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transfer of his patent, and prevented his recurring to the same field of enterprise, when, at the close of his military duties, he was again in a position to do so.

During these five years, evidences of the esteem of the people and the favor of the Queen had been showered upon Ralegh. He had been chosen to a seat in Parliament from the shire of Devon. The honor of Knighthood had been conferred upon him by the frugal hand of Elizabeth, who had also given him a lucrative patent for the vending of wines throughout the kingdom, and a grant of twelve thousand acres of the sequestrated estates of the Earl of Desmond. He had been created Seneschal of the Duchies of Cornwall and Exeter, Lord Warden of the Stannaries, and Captain of the Queen's Guard. Thus, at an age when the majority of men have scarcely more than passed the threshold of active life, and have given scant evidence of their abilities, we find Ralegh in the full favor of an astute and discriminating monarch, loaded with honors, and confessedly ranked among the ablest and most distinguished men, of a brilliant Court, and a great kingdom. More to his credit, than the preferments. themselves, is the fact that he deserved them. In his case, the rewards were fairly earned; and their bestowal is attributable to a just perception of character and qualities marking the Queen, rather than to a fond partiality influencing the woman.

The closing years of this period had also been filled up with occupation of the most engrossing and important nature. In connection with his brother Sir Adrian Gilbert, and as one of the "colleagues of the Fellowship for the discovery of the north-west

Passage," he had engaged with warm interest and liberal contribution in that great enterprise, which, under the able conduct of Captain John Davis, was carried on to so favorable a result. As a member of the Council of war, in connection with some of the ablest men in the Kingdom, he was charged with the responsible duty of devising plans of defence against the Spanish Invasion; and from the statement of their deliberations it would appear that he was a serviceable and leading member of that important Council.* The crisis was the most fearful that had ever occurred in English history. Sextus V. had launched against Elizabeth the thunders of the Vatican, and held up the sovereignty of England as the reward of the Conqueror;-and Philip II. the most warlike Prince in Europe, flushed with victory and enriched by conquest, had concentrated the resources of his vast dominions in an expedition of unparalelled magnitude. The integrity of the monarchy, the lives and liberty of the people, institutions hallowed by age, great principles, and inestimable rights, civil and religious freedom, the safety of person and the sanctity of home, were all involved in the issue and hung on its result. The whole land was aroused; everywhere was consternation. The general alarm was manifested in the universality of the preparation. All the resources of the kingdom, moral and physical, were called into action. Beacons were set up on every highland; fortifications protected every harbour; armed bands mustered in every shire, and hundred and hamlet. The distinctions of rank were forgotten. The prejudices of religion slumbered.

* Oldys, 39.

The Peer and the Peasant; the Catholic* and the Protestant; stood side by side. Two gallant fleets chafed at their moorings; and eighty thousand men, earnest, courageous and patriotic, calmly awaited "the Invincible Armada."

Eminent among these was Ralegh; with a Sovereign relying on his judgment, and a people confident in his valor; with every attribute called into play by the greatness of the emergency;-now enforcing upon the council some great scheme for the general defence; now begging for cannon from Woolwich; now despatching ordnance to London, or powder to Portland, or training bands of militia in Devon: amid the whirl of excitement, and the rush of action, he was in an element in which noble minds shew best; for, action is not only the life of eloquence, but the eloquence of life.

To the Camp at Tilbury, came the Queen of England: the lion-hearted Queen. The weight of years, and the pressure of the "golden round," had bent her stately person, but had not bowed her fearless spirit. Aged, and infirm, she came with greaves, and helm, and hauberk, veiling her womanhood in the stern panoply of war; and, as the glittering lines moved in review before her, she addressed them in a speech, which is so full of generous confidence and lofty courage, that we cannot refrain from quoting it. "My loving People," said she, "we have been persuaded by some that are

* The Catholic population behaved nobly in this crisis. The Peers served in the army and navy, in subordinate capacities. They fitted out vessels at their own expense and gave the command to Protestants, encouraging their dependants to lay aside all distinctions of politics, and religion, and unite in the general defence.-Kent, p. 275.

careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourself to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery: but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself, that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects, and therefore I am come among you, as you see at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God and for my kingdoms and for my people, my honor, and blood, even in the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and of a King of England too: and think foul scorn that Parma, or Spain, or any Prince in Europe, should dare invade the borders of my realm."*

It is not essential to my purpose to detail the story of the overthrow of this gigantic expedition. It is sufficient to say that Howard and Drake, Hawkins, Frobisher and Seymour, performed prodigies of valor with their gallant fleets. In connection with the efforts of man, came the manifest intervention of God; and the destruction of the Armada is attributable to a series of providential occurrences, such as the sudden death of the Marquis of Santa Cruz-the succession in command of the inefficient Duke of Medina Sidonia-the departure from the orders of Philip the tempestuous weather, and the timely intelligence of Fleming the Pirate.

* Tytler, p. 78.

In 1589 Ralegh accompanied Don Sebastian to Portugal, and was engaged against the Spaniards in the actions at Coruña, Burgos, Lisbon and Vigo. During this expedition a cause of quarrel occurred between him and Essex, which excited the anger of the Queen, and he passed over into Ireland. His interview and friendship with Spenser is a pleasant episode in his life, and if time allowed, we would willingly dwell upon it. It was beneficial to the Poet, whom it introduced favorably to Elizabeth and other distinguished patrons. His restored influence was exerted upon two occasions, to which we shall allude in detail, because they tend, although in a slight degree, to fill up that gap of evidence, as to his disposition and conduct in private life, which unfortunately exists in all his biographies. The first was the case of Mr. John Udall, a minister of the gospel, a good scholar, and a zealous puritan, who, in consequence of a certain publication reflecting strongly upon the habits and conduct of the prelacy had been brought to the bar in fetters, on an indictment for libel against the Queen. The prosecution resulted in sentence of death. Ralegh had been applied to and made the most strenuous application in his behalf. The Church however, was more powerful than the courtier, and the offending non-conformist died in prison. In the case of Captain Spring, he was more successful. This petitioner was an old and worthy soldier to whom quite a large arrearage of pay was due; the letter of Ralegh to the Lord Treasurer's Secretary in his behalf, displays the most hearty interest, and the petitioner gained his object. A third and striking instance

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