The Heart

Nevertheless, I saw with some misgivings these honest fellows

plodding their ways, ready to leap to their deaths maybe at the word

of command, when it did not concern their own interests in the

least, and especially when they had not that order of mind which

enables a man to have a delight in glory and in serving those broad

ends of humanity which include a man to his own loss.

Early that morning the news spread that Colonel Kemp of the

Gloucester militia and a troop of horse and foot had been sent

secretly against some plant-cutters in Gloucester County who had

arisen before us, and had taken prisoners some twenty-two caught in

the act. The news of the sending came first, I think, from Major

Robert Beverly, the Clerk of the Assembly, who had withheld the

knowledge for some time, inasmuch as he disliked the savour of

treachery, but being in his cups that night before at Barry Upper

Branch, out it came. 'Twas Dick Barry who told me. I fell in with

him and Captain Jaynes on the Jamestown road that morning. "Colonel

Kemp hath ridden against the rioters in Gloucester with foot and

horse, by order of the general court, and Beverly hath been knowing

to it all this time," he said gloomily. Then added that a man who

served on two sides had no strength for either, and one who had

raised his hand against Bacon had best been out of the present

cause. But Captain Jaynes swore with one of his broadsides of mighty

oaths that 'twas best as 'twas, since Beverly had some influence

over the militia, and that he was safe enough not to turn traitor

with his great store of tobacco at stake, and that should the court

proceed to extremes with the Gloucester plant-cutters, such a flame

would leap to life in Virginia as would choke England with the smoke

of its burning.

We knew no more than the fact of the sending, but that afternoon

came riding into Jamestown colonel Kemp with a small body of horse,

having left the rest and the foot in Gloucester, there to suppress

further disorder, and with him, bound to their saddles, some

twenty-two prisoners, glaring about them with defiant faces and

covered with dust and mire, and some with blood.

Something there was about that awful glow of red on face, on hand,

or soaking through homespun sleeve or waistcoat, that was like the

waving of a battle-flag or the call of a trumpet. Such a fury awoke

in us who looked on, as never was, and the prisoners had been then

and there torn from their horses and set free, had it not been for

the consideration that undue precipitation might ruin the main

cause. But the sight of human blood shed in a righteous cause is the

spur of the brave, and goads him to action beyond all else. Quite

silent we kept when that troop rode past us on their way to prison,

though we were a gathering crowd not only of some of the best of

Virginia, but some of her worst and most uncontrolled of indenture

white slaves, and convicts, but something there must have been in

our looks which gave heart to those who rode bound to their horses,

for one and then another turned and looked back at us, and I trow

got some hope.