King`s Captain

or encouragement. Given at Our court at Saint James's, the 31st day of May, 1797, and in the 37th year of Our reign! G… God save the king!' '

'What?' McCann erupted in spittle-flinging fury. 'God-damn th' 6Y bugger, is more like it! Listen, Brother Bales…'

'It's what's written here, you fool!' Bales screeched back at him. 'See it? It's how any royal proclamation ends, damn your eyes!'

Glorious! Lewrie felt cause to exult in his heart; oh, thankee Jesus… maybe Lir, too! They should never have read that to the mutineers!

When the Crown spoke of Rebellion or Revolution and portrayed the mutineers as Treasonable…! That could get hundreds hung higher than Haman! And to order the entire nation to deny any mutineer aid, comfort, to deem anyone who did as co-conspirators!-like the Romans Lewrie could recall from his schooldays-exiles had to leave the furthest border of the Empire and never return, shunned as lepers and denied all aid on the way-'neither fire, nor food, nor forage,' he thought the phrase was- or end up nailed to a cross, exile and aider alike!

The King demanded that family, neighbours, friends, wives, even shopkeepers, publicans, and whores shun the mutineers now; the children flee from their father's sight, lest they be tainted and taken up!

Opportunity! Lewrie exulted; look at 'em waver, even the stout radicals… grim as a cartload of condemned men on the way to Tyburn and the gallows.¹

'Empty threats, I tell ya!' McCann ranted, too stupid to realise the harm he'd done his cause. 'The common folk are with us! We got th' North Sea Fleet, in spite of any royal decree! Thirteen ships of th' line, strong enough t'sail right up t'London Bridge, smashin' all th' forts along th' way! Take th' arsenal at Woolwich, all th' guns, shot an' powder… gather up th' soldiers too, just ripe for comin' over to us, and don't ye doubt it, brothers! They're tremblin' in their boots!'

And you're whistlin past the graveyard, Lewrie thought!

'Now, lads, I'll show ye how our Floatin' Republic answers those high-flown tyrants an' butchers! Wrote in plain English, not all that 'gilt-an' beshit'… ahem!' McCann said, producing another letter.

'Brother MeCann,' Lewrie could hear Bales urge, laying a hand on his arm to dissuade him. 'It's too much for them; they're fearful…'

'Let 'em stew an' fester on the King's writ, Brother Bales? No, they shan't. This'll nip fear in th' bud. Are you growin' fearful, Brother Bales? Turnin' cool to th' Cause, backin' off like Parker is? Mayhap this ship should elect you, day-t'day, like we do him! Nossir, lemme go… ahem!'

McCann shook loose of Bales's restraint, and drew a deep breath.

'My Lords!' he roared, ' '… we had th' honour t'receive your Lordships' proclamation, for we don't conceive it t'be his Majesty's, accompanied by an insipid address from Admiral Buckner. They met with th' fate they justly deserved! How could your Lordships think t'frighten us as old women in th' country frighten children with such stories as th' Wolf and Raw Head, and Bloody Bones… or, as the Pope wished to terrify th' French Republic with his famous Bull at th' beginnin' of th' Revolution! Know, gentlemen, that we're men! Men long tried for courage and per perseverance in a cause not altogether so interestin' to ourselves as the present. Shall we then now be induced from a few paltry threats t'forsake our glorious plan, an' lick your Lordships' '-he paused to titter-' 'feet!… for pardon an' grace, when we see ourselves in possession of thirteen sail of as noble ships as any in his Majesty's, service! And men not inferior to any in the kingdom! Do we demand anything but what justice licenses, and preservation approves?

¹ 'Th' few reasonable articles we've presented to your Lordships should have been attended to in a respectful manner, otherwise by your deferrin' it a few days longer, some others may pop up their terrific heads t'stare your Lordships in the face! We have nothin' more t'say but hope you will take th' necessary steps to save the country from a Civil War, which may end in th' ruin of yourselves, and uneasiness in our Gracious Sovereign, to whom we have ever been and will be loyal… whilst there's a chance oi our grievances bein' addressed.

' 'With regard to our havin' fired at th' San Fiorenio … be it known to you that we are very sorry that we could not sink her! As, without regard to th' league she had entered into with us, she basely deserted. We wish your Lordships likewise t'observe that th' Article Number Six shall extend to all persons condemned to imprisonments, or any other punishment by th' sentence of th' court-martial, as well as to prisoners who have not been tried, and that all persons now aboard labouring under any such sentence be from this time entirely free! We have th' honour t'be, your Lordships' very humble servants, th' seamen of th' fleet at th' Nore!' '

God, Lewrie shuddered in awe; now you've really stepped in the quag… right up to your eyebrows! I wouldn't post a letter like that to a dead lawyer! Threatening civil war, my Lord! If the King's proclamation hasn 't taken the wind from their sails, then that damn-foolery surely did! Of all the belligerent, bone-headed… /

Chatter was breaking out on every hand again, and the stunned mutterings pro and con swelled up from the gun-deck, out of his sight. Lewrie began to walk forward, into that maelstrom of doubt, sorting his thoughts for a choice, telling phrase or two which would scuttle Bales, McCann, and Proteus's mutiny once and for all.

'No, keep him back, there!' Bales cried, wheeling about as one of his minions tugged at his sleeve to point out Lewrie's intentions. 'Not this time, you don't. See 'im below,' he ordered those supporters on the quarterdeck. 'He's nothing new to say to us. I'll not have it! All officers, mates, and midshipmen will go below now!'

And before the crew knew he might have spoken, before most even could espy his presence, Lewrie was seized and hustled aft to the compan-ionway near the taffrails, and down the narrow ladder to his cabins. The arched, cross-hatched timber hatch-cover was slammed down over it a moment later, as Lewrie stood massaging his arms where they'd taken hold of him-though with a lot less violence than he'd expected from them. Fear of the consequences, Lewrie suspected, now the consequences had risen gallows high?

The door to the gun-deck slammed open against the partitions of the chart-space, and Aspinall, Padgett, and Cox'n Andrews were hurled inside to join him. In the few bleak seconds allowed him, Lewrie got a glimpse of sailors gesticulating and jabbering back and forth, angry fists being shaken in faces, some making push-off gestures of conciliation as they argued for or against continuing the mutiny, amidst wails from the confused womenfolk.

And McCann's voice, which soared over them all, rasping harsh and shrill, so loud his words could clearly be made out even through the thick deck timbers overhead… 'Spread th' ships out so we really give' th' lyin' bastards summat t'think about! We…!'

'Dey threatenin' t'flog any mon who goes against de oath, sah. Douse him in th' sea,' Andrews carped, rubbing his arms as if to wipe the mutineers' taint off, not to ease bruised flesh. He was scowling hellish-angry; even after years of freedom after running away from his slave-masters on Jamaica, he showed an aristocrat's loathing for being pawed at.

'Ssshh!' Lewrie bade him, pointing a finger aloft.

'… won't issue rations; then we'll take what we need!' McCann was bristling. 'Hundreds o' merchantmen, every day! Navy storeships be fair game too, a feast bound upriver t'London in every bottom! By order of th' Fleet Parliament, we'll starve London, swing th' people…!'

'Oh, Lord, that's revolution for sure, sir!' Aspinall gasped.

'Hush!' Lewrie snapped, all but cupping his hands to his ears.

'… anythin' perishable's free, but grain, coal, anything else, we'll stop here in th' Thamesmouth, lads! Brother seamen in merchant ships, they'll side with us, o' course they will! By next week, we'll be twenty thousand thirty thousand strong… in a fortnight, we'll lay our guns on alia London do they not give us our due! Brother Bales…! Up-anchor an' make short sail for…'

The rest trailed off into gibberish, then nothing, when McCann stopped talking for the horde and directed softer comments to Bales. Lewrie dropped his hands to his sides and lowered his gaze to stare at his tiny clutch of