The Honourable Life of Thomas Chayne by Cynthia Jefferies

Author:Cynthia Jefferies [Cynthia Jefferies]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749023447
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2019-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Later that day we were allowed to go down to the quay, to look at the pinnace. We gazed out over the river, and saw a similar size vessel, which the trooper who accompanied us said was an enemy ship. It was mid channel, and it seemed clear that it was observing us.

‘They dare not come too close, or our cannon would blow them out of the water,’ said the trooper who accompanied us, no doubt as he had been instructed to do. He laughed. ‘They think they are so clever, but we have a spar and sail hanging over the side of the pinnace to confuse them. They will think our repairs some way off finished, so with luck we will be able to evade them, and get it back out to sea very soon.’

In the afternoon our pistols were returned to us, but not our hangers. The armourer gave us each a shorter blade, which he explained would be much better onboard, where there was not space to swing a long sword. I had hoped to see Colonel Mostyn again, to make our farewells, but he was on business elsewhere.

That night, when it was full dark, we embarked, leaving our horses, our hangers, our buff coats and the rest of our belongings in the castle, exchanging them for the hats and rugg coats of the sailors. So, quietly and without formality, we began our new lives. As we slipped away, the tide taking us out towards the open sea, I couldn’t help wondering if we would ever see our belongings again. We had been told that the woollen ruggs and thrum caps were more practical, and warmer out on the water. Also, it was thought advisable to hide our martial selves, making it seem to the casual observer that the pinnace was unarmed and unthreatening. I am sure that was all true, but I felt a great loss, and it was painful. I had now given up everything that belonged to my old life. From clothing to sword, horse, troop and even my name and family. Unlike Richard, I had no knowledge of sailing, and yet here I was abandoning horsemanship and taking to the water. I tried to think on it as the adventure it was, but that dark night, when we embarked and slid out onto the ink-black, pitch-like water, it felt as though I had taken a wrong turn, and one that might be my utter undoing.

I was, however, glad to discover that the motion of the ship gave me no qualms. I felt neither sick, nor found it difficult to get my balance, though Richard warned me not to take our gentle motion to be constant. ‘More men have been lost through misunderstanding and carelessness on the water than any other reason,’ he said. ‘At all times keep one hand upon some part of the ship, in case a sudden jolt sends you overboard. You would be swiftly carried away in this current, and likely never found again.

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