Early on the morning of the 19th of July, 1554, the long-looked-for Spanish fleet, conveying the royal bridegroom to our shores, was descried1 from the loftiest hill of the Isle2 of Wight, and presented a most magnificent spectacle as it neared that lovely island.
Consisting, as we have intimated, of a hundred and fifty sail—a third of the number being vessels4 of large size—the fleet formed a wide half-moon, in the midst of which rode the stately ship bearing Philip and the principal nobles of his suite5. The “Santissima Trinidada” rose like a towered castle from the water. From the lofty crenellated turret6 at the stern floated a broad banner, embroidered7 in gold, with the arms of Castile and Aragon; its masts, and the turret at the forecastle, corresponding with that at the stern, were gaudily8 painted; and the sides elaborately carved and covered with devices, were so richly burnished9, that the waves shone with their glow. Armed with the heaviest guns then in use, this splendid vessel3 had on board, besides her crews and the Prince’s suite, three hundred fully10 equipped arquebusiers.
Other ships there were scarcely inferior to the “Santissima Trinidada” in size and splendour, displaying banners and streamers, and richly painted and decorated according to the Spanish fashion, and all well provided with men and ordnance11.
Never before had such a superb fleet ploughed those waters; and when, at a later hour in the day, the Lord 18High Admiral caught sight of it, he was sore angered, and internally vowed12 to lower the Spaniard’s pride.
A soft westerly breeze filling the sails, impelled13 the ships gently on their way, though the surface of the sea was but little agitated14. Having risen with the dawn, Philip was now on deck with the Duke of Alva, enjoying the ravishing beauty of the morning, and gazing at the land he was approaching. He could not help being struck by the bold outline and precipitous cliffs of the island in his immediate15 vicinity, and noted16 with wonder the tall sharp-pointed rocks, detached from these cliffs, that sprang like pinnacles17 from the sea.
Passing the Needles, the fleet entered the Solent Sea. On a far-projecting causeway on the left was Hurst Castle, a fortress18 erected19 by Henry VIII., and on the right loomed20 Yarmouth, with its castle. Salutes21 were fired from both forts. The scenery of the coast now possessed22 great beauty. On the mainland, noble woods, forming part of the New Forest, at that time of great extent, and full of deer, grew down to the very margin23 of the lake-like sea; occasional creeks24 and openings exhibiting sylvan25 scenes of extraordinary loveliness, and affording glimpses of ancient towns or sequestered26 habitations. On the other hand, the verdant27 slopes and groves28 of the island formed a delicious picture wholly different from that presented by the bold cliffs on its southern coast. Here all was softness and beauty, and to eyes accustomed to the arid29 and sunburnt shores of Spain, such verdure had an inexpressible charm.
For some time Philip remained wrapped in contemplation of the enchanting30 scenery of the island, unable to withdraw his eyes from it. At last he exclaimed, “And this is England! the land I have so longed to behold31. How deliciously green is yonder island, and what a contrast it offers to our own coasts! And yon noble woods on the left, which they say are those of the New Forest, where William Rufus hunted and was slain32! What magnificent timber! We have nothing like those oaks.”
“It may be not, your Highness,” replied Alva; “but I prefer our olives and vines and chestnut-groves to those woods, and our bare brown mountains to those green slopes. If the sun scorches33 our herbage and burns our soil to brick-dust, 19it makes abundant compensation. We have oil and wine and a thousand luxuries that these English lack, to say nothing of our fiery34 men and dark-eyed women.”
“Your excellency is a true Spaniard,” replied the Prince; “but you forget that as soon as I set foot on these shores I shall become an Englishman.”
“Heaven forfend!” exclaimed Alva; then checking himself, he added, “I crave35 your Highness’s pardon. Inasmuch as the country will belong to you, you may be right to call yourself an Englishman.”
“But I shall be King of England only in name,” said Philip. “As you know, I am debarred by the marriage-treaty from any share in the government, neither can I appoint you, nor any of my nobles, to a post.”
“Out on the treaty!” cried Alva. “Your Highness, I trust, will little regard its terms. Once wedded36 to the Queen of England, the country will be under your control. This the Emperor well knew, or he would have spurned37 the conditions proposed to him by the wily Gardiner. Bind38 you as they may, the council cannot hold you fast, and ere long you will have supreme39 sway. In two years’ time England will be as much a province of Spain as the Netherlands is now. Then you will reap abundantly the harvest you are sowing. Moreover, by that time the crown of Spain and the imperial diadem40 may grace your brow.”
“Why do you think so, Alva?” demanded Philip, quickly. “My father suffers much from gout; but gout, physicians tell me, keeps off all other ailments41, and those afflicted42 with it live long in consequence. When he last wrote to me, the Emperor reported himself in good case.”
“Saints keep him so!” cried the Duke. “Yet, as I have just said, ere two years are over, your Highness will surely be King of Spain and Emperor of Germany.”
“What means this prediction?” inquired Philip looking inquiringly at him.
“It means that the Emperor your father, tired with the cares of government, designs to surrender his kingdoms to you.”
“Has he said aught of his intent to you, Alva?—or is it mere43 surmise44 on your part?” demanded the Prince, unable to disguise the interest he took in the question.
20“Your Highness will excuse me if I decline to state how I obtained the information,” rejoined the Duke; “but I will stake my life on its correctness.”
Philip said nothing more, but remained for some time with his hand upon his lips, absorbed in thought. The flush that overspread his cheeks showed he was much excited. Alva kept his keen eye fixed45 upon him, and seemed to read what was passing in his breast. After a while, Philip broke the silence.
“It may be as you say,” he remarked; “yet I do not think my father will part lightly with his crown. In a moment of weariness he may talk of abdicating46 in my favour—but when the fit is over, the design will pass away with it. How would he spend his days if not employed by state affairs?”
“In retirement47 and holy meditation—in preparation for eternity48. Such is his Majesty’s intent.”
“If it be so it is a praiseworthy resolution; and it is to be hoped that Heaven may keep him in it. However, all is uncertain—the firmest man may change his mind.”
“Your Highness says right. Therefore, it will be well to secure a crown in case of accident. Neither do I despair of your doing so. The English nation, they say, hate us Spaniards. What matter? They cannot hate us worse than we hate them. They fear our yoke49. Let us give them reason for their fears by ruling them so severely50 that they shall not dare to move hand or foot, save at our pleasure. With such a people nothing but hard and sanguinary measures will do. Their late King, Henry VIII., knew that well, and his subjects obeyed him, crouching51 at his feet like beaten hounds. But to impose our yoke upon them, we must go beyond the despot Henry. We must pour forth52 the blood of the English nobles like water, seize upon their possessions, and assume their titles. Do this, extirpate53 heresy54, establish the Inquisition, and your Highness need fear no rebellion.”
Alva’s eyes blazed as he gave this counsel, and his countenance55 assumed an expression so terrible that even Philip regarded him with awe56.
“The time is not yet come for acting57 thus,” observed the 21Prince. “I must first try to ingratiate myself with the people, and win over the council and the nobles by gifts and promises. If those fail, I may have recourse to other means.”
“There, to my mind, your Highness is wrong,” rejoined Alva. “Begin as you mean to go on. You cannot make yourself beloved by this perfidious58 nation, but you may easily make yourself dreaded59. Hesitate not to shed blood—the best blood. Strike boldly, and at the highest. If you have any misgivings60, let me do the work for you, and it shall be done effectually. I shall not object to be grand justiciary of the realm.”
And again his features wore the terrible look we have just noticed.
“It is too soon to talk of this,” said Philip. “We will speak of it hereafter.”
“It may then be too late,” rejoined Alva, in a sombre tone. “Once again, I counsel your Highness not to delay. As soon as you are fairly wedded, throw off the mask.”
“And be driven disgracefully from the kingdom,” cried Philip. “No; I shall adopt a safer course. A time may come—and that at no distant date—when I may profit by your counsels, and ask your aid.”
And he turned to watch the numerous white-sailed little barques steering61 towards him from Portsmouth.
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1
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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turret
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| n.塔楼，角塔 | |
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7
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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gaudily
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| adv.俗丽地 | |
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burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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10
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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ordnance
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| n.大炮，军械 | |
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12
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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15
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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16
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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18
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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19
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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20
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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salutes
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| n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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22
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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sylvan
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| adj.森林的 | |
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sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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27
verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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30
enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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31
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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32
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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scorches
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的第三人称单数 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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35
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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36
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
spurned
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| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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39
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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40
diadem
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| n.王冠，冕 | |
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41
ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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42
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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44
surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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45
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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46
abdicating
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| 放弃（职责、权力等）( abdicate的现在分词 )； 退位，逊位 | |
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47
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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48
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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49
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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50
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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51
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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52
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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53
extirpate
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| v.除尽，灭绝 | |
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54
heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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55
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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56
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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57
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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58
perfidious
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| adj.不忠的，背信弃义的 | |
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59
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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61
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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