FROM RALEIGH'S FIRST CONFINEMENT, &c. 263

CHAPTER VI.

From Raleigh's first Confinement in the Tower to his Execution.

Extraordinary Pageant of an Execution in the Case of Markham and the Lords Grey and Cobham-Said to be the Invention of the King-Raleigh is reprieved and confined in the Tower-Reflections on his Character at this Period-His Pursuits in the Tower-His History of the World-His Chemical Studies-Lady Raleigh shares his ConfinementHis Son Carew born in the Tower-His Estate of Sherborne given to the Favourite Carr, Earl of Somerset-Raleigh's Correspondence and Friendship with Prince Henry-His various Writings addressed to this Prince-On War-On the Naval Power of England-On the Match with SavoyDeath of Prince Henry-Raleigh's Sorrow at this EventHis History of the World-Criticism upon this great Work -Death of Secretary Cecil-Raleigh's Epitaph on this Statesman-He regains his Liberty-Scheme for the Settlement of Guiana-Remonstrances of the Spanish Court-Character of Gondomar-Account of the Expedition-Its unfortunate Issue-Raleigh's Return to England-Proclamation against him-Inveteracy of the Spanish Government-James's Resolution to sacrifice him-Raleigh's Attempt to EscapeBetrayed by Stukely and Manourie-Recommitted to the Tower-His Examination by the Commissioners-His Employments in Prison-Difficulties attending the Mode of executing the former Sentence-His Behaviour on the Scaffold -His Death-Reflections on his Character.

AFTER his condemnation Raleigh was kept nearly a month at Winchester, in the constant expectation of death. But the king, who thought highly of his own superior acuteness, had privately resolved on a singular

mode of discovering the more minute details of this supposed conspiracy, which the skill of his prime minister and attorney-general had failed to develop. He signed the warrants for the execution of Lords Cobham and Grey, and their accomplice Sir Griffin Markham, omitting Sir Walter for the present, but directing that he also should be informed that the warrant had been prepared.*

It seems to have been at this period that Raleigh's quaint but in some places beautiful little poem was written, entitled

THE PILGRIMAGE.

"Give me my scallop-shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,

My gown of glory (hope's true gage);
And thus I'll take my Pilgrimage.

"Blood must be my body's balmer,-
No other balm will here be given;
Whilst my soul, like quiet palmer,
Travels to the land of heaven,

Over all the silver mountains,

Where do spring those nectar fountains:

"And I there will sweetly kiss
The happy bowl of peaceful bliss,
Drinking mine eternal fill,
Flowing on each milky hill.
My soul will be a-dry before;
But after, it will thirst no more.

"In that happy blissful day

More peaceful pilgrims I shall see,
That have doft their rags of clay,
And walk apparell'd fresh like me.
I'll take them first

To slake their thirst,

And then taste of nectar suckets,
At those clear wells

Where sweetness dwells,

Drawn up by saints in crystal buckets.

"And when our bottles, and all we
Are fill'd with immortality,

Then those holy paths we'll travel,
Strew'd with rubies thick as gravel;
Ceilings of diamonds, sapphire floors,
High walls of coral, and pearly bowers.

The three first were ordered to be executed on Friday; Raleigh on Monday; and, judging from the description of this tragi-comedy in a letter of Sir Dudley Carleton, who was a spectator, the scene must have been extraordinary. Markham came first on the scaffold, and after a few complaints of his hard fate, bade farewell to his friends, betook himself to his devotions, and was about to lay his neck upon the block, when a bustle was seen in the crowd, and John Gib, a Scotch groom of the bedchamber, pressing forward, called out to stay the execution by the king's command. The prisoner was accordingly withdrawn, and locked up in an adjoining hall. “The Lord Grey," says the same writer, "whose turn was next, was led to the scaffold by a troop of the young courtiers, and was supported on both sides by two of his best friends; and, coming in such equipage, had such gayety and cheer in his countenance, that he seemed a dapper young bridegroom." Having confessed his fault, and asked pardon of the king, he knelt down and prayed with much fervency; after which he was about to

From thence to Heaven's bribeless hall,
Where no corrupted voices brawl,-
No conscience molten into gold;
No forged accuser bought or sold;
No cause deferr'd, no vain-spent journey,
For there Christ is the king's attorney;
Who pleads for all without degrees,-
And he hath angels-but no fees.
And when the grand twelve-million jury
Of our sins, with direful fury,
'Gainst our souls black verdicts give,
Christ pleads his death; and then we live.
Be Thou my speaker, taintless pleader,
Unblotted lawyer, true proceeder!
Thou givest salvation even for alms,
Not with a bribed lawyer's palms.
Then this is mine eternal plea,

To him that made heaven, earth, and sea;

Seeing my flesh must die so soon,

And want a head to dine next noon,

Just at the stroke of death, my arms being spread,

Set on my soul an everlasting head,

So shall I ready, like a palmer fit,

Tread those blessed paths shown in thy Holy Writ."

undress, and the executioner deemed it was his time to begin, when the sheriff opportunely interposed; and, waving off the last officer of the law, informed his lordship that it was the king's desire he should step aside for an hour into the same hall where Markham was shut up, and give precedence to Cobham. This prisoner came now upon the stage with good assurance. His former conduct had been so contemptible and abject, that all were surprised to see his present firmness; but Cecil had undertaken to stand his friend, and he had probably some idea that this was not his last act.* Be this as it may, he briefly declared that what he said of Raleigh was true, an assertion which, as his stories had been various and contradictory, did not go for much; and having shortly bade the world adieu, he was about to unbutton his doublet, when the sheriff once more interfered, and bade him defer a while, for something else yet remained to be done. Grey and Markham were then brought back to the scaffold, all "looking strange upon one another, like men beheaded and met again in the other world." A short speech was next addressed to them on the heinousness of their offences, and the lawfulness of their condemnation. To this they bowed in token of assent. "Now," said the sheriff, "see the mercy of your prince, who of himself hath sent hither to countermand, and given you your lives." "There was then no need," says Dudley, "to beg a plaudite of the audience, for it was given with such hues and cries, that it went from the castle into the tower, and there began afresh."

It is easy to imagine the delight which the king experienced in the invention and evolution of this stratagem, though it failed in its main object, the eliciting of additional evidence against Raleigh. Sir Dudley Carleton's observations are so characteristic of James's manner, and his style of eloquence, when the British Solomon, as he delighted to hear himself called, communicated it to his

*See Remarks at the end of the volume.

courtiers, that we make no apology for transcribing them. "This resolution was taken by the king without man's help, and no man can rob him of the praise of yesterday's action; for the lords knew no other, but that execution was to go forward, till the very hour it should be performed; and then, calling them before him, he told them how much he had been troubled to resolve in this business; for to execute Grey, who was a noble young spirited fellow, and save Cobham, who was as base and unworthy, were a manner of injustice. To save Grey, who was of a proud insolent nature, and execute Cobham, who had shown great tokens of humility and repentance, were as great a solecism; and so went on with Plutarch's comparisons in the rest, still travelling in contrarieties, but holding the conclusion in so different a balance, that the lords knew not what to look for till the end came out,- And therefore I have saved them all.' The miracle was as great there as with us at Winchester, and it took like effect; for the applause that began about the king, went from thence into the presence [chamber], and so round about the court."*

Raleigh had been warned, as we have seen, to prepare for execution; and, at the king's desire, he was visited by the Bishop of Winchester, who found him exceedingly calm, and in a Christian frame of mind. On being pressed, however, by this prelate, to make his confession, he strongly asserted his innocence of all the charges urged by Cobham, only excepting the pension," which he said was once mentioned, but never proceeded in ;" and having in vain made another appeal to the king, petitioning for mercy, he resigned himself to the expectation of death. It was under these circumstances that he addressed the following beautiful letter to his wife :

"You shall now receive, my dear wife, my last words, in these my last lines. My love I send you, that you

* Hardwicke's State Papers, vol. i. p. 377. Cayley, vol. ii.

p. 75.

+ Cayley, vol. ii. p. 71.