Devonshire Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Devonshire Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Devon (England) -- Biography; Devon (England) -- History
Printed an London for _I. T._ and are to be sold at his Shoppe.
MANLY PEEKE IN HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THREE ADVERSARIES ARMED WITH
RAPIERS AND POIGNARDS]
“The rapier men traversed their ground, I mine. Dangerous thrusts were
put in, and with dangerous hazard avoyded. Showtes echoed to heaven, to
encourage the Spaniards, not a shoute nor a hand to hearten the poore
Englishman; only Heaven I had in mine eye, the honour of my Countrey in
my heart, my fame at the stake, my life on a narrow bridge, and death
both before me and behind me.
“Plucking up a good heart, seeing myself faint and wearied, I vowed to
my soule to do something ere she departed from me; and so setting all
upon one cast, it was my good fortune with the but-end where the iron
pike was to kill one of the three; and within a few boutes after, to
disarme the other two, causing one of them to fly into the armie of
soldiers then present, and the other for refuge fled behind the bench.
“Now was I in greater danger; for a generall murmure filled the ayre,
with threatenings at me; the soldiers especially bit their thumbes, and
how was it possible for me to scape?
“Which the noble Duke of Medina Sidonia seeing called me to him, and
instantly caused proclamation to be made, that none, on paine of death,
should meddle with mee. And by his honourable protection I got off. And
not off, only, with safety, but with money, for by the Dukes and Condes
were given me in gold to the value of foure pounds tenne shillings
sterling, and by the Marquesse Alquenezes himself as much; he embracing
me in his armes and bestowing upon me that long Spanish russet cloake
I now weare, which he tooke from one of his men’s backs; and withall
furnished me with a cleane band and cuffes.”
The Spaniards, nobly appreciating the bravery of their captive, and
discovering that instead of being a man of great consequence he was a
mere sailor before the mast, and not likely to be redeemed at a great
price, resolved to give him liberty, and under the conduct of four
gentlemen attached to the suite of the Marquess Alquenezes, he was
sent to Madrid to be presented to the King. During Peeke’s stay in
Madrid, which he calls Madrill, he was the guest of the Marquess. The
Marchioness showed him great kindness, and on his leaving presented him
with a gold chain and jewels for his wife, and pretty things for his
children. On Christmas Day he was presented to the King, the Queen, and
Don Carlos, the Infante.
“Being brought before him, I fell (as it was fitt) on my knees. Many
questions were demanded of me, which so well as my plaine witte
directed me, I resolved.
“In the end, his Majesty offered me a yearly pension (to a good vallew)
if I would serve him, eyther at land or at sea; for which his royal
favour, I confessing myself infinitely bound, most humbly intreated,
that with his princely leave, I might be suffered to returne into mine
own Countrey, being a subject onely to the King of England my sovereign.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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