CHAPTER VII
A POPISH PLOT
There was no one about, for the wind was blowing with such fury thatfew cared to venture out of doors, and the boys therefore startedback along the road by which they had come, without being observed.
"We had better strike off from the road," Geoffrey said, "for somemore of these men may be coming along. Like enough someone will beon the watch at the house, so we had best make a long detour, andwhen we get near it come down on it from the other side. You knowwe saw no windows there."
"That is all well enough," Lionel agreed; "but the question is,how are we to hear what they are saying inside? We are obliged toshout to catch each others' words now, and there is not the leastchance of our hearing anything through the closed shutters."
"We must wait till we get there, and then see what is to be done,Lionel. We managed to detect a plot at Sluys, and we may have thesame luck here."
After half an hour's brisk walking they again approached the housefrom the side at which they had before come upon it, and where,as Geoffrey observed, there were no windows; they made their waycautiously up to it, and then moved quietly round to the side. Herethere were two windows on the ground floor. The shutters were closed,for glass was unknown except in the houses of the comparativelywealthy. Its place was taken by oiled paper, and this in bad weatherwas protected by outer shutters. Geoffrey stole out a few paces tolook at the window above.
"It is evidently a loft," he said as he rejoined Lionel. "You cansee by the roof that the rooms they live in are entirely upon theground floor. If we can get in there we might possibly hear whatis going on below. The rooms are not likely to be ceiled, and thereare sure to be cracks between the planks through which we can seewhat is going on below. The noise of the wind is so great thereis little chance of their hearing us. Now, let us look about forsomething to help us to climb up."
Lying by an out house close by they found a rough ladder, composedof a single pole with bits of wood nailed on to it a foot apart.This they placed up against the door of the loft. They could seethat this was fastened only by a hasp, with a piece of wood putthrough the staple. It had been arranged that Geoffrey only shouldgo up, Lionel removing the pole when he entered, and keeping watchbehind the out house lest anyone should come round the house. Bothhad cut heavy sticks as they came along to give them some meansof defence. Lionel stood at the pole, while Geoffrey climbed up,removed the piece of wood from the staple, and then holding thehasp to prevent the wind blowing in the door with a crash, enteredthe loft. A glance showed him that it extended over the whole ofthe house, and that it was entirely empty.
He closed the door behind him, and jammed it with a couple of wedgesof wood he had cut before mounting; then he lay down on the roughplanks and began to crawl along. He saw a gleam of light at thefurther end, and felt sure that it proceeded from the room in whichthe party were assembled. Although he had little fear of being heardowing to the din kept up by the wind, he moved along with extremecare until he reached the spot whence the light proceeded. As hehad anticipated, it was caused by lights in a room below streamingthrough the cracks between the rough planking.
Rising on to his knees he looked round, and then crawled to acrack that appeared much wider than the rest, the boards being morethan half an inch apart. Lying down over it, he was able to obtaina view of a portion of the room below. He could see a part of along table, and looked down upon the heads of five men sitting onone side of it. He now applied his ear to the crevice. A man wasspeaking, and in the intervals between the gusts of wind whichshook the house to its foundation, he could hear what was said.
"It is no use hesitating any longer, the time for action hasarrived--Jezebel must be removed--interests of our holyreligion--little danger in carrying out the plan that has been proposed.Next time--Windsor--road passes through wood near Datchet--a weakguard overpowered--two told off to execute--free England fromtyranny--glory and honour throughout Catholic world. Englanddisorganized and without a head could offer no resistance--assoon as day fixed--meet at Staines at house of--final detailsand share each man is to--done, scatter through country, readinessfor rising--Philip of Spain--"
This was the last sentence Geoffrey caught, for when the speakerceased a confused and general talk took place, and he could onlycatch a word here and there without meaning or connection. Hetherefore drew quietly back to the door of the loft and opened it.He thought first of jumping straight down, but in that case hecould not have fastened the door behind him. He therefore made asign to Lionel, who was anxiously peering round the corner of theout house. The pole was placed into position, and pulling the doorafter him and refastening the latch he made his way down to theground, replaced the pole at the place from which they had takenit, and then retired in the direction from which they had come.
"Well, what have you heard, Geoffrey?" Lionel asked. "Was it worththe risk you have run?"
"Well worth it, Lionel. I could only hear a little of what wassaid, but that was quite enough to show that a plot is on foot toattack and kill the queen the next time she journeys to Windsor.The conspirators are to hide in a wood near Datchet."
"You don't say so, Geoffrey. That is important news indeed. Whatare we to do next?"
"I have not thought yet," Geoffrey replied. "I should say, though,our best plan would be to make our way back as quickly as we canby Burnham and Maldon round to Hedingham. The earl was going upto London one day this week, we may catch him before he starts; ifnot, we must, of course, follow him. But at any rate it is best togo home, for they will be in a terrible fright, especially if JoeChambers or one of the men take the news to Bricklesey of the lossof the Susan, for it would be quickly carried up to Hedingham byJohn Lirriper or one or other of the boatmen. No day seems to befixed, and the queen may not be going to Windsor for some littletime, so the loss of a day will not make any difference. As wehave money in our pockets we can hire horse at Burnham to take usto Maldon, and get others there to carry us home."
An hour's walking took them to the ferry. It was now getting dusk,and they had come to the conclusion as they walked that it wouldbe too late to attempt to get on that night beyond Burnham. Thestorm was as wild as ever, and although the passage was a narrowone it was as much as the ferryman could do to row the boat across.
"How far is it from here to Burnham?"
"About four miles; but you won't get to Burnham tonight."
"How is that?" Geoffrey asked.
"You may get as far as the ferry, but you won't get taken over.There will be a big sea in the Crouch, for the wind is pretty nighstraight up it; but you will be able to sleep at the inn this side.In the morning, if the wind has gone down, you can cross; if not,you will have to go round by the bridge, nigh ten miles higher up."
This was unpleasant news. Not that it made any difference to themwhether they slept on one side of the river or the other, but ifthe wind was too strong to admit of a passage in the morning, thenecessity for making a detour would cost them many hours of valuabletime. There was, however, no help for it, and they walked to CrikseyFerry. The little inn was crowded, for the ferry had been stoppedall day, and many like themselves had been compelled to stop fora lull in the wind.
Scarcely had they entered when their names were joyously shoutedout, "Ah, Masters Vickars, right glad am I to see you. We fearedthat surf had put an end to you. We asked at the ferry, but the mandeclared that no strange lads had crossed that day, and we werefearing we should have a sad tale to send to Hedingham by JohnLirriper."
"We are truly glad to see you, Joe," Geoffrey said, as they warmlyshook Joe Chambers and the two sailors by the hand. "How did youget ashore?"
"On the mainmast, and pretty nigh drowned we were before we gotthere. I suppose the tide must have taken us a bit further up thanit did you. We got here well nigh two hours ago, though we got agood meal and dried our clothes at a farmhouse."
"We got a meal, too, soon after we landed," Geoffrey said; "butwe did not dry our clothes till we got to a litt
le village. I didnot ask its name. I am awfully sorry, Joe, about the Susan."
"It is a bad job, but it cannot be helped, Master Geoffrey. Iowned a third of her, and two traders at Bricklesey own the othershares. Still I have no cause to grumble. I have laid by more thanenough in the last four years to buy a share in another boat asgood as she was. You see, a trader ain't like a smack. A trader'sgot only hull and sails, while a smack has got her nets beside,and they cost well nigh as much as the boat. Thankful enough weare that we have all escaped with our lives; and now I find youare safe my mind feels at rest over it."
"Do you think it will be calm enough to cross in the morning, Joe?"
"Like enough," the sailor replied; "a gale like this is like toblow itself out in twenty-four hours. It has been the worst I eversaw. It is not blowing now quite so hard as it did, and by themorning I reckon, though there may be a fresh wind, the gale willbe over."
The number of travellers were far too great for the accommodationof the inn; and with the exception of two or three of the firstarrivals all slept on some hay in one of the barns.
The next morning, although the wind was still strong, the furyof the gale had abated. The ferryman, however, said the water wasso rough he must wait for a time before they crossed. But whenGeoffrey offered him a reward to put their party on shore at once,he consented to do so, Joe Chambers and the two sailors assistingwith the oars; and as the ferry boat was large and strongly built,they crossed without further inconvenience than the wetting oftheir jackets.
Joe Chambers, who knew the town perfectly, at once took themto a place where they were able to hire a couple of horses, andon these rode to Maldon, some nine miles away. Here they procuredother horses, and it was not long after midday when they arrivedat Hedingham.
Mrs. Vickars held up her hands in astonishment at their shrunkengarments; but her relief from the anxiety she had felt concerningwhat had befallen them during the gale was so great that she wasunable to scold.
"We will tell you all about it, mother, afterwards," Geoffreysaid, as he released himself from her embrace. "We have had a greatadventure, and the Susan has been wrecked. But this is not the mostimportant matter. Father, has the earl started yet?"
"He was to have gone this morning, Geoffrey, but the floods arelikely to be out, and the roads will be in such a state that I haveno doubt he has put off his journey."
"It is important that we should see him at once, father. Wehave overheard some people plotting against the queen's life, andmeasures must be taken at once for her safety. We will run up andchange our things if you will go with us to see him. If you arethere he will see you whatever he is doing, while if we go alonethere might be delay."
Without waiting for an answer the boys ran upstairs and quicklyreturned in fresh clothes. Mr. Vickars was waiting for them withhis hat on.
"You are quite sure of what you are saying, Geoffrey?" he observedas they walked towards the castle. "Remember, that if it shouldturn out an error, you are likely to come to sore disgrace insteadof receiving commendation for your interference. Every one has beentalking of plots against the queen for some time, and you may wellhave mistaken the purport of what you have heard."
"There is no mistake, father, it is a real conspiracy, though whoare those concerned in it I know not. Lionel and I are not likelyto raise a false alarm about anything, as you will say yourselfwhen you hear the story I have to tell the earl."
They had by this time entered the gates of the castle. "The earlhas just finished dinner," one of the attendants replied in answerto the question of Mr. Vickars.
"Will you tell him that I wish to see him on urgent business?"
In two or three minutes the servant returned and asked the clergymanto follow him. The earl received him in his private chamber, forthe castle was full with guests.
"Well, dominie, what is it?" he asked. "You want some help, I willbe bound, for somebody ill or in distress. I know pretty well bythis time the meaning of your urgent business."
"It is nothing of that kind today," the clergyman replied; "it is,in fact, my sons who wish to see your lordship. I do not myselfknow the full purport of their story, save that it is somethingwhich touches the safety of the queen."
The earl's expression at once changed.
"Is that so, young sirs? This is a serious matter, you know; itis a grave thing to bring an accusation against anyone in matterstouching the state."
"I am aware that it is, my lord, and assuredly my brother and Iwould not lightly meddle with such matters; but I think that youwill say this is a business that should be attended to. It happenedthus, sir." He then briefly told how, that being out in a ketchthat traded from Bricklesey, they were caught in the gale; thatthe vessel was driven on the sands, and they were cast ashore ona mast.
He then related the inhospitable reception they had met with. "Itseemed strange to us, sir, and contrary to nature, that anyoneshould refuse to allow two shipwrecked lads to enter the house forshelter on such a day; and it seemed well nigh impossible that histale of the place being too full to hold us could be true. However,we started to walk. On our way we met four horsemen going towardsthe house, closely muffled up in cloaks."
"There was nothing very strange in that," the earl observed, "insuch weather as we had yesterday."
"Nothing at all, sir; we should not have given the matter onethought had it not been that the four men were very well mounted,and, apparently, gentlemen; and it was strange that such should havebusiness in an out of the way house in Foulness Island. A littlefurther we met three men on foot. They were also wrapped upin cloaks; but they wore high riding boots, and had probably lefttheir horses on the other side of the ferry so as not to attractattention. A short time afterwards we met two more horsemen, oneof whom asked us if he was going right for the house we had beenat. As he was speaking a gust of wind blew off his hat. I fetchedit and gave it to him, and as he stooped to put it on I saw that atonsure was shaven on the top of his head. The matter had alreadyseemed strange to us; but the fact that one of this number of men,all going to a lonely house, was a priest in disguise, seemed sosuspicious that my brother and myself determined to try and get tothe bottom of it."
Geoffrey then related how they had gone back to the house andeffected an entrance into the loft extending over it; how he hadthrough the cracks in the boards seen a party of men gathered inone of the lower rooms, and then repeated word for word the scrapsof conversation that he had overheard.
The earl had listened with an expression of amused doubt to theearly portion of the narrative; but when Geoffrey came to the partwhere accident had shown to him that one of these men proceedingtowards the house was a disguised priest, his face became serious,and he listened with deep attention to the rest of the narrative.
"Faith," he said, "this is a serious matter, and you have doneright well in following up your suspicions--and in risking yourlives, for they would assuredly have killed you had they discoveredyou. Mr. Vickars, your sons must ride with me to London at once.The matter is too grave for a moment's delay. I must lay it beforeBurleigh at once. A day's delay might be fatal."
He rang a bell standing on the table. As soon as an attendantanswered it he said, "Order three horses to be saddled at once; Imust ride to London with these young gentlemen without delay. OrderParsons and Nichols to be ready in half an hour to set out withus.
"Have you had food, young sirs? for it seems you came hither directlyyou arrived." Finding that the boys had eaten nothing since theyhad left Maldon, he ordered food to be brought them, and beggedthem eat it while he explained to the countess and the gueststhat sudden business that could not be delayed called him away toLondon. Half an hour later he started with the boys, the two servantsfollowing behind. Late that evening they arrived in London. It wastoo late to call on Lord Burleigh that night; but early the nextmorning the earl took the boys with him to the house of the greatstatesman. Leaving them in the antechamber he went in to the innerapartment, where the minister was at breakfast. Ten
minutes laterhe came out, and called the boys in.
"The Earl of Oxford has told me your story," Lord Burleigh said."Tell it me again, and omit nothing; for things that seem smallare often of consequence in a matter like this."
Geoffrey again repeated his story, giving full details of all thathad taken place from the time of their first reaching the house.
Lord Burleigh then questioned him closely as to whether they hadseen any of the faces of the men, and would recognize them again.
"I saw none from my spying place above, my lord," Geoffrey said."I could see only the tops of their heads, and most of them stillkept their hats on; nor did we see them as they passed, withthe exception only of the man I supposed to be a priest. His faceI saw plainly. It was smooth shaven; his complexion was dark, hiseyebrows were thin and straight, his face narrow. I should takehim for a foreigner--either a Spaniard or Italian."
Lord Burleigh made a note of this description.
"Thanks, young sirs," he said. "I shall, of course, take measuresto prevent this plot being carried out, and shall inform her majestyhow bravely you both risked your lives to discover this conspiracyagainst her person. The Earl of Oxford informs me that you arepages of his cousin, Captain Francis Vere, a very brave and valiantgentleman; and that you bore your part bravely in the siege ofSluys, but are at present at home to rest after your labours there,and have permission of Captain Vere to take part in any troublethat may arise here owing to the action of the Spaniards. I havenow no further occasion for your services, and you can return withthe earl to Hedingham, but your attendance in London will be neededwhen we lay hands upon these conspirators."
The same day they rode back to Hedingham, but ten days later wereagain summoned to London. The queen had the day before journeyed toWindsor. Half an hour before she arrived at the wood near Datcheta strong party of her guard had suddenly surrounded it, and hadfound twelve armed men lurking there. These had been arrested andlodged in the Tower. Three of them were foreigners, the rest membersof Catholic families known to be favourable to the Spanish cause.Their trial was conducted privately, as it was deemed advisablethat as little should be made as possible of this and other similarplots against the queen's life that were discovered about thistime.
Geoffrey and Lionel gave their evidence before the council. As theonly man they could have identified was not of the party captured,their evidence only went to show the motive of this gathering in thewood near Datchet. The prisoners stoutly maintained that Geoffreyhad misunderstood the conversation he had partly overheard, andthat their design was simply to make the queen a prisoner and forceher to abdicate. Three of the prisoners, who had before been banishedfrom the country and who had secretly returned, were sentenced todeath; two of the others to imprisonment for a long term of years,the rest to banishment from England.
After the trial was over Lord Burleigh sent for the boys, and gavethem a very gracious message in the queen's name, together with tworings in token of her majesty's gratitude. Highly delighted withthese honours they returned to Hedingham, and devoted themselveseven more assiduously than before to exercises in arms, in orderthat they might some day prove themselves valiant soldiers of thequeen.