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THE

LIFE

OF

SIR WALTER RALEGH.

CHAPTER VII.

Cecil's second letter....Carleton's two letters....Brookes* recantation....Cobham practised upon....Sir J. Hawle's observation----The jury repent....Coke satirised....Ralegh's return to prison....His letter to the king....He expects death....His letter to his wife- - - -A prisoner in the Tower. --- His effects granted to trustees....His wife admitted to him....His second son born....Tower anecdotes....The persons admitted to him....Falsely named in the gun-powder plot....Lady Ralegh petitions the king ----Sanderson's conduct....Ralegh brought before Cecil...-His lifeinterest in Sherborne granted him- - - -A flaw in the conreyance to his son....Car solicits Sherborne.... Ralegh's letter to Car....Sherborne granted to Car

Ralegh's occupations in the Tower....His cordial....He is favoured by the queen and Prince Henry....Anecdote of Cobham's examination....A saying of Prince Henry----Ralegh writes against the marriages with Savoy....His letter to Prince Henry...

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The prince wishes to restore Sherborne to him. -..Dies ....Anecdote of his last illness. ---The loss he was to Ralegh....The death of Cecil.---Ralegh obtains the liberty of the Tower....His son Walter obliged to fly ...His History of the World published....The king consents to his freedom....Ralegh's letter to Villiers ..His release ----The fate of Grey and Cobham.

THERE

HERE are extant several letters relative to this conspiracy, beside those in the preceding chapter. I have selected the three following, as more particularly illustrative of the sentiments of the time upon the trials of the conspirators, as well as descriptive of the measures which ensued upon them. That from Cecil to Sir Thomas Parry, is, I believe, now made public for the first time; and requires to be read with the caution which every thing coming from that character (particularly in regard to the circumstances in which he stood with Ralegh) demands.

LORD CECIL, SECRETARY OF STATE, TO SIR THOMAS PARRY, AMBASSADOR IN FRANCE.

From the court at Wilton, this 1st of Dec. 1603.

• SIR,It is not unlikely but many reports will be made, according to the diversity of men's humours, of the course of the proceedings about the prisoners, of which I have heretofore summarily written unto you;

a On account of the plague in London, the king retired to the earl of Pembroke's seat at Wilton.

and, therefore, because you may know what is true and what is false, I have thought good particularly to relate thus much unto you.

The 15th of last month were publicly arraigned, at Winchester castle, Mr. George Brooke, Mr. Griffin Markham, Sir Edward Parham, Bartholomew Brookesby, and Anthony Copley, esquires; William Watson, and William Clarke, priests. They were all convicted by their own confessions, and found guilty of high treason, for having practised to surprise his majesty's person, with the court, and as many counsellors as they could find about him. Beside, to have taken the tower of London, or the castle of Dover, and to have conveyed the king thither, under pretence of safety, and then to have persuaded him to assent to these three points.-1. To a general pardon for all those that were interested in the surprise; 2. To grant a toleration of popish religion; And, 3. To alter divers principal officers of state, in whose places they had already designed some of their complices. As, namely, Watson the priest to have been chancellor of England; Mr. George Brooke, to have been lord-treasurer; Sir Griffin Markham, principal secretary; the Lord Grey, earl-marshal of England, and master of the horse. They also intended, after the king should have been brought to the Tower, to have sent for the lord mayor and aldermen of London, and to have imprisoned them in case they should have shewed the least disgust of these proceedings.

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