John Masefield

Martin Hyde, the Duke's Messenger (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

CHAPTER I. I LEAVE HOME

I was born at Oulton, in Suffolk, in the year 1672. I know not the day of my birth, but it was in March, a day or two after the Dutch war began. I know this, because my father, who was the clergyman at Oulton, once told me that in the night of my birth a horseman called upon him, at the rectory, to ask the way to Lowestoft. He was riding from London with letters for the Admiral, he said; but had missed his way somewhere beyond Beccles. He was mud from head to foot (it had been a wet March) but he would not stay to dry himself. He reined in at the door, just as I was born, as though he were some ghost, bringing my life in his saddle bags. Then he shook up his horse, through the mud, towards Lowestoft, so that the splashing of the horse's hoofs must have been the first sound heard by me. The Admiral was gone when he reached Lowestoft, poor man, so all his trouble was wasted. War wastes more energy, I suppose, than any other form of folly. I know that on the East Coast, during all the years of my childhood, this Dutch war wasted the energies of thousands. The villages had to drill men, each village according to its size, to make an army in case the Dutch should land. Long after the war was over, they drilled thus. I remember them on the field outside the church, drilling after Sunday service, firing at a stump of a tree. Once some wag rang the alarm-bell at night, to fetch them out of their beds. Then there were the smugglers; they, too, were caused by the war. After the fighting there was a bitter feeling against the Dutch. Dutch goods were taxed heavily (spice, I remember, was made very dear thus) to pay for the war. The smugglers began then to land their goods secretly, all along the coast, so that they might avoid the payment of the duty. The farmers were their friends; for they liked to have their gin cheap. Indeed, they used to say that in an agueish place like the fens, gin was a necessity, if one would avoid fever. Often, at night, in the winter, when I was walking home from Lowestoft school, I would see the farmers riding to the rendezvous in the dark, with their horses' hoofs all wrapped up in sacks, to make no noise.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: CAIMAN
• Erscheinungstermin: 27. Juni 2019
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9788834149065
• Artikelnr.: 59038664

Autorenporträt

John Masefield (1878-1967) was an English poet, writer, and poet laureate renowned for his narrative poetry and contributions to literature. His works often reflect his seafaring experiences and deep appreciation for adventure and storytelling. Sea Voyages: His early experiences at sea profoundly influenced his writing. He sailed around Cape Horn and worked on various ships, which provided rich material for his literary works. Desertion: He eventually deserted his ship in New York and lived as a vagrant, working various odd jobs before returning to England in 1897. Notable work," Salt-Water Ballads" (1902): A collection of poems inspired by his experiences at sea. "The Everlasting Mercy" (1911): A narrative poem that brought him widespread acclaim. "Reynard the Fox" (1919): Another notable narrative poem. "ODTAA" (1926): A novel reflecting his adventurous spirit and narrative skill. Masefield was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1930, a position he held until his death in 1967. As Poet Laureate, he wrote numerous poems for state occasions and continued to produce a significant body of work. His tenure as Poet Laureate is noted for its longevity and productivity, and he remains one of the longest-serving Poet Laureates in British history. John Masefield's literary legacy is marked by his vivid portrayal of life at sea, his adventurous narratives, and his ability to capture the essence of the human experience through his poetry and prose.