in the same rude sort to a ship, dragged up her smooth, wet side,
and clapt under hatches. Here I lay helpless as in a swoon. When
I came to, it was with a great trampling on the decks above and the
washing of waves below, and I made that the ship was moving--but
where I knew not. After a little space the hatch was lifted from
where I lay, the choke-pear taken from my mouth; but not the
bandage from mine eyes, so I could see nought around me. But I
heard a strange voice say: "What coil is this? This is my Lord's
cloak in sooth, but not my Lord that lieth in it! Who is this
fellow?" At which I did naturally discover the great misprise of
those varlets who had taken me for my dear Lord, whom I now damned
in my heart for changing of the cloaks! Howbeit, when I had
fetched my breath with difficulty, being well nigh spent by reason
of the gag, I replyed that I was John Longbowe, my Lord's true
yeoman, as good a man as any, as they should presently discover
when they set me ashore. That I knew-- "Softly, friend," said the
Voice, "thou knowest too much for the good of England and too
little for thine own needs. Thou shalt be sent where thou mayest
forget the one and improve thy knowledge of the other." Then as if
turning to those about him, for I could not see by reason of the
blindfold, he next said: "Take him on your voyage, and see that he
escape not till ye are quit of England." And with that they clapt
to the hatch again, and I heard him cast off from the ship's side.
There was I, John Longbowe, an English yeoman,--I, who but that day
had held converse with Will Shakespeare and been cognizant of the
revels of Her Most Christian Majesty even to the spying of her
garter!--I was kidnapped at the age of forty-five or thereabout--
for I will not be certain of the year--and forced to sea for that
my Lord of Southampton had provoked the jealousie and envy of
divers other great nobles.