rear. Chirurgeon came to dress my wounds. Didn't like his treatment, for he probed my shoulder and put me to the very horriblest torture I ever endured. Wouldn't wince. Next me he did it, tweaked his villanous nose for him. Saw no more of him. Another chirurgical knave came-approaching me trembling like an aspen-handled me as tenderly as though he took me to be a dragon. After that, was carried with a strong escort to Spain. Horrid roads-long journey-escape impossible."

"How fared you during your captivity?" inquired Sir Walter.

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Pretty well at the first," answered the colonel, occasionally glancing at Master Francis during his speech such looks. as seemed to show that he liked not his appearance. "A soldier wanteth not to have his delicate flesh pampered with dainties, no more than he careth for silk and satin for his apparreling. I was content with what I could get. Eat-drank -slept, as I might. Was marched to Cadiz, more strongly guarded than ever. Had I been but noted for my skill with the pen, doubt much they would have so cared for me. People stared at me as I past, like rustics at a conjuror. Was lodged in the castle. Wounds got well. Every one came a visiting of me. Marvelled to find so many priests of the number, all a praying away from morning till night. Not one of these knaves had any skill in warlike matters I'll be bound for't. Asked what they came about. Found 'twas to make a papist of me. Began a kicking of them all out of my company on the instant; which when they saw, none stopped to cover the retreat of the rest. A panic seized on the whole detachment; and they made for the door with all sorts of fearful exclamations, whilst I hung upon their rear doing them what damage I could."

"Methinks that was but uncourteous treatment for religious men," said Raleigh, but not without seeming somewhat amused.

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care.

Hang them for villains!" exclaimed Colonel Harquebus. "They thought of making an apostate of me. Got thrust into a dungeon after that, and fed on bread and water. Didn't A soldier careth for naught. All the beggarly monks, friars, and the like contemptible set in the town were preaching a crusade against me. Wanted to have me burnt as a heretic. People furious. Officers of the garrison in a fright. Gave out I had throttled myself. Priests satisfied-mob quiet.

Had I been but a paltry secretary, the Spaniards would have cared but little whether I lived or died." And here he glanced again at Master Francis.

"But sought they not to treat with you about your ransom all this time?" asked Sir Walter.

"Wanted a thousand ducats," replied the colonel. "Hadn't a marvedi. When I quitted England had left all my disposable property in the hands of a citizen of London, in great repute for his honesty and frugality. Could write little else save my name. Hate writing. A soldier can employ himself better. Got one of the garrison to pen me a letter to my honest citizen. Put on it my seal and signature. Forgot it had been writ in Spanish, of which my honest citizen had no knowledge. Sent it by a Hollander trading to London. No reply. Next got one writ in English. No reply. Next got the captain of a Dutch merchant to call on my honest citizen, requesting of him to send the money for my ransom. Honest citizen swore he had never heard of my name. Wretched villanous caitiff! hath got in plate, money, and jewels, some ten thousand marks of mine-besides my deeds aud papers. Mean to cut his weasan for him on my return."

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Nay, I would do the knave no violence," observed Raleigh. "Give him to justice-the law will right you, and see he hath fit punishment."

Let the law go hang !" exclaimed Colonel Harquebus. "What be the use of a lot of scribbling, prating, poor rogues of lawyers, but to set honest brave men by the ears? There be no law like unto the law of the sword, and no such lawyers as soldiers expert at their weapon. I will cut off his ears at least a murrain on him! But he was one of these intolerable monstrous clerklike varlets, from whom no better behaviour could be expected: fellows that live by penning, engrossing, and such like villanies. I would the world were well quit of such-'twill never be fit for brave men, till all craft of penmanship and monkish bookishness be driven out of it at the point of the sword. Detest such vocations. Can't abide scribblers. Hate books."

"How kept you your health during your imprisonment?" asked Sir Walter.

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Famously well," answered the colonel. "I cared not a jot how things went. I ate my bread-drank my waterprayed to God to confound my enemies-and went to sleep in any dungeon with a safe conscience. Had I been one of

your famous fine gallants, now, who must needs dress themselves up in silk doublets, and look as melancholy as a woman without a lover, mayhap I should have been all the worse for the treatment I had whilst a prisoner, but I was of no such trumpery sort, I promise you; and the only thing that vexed me was, when I heard the great guns of the castle and the other ordnance and learned for what it was, I could not get to have any share of the fighting."

"I would you had been with us," observed Raleigh, "some of our commanders had wonderful need of your experience. There hath been famous blundering, and monstrous loss of excellent great profit to the queen in consequence.'

"Alack! for me not to have been at the taking of Cadiz is a thing to grieve at all my days," replied the colonel in some dejection, and then swallowed a cup of wine, as if to wash down his disappointment.

"I see not why you should so much lament it," observed Raleigh. "You have been at so many important actions, that methinks having no part of one only should be of no moment to you."

"But it is of exceeding moment to me!" exclaimed Colonel Harquebus sharply. "To have missed seeing so much excellent fine fighting is monstrous to think of. "Tis abominable -intolerable, villanous !"

"I must now to the captain of my ship," said Sir Walter, rising from his seat. "And to see how go on the wounded. Master Francis, remain you here till I return."

Master Francis had noted but little of the preceding conversation, for his thoughts had the most of the time been engaged upon the melancholy death of Joanna; but what he had seen and heard of his companion did not make him feel in any sort of comfort when he found himself left alone with him. There was something so stern in his look and uncourteous in his manner his heart felt chilled at it. A silence for a minute or so ensued after Sir Walter had left them. Master Francis felt too humbled to speak, and the other appeared not inclined for conversing. The colonel seemed

scrutinising more severely than ever the appearnce of the young secretary, who was of too modest a disposition to find himself so rudely stared at without looking somewhat confused. He imagined that his companion might have heard from some one in the ship what gross affront the queen had put upon him before all her court, and believing there was

sufficient cause for it, was determined to use him despisingly. Colonel Harquebus drunk off another cup of wine, and seemed to be in some impatience. He beat the table with his knuckles-coughed a little-made too or three slight hems as as if he were about to speak, and ever and anon glanced frowningly at his companion. Master Francis wished that Sir Walter would return. Still never a word was spoke by either. Presently the colonel rose, stalked haughtily from the table, and just as he passed the other, he put on his face the scornfullest look he had yet used, and left the cabin muttering with a most contemptuous expression the words, "Paltry secretary!"

Peace, damn'd enchantress-peace! I should look on you
With eyes made red with fury; and my hand,

That shakes with rage, should much outstrip my tongue,
And seal my vengeance.

MASSINGER.

"I LIKE it not, Master Bacon," observed my Lord Essex, as he flung himself into a chair in a spacious and well appointed chamber in his own stately mansion, with a countenance that showed he was chafed at something. "I like it not, I promise you. Here the first thing I find on my return is this fellow Cecil appointed secretary of state; and on my telling of the queen how little it pleased me, seeing I had wished Sir Thomas Bodley should have the place, he being much the properer man, she rated me soundly for questioning of her appointments, and said haughtily, she would have for her servants such as she liked."

"I do not see how your interest can suffer by this," replied Master Francis Bacon, looking up from a huge volume

VOL. III.

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