the complete writings-3-第71部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


anybody。

＇Burke's　〃　Encyclopedia　of　Heraldry　〃　gives　it　as　granted　to　Capt。　John　Smith；　of　the　Smiths　of　Cruffley；　Co。　　Lancaster；　in　1629；　and　describes　it：　〃　Vert；　a　chev。　　gu。　　betw。　　three　Turks'　heads　couped　ppr。　　turbaned　or。　　Crest…an　Ostrich　or；　holding　in　the　mouth　a　horseshoe　or。〃＇




XX

DEATH　AND　CHARACTER

Hardship　and　disappointment　made　our　hero　prematurely　old；　but　could　not　conquer　his　indomitable　spirit。　　The　disastrous　voyage　of　June；　1615；　when　he　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　French；　is　spoken　of　by　the　Council　for　New　England　in　1622　as　〃the　ruin　of　that　poor　gentleman；　Captain　Smith；　who　was　detained　prisoner　by　them；　and　forced　to　suffer　many　extremities　before　he　got　free　of　his　troubles；〃　but　he　did　not　know　that　he　was　ruined；　and　did　not　for　a　moment　relax　his　efforts　to　promote　colonization　and　obtain　a　command；　nor　relinquish　his　superintendence　of　the　Western　Continent。

His　last　days　were　evidently　passed　in　a　struggle　for　existence；　which　was　not　so　bitter　to　him　as　it　might　have　been　to　another　man；　for　he　was　sustained　by　ever…elating　〃great　expectations。〃　　That　he　was　pinched　for　means　of　living；　there　is　no　doubt。　　In　1623　he　issued　a　prospectus　of　his　〃General　Historie；〃　in　which　he　said：　〃These　observations　are　all　I　have　for　the　expenses　of　a　thousand　pounds　and　the　loss　of　eighteen　years'　time；　besides　all　the　travels；　dangers；　miseries　and　incumbrances　for　my　countries　good；　I　have　endured　gratis：　。。。。this　is　composed　in　less　than　eighty　sheets；　besides　the　three　maps；　which　will　stand　me　near　in　a　hundred　pounds；　which　sum　I　cannot　disburse：　nor　shall　the　stationers　have　the　copy　for　nothing。　　I　therefore；　humbly　entreat　your　Honour；　either　to　adventure；　or　give　me　what　you　please　towards　the　impression；　and　I　will　be　both　accountable　and　thankful。〃

He　had　come　before　he　was　fifty　to　regard　himself　as　an　old　man；　and　to　speak　of　his　〃aged　endeavors。〃　　Where　and　how　he　lived　in　his　later　years；　and　with　what　surroundings　and　under　what　circumstances　he　died；　there　is　no　record。　　That　he　had　no　settled　home；　and　was　in　mean　lodgings　at　the　last；　may　be　reasonably　inferred。　　There　is　a　manuscript　note　on　the　fly…leaf　of　one　of　the　original　editions　of　〃The　Map　of　Virginia。。。。〃　　（Oxford；　1612）；　in　ancient　chirography；　but　which　from　its　reference　to　Fuller　could　not　have　been　written　until　more　than　thirty　years　after　Smith's　death。　　It　says：　〃When　he　was　old　he　lived　in　London　poor　but　kept　up　his　spirits　with　the　commemoration　of　his　former　actions　and　bravery。　　He　was　buried　in　St。　Sepulcher's　Church；　as　Fuller　tells　us；　who　has　given　us　a　line　of　his　Ranting　Epitaph。〃

That　seems　to　have　been　the　tradition　of　the　man；　buoyantly　supporting　himself　in　the　commemoration　of　his　own　achievements。　　To　the　end　his　industrious　and　hopeful　spirit　sustained　him；　and　in　the　last　year　of　his　life　he　was　toiling　on　another　compilation；　and　promised　his　readers　a　variety　of　actions　and　memorable　observations　which　they　shall　〃find　with　admiration　in　my　History　of　the　Sea；　if　God　be　pleased　I　live　to　finish　it。〃

He　died　on　the　21　St　of　June；　1631；　and　the　same　day　made　his　last　will；　to　which　he　appended　his　mark；　as　he　seems　to　have　been　too　feeble　to　write　his　name。　　In　this　he　describes　himself　as　〃Captain　John　Smith　of　the　parish　of　St。　Sepulcher's　London　Esquior。〃　　He　commends　his　soul　〃into　the　hands　of　Almighty　God；　my　maker；　hoping　through　the　merits　of　Christ　Jesus　my　Redeemer　to　receive　full　remission　of　all　my　sins　and　to　inherit　a　place　in　the　everlasting　kingdom〃；　his　body　he　commits　to　the　earth　whence　it　came；　and　〃of　such　worldly　goods　whereof　it　hath　pleased　God　in　his　mercy　to　make　me　an　unworthy　receiver；〃　he　bequeathes：　first；　to　Thomas　Packer；　Esq。；　one　of　his　Majesty's　clerks　of　the　Privy　Seal；　It　all　my　houses；　lands；　tenantements　and　hereditaments　whatsoever；　situate　lying　and　being　in　the　parishes　of　Louthe　and　Great　Carleton；　in　the　county　of　Lincoln　together　with　my　coat　of　armes〃；　and　charges　him　to　pay　certain　legacies　not　exceeding　the　sum　of　eighty　pounds；　out　of　which　he　reserves　to　himself　twenty　pounds　to　be　disposed　of　as　he　chooses　in　his　lifetime。　　The　sum　of　twenty　pounds　is　to　be　disbursed　about　the　funeral。　　To　his　most　worthy　friend；　Sir　Samuel　Saltonstall　Knight；　he　gives　five　pounds；　to　Morris　Treadway；　five　pounds；　to　his　sister　Smith；　the　widow　of　his　brother；　ten　pounds；　to　his　cousin　Steven　Smith；　and　his　sister；　six　pounds　thirteen　shillings　and　fourpence　between　them；　to　Thomas　Packer；　Joane；　his　wife；　and　Eleanor；　his　daughter；　ten　pounds　among　them；　to　〃Mr。　Reynolds；　the　lay　Mr　of　the　Goldsmiths　Hall；　the　sum　of　forty　shillings〃；　to　Thomas；　the　son　of　said　Thomas　Packer；　〃my　trunk　standing　in　my　chamber　at　Sir　Samuel　Saltonstall's　house　in　St。　Sepulcher's　parish；　together　with　my　best　suit　of　apparel　of　a　tawny　color　viz。　hose；　doublet　jirkin　and　cloak；〃　〃also；　my　trunk　bound　with　iron　bars　standing　in　the　house　of　Richard　Hinde　in　Lambeth；　togetherwith　half　the　books　therein〃；　the　other　half　of　the　books　to　Mr。　John　Tredeskin　and　Richard　Hinde。　　His　much　honored　friend；　Sir　Samuel　Saltonstall；　and　Thomas　Packer；　were　joint　executors；　and　the　will　was　acknowledged　in　the　presence　〃of　Willmu　Keble　Snr　civitas；　London；　William　Packer；　Elizabeth　Sewster；　Marmaduke　Walker；　his　mark；　witness。〃

We　have　no　idea　that　Thomas　Packer　got　rich　out　of　the　houses；　lands　and　tenements　in　the　county　of　Lincoln。　　The　will　is　that　of　a　poor　man；　and　reference　to　his　trunks　standing　about　in　the　houses　of　his　friends；　and　to　his　chamber　in　the　house　of　Sir　Samuel　Saltonstall；　may　be　taken　as　proof　that　he　had　no　independent　and　permanent　abiding…place。

It　is　supposed　that　he　was　buried　in　St。　Sepulcher's　Church。　　The　negative　evidence　of　this　is　his　residence　in　the　parish　at　the　time　of　his　death；　and　the　more　positive；　a　record　in　Stow's　〃Survey　of　London；〃　1633；　which　we　copy　in　full：

This　Table　is　on　the　south　side　of　the　Quire　in　Saint　Sepulchers；　with　this　Inscription：

To　the　living　Memory　of　his　deceased　Friend；　Captaine　John　Smith；　who　departed　this　mortall　life　on　the　21　day　of　June；　1631；　with　his　Armes；　and　this　Motto；

Accordamus；　vincere　est　vivere。

Here　lies　one　conquer'd　that　hath　conquer'd　Kings；　Subdu'd　large　Territories；　and　done　things　Which　to　the　World　impossible　would　seeme；　But　that　the　truth　is　held　in　more　esteeme；　Shall　I　report　His　former　service　done　In　honour　of　his　God　and　Christendome：　How　that　he　did　divide　from　Pagans　three；　Their　heads　and　Lives；　types　of　his　chivalry：　For　which　great　service　in　that　Climate　done；　Brave　Sigismundus　（King　of　Hungarion）　Did　give　him　as　a　Coat　of　Armes　to　weare；　Those　conquer'd　heads　got　by　his　Sword　and　Speare？　Or　shall　I　tell　of　his　adventures　since；　Done　in　Firginia；　that　large　Continence：　I…low　that　he　subdu'd　Kings　unto　his　yoke；　And　made　those　heathen　flie；　as　wind　doth　smoke：　And　made　their　Land；　being　of　so　large　a　Station；　A　hab；tation　for　our　Christian　Nation：　Where　God　is　glorifi'd；　their　wants　suppli'd；　Which　else　for　necessaries　might　have　di'd？　But　what　avails　his　Conquest　now　he　lyes　Inter'd　in　earth　a　prey　for　Wormes　&　Flies？

O　may　his　soule　in　sweet　Mizium　sleepe；　Untill　the　Keeper　that　all　soules　doth　keepe；　Returne　to　judgement　and　that　after　thence；　With　Angels　he　may　have　his　recompence。　Captaine　John　Smith；　sometime　Governour　of　Firginia；　and　Admirall　of　New　England。


This　remarkable　epitaph　is　such　an　autobiographical　record　as　Smith　might　have　written　himself。　　That　it　was　engraved　upon　a　tablet　and　set　up　in　this　church　rests　entirely　upon　the　authority　of　Stow。　　The　present　pilgrim　to　the　old　church　will　find　no　memorial　that　Smith　was　buried　there；　and　will　encounter　besides　incredulity　of　the　tradition　that　he　ever　rested　there。

The　old　church　of　St。　Sepulcher's；　formerly　at　the　confluence　of　Snow　Hill　and　the　Old　Bailey；　now　lifts　its　head　far　above　the　pompous　viaduct　which　spans　the　valley　along　which　the　Fleet　Ditch　once　flowed。　　All　the　registers　of　burial　in　the　church　were　destroyed　by　the　great　fire　of　1666；　which　burnt　down　the　edifice　from　floor　to　roof；　leaving　only　the　walls　and　tower　standing。　　Mr。　Charles　Deane；　whose　lively　interest　in　Smith　led　him　recently　to　pay　a　visit　to　St。　Sepulcher's；　speaks　of　it　as　the　church　〃under　the　pavement　of　which　the　remains　of　our　hero　were　buried；　but　he　was　not　able　to　see　the　stone　placed　over　those　remains；　as　the　floor　of　the　church　at　that　time　was　covered　with　a　carpet。。。。　　The　epitaph　to　his　memory；　however；　it　is　understood；　cannot　now　be　deciphered　upon　the　tablet；〃which　he　supposes　to　be　the　one　in　Stow。

The　existing　tablet　is　a　slab　of　bluish…black　marble；　which　formerly　was　in　the　chancel。　　That　it　in　no　way　relates　to　Captain　Smith　a　near　examination　of　it　shows。　　This　slab　has　an　escutcheon　which　indicates　three　heads；　which　a　lively　imagination　may　conceive　to　be　those　of　Moors；　on　a　line　in　the　upper　left　corner　on　the　husband's　side　of　a　shield；　which　is　divided　by　a　perpendicular　line。　　As　Smith　had　no　wife；　this　could　not　have　been　his　cognizance。　　Nor　are　these　his　arms；　which　were　three　Turks'　heads　borne　over　and　beneath　a　chevron。　　The　cognizance　of　〃Moors'　heads；〃　as　we　have　said；　was　not　singular　in　the　Middle　Ages；　and　there　existed　recently　in　this　very　church　another　tomb　which　bore　a　Moor's　head　as　a　family　badge。　　The　inscription　itself　is　in　a　style　of　lettering　unlike　that　used　in　the　time　of　James　I。；　and　the　letters　are　believed　not　to　belong　to　an　earlier　period　than　that　of　the　Georges。　　This　bluish…black　stone　has　been　recently　gazed　at　by　many　pilgrims　from　this　side　of　the　ocean；　with　something　of　the　feeling　with　which　the　Moslems　regard　the　Kaaba　at　Mecca。　　This　veneration　is　misplaced；　for　upon　the　stone　are　distinctly　visible　these　words：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Departed　this　life　September。。。。　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。sixty…six　。。。。years。。。。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。months　。。。。〃

As　John　Smith　died　in　June；　1631；　in　his　fifty…second　year；　this　stone　is　clearly　not　in　his　honor：　and　if　his　dust　rests　in　this　church；　the　fire　of　1666　made　it　probably　a　labor　of　wasted　love　to　look　hereabouts　for　any　monument　of　him。

A　few　years　ago　some　American　antiquarians　desired　to