did Cobham retract all that same First because Raleigh was so Odious he thought he should fare the worse for his sake Secondly he thought thus with himself If he be free I shall clear my self the better After this Cobham asked for a Preacher to Confer with pretending to have Doctor Andrews but indeed he meant not to have him but Mr. Galloway a Worthy and Reverend Preacher who can do more with the King as he said than any other that he seeing his constant Denial might inform the King thereof Here he plays with the Preacher If Raleigh could perswade the Lords that Cobham had no Intent to travel then he thought all should be well Here is Forgery In the Tower Cobham must write to Sir Thomas Vane a worthy Man that he meant not to go into Spain which Lettter Raleigh devised in Cobham's Name Raleigh I will wash my hands of the Indictment and die a true Man to the King Attourney You are the absolutest Traytor that ever was Raleigh Your Phrases will not prove it Mr. Attourney Attourney Cobham writeth a Letter to my Lord Cecil and doth will Mellis his Man to lay it in a Spanish Bible and to make as though he found it by chance This was after he had Intelligence with this Viper that he was false Lord Cecil You mean a Letter intended to me I never had it Attourney No my Lord you had it not You my Masters of the Jury respect not the Wickedness and Hatred of the Man respect his Cause if he be guilty I know you will have care of it for the Preservation of the King the Continuance of the Gospel authorised and the Good of us all Raleigh I do not hear yet that you have spoken one word against me here is no Treason of mine done If my Lord Cobham be a Traytor what is that to me Attourney All that he did was by thy Instigation thou Viper for I thou thee thou Traytor Raleigh It becometh not a Man of Quality and Virtue to call me so But I take comfort in it it is all you can do Attourney Have I anger'd you Raleigh I am in no Case to be angry Popham Sir Walter Raleigh Mr. Attourney speaketh out of the Zeal of his Duty for the Service of the King and you for your Life be valiant on both sides Now they proceed to the Reading the Proofs The Lord Cobham's Examination Read He confesseth he had a Passport to go into Spain intending to go to the Arch-Duke to confer with him about these Practices and because he knew the Arch-Duke had not Money to pay his own Army from thence he meant to go to Spain to deal with the King for the 600000 Crowns and to return by Iersey and that nothing should be done until he had spoken with Sir Walter Raleigh for distribution of the Money to them which were discontented in England At the first beginning he breathed out Oaths and Exclamations against Raleigh calling him Villain and Traytor saying he had never entred into these Courses but by his Instigation and that he would never let him alone Here Mr. Attourney willed the Clerk of the Crown Office to read over these last words again he would never let him alone The Lord Cobham's Examination Besides he spake of Plots and Invasions Of the Particulars whereof he could give no Account though Raleigh and he had conferred of them Further he said He was afraid of Raleigh that when he should return by Iersey that he would have him and the Money to the King Being Examined of Sir Arthur Gorge he freed him saying They never durst trust him but Sir Arthur Savage they intended to use because they thought him a fit Man Raleigh Let me see the Accusation This is absolutely all the Evidence can be brought against me poor shifts You Gentlemen of the Jury I pray you understand this This is that which must either condemn or give me Life which must free me or send my Wife and Children to beg their Bread about the Streets This is that must prove me a notorious Traytor or a true Subject to the King Let me see my Accusation that I may make my Answer Clerk of the Council I did read it and shew you all the Examinations Raleigh At my first Examination at Windsor my Lords asked me what I knew of Cobham's Practice with Aremberg I answered Negatively And as concerning Arabella I protest before God I never heard one word of it If that be proved let me be guilty of ten thousand Treasons It is a strange thing you will impute that to me when I never heard so much as the Name of Arabella Stuart but only the Name of Arabella After being Examined I told my Lords that I thought my Lord Cobham had Conference with Aremberg I suspected his Visiting of him For after he departed from me at Durham House I saw him pass by his own Stairs and passed over to St. Mary Saviours where I knew Lawrency a Merchant and a Follower of Aremberg lay and therefore likely to go unto him My Lord Cecil asked my Opinion concerning Lawrency I said that if you do not apprehend Lawrency it is dangerous he will flie if you do apprehend him you shall give my Lord Cobham notice thereof I was asked likewise who was the greatest Man with my Lord Cobham I answered I knew no Man so great with him as young Wyat of Kent Assoon as Cobham saw my Letter to have discovered his Dealing with Aremberg in his Fury he accused me but before he came to the Stair-foot he repented and said he had done me wrong When he came to the end of his Accusation he added That if he had brought this Money to Jersey he fear'd that I would have deliver'd him and the Money to the King Mr. Atturney you said this never came out of Cobham's Quiver he is a simple Man Is he so simple No He hath a Disposition of his own he will not easily be guided by others but when he has once taken Head in a Matter he is not easily drawn from it he is no Babe But it is strange for me to devise with Cobham that he should go to Spain to perswade the King to disburse so much Money he being a Man of no Love in England and I having resigned my room of chiefest Command the Wardenship of the Stanneries Is it not strange for me to make my self Robin Hood or a Kett or a Cade I knowing England to be in better Estate to defend it self than ever it was I knew Scotland United Ireland Quieted wherein of late our Forces were dispersed Denmark assured which before was Suspected I knew that having a Lady whom Time had surprized we had now an active King a lawful Successor who would himself be present in all his Affairs The State of Spain was not unknown to me I had written a Discourse which I had intended to present unto the King against Peace with Spain I knew the Spaniard had six
Earl of Suffolk Lord Chamberlain Earl of Devon Lord Henry Howard Lord Cecil Earl of Salisbury Lord Wotton Sir Iohn Stanhope Vice-Chamberlain Lord Chief-Justice of England Popham Lord Chief-Justice of the Common-Pleas Anderson Justice Gaudie Justice Warburton and Sir William Wade Commissioners First The Commission of Oyer and Terminer was read by the Clerk of the Crown-Office and the Prisoner bid hold up his Hand And then presently the INDICTMENT was in effect as followeth THat he did Conspire and go about to deprive the King of his Government to raise up Sedition within the Realm to alter Religion to bring in the Roman Superstition and to procure Foreign Enemies to invade the Kingdoms That the Lord Cobham the ninth of June last did meet with the said Sir Walter Raleigh in Durham-House in the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields and then and there had Conference with him how to advance Arabella Stuart to the Crown and Royal Throne of this Kingdom and that then and there it was agreed that Cobham should treat with Aremberg Embassador from the Arch-Duke of Austria to obtain of him 600000 Crowns to bring to pass their intended Treasons It was agreed that Cobham should go to the Arch-Duke Albert to procure him to advance the pretended Title of Arabella from thence knowing that Albert had not sufficient means to maintain his own Army in the Low-Countries Cobham should go to Spain to procure the King to assist and further her pretended Title It was agreed the better to effect all this Conspiracy that Arabella should write three Letters one to the Arch-Duke another to the King of Spain and a third to the Duke of Savoy and promise three things First to establish firm Peace between England and Spain Secondly To tolerate the Popish and Roman Superstition Thirdly To be ruled by them in contracting of her Marriage And for the effecting these Traiterous Purposes Cobham should return by the Isle of Jersey and should find Sir Walter Raleigh Captain of the said Isle there and take Counsel of Raleigh for the distributing of the aforesaid Crowns as the Occasion or Discontentment of the Subjects should give cause and way And further That Cobham and his Brother Brook met on the 9th of June last and Cobham told Brook all these Treasons To the which Treasons Brook gave his Assent and did joyn himself to all these and after on the Thursday following Cobham and Brook did speak these words That there would never be a good World in England till the King meaning our Soveraign Lord and his Cubs meaning his Royal Issue were taken away And the more to disable and deprive the King of his Crown and to confirm the said Cobham in his Intents Raleigh did publish a Book falsly written against the most just and Royal Title of the King knowing the said Book to be written against the just Title of the King which Book Cobham after that received of him Further for the better effecting these Traiterous Purposes and to establish the said Brook in his Intent the said Cobham did deliver the said Book unto him the 14th of June And further the said Cobham on the 16th of June for accomplishment of the said Conference and by the traiterous Instigation of Raleigh did move Brook to incite Arabella to write to the three forenamed Princes to procure them to advance her Title and that she after she had obtained the Crown should promise to perform three things viz. Peace between England and Spain 2. To tolerate with impunity the Popish and Roman Superstitions 3. To be ruled by them three in the contracting of her Marriage To these Motions the said Brook gave his Assent And for the better effecting of the said Treasons Cobham on the seventeenth of June by the Instigation of Raleigh did write Letters to Count Aremberg and did deliver the said Letters to one Matthew de Lawrency to be delivered to the said Count which he did deliver for the obtaining of the 600000 Crowns which Money by other Letters Count Aremberg did promise to perform the payment of and this Letter Cobham received the eighteenth of June And then did Cobham promise to Raleigh that when he had received the said Mony he would deliver 8000 Crowns to him to which motion he did consent and afterwards Cobham offered Brook that after he should receive the said Crowns he would give to him 10000 thereof to which Motion Brook did assent To the Indictment Sir Walter Raleigh pleaded Not Guilty The JURY Sir Ralph Conisby Knights Sir Thomas Fowler Knights Sir Edward Peacock Knights Sir William Rowe Knights Henry Goodyer Esquires Roger Wood Esquires Thomas Walker Esquires Thomas Whitby Esquires Thomas Highgate Gentlemen Robert Kempthon Gentlemen Iohn Chawkey Gentlemen Robert Brumley Gentlemen Sir Walter Raleigh Prisoner was asked whether he would take Exceptions to any of the Jury Raleigh I know none of them they are all Christians and honest Gentlemen I except against none E. Suff. You Gentlemen of the Kings Learned Counsel follow the same course as you did the other day Raleigh My Lord I pray you I may answer the Points particularly as they are delivered by reason of the weakness of my memory and sickness Popham Chief Iustice. After the Kings Learned Counsel have delivered all the Evidence Sir Walter you may answer particularly to what you will Heale the Kings Serjeant at Law You have heard of Raleigh's bloody Attempts to kill the King and his Royal Progeny and in place thereof to advance one Arabella Stuart The particulars of the Indictment are these First That Raleigh met with Cobham the ninth of Iune and had Conference of an Invasion of a Rebellion and an Insurrection to be made by the King's Subjects to depose the King and to kill his Children poor Babes that never gave offence Here is Blood here is a new King and Governour In our King consists all our Happiness and the true use of the Gospel a thing which we all wished to be setled after the death of the Queen Here must be Money to do this for Money is the Sinew of War Where should that be had Count Aremberg must procure it of Philip King of Spain five or six hundred thousand Crowns and out of this Sum Raleigh must have eight thousand But what is that Count Aremberg though I am no good Frenchman yet it is as much as to say in English Earl of Aremberg Then there must be Friends to effect this Cobham must go to Albert Arch-Duke of Austria for whom Aremberg was Ambassador at that time in England And what then He must perswade the Duke to assist the pretended Title of Arabella From thence Cobham must go to the King of Spain and perswade him to assist the said Title Since the Conquest there was never the like Treason But out of whose Head came it Out of Raleigh's who must also advise Cobham to use his Brother Brook to incite the Lady Arabella to write three several Letters as aforesaid
Till Atropos clapt him a Pox on the Drab For spight of his Tarbox he dy'd of the Scab If the Reader desires a Key to these Verses he may meet with it in Osborn's Memoirs who yet for all his Intelligence hath not informed us that his Mistresses Name was Walsingham Fourteen Years Sir Walter had spent in the Tower and being weary of a state wherein he could be only serviceable by his Pen but not in a capacity of serving and enriching his Country any other way Of whom Prince Henry would say that no King but his Father would keep such a Bird in a Cage At length he fell upon an Enterprize of a Golden Mine in Guiana in the Southern Parts of America The Proposition of this was presented and recommended to his Majesty by Sir Ralph Winwood the Secretary of State as a Matter not in the Air or Speculative but Real and of certainty for that Sir Walter had seen of the Ore of the Mine and tried the richness of it having gotten a pound from thence by the hands of Captain Kemish his ancient Servant Sir Ralph Winwood's Recommendations of the Design and the earnest Sollicitations for his Enlargement of the Queen the Prince and the French Lieger with much affection to his Deserts not without some Politick Designs on Spain together with the Asseverations of Sir Walter of the Truth of the Mine work'd upon his Majesty who thought himself in Honour obliged nay in a manner ingaged as the Declaration which he published after the Death of Sir Walter tells us not to deny unto his People the Adventure and Hope of so great Riches to be sought and atchieved at the Charge of Voluntiers especially since it stood so well with his Majesties Politick and Magnanimous Courses in these his flourishing Times of Peace to nourish and encourage Noble and Generous Enterprizes for Plantations Discoveries and opening of a new Trade Count Gondamor an active and subtile Instrument to serve his Master's ends took Allarm at this and represented to his Majesty the Enterprize of Sir Walter to be hostile and predatory intending a breach of the Peace between the two Crowns But notwithstanding Povver at last is granted to Sir Walter to set forth Ships and Men for that Service However the King commanded him upon pain of his Allegiance to give him under his Hand promising on the Word of a King to keep it secret the number of his Men the burthen and strength of his Ships together with the Country and River which he was to enter vvhich being done accordingly by Sir Walter that very Original Paper vvas found in the Spanish Governours Closet at St. Thoma So active vvere the Spanish Ministers that Advertisement vvas sent to Spain and thence to the Indies before the English Fleet got out of the Thames But as vve have just Cause to admire the more than usual Activity of the Spanish Agents so may vve vvonder no less at the Miscarriage of his Majesties present Ministers vvho notvvithstanding he had past his Royal Word to the contrary yet they did help Count Gondamor to that very Paper So much both King and Court vvere at Gondamor's service A Commission indeed is granted but by Gondamor's means is limited that the Fleet should commit no Outrages upon the King of Spain's Subjects by Land unless they began first with other limitations in the Commission vvhich for the Readers Curiosity and Satisfaction I have here inserted JAMES by the Grace of GOD c. To all to whom these Presents shall come to be read heard or seen and to every of them greeting Whereas Sir Walter Raleigh Knight intendeth to undertake a Uoyage by Sea and Shipping unto the South parts of America or elsewhere within America possessed and inhabited by Heathen and Savage People to the end to discover and find out some Commodities and Merchandizes in those Countries that be necessary and profitable for the Subjects of these Our Kingdoms and Dominions whereof the Inhabitants there make little or no use or estimation whereupon also may ensue by Trade and Commerce some propagation of the Christian Faith and reformed Religion amongst those Savage and Idolatrous people And whereas We are credibly informed that there are divers Merchants and Owners of Ships and others well disposed to assist the said Sir Walter Raleigh in this his Enterprise had they sufficient Assurance to enjoy their due parts of the Profits returned in respect of the Peril of Law wherein the said Sir Walter Raleigh now standeth And whereas also We are informed that divers other Gentlemen the Kinsmen Friends of the said Sir Walter Raleigh and divers Captains and other Commanders are also desirous to follow him and to adventure their Lives with him in this his Iourney so as they might be commanded by no other than himself Know ye that We upon deliberate Consideration had of the Premisses being desirous by all ways and means to work and procure the benefit and good of Our loving Subjects and to give our Princely furtherance to the said Sir Walter Raleigh his Friends and Associates herein to the Incouragement of others in the like laudable Iourneys and Enterprizes to be hereafter prosecuted and pursued and especially in advancement and furtherance aswel of the Conversion of Savage People as of the increase of Trade Traffique and Merchandizes used by Our Subjects of this Our Kingdom being most famous throughout all Nations Of Our special Grace certain knowledg and meer motion have given and granted and by these Presents for Us Our Heirs and Successors do give and grant unto the said Sir Walter Raleigh full Power and Authority and free Licence and Liberty out of this Our Realm of England or any other Our Dominions to have carry take and lead for and towards his said intended Uoyage unto the said South parts or other parts of America possessed and inhabited as aforesaid and to Travel thither all such and so many of Our loving Subjects or any other Strangers that will become Our loving Subjects and live under Our Obeysance and Allegiance as shall willingly accompany him with sufficient Shipping Armour Weapons Ordnance Munition Powder Shot Habiliments Uictuals and such Wares and Merchandizes as are esteemed by the wild People in those parts Clothing Implements Furniture Cattel Horses Mares and all other such things as he shall think most necessary for his Uoyage and for the use and defence of him and his Company and trade with the People there and in passing and returning to and fro and in those parts to give away Sell Barter Cxchange or otherwise dispose of the same Goods Merchandizes and Premises to the most benefit and at the will and pleasure of the said Sir Walter Raleigh and his Company and such other Person or Persons as shall be Adventurers or Assistants with or unto him in this his intended Uoyage and from thence to Return Import Convey and bring into this Our Kingdom or any other Our Dominions such Gold Silver Bullion
There was a Report that I meant not to go to Guiana at all and that I knew not of any Mine nor intended any such matter but only to get my Liberty which I had not the wit to keep But it was my full intent to go for Gold for the benefit of his Majesty and those that went with me with the rest of my Country-men But he that knew the Head of the Mine would not discover it when he saw my Son was slain but made himself away Then he turned to my Lord of Arundel and said Being in the Gallery in my Ship at my Departure Your Honour took me by the hand and said you would request me one thing that was That whether I made a good Voyage or bad yet I should return again into England when I made you a Promise and gave you my Faith that I would And so you did answered my Lord it is true they were the last words I spake unto you Another Opinion was that I carried to Sea with me 1600 Pieces and that was all the Voyage I intended only to get Money into my Hands and that I had weighed my Voyage before whereas I protest I had but 100 Pound in all the World whereof I gave 25 Pounds to my Wife the Reason of this Speech was this there was entered 20000 Pound and yet but 4000 Pound in the Surveyors Book now I gave my Bill for the other 16000 Pound for divers Adventurers but I protest I had not a Penny of Money more than 100 Pound as I hope to be saved Another Slander was raised that I would have gone away from them and left them at Guiana but there were a great many of worthy Men that accompanied me always as my Serjeant Major George Raleigh and divers others which he then named that knew my Intent was nothing so And these be the Material Points I thought good to speak of I am now at this instant to render my Account to God and I protest as I shall appear before Him this that I have spoken is true I will speak but a word or two more because I will not trouble Mr. Sheriff too long There was a Report spread that I should rejoyce at the Death of my Lord of Essex and that I should take Tobacco in his presence when as I protest I shed Tears at his Death though I was one of the contrary Faction and at the time of his Death I was all the while in the Armory at the further end where I could but see him I was sorry that I was not with him for I heard he had a desire to see me and be reconciled to me So that I protest I lamented his Death and good cause had I for it was the worse for me as it proved for after he was gone I was little beloved And now I intreat you all to joyn with me in Prayer that the great God of Heaven whom I have grievously offended being a Man full of all Vanity and have lived a sinful Life in all sinful Callings having been a Souldier a Captain a Sea-Captain and a Courtier which are all places of Wickedness and Vice that God I say would forgive me and cast away my Sins from me and that he would receive me into everlasting Life So I take my leave of you all making my Peace with God Then Proclamation being made that all Men should depart the Scaffold he prepared himself for Death giving away his Hat and wrought Night-Cap and some Money to such as he knew that stood near him Taking his leave of the Lords Knights and other Gentlemen and among the rest taking his leave of the Lord of Arundel he thanked him for his Company and intreated him to desire the King that no scandalous Writing to defame him might be published after his Death saying further unto him I have a long Iourney to go and therefore will take my leave Then putting off his Gown and Doublet he called to the Headsman to shew him the Ax which being not presently shewed him he said I pray thee let me see it Dost thou think that I am afraid of it And having it in his hands he felt along upon the Edge of it and smiling spake to the Sheriff saying This is a sharp Medicine but it is a Physician for all Diseases Then going to and fro upon the Scaffold on every side he prayed the Company to pray to God to assist him and strengthen him And so being asked which way he would lay himself on which side the Block as he stretched himself along and laid his Head on the Block he said So the Heart be right it is no matter which way the Head lieth And then praying after he had forgiven the Headsman having given him a Sign when he should do his Office at two blows he lost both Head and Life his Body never shrinking nor moving His Head was shewed on each side of the Scaffold and then put into a Red-Leather Bag and his wrought Velvet Gown thrown over it vvhich was afterwards conveyed away in a Mourning Coach of his Ladies The large effusion of Blood which proceeded from his Veins amaz'd the Spectators vvho conjectur'd he had stock enough left of Nature to have survived many years thô now near fourscore years old He behav'd himself at his Death vvith so High and so Religious a Resolution as if a Christian had acted a Roman or rather a Roman a Christian And by the Magnanimity vvhich vvas then conspicuous in him he abundantly baffled their Calumnies who had accus'd him of Atheism Various were the Resentments of his Death and several Pasquils as it always happens on such Occasions were scatter'd abroad Of the Gallantry of his Behaviour on the Scaffold these following Verses may give a Confirmation and a Taste of the Poetry of those Times Upon Sir Walter Raleigh's Execution and Death Great Heart who taught thee so to die Death yielding thee the Victory Where took'st thou leave of Life If here How could'st thou be so far from Fear But sure thou dyed'st and quitd'st the state Of Flesh and Blood before that Fate Else what a Miracle were wrought To triumph both in Flesh and Thought I saw in every Stander by Pale Death Life only in thy Eye Farewel Truth shall this Story say We dy'd Thou only livd'st that Day Or if the Reader pleases he may take this following Elegy composed on the same Subject by a Sacred Wit of those times An ELEGY on Sir W. R. I will not weep for 't were as great a sin To shed a Tear for Thee as to have bin An Actor in thy Death Thy Life and Age Was but a various Scene on Fortunes Stage With whom Thou tugg'st and strov'st ev'n out of breath In thy long Toyl ne're master'd till thy Death And then despight of Trains and cruel Wit Thou didst at once subdue Malice and it I dare not then so blast thy Memorie As t' say I do lament or pity Thee Were I