y, farewell to England
and to the manhood of England, if once it shall become the fashion of
our preachers to bid every man, as the Jesuits do, take care first of
what they call the safety of his soul. Every man will be afraid to die
at his post, because he will be afraid that he is not fit to die. Amyas,
do thou do thy duty like a man, to thy country, thy queen, and thy God;
and count thy life a worthless thing, as did the holy men of old. Do
thy work, lad; and leave thy soul to the care of Him who is just and
merciful in this, that He rewards every man according to his work. Is
there respect of persons with God? Now come in, and take the letters,
and to horse. And if I hear of thee dead there at Smerwick fort, with
all thy wounds in front, I shall weep for thy mother, lad; but I shall
have never a sigh for thee."

If any one shall be startled at hearing a fine gentleman and a warrior
like Sir Richard quote Scripture, and think Scripture also, they must
be referred to the writings of the time; which they may read not without
profit to themselves, if they discover therefrom how it was possible
then for men of the world to be thoroughly ingrained with the Gospel,
and yet to be free from any taint of superstitious fear, or false
devoutness. The religion of those days was such as no soldier need have
been ashamed of confessing. At least, Sir Richard died as he lived,
without a shudder, and without a whine; and these were his last words,
fifteen years after that, as he lay shot through and through, a captive
among Popish Spaniards, priests, crucifixes, confession, extreme
unction, and all other means and appliances for delivering men out of
the hands of a God of love:--

"Here die I, Richard Grenville, with a joyful and quiet mind; for that
I have ended my life as a true soldier ought, fighting for his country,
queen, religion, and honor: my soul willingly departing from this body,
leaving behind the lasting fame of having behaved as every valiant
soldier is in his duty bound to do."

Those were the last words of Richard Grenville. The pulpits of those
days had taught them to him.

But to return. That day's events were not over yet. For, when they went
down into the house, the first person whom they met was the old steward,
in search of his master.

"There is a manner of roog, Sir Richard, a masterless man, at the door;
a very forward fellow, and must needs speak with you."

"A masterless man? He had better not to sp