Philippa Carr: Lion Triumphant

I did not look.

I shook my head wearying, seeing Roberto cowering in the hut, trussed by Jake ready for his captors.

“I am a good patriot,” he said. “All know it. I have helped to hound the Spaniards off the sea. Everyone knows I would not harbor a traitor in my household.”

“You will be safe,” I said fiercely.

“And I’ll vouch for my wife,” he answered.

“You taunt me … at such a time.”

“Nay,” he said. “You will not look at the Fleece. Shall I tell you what cargo she carries?”

“I am not interested in her cargo.”

“Not when it is your son, Roberto.”

I stared at him. “Jake! What means this? You…”

He lifted his arm and clenched his fist. “He’s a traitor. I never thought I’d help a traitor. But when my vixen of a wife commands me.

I lay against him.

Then I looked up into his face. “Oh, Jake, is it true? You are not tormenting me?”

“They’ll go to the hut. The bird has flown. Or been spirited away. I took him out to the Fleece early this morning.”

What could I say to this man? How could I ever show him what I felt?

I took his hand and kissed it. I think he was moved.

Then I heard the rapping at the door.

THE LAND WAS HEAVY with foreboding. We knew that the Spaniards were coming. We knew that they had conquered a great part of the world; we knew, too, that they came, not only with fighting men and armament, but with the rack, the thumbscrews and the more deadly instruments of torture such as we had never heard of. They came not only as conquerors of our land but as religious fanatics. If ever they conquered us as they had other peoples, this would be the end to freedom as we knew it. We should be forced to accept not only them but their faith.

To men such as Jake, Carlos, Jacko, Penn, it was inconceivable that we should fail. Their faith was in England, the undefeatable land.

Men might talk of the Invincible Armada but we laughed that to scorn. We were the invincible, the unconquerable.

The memory of that Whitsunday will linger forever in the minds of those who went to church that morning. It was more than a Whitsunday service; it was a dedication; it was an exhortation; for in the Bay lay the great ships waiting. And never had the people of Plymouth seen such a glorious sight.

We came down from Pennlyon—Jake and I with Carlos and Edwina, Jacko, Penn, Linnet and Damask. The sun was dancing in the water and in the little streets people were hurrying from their houses to come to the church to see Sir Francis. For he was there: the great sailor, the terror of the Spaniards and the hero of all the Queen’s loyal subjects.

We knew that soon the greatest battle in our country’s history would be fought. Those of us who were sober-minded reminded ourselves that our future could depend on it. Already the Spaniards were preparing to sail.

Out in the Bay lay the ships flying the flag of England—a red cross on a white background. The wind was strong and the ships seemed to be pulling at their anchors, impatient to be away. There lay Drake’s own ship, the Revenge, Howard of Effingham’s Ark, Martin Frobisher’s White Bear and Triumph. There were the Elizabeth Bonaventure and Nonpareil. A wonderful sight. Jake had given his services to Lord Howard and Sir Francis. Carlos and Jacko had done the same.

They would never have forgiven themselves if they had not been at hand to sail out and fight the Armada when the time came.

And as I sat in the church on that Sunday I asked myself what would the next days bring.

The Golden Fleece had not yet returned. I wondered often whether she had been taken by the Spaniards. If so, Roberto might well have been saved. He might be living with his father’s family in Spain. Was that too much to hope for? Who could say? But it was not so very long ago since he had sailed away; perhaps the Fleece would return bringing him with her. And if he did, could he settle down to a peaceful life?

The Queen of Scots, deeply implicated in the Babington Plot, had the previous year been beheaded in Fotheringhay Castle, and if we could beat the Armada we might be free of menace from outside England and from within. Could we hope for a few peaceful years?

I had told Linnet of Roberto’s escape. I confided in her more and more. She was now eighteen years old—a lovely, spirited girl. She was like us both—Jake and myself. I had stressed, too, how Jake had saved Roberto by sending him off in the Golden Fleece which was a noble act on his part, for she would realize his firm convictions.

“He did this for me,” I said. “It is something I shall never forget.”

Linnet with the emotional impulsiveness of the young changed toward him. She began to see him in a new light. The rough and violent man whose heart was good nonetheless. She no longer scorned him; and it was another revelation to notice that Jake was almost pathetically pleased by her change toward him.

They were wary of each other; but I think she wanted to be proud of him and he wanted her to love him.

That was how events stood on that Whitsunday morning.

The weeks that followed were frustrating—for the Spaniards did not come. The ships continued to lie in the harbor. There was friction between the admirals, so we heard.

Jake hated inactivity. He was down at the Hoe each day waiting for the signal.

News arrived that the Armada had set out from Lisbon, but the weather had so harassed the ships that it was necessary for them to shelter in Corunna for revictualing and for the repair of damage to the ships.

In England this news was greeted with delight. It showed, was the general opinion, whose side God was on.

The waiting continued. The tension was growing. I never saw a man so impatient as Jake.

“What’s the matter with the Spaniard?” he growled. “Is he afraid to come out?”

We laughed and talked of how the great Invincible Armada had been unable to withstand the weather and had been forced to retire for repairs, but I was afraid of what the inevitable battle would bring. All my life there had been this conflict over religion. All through my mother’s it had been the same. I knew this was the culmination. I feared for Jake and I knew that Edwina feared for Carlos, as Jennet did for Jacko and Romilly for Penn. Those of us who had men who would go out and do battle were naturally especially anxious. What would happen if the invader set foot on our soil we did not know. We did not reason as far as that. Deep down in our hearts we believed no invader could ever conquer our land.

But there would be a mighty battle.

We heard that the Army was assembled at Tilbury and that the Queen had ridden among her men.

Jake’s eyes gleamed with pride when he spoke of her. “She sat her horse like a soldier and she carried a truncheon. Would to God I could have been there to see her.”

“Your place is here,” I reminded him.

“Aye,” he answered, “with Drake, Frobisher and the rest.”

I remembered seeing her all those years ago when she came to the Tower of London and had said that she would be to God thankful and to men merciful. Now she, like myself, was no longer young; and the years would have taught her much, as they had taught me.

She was a woman who could assume greatness when the occasion demanded it; and God knew this occasion did.

Her speech was circulated through the land and it did much to raise our spirits. I shall remember certain parts of it all my life.

“I come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved in the midst of the heat and battle, to live or die amongst you all, to lay down for my God and my Kingdom and for my people, my honor and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any Prince of Europe should dare invade the borders of my realm…”