So great was the confusion in the High Street after the flight of Osbert Clinton and his companions, and so threatening were the language and attitude of the populace, that it became a question with the sheriff whether it would not be prudent2 to postpone3 the execution to the following day. As a matter of precaution, Derrick Carver was taken into the entrance-hall of the hostel4, the door of which was closed, and a guard placed before it.
Here he was kept for nearly an hour, when Captain Brand returned with the intelligence that he had failed in capturing the rebels. These were joyful5 tidings to Derrick Carver, and he exclaimed, “Now I shall die content!”
After a brief consultation6 between the sheriff and Brand, it was decided7 that the execution should be proceeded with, upon which Brand went forth8 with his men, and soon succeeded in clearing a space, as before, round the stake.
This done, Derrick Carver was again brought forth, and when he appeared on the threshold of the inn, a great cry arose from the people, and it became evident from the violence of their gestures and vociferations that another disturbance9 was at hand.
Alarmed by these menacing demonstrations10, Sir Richard de Warren, who was of a somewhat timid nature, ordered the prisoner to be taken back, but Brand insisted that the sentence must be carried out.
“We must not yield to intimidation,” he said. “The law must be carried out at all risks.”
358Still the sheriff hesitated, when Derrick Carver interposed:—
“I pray you, Sirs, let me speak to them,” he said. “They will listen to me.”
“Speak to them if thou wilt11,” rejoined Brand. “But say nought12 to inflame13 them further, or it shall be worse for thee.”
Having obtained this permission, Carver called out in a loud voice to the assemblage, that he desired to address them, upon which the tumult14 and clamour instantly ceased.
“Hear me, good friends,” he cried, amidst the sudden silence. “I am come here to give testimony15 by my death to truth and pure religion against Antichrist and false doctrines16, and I beseech17 you, if you hold with me in the faith, to let me die in peace. I would have my ending profitable to you, and not the cause of bloodshed and destruction even of my enemies.”
This address produced the effect desired, and from that moment the crowd became tranquil18, and offered no further interruption to the proceedings19.
Seeing that order was restored, the sheriff committed the further conduct of the ceremonial to Brand, and withdrew to the upper window overlooking the street, whence he could contemplate20 the tragical21 spectacle as from a tribune.
Meantime, Derrick Carver, pushing aside Father Josfrid, marched up to the stake, and after embracing it tenderly, knelt down, and in tones of the utmost fervour prayed for strength and heavenly grace that he might by his death glorify22 the Saviour23’s holy name, ratify24 his Gospel, comfort the hearts of the weary, confirm his Church, and convert such as were to be converted. He further prayed for support during the grievous torments25 to which he was about to be subjected, offering himself up as a willing sacrifice and burnt-offering, and concluded by imploring26 that the blessing27 of the Word, of which the realm was at present unhappily deprived, might be once more vouchsafed28 to it. This prayer, uttered aloud and with great earnestness, produced a profound impression on all who heard it.
Seeing this, and anxious to efface29 the impression, Father Josfrid advanced towards him and said,—
“Wretched man, thy last hour is arrived; but there is 359yet time to save thy soul if thou wilt recant thine heresies30, and return to the Church thou hast abandoned, but which is willing to receive thee.”
“Hence with thee, tempter!” cried Carver, rising to his feet. “Wert thou to offer me all the riches of the earth, I would not become an idolater.”
Thus rebuked31, Father Josfrid withdrew, and his place was taken by two rough-looking men, one of whom rudely ordered the prisoner to make ready.
Upon this, Carver proceeded to divest32 himself of a portion of his apparel, and while he was thus employed, several persons among the crowd called out to him for a memorial, upon which he threw his garments amongst them, and they were instantly seized upon by a hundred eager hands, and rent in pieces, the fragments being carefully preserved by those who were fortunate enough to secure them.
As he was taking off his doublet, the sacred volume which had been the solace33 of his long imprisonment34, and which he had kept about him to this moment, fell to the ground; seeing which, Captain Brand, who was standing35 by, picked it up, and with a look of disdain36, tossed it into the tar-barrel near the stake.
The two rough-looking men, who had remained near the prisoner, now took hold of him, and raising him in their arms, set him within the barrel. Thus disposed, Carver’s first business was to take up the Bible, and after pressing his lips to it, he threw it amidst the crowd.
Greatly enraged37 by the act, Captain Brand called out in a furious voice to the person who had secured the prize to restore it instantly on pain of death, whereupon it was flung back, and was subsequently consigned38 to the flames.
A heavy chain was then passed around Carver’s body and made fast to the stake. Left to himself for a moment, the martyr1 then called out in a loud voice, “Farewell, dear brethren, farewell! Our Church is encompassed39 about by deadly enemies, who seek its destruction, and it is for the restoration of that Church that my blood is this day freely poured forth. It will not be shed in vain. Comfort ye amid your troubles, and remain stedfast in your faith! Happier days shall soon dawn upon you. Farewell, O, farewell!”
No sooner had he concluded this valediction40 which was 360responded to by loud lamentations from the majority of the assemblage, than the men began to heap fagots around him, filling the barrel with dry gorse and brushwood.
Before the pile, which was heaped up to his shoulders, could be lighted, the martyr exclaimed, “Blessed are they who die in the Lord. Thrice blessed are they who die in the Lord’s cause. Fear not them that kill the body, for they cannot kill the soul. He that shall lose his life for my sake shall find it, saith our blessed Saviour, in the which hope I now die. Again, dear brethren, I bid you farewell!”
“A truce41 to thy blasphemy42!” cried Brand, seizing a torch and applying it to the pile.
Fast and fierce burnt the fire, and quickly mounted the flame, but, to judge from the serene43 expression of his countenance44, it might have been as innocuous to the martyr as was the blaze of the burning fiery45 furnace to the three Israelites. Not a groan46 escaped Derrick Carver, and his last words were, “I go to obtain my reward.”
Captain Brand was as good as his word. A rare bonfire was seen that day at Lewes. Fagots and brushwood were heaped upon the pile till the flames rose up higher than the upper windows of the old hostel, and the heat was so great, that those nearest the blazing mass drew back half scorched47.
When the fire had burnt out, all that remained was a heap of ashes, in the midst of which stood a charred48 stake with an iron chain attached to it.
Such was the martyrdom of Derrick Carver.
His memory is not forgotten in Lewes; and on the fifth of November in each year, a great torchlight procession, composed of men in fantastic garbs49 and with blackened visages, and dragging blazing tar-barrels after them, parades the High Street, while an enormous bonfire is lighted opposite the Star Inn, on the exact spot where Derrick Carver perished, into which, when at its highest, various effigies50 are cast. A more extraordinary spectacle than is presented by this commemoration of the Marian persecutions in Lewes it has never been our lot to witness.
End of the Sixth Book.
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1
martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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2
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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hostel
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| n.（学生）宿舍，招待所 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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6
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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8
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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9
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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10
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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11
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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12
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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13
inflame
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| v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎 | |
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14
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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15
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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16
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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17
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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18
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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19
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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20
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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21
tragical
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| adj. 悲剧的, 悲剧性的 | |
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22
glorify
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| vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化 | |
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23
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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24
ratify
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| v.批准，认可，追认 | |
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25
torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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26
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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27
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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28
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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29
efface
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| v.擦掉，抹去 | |
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30
heresies
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| n.异端邪说，异教( heresy的名词复数 ) | |
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31
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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33
solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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34
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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35
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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36
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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37
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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38
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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39
encompassed
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| v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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40
valediction
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| n．告别演说，告别词 | |
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41
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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42
blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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43
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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44
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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45
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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46
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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47
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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48
charred
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| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
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49
garbs
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| vt.装扮（garb的第三人称单数形式） | |
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50
effigies
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| n.（人的）雕像，模拟像，肖像( effigy的名词复数 ) | |
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