Thomas Wilson

“ Habit is near akin to nature; and the habit of obedience brought every one of these drunken brutes to his feet, cups in hand. There, lurching and tipsy, they stood.
The Count had filled his goblet high, and as he did so his eye fell upon us where we sat.
"Up, my noble ally!" he cried. "I give a toast that thou canst not refuse. Why sittest thou silent? Up, I say!"
Whispering to Oliver to rise, I stood up, cup in hand. We would leave when we had drunk this toast, as it would take only a few minutes, and I did not care to offend the Count. ”

“ Oliver had buckled on my gold-hilted sword, and given me a last touch.
"Thou art prepared, Sir Thomas," he cried, with a grand air and a sweeping bow. "And though thou mayest jeer at me if thou choosest, I will say to thy face, that thou art a goodly sight. Would that the fair ladies of London might see thee to-night; it would create a sensation, I can tell thee."
"Nonsense, boy!" I replied. "I have grown too old and rough to be a pleasant sight for a lady. She would want some fawning tailor's model, sweet-scented and delicate, and not a rude man such as I am." ”

“ Sir Thomas, I have implored, but thou didst drive me from [Pg 124] thee. Truly the wicked have fallen into the pit that they digged," and he cast up his eyes with a look of patient suffering, beautiful to behold, upon his features.
"Peace, thou ruffian!" I cried, "or as I live, I will beat out thy brains with the hilt of my sword," and I made as though to rise.
With a loud yell he rushed through the door.
A group of gentlemen had entered, and now stood around Sir Francis as he sat at the small table, his fingers idly drumming upon it, and his eyes upon my face. ”

“ Wellington expressed a wish to go on board the Thompson, to see Riveral; but, for various reasons, it was deemed better to divert him from his purpose. Shortly afterwards, all the natives left the settlement, but encamped in the immediate vicinity, to be in readiness for a share of the plunder,—iron and nails,—as soon as we were gone.
In the cool of the evening. Captain Barker and myself took a walk in the woods, where we met three sailors (my old shipmates) whose walk had been cut short by the appearance of a number of natives, who, they affirmed, were lying in ambush, for no good purpose. ”

“ From 1574 to 1577, Wilson, who had now become a prominent person in the diplomatic world, was principally engaged on embassies to the Low Countries, and on his return to England he was made a privy councillor and sworn secretary of state; Walsingham was his colleague. In 1580, although he was not in holy orders, Queen Elizabeth made Wilson dean of Durham. He died at St Katherine's Hospital on the 16th of June 1581, and was buried next day, "without charge or pomp," at his express wish. The Arte of Rhetorique gives Wilson a high place among the earliest artificers of English style ”

“ I turned eagerly, perhaps it was Bobby Vane, or—no, only the crafty features of my brother Richard met my view as he limped into the cell.
"Get out!" I cried angrily. "Quick! Or I will dash thee against the wall. Art deaf?" and I moved toward him.
The jailer had already locked the door and left us.
"Listen, Thomas," he answered. "I have come to save thee, if thou wilt but listen to me a moment."
"Dost thou expect me to believe that?" I said. "Out with thee! Wouldst thou come in to annoy a dying man, and to distract his thoughts from his devotions? ”

“ I cast my steel cap towards the motionless girl.
"Bring him some water, Winona," I said.
She bounded away to a little brook that glimmered through the trees near by.
[Pg 270]
"Dunraven," he screamed, rising again, "thou shalt not have her! I would rather that this Sir Thomas should win than thou; he is at least a man, whilst thou art a creeping serpent. I would rather see the maid cold in death, than to be the bride of such as thou." ”

“ It may easily be imagined, that a party of men armed, on seeing a white man running, and apparently pursued by a black, would have fired without hesitation; more particularly, as they had hitherto been accustomed to do so without much ceremony.
A short time before I arrived, Captain Barker had paid a visit to the natives, placing himself under Wellington's care, who seemed not a little flattered by such a mark of distinction. Dr. Davis accompanied him a little way into the woods, and then endeavoured to persuade him to return, representing his expedition to be dangerous and foolhardy. ”

“ The two seamen were bending over the table with eager faces. I straightened myself up—five and four.
"The day is mine, Count," I said triumphantly.
"Yes," he answered, "thou hast it; the fates are propitious. Beware! they will not be ever at thy side;" and turning from me he passed out of the room. The men followed, leaving me alone with Oliver.
"Thy life is safe," I said to him, "and thou shalt be my page. Wilt enter my service?"
"Who art thou?" he asked. "It seems as if I had seen thy face before, yet I know not where."
"Sir Thomas Winchester, of London," I answered. ”

“ It will be some recompense for the pain I have caused thee, and thou canst let a small portion be used in Masses for my soul. No one knows where it is concealed, save myself and the dead Herrick."
"Where is it hidden?" I asked listlessly, for in truth I [Pg 273] cared little for the golden hoard, since one whom I loved could not share it with me.
"Nearer," he whispered, so low that only bending far over his white face, could I hear his voice. "Those pale ones who bend beside thee shall not hear it; 'tis for thy ear alone. Look upon the Island Eldorado, it is concealed——"
He stiffened himself ”

“ She turned, and then coming back towards me, seated herself upon one of the rough chairs near the table.
"I will hear thy tale," she said, a smile upon her lips. "But list to me, sir, the moment that thou dost digress from that I am gone, and thou mayst depend upon it.
"And what is this marvelous tale of thine?" she continued gently, her azure eyes upon my face. "Sir Robert, [Pg 179] who was out of town, only returned this evening, and I immediately sent for him, and told him that thou wast here, condemned to die. ”

“ Thomas [Pg 132] Bradford undertook to publish Wilson's colossal "Ornithology." It was to be distinctly an "American" work. It was to be printed on American paper; and Amies, the paper-maker, even declared that he would use only "American" rags in making it. Seven volumes appeared during the author's life, or between 1808 and 1813.
Wilson published the "Rural Walk" in Brown's Literary Magazine of August, 1804, and the "Solitary Tutor" in the same publication, October, 1804. The former poem was reprinted in the Port Folio of April 27, 1805. ”

“ And so thinking I opened the third and last paper—it ran thus:
"Richmond Castle,
April 10, 1588.
"Thomas:—As I lie here to-night, I realize that in a few hours I must pass out to meet that God, whom I have never served or obeyed. I have done little of good in this world; have lived only for self, my own desire and [Pg 266] enjoyment my only thought. I know of not one soul whom I have ever helped or assisted during the whole of my miserable life, but on the contrary there are many whom I have wronged and injured, who will rejoice as they hear the news of my death. ”

“ Once over there thou art safe, and canst remain until the coast is clear here; then thou canst return to England."
"'Tis a bold scheme, Bobby, and I thank thee. But why should I go? Life holds naught so precious for me, that I should cling to it so strongly. There is nothing for me beyond the seas, in that strange and barbarous land, with its painted savages and fierce beasts of prey. What could I do, should I reach it alive? No, leave me to my fate—and go!"
[Pg 187]
"Thomas!" he cried, "if thou carest not for thyself, think of thy friends. ”

“ No. 214, where Wilson is erroneously styled ‘Sir Thomas’) . Another, an old copy of an anonymous painting, was in 1879 transferred from the British Museum to the National Portrait Gallery, London. A copy of his will, dated 19 May 1581, is preserved at Hatfield (Cal. Hatfield MSS. ii. 391) . He left his house at Edmonton to the overseers of his will, Sir Francis Walsingham, Sir William Winter, and Matthew Smith, to be sold to pay his debts; five hundred marks to his daughter Mary on her marriage or coming of age, and a like sum to his daughter Lucrece; his son Nicholas was to be sole executor. ”

“ When Thomas saw this, he smiled and [Pg 272] wept at the same instant, and he pressed his wife's cheek to his bosom, and said—
"Great has been the care o' my poor Margaret; but it is o' no avail; for, though ye hae proved mair than a match for the seasons, the proposal was but a jest o' Lauderdale."
"What is a man but his word?" replied Margaret; "and him a nobleman too."
"Nobility are but men," answered Thomas, "and seldom better men than ither folk. Believe me, if we were to gang afore him wi' a snawba' in oor hands, we should only get lauched at for our pains." ”

“ One evening, in the middle of the third week of their affliction, as he and neighbour Robins were trudging home together through the perplexing obscurity of a grey November fog, the latter said—
"Couldn't we get a rabbit or two, Tummas? They'd make a nice pot for the young ones, poor things; better nor barley gruel, any way."
"I don't mind," said Thomas, in an indifferent tone. "But where can we come at 'em?"
"Oh, there's a warren up in Squire Greenaway's fir coppice to the left here, just off the Banbury road. We [57] can beat it in five minutes. Come on," he added, seizing Thomas's arm. ”

“ Our pursuer had fallen far behind us and was out of sight; only the rippling Thames lay before us.
A man knocked upon the door and informed us that Governor White awaited us on deck, and we followed him to where White stood, a little apart from his men.
"We have almost reached the ocean," he said as we approached him. "If Sir Robert desires to land, he had best [Pg 200] do so now; but say the word and thou shalt go ashore where thou dost wish."
Bobby turned to me.
"I have half a mind to go with thee, Thomas," he said in a low voice. ”

“ One day whilst the fisher boys and girls were playing on the pier, whilst the tide was at the full, a mischievous boy, wishing to annoy Thomas, pushed little Sall into the harbour, where, but for Thomas's timely and skilful aid (for he was an excellent swimmer,) she would probably have been drowned. Having placed his favourite in a condition and place of safety, Tom felled the offender, with a terrible fister, to the earth. The blow had taken place on the pit of the stomach, and was mortal. Tom was taken up, imprisoned, and tried for manslaughter ”

“ DeNortier was the leopard, restless, cunning, lurking ready to spring at a moment's warning—not so big as his bulky companion, but with muscles of steel; Dunraven, bigger, heavier, clumsier, but more powerful—the bear. Woe to the creature that he locked in his iron arms; he would crush the life from him, even as a vise. ”

“ Often in the dead of night I would toss and groan upon my pillow as I thought of Margaret, a prisoner in the hands of Dunraven somewhere in the depths of the unbroken forest, cut off from the world and all help, at the mercy of one who feared neither man nor devil. My fevered brain would conjure up every taunting phantom of fear and anguish that the ingenuity of man could devise. ”

“ I could imagine how the damned must feel, as they writhe in agony in the burning flames of hell, and realize that they must suffer for countless ages; that there has gone from them all hope—that shining star that guides our groping feet through life's scenes of bitterest woe, and remains our brightest blessing from the cradle to the grave. ”

“ I had finished my dinner, and a pleasing feeling of languor and content swept over me—that thoughtful, expansive sensation, that we only experience after a good meal, when we are in a mood for thought and reverie, at peace with the world and ourselves. ”

“ Out here with nature, stripped of all the gloss and glitter of civilization; alone, without that sense of security which comes to us when we are huddled with our fellows; a single atom upon the troubled sea of life—my own perplexities seemed to dwindle, and a feeling of peace swept over my care-worn spirit. ”

“ I loved her with a love that knew no distrust, faithfully, devotedly. The night, calm and silent, was not purer or more innocent than her soul; the stars as they peeped out from the distant sky, were no brighter than her eyes, azure, deep, serene; the gold of the sunset was like the glimmer of her hair; the fleecy clouds, white and snowy, were not lovelier than her neck and throat, and yet—yet—she weds Dunraven. Why hast thou forsaken me?—Margaret! Oh, Margaret!"
The lad looked at me, the great tears of pity running down his cheeks. ”

“ The faces about me on the street I saw dimly, as though in some dream—indistinct, faint, which on the morn comes to the mind in broken fragments. Thou knowest that such thoughts, such faces, have passed before thine eyes, but when and where thou canst not tell.
I strode on rapidly, looking neither to right nor left, not knowing or caring whither I went; glad that I was occupied, and not sitting idle, tortured with painful thoughts of the morrow. ”

“ To all who hear me, clerks and priests of the Church, I would say: love always our holy Mother Church, revere her, give to her always the greatest respect. If I had not had this reverence and respect for her in my heart and in my affliction, I never would have been able to escape the hands of the demon. ”