and on board 60,000 pezos of gold and other store.  With which if we had been content, gentlemen, all had gone well.  And some were willing to go back at once, having both treasure and pearls in plenty; but Mr. O., he waxed right mad, and swore to slay any one who made that motion again, assuring us that the Lima ship of which he had news was far greater and richer, and would make princes of us all; which bark came in sight on the sixteenth day, and was taken without shot or slaughter.  The taking of which bark, I verily believe, was the ruin of every mother’s son of us.”

And being asked why, he answered, “First, because of the discontent which was bred thereby; for on board was found no gold, but only 100,000 pezos of silver.”

Sir Richard Grenville.—­Thou greedy fellow; and was not that enough to stay your stomachs?

Yeo answered that he would to God it had been; and that, moreover, the weight of that silver was afterwards a hindrance to them, and fresh cause of discontent, as he would afterwards declare.  “So that it had been well for us, sirs, if we had left it behind, as Mr. Drake left his three years before, and carried away the gold only.  In which I do see the evident hand of God, and His just punishment for our greediness of gain; who caused Mr. Oxenham, by whom we had hoped to attain great wealth, to be a snare to us, and a cause of utter ruin.”

“Do you think, then,” said Sir Richard, “that Mr. Oxenham deceived you wilfully?”

“I will never believe that, sir:  Mr. Oxenham had his private reasons for waiting for that ship, for the sake of one on board, whose face would that he had never seen, though he saw it then, as I fear, not for the first time by many a one.”  And so was silent.

“Come,” said both his hearers, “you have brought us thus far, and you must go on.”

“Gentlemen, I have concealed this matter from all men, both on my voyage home and since; and I hope you will be secret in the matter, for the honor of my noble captain, and the comfort of his friends who are alive.  For I think it shame to publish harm of a gallant gentleman, and of an ancient and worshipful family, and to me a true and kind captain, when what is done cannot be undone, and least said soonest mended.  Neither now would I have spoken of it, but that I was inwardly moved to it for the sake of that young gentleman there” (looking at Amyas), “that he might be warned in time of God’s wrath against the crying sin of adultery, and flee youthful lusts, which war against the soul.”

“Thou hast done wisely enough, then,” said Sir Richard; “and look to it if I do not reward thee:  but the young gentleman here, thank God, needs no such warnings, having got them already both by precept and example, where thou and poor Oxenham might have had them also.”

“You mean Captain Drake, your worship?”

“I do, sirrah.  If all men were as clean livers as he, the world would be spared one half the tears that are shed in it.”