A Gentleman-at-Arms: Being Passages in the Life of Sir Christopher Rudd Knight Read online

  Produced by Al Haines.

  SUDDENLY THERE WAS A ROAR OF MUSKETS, AND THROUGH THESMOKE I SAW THE SPANIARDS RUSHING TOWARDS US]

  A GENTLEMAN-AT-ARMS:

  BEING PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF SIR CHRISTOPHER RUDD, KNIGHT, AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN THE YEAR 1641 AND NOW SET FORTH BY

  HERBERT STRANG

  WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CYRUS CUNEO AND T. H. ROBINSON

  LONDON HENRY FROWDE HODDER & STOUGHTON

  Title page]

  _First printed in 1914_

  *CONTENTS*

  INTRODUCTORY

  THE FIRST PART

  CHRISTOPHER RUDD'S ADVENTURE IN HISPANIOLA, AND THE STRANGE STORY OFCAPTAIN Q

  THE SECOND PART

  CHRISTOPHER RUDD'S ADVENTURE IN FRANCE, AND HIS BORROWING OF THE WHITEPLUME OF HENRY OF NAVARRE

  THE THIRD PART

  CHRISTOPHER RUDD'S ADVENTURE IN THE LOW COUNTRIES, AND HIS QUAINT DEVICEOF THE SILVER SHOT

  THE FOURTH PART

  CHRISTOPHER RUDD'S ADVENTURE IN SPAIN, AND THE FASHION IN WHICH HEPLAYED THE PART OF A PHYSICIAN

  THE FIFTH PART

  CHRISTOPHER RUDD'S ADVENTURE IN IRELAND, AND THE MANNER OF HIS WINNING AWIFE

  POSTSCRIPT

  *LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS*

  COLOUR PLATES BY CYRUS CUNEO

  SUDDENLY THERE WAS A ROAR OF MUSKETS, AND THROUGH THE SMOKE I SAW THESPANIARDS RUSHING TOWARDS US (see p. 52) . . . _Frontispiece_

  I BEHELD THE MAN KNEELING BEFORE AN OPEN CHEST, GLOATING OVER IT,PLUNGING HIS HANDS INTO IT

  THE SIEUR DE LANGRES GAVE ONE CHOKING SIGH, AND FELL AT THE KING'S FEET

  RAISING HIS SWORD HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD, HE BROUGHT IT DOWN WITH AVEHEMENT STROKE

  PINNING HIM DOWN UPON A CHAIR, I BADE HIM STERNLY GIVE HEED TO CERTAINCONDITIONS ON WHICH I WOULD SPARE HIS LIFE

  DOWN HE WENT UPON THE COBBLES, AND I STOOD OVER HIM WHILE HE LAY ANDGROANED

  INSTANTLY RAOUL WAS AT DON YGNACIO'S THROAT

  I FOUND MY LADY KNEELING BESIDE ME, HOLDING A CUP

  DRAWINGS BY T. H. ROBINSON

  I LAY HID UNTIL THE MAN HAD COME FORTH AND GONE HIS WAY

  HE CAUGHT THE SWIMMER AS HE WAS ON THE POINT OF SINKING

  THE SPANIARDS LEAPT INTO THE RAVINE AND CLAMBERED UP THE OTHER SIDE

  THE SWIFTNESS OF OUR ONSET TOOK THE SPANIARDS ALL ABACK

  WE OPENED THE CHESTS IN HIS PRESENCE

  I FELT A SHARP PANG IN THE CALF OF MY LEFT LEG

  A FIGURE SPRANG AT ME OUT OF THE DARK ENTRY

  I SAW A MAN LYING IN A HUDDLED HEAP

  WE CREPT SOFTLY AS FOXES TOWARD THE WALL

  "SIR, YOU COME FROM THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE MAURICE OF NASSAU?"

  RIGHT MERRY WERE THE CITIZENS AT THE SUCCESS OF OUR ENTERPRISE

  VOLMAR READ THE LETTER BY THE AID OF A LANTERN

  I BEHELD THREE MEN AS BLACK BLOTS MOVING IN THE DARKNESS

  "TO-MORROW THE ORDER WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD TO ARRESTYOU"

  I TOLD HIM VERY SHORTLY, AND NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN SO PITEOUS ASPECTACLE AS THAT LITTLE ROUND RUBICUND MAN

  I FOUND SIR WALTER IN HIS GARDEN

  HE THRUST INTO MY HAND SOME PAPERS

  I MADE BOLD TO ACCOST HIM

  I BETOOK MYSELF TO AN APOTHECARY'S

  "OUT OF MY SIGHT, RAPSCALLION!"

  SHOWING HIM MY DAGGER, I BADE HIM HOLD HIS PEACE

  HE PLIED THE WHIP RIGHT MERRILY

  THEY DID BUT MOCK ME WITH JEERS AND HORRID EXECRATIONS

  "I WILL SURELY EXECUTE UPON YOU ANY VIOLENCE OR INDIGNITY THAT MY FATHERMAY SUFFER"

  GATHERING MY SPEED, IN FOUR LEAPS I WAS UPON HIM

  HE CLUTCHED ME BY THE ARM AND POINTED TO A REGIMENT OF DUSKY SHAPES

  I CROSSED THE GUARD OF RORY MAC SHANE, AND GAVE HIM THE POINT OF MYSWORD

  "HOW NOW, MY BULLY ROOK!"

  HEADINGS ON PAGES . . . 17, 81, 129, 217, 311

  TAILPIECES ON PAGES . . . 75, 123, 209, 304, 382