Citizens to an Insurrection But the City then being Rich was not so apt to rebel Rebellion being usually the Daughter of Poverty and Discontent For these Treasonable Actions being found guilty he was condemned and executed That he died bravely and like a Gentleman is not to be question'd but that Sir Walter Raleigh should come openly to see him die on purpose only to fat his Eyes with the Sacrifice of his Enemy can never be granted if we may believe himself in the same circumstances on the Scaffold where he told his Auditors on the words of a Dying-man he only came there to defend himself if any thing had been urg'd against him by the Earl Thus ended that Favourite whose Death struck a damp on the Queens prosperous days and gave blackness to her declining Reign This Blow like that of Gunpowder not only blew up his Friends and Neighbours but shook his Enemies at a distance for it reach'd Sir Walter too who wanting strength to grapple with his Rival the Treasurer and not owning humility enough to be his Servant perish'd at last in the Encounter This himself presag'd if we may believe Osborn as he came from the Execution of Essex in a Boat when he was heard to say That it was more safe to have many Enemies at Court of equal power than one false and ambitious Friend who hath attain'd to the absoluteness of Command The Queen could not long survive her Favourite for I find her Death to be the next year following A Queen who had enrich'd the Nation reform'd Religion curb'd the Pride of Spain supported France preserv'd Scotland protected the Hollander against the Spaniard and had vanquish'd his Armies by Sea and Land reduc'd Ireland to obedience notwithstanding all the subtil Practices of Spain and open Assistance given in Arms to her Irish Rebels with many other things which might seem too much to be the Atchievements of one Reign King James her Successor came to the possession of a Kingdom arrived at the heighth of Prosperity which like other Bodies when they are at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tend to Corruption and degenerate This Sir Walter perceiv'd would have as he thought remedied Sir Iohn Fortescue the Lord Cobham Sir Walter and others would have obliged the King by Articles before his coming to the Crown that his Country-mens number should be limited But this was stopt by the prudent Treasurer and the bold Northumberland Sir Walter fear'd that the Scots like Locusts would quickly devour this Kingdom it being probable that like the Goths and Vandals they would settle in any Country rather than their own and would make it their business to render our Nation as poor as their own for this he with the rest of them was afterwards frown'd on by the King and lost his Command of the Guards However Sir Walter still pursued the Good and Glory of his Country and as formerly in Active Times gave his Advice against the Peace with Spain which might now with no great difficulty be brought on its knees At the entrance of the King he presented him with a Manuscript of his own writing with no weak Arguments against the Peace But Sir VValter was mistaken for his Counsel was ill tim'd and a new Part was now to be acted the Scene being changed Peace was the King's Aim whether out of Fear or Religious Principles I determine not But with Spain a Peace is concluded with an Enemy already humbled who now had time given them to recover their former Losses and were as it were cherish'd to assault us with the greater vigor which how true it proved every Man can tell And as if the King would quite run counter to the Queens Politiques the Estates of the Netherlands are despised slighted and deserted under pretence that it were of ill example for a Monarch to protect them The King is hardly warm in his Throne but there is a great noise of a Plot generally call'd Sir Walter Raleigh's Treason but upon vvhat Grounds I know not since he had the least hand in it as by his Tryal will appear A Plot that is still a Mystery and hath a Vail spread over it A Plot compos'd of such a Hodg-podg of Religion and Interests that the World stands amazed Sir Walter Raleigh should ever be drawn into it A Plot so unlikely to hurt others or benefit themselves that as Osborn tells us If ever Folly was capable of the title or Pity due to Innocence theirs might claim so large a share as not possibly to be too severely condemn'd or slightly enough punished Envy and Disdain as Sir Walter has told us in his Remains seek Innovation by Faction Discontent is the great Seducer which at first put him to search into a Plot he afterwards was betray'd into The chief Ingredients in this Medley were two Priests Watson and Clerk and Count Arembergh Ambassador Extraordinary for the Arch-Duke who brought in Cobham and he his Brother George Brook both Protestants at least seeming so George Brook hook'd in Parham and others and they the Lord Grey of Wilton a rank Puritan then came in Sir Walter the wisest of them all according to Sanderson who as he tells us dallied like a Fly in the flame till it consum'd him Willing he was to know it and thought by his Wit to over-reach the Confederates whom he knew well enough thô he dealt with none but Cobham as I can find out One Mr. Lawrency an Antwerp-Merchant was the property made use of by Arembergh and a Crony of the Lord Cobhams These carried on the Contrivance a long while which as Sanderson tells us was betray'd by Lawrency and the vigilancy of Cecil And indeed it was morally impossible that so many disagreeing weak Souls should carry on a Project without taking Air the least glimpse being enough to give light to the States-men of those times Their Designs were 1. To set the Crown on the Lady Arabella or to seize the King and make him grant their Desires and a Pardon 2. To have a Toleration of Religion 3. To procure Aid and Assistance from Foreign Princes 4. To turn out of the Court such as they dislik'd and place themselves in Offices Watson to be Lord-Chancellor George Brook lord-Lord-Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State Lord Grey Master of the Horse and Earl-Marshal of England But it seems they made no provision for Sir Walter which is no inconsiderable Argument of his Innocency who could have deserv'd and might have expected as great a Reward as any of them had he been engaged in the Plot. To oblige to Secrecy VVatson draws up an Oath But all is betray'd they are seiz'd examin'd and try'd How well or ill Sir Walter has acquitted himself we shall leave to the Opinion of the Readers of the following TRYAL which was exactly and faithfully taken THE ARRAIGNMENT OF Sir Walter Raleigh Knight AT Winton Thursday the 17th of November Anno Dom. 1603 before the Right Honourable The
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
to choose a Subject to bestow My Pity on he should be one as low In Spirit as Desert That durst not dye But rather were content by Slavery To purchase Life Or would I pity those Thy most industrious and friendly Foes Who when they thought to make Thee Scandals story Lent Thee a swifter Flight to Heav'n and Glory They thought by cutting off some wither'd Days Which thou could'st spare them to eclipse thy Praise Yet gave it brighter Foil made thy ag'd Fame Appear more white and fair than foul their Shame And did promote an Execution Which but for them Nature and Age had done Such worthless Things as these are only born To live on Pities Alms too mean for Scorn Thou dy'dst an env'ous Wonder whose high Fate The World must still admire scarce imitate Thus died that Knight vvho vvas Spains Scourge and Terror and Gondamor's Triumph vvhom the vvhole Nation pitied and several Princes interceded for Queen Elizabeths Favourite and her Successors Sacrifice A Person of so much Worth and so great Interest that King James vvould not execute him vvithout an Apology One of such incomparable Policy that he was too hard for Essex was the Envy of Leicester and Cecil's Rival vvho grew jealous of his Excellent Parts and was afraid of being supplanted by him His Head was wisht on the Secretaries shoulders and his Life valued by some at a higher rate than the Infanta of Spain though a Lady incomparably excelling in both the Gifts of Mind and Body Authors are perplext under what Topick to place him whether of Statesman Seaman Souldier Chymist or Chronologer for in all these he did excel He could make every thing he read or heard his own and his own he could easily improve to the greatest Advantage He seem'd to be born to that only vvhich he went about so Dexterous vvas he in all his Undertakings in Court Camp by Sea by Land vvith Sword vvith Pen. Witness in the last his History of the World History of Guiana His Remains Iudicious and Select Essays and Observations on the first Invention of Shipping the Misery of Invasive War the Navy Royal and Sea-Service with his Apology for his Sea-Voyage to Guiana Wars with forreign Princes dangerous to our Common-wealth or Reasons for forreign Wars answered An excellent Manuscript of the present State of Spain with a most Accurate Account of his Catholique Majesties Power and Riches with the Names and Worth of the most considerable Persons in that Kingdom FINIS Books lately published THe Courtiers Calling Shewing the ways of making a Fortune and the Art of living at Court according to Polity and Morality In two Parts The First concerning Noble-Men The Second concerning Gentlemen By a Person of Honour Price bound 1 s. 6 d. Don Carlos Prince of Spain a Tragedy as it is Acted at the Duke's Theatre VVritten by Thomas Otway Price 1 s. Titus and Berenice a Tragedy as it is Acted at the Duke's Theatre with a Farce called the Cheats of Scapin VVritten by Tho. Otway Price 1 s. The Portugal History or A Relation of the Troubles that happened in the Court of Portugal in the Years 1667 and 1668 In which is to be seen that great Transaction of the Renunciation of the Crown by Alphonso the Sixth The Dissolution of his Marriage with the Princess Maria Frances Isabella of Savoy The Marriage of the same Princess to his Brother the Prince Don Pedro now Regent of the Realm of Portugal And the Reasons alledged at Rome for the Dispensation thereof By S.P. Esquire Price bound 1 s. 6 d. The Art of making Love or Rules for the Conduct of Ladies and Gallants in their Amours Price bound 1 s. Antony and Cleopatra a Tragedy as it is acted at the Duke's Theatre VVritten by the Honourable Sir Charles Sedley Baronet in 4to Price 1 s. A Treatise concerning Statutes or Acts of Parliament And the Exposition thereof VVritten by Sir Christopher Hatton late Lord Chancellor of England Price bound 1 s. Published this Term. Circe a Tragedy as it is acted at his Royal Highnesses the Duke of York's Theatre VVritten by Charles Davenant L. L. D. in 4to Price stitcht 1 s. All sold by R Tonson at his Shop under Grayes-Inne-Gate next Grayes-Inne-Lane In his Preface to the History of the World In his Britannia Sir Rob. Nanton 1569. 1580. Fuller's Worthies 1584. 1588. 1592. 1595. 1596. 1597. 1602
Repulses three in Ireland and three at Sea and once in 1588 at Cales by my Lord Admiral I knew he was Discouraged and Dishonoured I knew the King of Spain to be the proudest Prince in Christendom but now he cometh Creeping to the King my Master for Peace I knew whereas before he had in his Port six or seven score Sail of Ships he hath now but Six or Seven I knew of Twenty five Millions he had from his Indies he hath scarce one left I knew him to be so Poor that the Jesuites in Spain who were wont to have such large Allowance were fain to beg at the Church-Door Was it ever read or heard that any Prince should disburse so much Money without a sufficient Pawn I knew her own Subjects the Citizens of London would not lend her Majesty Money without Lands in Mortgage I knevv the Queen did not lend the States Money without Flushing Brill and other Towns for a Pawn And can it be thought that he vvould let Cobham have so great a Sum I never came to the Lord Cobham's but about matters of his Profit as the Ordering of his House Paying of his Servants Board-vvages c. I had of his vvhen I vvas examined Four Thousand Pounds vvorth of Jewels for a Purchase a Pearl of three thousand Pound and a Ring vvorth five hundred Pound If he had had a fancy to run avvay he vvould not have left so much to have purchased a Lease in Fee Farm I savv him buy three hundred Pounds vvorth of Books to send to his Library at Canterbury and a Cabinet of thirty Pound to give to Mr. Attourney for dravving the Conveyances and God in Heaven knovveth not I vvhether he intended to travel or no. But for that Practice vvith Arabella or Letters to Aremberg framed or any Discourse vvith him or in vvhat Language he spake unto him if I knevv any of these things I vvould absolutely confess the Indictment and acknovvledge my self vvorthy ten thousand Deaths Cobham's second Examination read The Lord Cobham being required to Subscribe to an Examination there vvas shevved a Note under Sir Walter Raleigh's hand the vvhich vvhen he had perused he paused and after brake forth into these Speeches Oh Villain Oh Traytor I will now tell you all the Truth And then said His purpose vvas to go into Flanders and into Spain for the obtaining the aforesaid Money and that Raleigh had appointed to meet him in Iersey as he returned Home to be advised of him about the Distribution of the Money Popham Lord Chief Iustice. When Cobham answer'd to the Interrogatories he made scruple to subscribe and being urged to it he said If he might hear me affirm that a Person of his Degree ought to set his Hand he would I lying then at Richmond for fear of the Plague was sent for and I told he ought to subscribe otherwise it were a Contempt of a high Nature Then he subscribed The Lords questioned with him further and he shewed them a Letter as I thought written to me but it was indeed written to my Lord Cecil He desired to see the Letter again and then said Oh Wretch Oh Traytor Whereby I perceived you had not performed that Trust he had reposed in you Raleigh He is as passionate a Man as lives for he hath not spared the best Friends he hath in England in his Passion My Lords I take it he that has been examined has ever been asked at the time of his Examination if it be according to his meaning and then to subscribe Methinks my Lords when he accuses a Man he should give some Account and Reason of it it is not sufficient to say we talked of it If I had been the Plotter would not I have given Cobham some Arguments whereby to perswade the King of Spain and answer his Objections I knew Westmorland and Bothwell Men of other Understandings than Cobham were ready to beg their Bread Sir Thomas Fowler one of the Iury. Did Sir Walter Raleigh write a Letter to my Lord before he was examined concerning him or not Attourney Yes Lord Cecil I am in great Dispute with my self to speak in the Case of this Gentleman A former Dearness between me and him tied so firm a Knot of my Conceit of his Virtues now broken by a Discovery of his Imperfections I protest did I serve a King that I knew would be displeased with me for speaking in this Case I would speak whatever came of it But seeing he is compacted of Piety and Justice and one that will not mislike of any Man for speaking a Truth I will answer your Question Sir Walter Raleigh was staid by me at Windsor upon the first News of Copley that the Kings Person should be surprised by my Lord Grey and Mr. George Brook when I found Brook was in I suspected Cobham then I doubted Raleigh to be a partaker I speak not this that it should be thought I had greater Judgment than the rest of my Lords in making this haste to have them examined Raleigh following to Windsor I met with him upon the Tarras and willed him as from the King to stay saying The Lords had something to say to him Then he was examined but not concerning my Lord Cobham but of the Surprising Treason My Lord Grey was apprehended and likewise Brook by Brook we found that he had given notice to Cobham of the surprising Treason as he delivered it to us but with as much sparingness of a Brother as he might We sent for my Lord Cobham to Richmond where he stood upon his Justification and his Quality sometimes being froward he said he was not bound to subscribe wherewith we made the King acquainted Cobham said if my Lord Chief Justice would say it were a Contempt he would subscribe whereof being resolved he subscribed There was a Light given to Aremberg that Lawrency was examined but that Raleigh knew that Cobham was examined is more than I know Raleigh If my Lord Cobham had trusted me in the Main was not I as fit a Man to be trusted in the Bye Lord Cecil Raleigh did by his Letters acquaint us that my Lord Cobham had sent Lawrency to Aremberg when he knew not he had any Dealings with him Lord H. How It made for you if Lawrency had been only acquainted with Cobham and not with you But you knew his whole Estate and were acquainted with Cobham's Practice with Lawrency and it was known to you before that Lawrency depended on Aremberg Attourney 1. Raleigh protested against the surprising Treason 2. That he knew not of the Matter touching Arabella I would not charge you Sir Walter with a matter of Falshood You say you suspected the Intelligence that Cobham had with Aremberg by Lawrency Raleigh I thought it had been no other Intelligence but such as might be vvarranted Attourney Then it was but lawful Suspicion But to that whereas you said that Cobham had accused you in Passion I answer three Ways 1.
Daniel had not cried out Will you condemn an innocent Israelite without Examination or Knowledge of the Truth Remember it is absolutely the Commandment of God If a false Witness rise up you shall cause him to be brought before the Judges if he be found false he shall have the Punishment which the Accused should have had It is very sure for my Lord to accuse me is my certain Danger and it may be a means to excuse himself Lord Chief Iustice. There must not such a Gap be opened for the Destruction of the King as would be if we should grant this You plead hard for your self but the Laws plead as hard for the thing I did never hear that Course to be taken in a Case of Treason as to write one to another or speak one to another during the time of their Imprisonment There hath been Intelligence between you and what underhand Practices there may be I know not If the Circumstances agree not with the Evidence we will not condemn you Raleigh The King desires nothing but the knowledge of the Truth and would have no advantage taken by Severity of the Law If ever we had a Gracious King now we have I hope as he is such are his Ministers If there be but a Trial of five Marks at common Law a Witness must be deposed Good my Lords let my Accuser come face to face and be deposed Lord Chief Iustice. You have no Law for it God forbid any Man should accuse himself upon his Oath Attourney The Law presumes a Man will not accuse himself to accuse another You are an odious Man For Cobham thinks his Cause the worse that you are in it Now you shall hear of some Stirs to be raised in Scotland Part of Coplies Examination Also Watson told me that a special Person told him that Aremberg offer'd to him a thousand Crowns to be in that Action and that Brook said the Stirs in Scotland came out of Rawleigh's Head Raleigh Brook hath been taught his Lesson Lord H. How This Examination was taken before me Did I teach him his Lesson Raleigh I protest before God I meant it not by any Privy Counsellor but because Money is scant he will juggle on both sides Raleigh's Examination The way to invade England were to begin with Stirs in Scotland Raleigh I think so still I have spoken it to divers of the Lords of the Council by way of Discourse and Opinion Attourney Now let us come to those words of Destroying the King and his Cubs Raleigh O barbarous if they like unnatural Villains should use those words shall I be charged with them I will not hear it I was never any Plotter with them against my Country I was never false to the Crown of England I have spent 4000 Pounds of my own against the Spanish Faction for the Good of my Country Do you bring the words of these Hellish Spiders Clark Watson and others against me Attourney Thou hast a Spanish Heart and thy self art a Spider of Hell for thou confessest the King to be a most Sweet and Gracious Prince and yet hast conspired against him Watson's Examination read He said that George Brook told him twice That his Brother the Lord Cobham said to him that you are but on the Bye but Raleigh and I are on the Main Brook's Examination read Being askt what was meant by this Jargon the Bye and the Main he said That the Lord Cobham told him that Grey and others were in the Bye he and Raleigh were on the Main Being askt what Exposition his Brother made of these Words he said he is loth to repeat it And after saith by the Main was meant the taking away of the King and his Issue and thinks on his Conscience it was infused into his Brother's Head by Raleigh Cobham's Examination read Being askt if ever he had said It will never be well in England till the King and his Cubs were taken away He said he had answered before and that he would answer no more to that Point Raleigh I am not named in all this There is a Law of two sorts of Accusers one of his own Knowledg another by Hear-say Earl of Suffolk See the Case of Arnold Lord Chief Iustice. It is the Case of Sir Will. Thomas and Sir Nicholas Arnold Raleigh If this may be you will have any Mans Life in a Week Attourney Raleigh saith that Cobham was in a Passion when he said so Would he tell his Brother any thing of Malice against Raleigh whom he lov'd as his Life Raleigh Brook never loved me until his Brother had accused me he said nothing Lord Cecil We have heard nothing that might lead us to think that Brook accused you he was only in the Surprising Treason for by accusing you he should accuse his Brother Raleigh He doth not care much for that Lord Cecil I must judg the best The Accusation of his Brother was not Voluntary he pared every thing as much as he could to save his Brother Cobham's Examination read He saith he had a Book written against the Title of the King which he had of Raleigh and that he gave it to his Brother Brook and Raleigh said it was foolishly written Attorney After the King came within twelve miles of London Cobham never came to see him and intended to travel without seeing the Queen and the Prince Now in this Discontentment you gave him the Book and he gave it his Brother Raleigh I never gave it him he took it off my Table For I well remember a little before that time I received a Challenge from Sir Amias Preston and for that I did intend to answer it I resolved to leave my Estate setled therefore laid out all my loose Papers amongst which was this Book Lord Howard Where had you this Book Raleigh In the old Lord Treasurers Study after his Death Lord Cecil Did you ever shew or make known the Book to me Raleigh No my Lord. Lord Cecil My Father being employed in the Affairs of State at that time it was like enough he had many Books and Papers written against the then Queen and State which might come to his hands by the Discovery of such Offences Attourney I observe there was Intelligence between you and Cobham in the Tower for after he said it vvas against the King's Title he denied it again Sir William Wade First my Lord Cobham confesseth it and after he had subscribed it he revoked it again To me he always said that the Drift of it was against the King's Title Raleigh I protest before God and all his Works I gave him not the Book Nota. Sir Robert Wroth speaketh or whispereth something secretly Attourney My Lords I must complain of Sir Robert Wroth he sayes this Evidence is not material Sir Robert Wroth. I never spake the vvords Attourney Let Mr. Serjeant Philips testifie vvhether he heard him say the Words or no. Lord Cecil I will give my Word for Sir Robert Wroth. Sir Robert Wroth.
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