No preface
Contents
Lord Clive –
Parentage and birth – Addicted to fighting – Loved peril and adventure – Writership in the East India Company – Sea-voyage to India – Gloomy condition and attempted suicide – A duel – Sketch of Indian history at this period – Capture of Madras and Fort George by Labourdonnais – Clive’s gallant behaviour at the siege of Fort St George – Madras restored to the English – Success at Dupleix – Clive’s success at Trichinopoly – The siege of Arcot – The turning-point in the career of the English – Clive cast down the monument erected at Dupleix – A narrow escape – Presence of mind – Reduction of the forts of Kovilan and Chingalpat – Overtasked – Marriage and flattering reception in England – Clears off the debts from the Styche property – Enters Parliament – Returns again to India – Proceeds against Surajah Dowlah – Chandernagore capitulates – The two treaties – Victory at Plassey – The new Nabob presents Clive with £200,000 – Vizagapatam retaken – French power in India destroyed – Clive’s wealth – Victory over the Dutch in Chinsura – Clive returns to England – Splendid reception – Created Baron of Plassey – Anarchy and confusion in Bengal – Clive returns to India – Order and prosperity restored under Clive’s administration – Leaves India for the third and last time – Examined by a Select Committee of the House of Commons as to his conduct in India – Restlessness and return of fits of depression – Takes opium – Commits suicide – His grave at Moreton-Say – Macaulay’s judgment of Clive 7
Captain John Smith –
Birth – early education at Alford and Louth – Apprenticed to a merchant – Accompanies Lord Willoughby to Orleans – Becomes a soldier – Serves in the Low Countries – Visits Scotland – Returns to Willoughby – Determines to join the Christian army against the Turks – Has adventures in France – In Rome – Enters the service of the Duke of Austria – Victory over a Turk – Found wounded – Sold as a slave to Adrianople – Tragabigzanda – Sent to Crim-Tartary – Escape from slavery – Wanders into Russia – Gifts from Duke Sigismund – Travels through Germany, France and Spain – Visits Morocco – Adventures at Sea – Enters into a project to colonise Virginia – Joins the expedition of 1606 – Arrival at Chesapeake Bay – Misery of the early colonists – Jamestown – Smith excluded from the Council – Dealings with the Indians – Smith captured by natives on the Chickahominy River – Saved by the intercession of Pocahontas, daughter of the chief – Arrival of the Phœnix – Smith starts on a trading voyage – Wounded by a fish – Death apprehended – Confusion at Jamestown – Survey of Chesapeake Bay – Smith elected president – Dealings with Powhatan – Hostility of the natives – The first marriage – Smith intimidates the natives – The story of Pocahontas – Death of Pocahontas – Professor Arber’s opinion of the story of Pocahontas – Progress of the settlement – Smith blown up with gunpowder – His departure for England – His private sailing venture – His further exploration of Virginia – Authorship and Death 75
The Good Knight Bayard –
Ancestry, and birth at Château Bayard – A father’s interview with his four children – Bayard’s choice of a profession – The Bishop of Grenoble introduces him to Duke Charles of Savoy – Becomes a page to the Duke – His appearance before Charles VIII at Ainay – Page to the Lord de Ligny – His passage of arms with Claude de Vaudray – Takes part in a tournament – Bayard acquits himself gallantly – A tourney at Carignano – Gallant behaviour at Milan – Takes a Spanish knight prisoner – Combat with Don Alonzo – How he kept the bridge over the Garigliano against 200 Spaniards – Gallant conduct at the siege of Padua – Severe illness – Battle of the Spurs – Receives his death-wound – His virtues 143
Giuseppe Garibaldi –
Birth and parentage – A bright brave lad fond of adventure – A splendid swimmer – Starts with some companions to seek his fortune – A sailor in the merchant-service – First sight of Rome – Ill at Constantinople – An exile – Joins the Republicans of Rio Grande against Brazil – His treatment of Brazilian prisoners – Cruel treatment – Shipwrecked – Engagement with Brazilian cruisers – Bravery of Anita Garibaldi – Garibaldi keeps his ground with 184 Italians against 1500 Brazilians – Leaves South America – Arrival in Italy – Garibaldi’s volunteers take the field – Drives the French from Rome – Routs the Neapolitans at Palestrina and Velletri – Personal appearance of Garibaldi – Sicily free – Later expeditions – Retirement to Caprera, and death 200