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And where is Amyas on this same Christmas afternoon？
Amyas is sitting bareheaded in a boat's stern in Smerwick bay； with the spray whistling through his curls； as he shouts cheerfully
〃Pull； and with a will； my merry men all； and never mind shipping a sea。 Cannon balls are a cargo that don't spoil by taking salt… water。〃
His mother's presage has been true enough。 Christmas eve has been the last of the still； dark； steaming nights of the early winter； and the western gale has been roaring for the last twelve hours upon the Irish coast。
The short light of the winter day is fading fast。 Behind him is a leaping line of billows lashed into mist by the tempest。 Beside him green foam…fringed columns are rushing up the black rocks； and falling again in a thousand cataracts of snow。 Before him is the deep and sheltered bay： but it is not far up the bay that he and his can see； for some four miles out at sea begins a sloping roof of thick gray cloud； which stretches over their heads； and up and far away inland； cutting the cliffs off at mid…height； hiding all the Kerry mountains； and darkening the hollows of the distant firths into the blackness of night。 And underneath that awful roof of whirling mist the storm is howling inland ever； sweeping before it the great foam…sponges； and the gray salt spray； till all the land is hazy； dim； and dun。 Let it howl on！ for there is more mist than ever salt spray made； flying before that gale； more thunder than ever sea…surge wakened echoing among the cliffs of Smerwick bay； along those sand…hills flash in the evening gloom red sparks which never came from heaven； for that fort； now christened by the invaders the Fort Del Oro； where flaunts the hated golden flag of Spain； holds San Josepho and eight hundred of the foe； and but three nights ago； Amyas and Yeo； and the rest of Winter's shrewdest hands； slung four culverins out of the Admiral's main deck； and floated them ashore； and dragged them up to the battery among the sand…hills； and now it shall be seen whether Spanish and Italian condottieri can hold their own on British ground against the men of Devon。
Small blame to Amyas if he was thinking； not of his lonely mother at Burrough Court； but of those quick bright flashes on sand…hill and on fort； where Salvation Yeo was hurling the eighteen…pound shot with deadly aim； and watching with a cool and bitter smile of triumph the flying of the sand； and the crashing of the gabions。 Amyas and his party had been on board； at the risk of their lives； for a fresh supply of shot； for Winter's battery was out of ball； and had been firing stones for the last four hours； in default of better missiles。 They ran the boat on shore through the surf； where a cove in the shore made landing possible； and almost careless whether she stove or not； scrambled over the sand…hills with each man his brace of shot slung across his shoulder； and Amyas； leaping into the trenches； shouted cheerfully to Salvation Yeo
〃More food for the bull…dogs； Gunner； and plums for the Spaniards' Christmas pudding！〃
〃Don't speak to a man at his business； Master Amyas。 Five mortal times have I missed； but I will have that accursed Popish rag down； as I'm a sinner。〃
〃Down with it； then； nobody wants you to shoot crooked。 Take good iron to it； and not footy paving…stones。〃
〃I believe； sir； that the foul fiend is there； a turning of my shot aside； I do。 I thought I saw him once： but； thank Heaven； here's ball again。 Ah； sir； if one could but cast a silver one！ Now； stand by； men！〃
And once again Yeo's eighteen…pounder roared； and away。 And； oh glory！ the great yellow flag of Spain； which streamed in the gale； lifted clean into the air； flagstaff and all； and then pitched wildly down head…foremost； far to leeward。
A hurrah from the sailors； answered by the soldiers of the opposite camp； shook the very cloud above them： but ere its echoes had died away； a tall officer leapt upon the parapet of the fort； with the fallen flag in his hand； and rearing it as well as he could upon his lance point； held it firmly against the gale； while the fallen flagstaff was raised again within。
In a moment a dozen long bows were bent at the daring foeman： but Amyas behind shouted
〃Shame； lads！ Stop and let the gallant gentleman have due courtesy！〃
So they stopped； while Amyas； springing on the rampart of the battery； took off his hat； and bowed to the flag…holder； who； as soon as relieved of his charge； returned the bow courteously； and descended。
It was by this time all but dark； and the firing began to slacken on all sides； Salvation and his brother gunners； having covered up their slaughtering tackle with tarpaulings； retired for the night； leaving Amyas； who had volunteered to take the watch till midnight； and the rest of the force having got their scanty supper of biscuit （for provisions were running very short） lay down under arms among the sand…hills； and grumbled themselves to sleep。
He had paced up and down in the gusty darkness for some hour or more； exchanging a passing word now and then with the sentinel； when two men entered the battery； chatting busily together。 One was in complete armor； the other wrapped in the plain short cloak of a man of pens and peace： but the talk of both was neither of sieges nor of sallies； catapult； bombard； nor culverin； but simply of English hexameters。
And fancy not； gentle reader； that the two were therein fiddling while Rome was burning； for the commonweal of poetry and letters； in that same critical year 1580； was in far greater danger from those same hexameters than the common woe of Ireland （as Raleigh called it） was from the Spaniards。
Imitating the classic metres； 〃versifying；〃 as it was called in contradistinction to rhyming； was becoming fast the fashion among the more learned。 Stonyhurst and others had tried their hands at hexameter translations from the Latin and Greek epics； which seem to have been doggerel enough； and ever and anon some youthful wit broke out in iambics； sapphics； elegiacs； and what not； to the great detriment of the queen's English and her subjects' ears。
I know not whether Mr。 William Webbe had yet given to the world any fragments of his precious hints for the 〃Reformation of English poetry；〃 to the tune of his own 〃Tityrus； happily thou liest tumbling under a beech…tree：〃 but the Cambridge Malvolio； Gabriel Harvey； had succeeded in arguing Spenser； Dyer； Sidney； and probably Sidney's sister； and the whole clique of beaux…esprits round them； into following his model of
〃What might I call this tree？ A laurel？ O bonny laurel！ Needes to thy bowes will I bowe this knee； and vail my bonetto；〃
after snubbing the first book of 〃that Elvish Queene；〃 which was then in manuscript； as a base declension from the classical to the romantic school。
And now Spenser （perhaps in mere melancholy wilfulness and want of purpose； for he had just been jilted by a fair maid of Kent） was wasting his mighty genius upon doggerel which he fancied antique； and some piratical publisher （bitter Tom Nash swears； and with likelihood that Harvey did it himself） had just given to the world；〃Three proper wittie and familiar Letters