Determina court. CHAP. I. Flushing. I will see Sluse lost or relieved, which cannot be yet, but is now ready to be done. If I return I tion to fly the will be welcomed home. If not, una bella morier is better than a disquiet life. This course may seem strange; but the extreme unkind dealing with me drives me to it. My friends will make the best of it; mine enemies cannot say it is unhonest; the danger is mine, and I am content to abide the worst. Whatsoever becomes of me, God grant her to be ever most happy. And so in haste commit you to God.-Yours assured, New projects of coloniza tion. "This 21st of July. "R. ESSEX. “If you show my letter to any body, let it be to my mother and Mr Secretary.* *99 It was now time to think of his Virginian colony, the failure of which, as already noticed, was rather owing to the precipitate desertion of Lane than to any fault in the original plan; and he determined to make a new attempt for the settlement of a country which held out so many encouragements from its salubrious climate and fertile soil. Hariot, who accompanied Lane, had by this time published his True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia, which created much speculation; so that he experienced little difficulty in procuring 150 settlers. He appointed as governor Mr John White, with twelve John White. assistants, to whom he gave a charter, incorporating them by the name of the Governor and Assistants of the City of Raleigh in Virginia. These, in three vessels, furnished principally at his own expense, sailed from Portsmouth on the 26th of April 1587, and on the 22d of July anchored in Hatorask harbour. White, with forty men, proceeded in the pinnace to Roanoak to confer with the fifteen colonists left by Sir Richard Grenville; but to his dismay found the place deserted, and human bones scattered on the beach,-the remains, as was afterwards Governor *This curious letter was discovered by my learned friend Mr Brewer of Queen's College, Oxford, amongst the valuable MS. Collections of Archbishop Sancroft, vol. lxxiv. p. 46.It is now printed for the first time. settlement. discovered, of their countrymen, all of whom the savages CHAP. I had slain. A party then hastened to the fort on the Desolate north side of the island. But here the prospect was state of the equally discouraging. No trace of a human being was to be seen; the building was rased to the ground, and the wild deer were couching in the ruined houses, and feeding on the herbage and melons which had overgrown the floor and crept up the walls. Dissensions natives. Although the governor held Raleigh's written orders Retreat to to make the settlement on the Bay of Chesepiock, he Roanoak. was obliged to abandon that plan, and commenced repairing the buildings at Roanoak. But disaster attended all their proceedings. Dissensions broke out among them; and White, either from want of firmness or not being intrusted with sufficient authority, found it impossible to carry on operations with success. The natives of Croatoan were friendly; those of Secota and Aquas- with the cogok, who had murdered the former colonists, completely hostile; but all were clothed alike,—and before going to war the Croatoans anxiously begged for some badge by which they might be recognised. In the confusion this was neglected, and it led to unhappy consequences. Howe, an English sailor, who had gone a-fishing, was slain by the savages, being pierced with sixteen arrows; and White having in vain attempted to open a pacific communication with the weroanees or chief men of Secota and Pomeiock, determined not to delay his revenge. Guided, therefore, by Manteo, he set out at Fatal error. midnight with Captain Stafford and twenty-four men, and stealing in the dark upon the natives as they sat around a fire, shot some of them dead on the spot, while others fled shrieking into a thicket, and one savage who knew Stafford rushed up, calling out his name and embracing his knees. To the grief and horror of the governor it was then discovered that they had attacked a party of friends instead of enemies. Soon after, Manteo, in obedience to Raleigh's directions, was christened, and created Lord of Roanoak and Dasamonwepeuk; whilst Mrs Eleanor Dare, the wife of one D CHAP. I. of the assistants, having given birth to a daughter, the infant was named Virginia, being the first Christian born in that country.* First native of the colony. Disputes settlers. * White was now anxious to fulfil Sir Walter's instrucamong the tions; but disputes arose with renewed bitterness among the settlers. Though they were not in want of stores, many demanded permission to go home; others violently opposed this; and at last, after stating a variety of projects, all joined in requesting the governor to sail for England, and return with all the supplies requisite for the establishment of the colony. To this he reluctantly consented; and departing from Roanoak on the 27th of August 1587, where he left eighty-nine men, seventeen women, and eleven children, he arrived in England on the 5th of November.t CHAPTER II. From the Defeat of the Armada to Raleigh's Expected Invasion of England by the Spanish ArmadaConduct of Elizabeth-Consultations with Sir Walter Raleigh and other experienced Officers-Preparations for DefenceDrake, Hawkins, Frobisher, and Lord Henry SeymourStrength, Numbers, and Disposition of the English Navy, shown from Original Documents in the State-paper Office— Elizabeth visits the Army in the Camp at Tilbury-The Armada sails from the Tagus-Dispersed and driven back— Sails the Second Time-Its Arrival off the Lizard-Cautious Tactics of the English-Their Success-Fight on the 22d, 23d, 25th, and 26th July-The Armada makes its Way up Channel to Calais-Its Discomfiture-Rejoicings for the Victory-Raleigh's Services rewarded by the Queen-He sails with Drake and Norris in the Portuguese Expedition-Character of the Earl of Essex-Raleigh's Journey to IrelandVisits Spenser at Kilcolman-Their Friendship-First Three Cantos of the Fairy Queen completed-Spenser returns with Raleigh to England-Introduced to the Queen-Raleigh's Defence of Sir Richard Grenville-Character and Fate of this great Officer-Raleigh's Amour with Elizabeth Throgmorton-They are privately married-Elizabeth's Indignation, and Raleigh's Disgrace-Sent to the Tower-Singular Conduct in Confinement-He recovers his Liberty. THE governor of Virginia could not have returned home CHAP. II. at a moment more unpropitious to the interests of the Unpropitious infant colony. The mind of the whole nation was en- period for the colony. grossed with one great subject,—the expected invasion of England by the fleet so proudly described as the In The Spanish armada. CHAP. II. vincible Armada,—and Raleigh, along with a committee of the ablest councillors and commanders, was engaged in devising measures of defence. He despatched White, however, with supplies in two vessels; but they were attacked by a Spanish privateer, and so much disabled as to be obliged to put back, whilst it was impossible to refit the ships, owing to the urgency of more important matters. The crisis was indeed one of the deepest importance. The preparations of Spain were conducted on a greater scale than had ever before been witnessed; and, whether we look to these mighty efforts, or to the consequences involved in their success or discomfiture, it is perhaps not too much to affirm, that in a reign crowded with events, this threatened annihilation of England, the Protestant bulwark of Europe, by the concentrated energies of a despotic and Roman Catholic power, was the greatest of them all. Immense preparations of Spain. Vast Philip. The resources of Philip made him a formidable enemy. resources of His navy was vast, and unrivalled if we consider the size of his vessels and their ordnance; the possession of Flanders gave him harbours opposite to those of England; his influence with the Romish party in France was great; his exchequer rich in the gold of the New World ; and his army composed of the best-disciplined troops and the most experienced officers in Europe. His preparations had now continued for three years, and the result was the assembling of a fleet greater than had ever sailed from Account by Spain. According to a letter of Sir John Hawkins, Sir John written at the time to Sir Francis Walsingham,* the main strength of the Armada consisted in a squadron of fifty-four "forcible and invincible” ships, embracing nine galleons of Portugal, twenty great Venetians and argosies of the seas, twenty great Biscainers, four galleasses, and one ship of the Duke of Florence of 800 tons. Besides these there were thirty smaller ships, and thirty hulks, making in all 114 vessels; but another account, derived from the Spanish historians, gives a higher estimate, * Preserved in the State-paper Office. |