ships and barks which, in 1583, sailed for America. Gilbert was the leader, while Raleigh remained to watch over interests at home. The expedition was unfortunate almost from its commencement, and proved fatal to its commander. Thus was he twice unsuccessful, and one would suppose that this double failure would have discouraged him from further attempts. But Raleigh was not acting on the mere chance of discovery. He studied the probabilities of success and proceeded on certain data. He had read the accounts of the Spanish voyagers, he let no skilful mariner escape his examination, and knowing as he did that the ships of Spain entered the gulf of Mexico by Hispaniola, and on their return, sailing eastward from the coast of Florida, left a coast on their west trending away to the north; he was convinced, from his knowledge of the sphere, that there was a large extent of unexplored land between Florida and Newfoundland, and it was this on which he desired to enter. Having satisfied himself, he laid the subject before the queen, and in 1584 obtained the patent we have presented, granting him a title to his discoveries, and authority to plant colonies. The queen, however, was not willing that he should go in person on the voyage of discovery, because she required his services at home. He dispatched, therefore, Amadas and Barlow with minute instructions, and the result was the discovery of what is now the State of North Carolina. They returned, bringing with them two of the natives, and affording to Raleigh, by their success, the proud gratification of finding ample confirmation of opinions which he had reached by reasoning, and the truth of which he had established at his own expense. The queen, no less delighted than Raleigh, named the newly-discovered region Virginia, and conferred the honor of knighthood on the man whose sagacity and enterprise had added to the extent of her dominions. At this period, also, we find him representing his native county in parliament, and enjoying valuable grants of monopolies the better to enable him to carry on his work of discovery and colonization. Ere long he had, in company with others, another fleet upon the seas, bound to his American possessions. This squadron left a governor and colonists on Roanoke Island, to make a permanent plantation; they however unfortunately became embroiled with the natives, and from a variety of

calamitous events, were glad to return to England with the fleet of Sir Francis Drake, which had touched at the settlement. Scarcely, however, had they departed before another fleet of four vessels, laden with abundant supplies, and sent by Raleigh, reached the coast and found, to their astonishment, everything deserted and in ruins. Fifteen men were left with provisions for two years, and the fleet returned home.

Most men would have abandoned forever an enterprise marked by such a succession of discouragements; but the zeal, enthusiasm and perseverance of Raleigh were indomitable. At this very moment he had two other vessels ready, and sent them forth for a cruise against the Spaniards. They took more prizes than they could bring into port, and added materially to Raleigh's wealth.

Possessed now of the confidence and regard of the queen, who was wonderfully taken with his eloquence, and by whom he was

regarded as in some sort an oracle; in the enjoyment, also, of many valuable offices by her gift, a member of parliament, and with wealth to sustain him in his magnificent undertakings; to outward seeming it would appear that, so far as earth was concerned, there was but little left for his desire: but these very circumstances were silently operating to his injury; for they aroused envy and malice to a sleepless vigilance and determined resolution, to seize the first opportunity of dragging him from an elevation which he honored, and his right to which he had fairly earned, and which he forfeited by no fault. Ignorant, probably, of the extent of that malignity which watched for his ruin, he pursued his plans, buoyant with the anticipations shadowed forth by his sanguine spirit, and sent out another colony to Virginia. On reaching Carolina, they sought in vain for the fifteen men who had been left on the former voyage. The only vestiges they ever found of them were their bones, bleaching amid the ruins of their dilapidated and forsaken habitations. Of this last colony about one hundred remained, while the governor, at their request, sailed for England for further supplies. When he arrived, all England was alive to the apprehension of the threatened invasion of the far-famed Spanish Armada. Apprehension was not groundless, for Spain was not then what she is now. It was her day of glory and of strength. Her monarch, Philip, had many causes powerfully operating to stimulate him in his intended blow against England.

There were reasons political, personal, and religious. Elizabeth had espoused the cause of the Netherlands, she had refused the offers of marriage made her by Philip, and she was also a protestant. In all these particulars the King of Spain found causes of offence, and hence long meditated vengeance. His preparations for a descent upon England occupied him during three years, and his resources made him a most formidable enemy. Beside the wealth derived to his exchequer from the precious metals of America, he drew largely on the private fortunes of his nobility, and the result was a prodigious armament of nearly 140 ships, having on board 30,000 men, with 30,000 more under the Duke of Parma, ready to embark at a moment's warning from the Netherlands, with an additional 12,000 under the Duke of

Guise on the coast of Normandy. England never saw a moment of greater peril, and England never met danger with a braver spirit. The nation felt that under God, they must prove the bulwarks of liberty of conscience and liberty of person to Europe. The queen was now all queen, her lion heart was roused, and she forgot all her woman's nonsense. It was no time to be fancying herself beautiful and beloved, and to make herself a ridiculous old fool in court pageants. She had a kingdom and a crown at stake. She formed immediately a council of war, of which Raleigh was perhaps the most conspicuous member. Burleigh says that the course pursued was chiefly on Raleigh's advice. No man was more competent than he to give counsel. Intimately. acquainted with the resources of Spain, he was at the same time a skilful admiral and an experienced general. In an incredibly short period, so extensive and complete were the military preparations, that (according to the testimony of an eye-witness and Spanish spy) the maritime counties were so furnished that upon any one spot where a landing might be made, within 48 hours an army of 20,000 men fully provided could be assembled, under the command of the most experienced officers. The queen was as cheerful as she was brave. It is enough to move the spirits, like the trumpet's call to battle, when we read the heroic words of Elizabeth at Tilbury. She was of the true Tudor blood-"My loving people," (thus she spake) "we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves 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 amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst you all: to lay down for my God, for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even in the dust. I know that I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realms."

Raleigh, though he had a command on land, determined that his services should be rendered on the sea. It would bring him first into contact with the enemy, and beside, his adventurous spirit better loved the ocean for the very dangers that attended it. In the midst of all his activity he found time hastily to dispatch two ships to his colonists, and then all his thoughts were for England. And yet in the face of all these facts, a modern English writer of deserved celebrity (Southey), states that the abandonment of his poor colonists in Carolina "must ever be a reproach to Raleigh." He says that no "attempt was made to relieve them, nor to ascertain their fate." He might have found proof of his inaccuracy in the volumes of Purchas. This writer informs us, under the date of 1602, that "Samuel Mace of Weymouth, a very sufficient mariner, who had been at Virginia twice before, was (in this year) employed thither by Sir Walter Raleigh, to find those people which were left there in 1587, to whose succor he had sent five several times at his own charges."-Purchas, vol. iv., 1653.

It was on an evening in the latter part of July that the English first descried the enemy, which had entered the British channel the day before. The Armada came on majestically, the ships forming a semi-circle of seven miles in extent. The battle soon commenced, and lasted with intervals until the 1st of August (a period of ten days), when fairly vanquished in every engagement of the ships and sorely handled by the storms, the remainder of this proud navy, consisting of fifty-three vessels, was glad to escape to Spain, and there presented an appearance so shattered, and crews so exhausted, that its very presence was as mortifying as the capture of its companions. Raleigh shared in all the dangers of this protracted sea-fight, and the Lord High Admiral was happy to follow his counsel. After the victory, England found fresh cause for thankfulness in the revelations afforded by some of the prizes of the humane intentions of the Spaniards. Superstition and bigotry had not been unemployed in the great work of preparation to subdue England. The thumb-screws and iron boots with wedges, and whips, and manacles, with divers other ingenious devices to punish heresy and promote conversion, were dragged to the light of day, and their purposes explained by some VOL. I.-3.