with me, and be buried in the dust. And seeing it is not the will of God that ever I shall see you more in this life, bear it patiently, and with a heart like thyself. First, I send you all the thanks which my heart can conceive, or my words can express, for your many travails and care taken for me; which, though they have not taken effect as. you wished, yet my debt to you is not the less. But pay it I never shall in this world. Secondly, I beseech you, for the love you bear me living, do not hide yourself many days after my death. But, by your travails, seek to help your miserable fortunes, and the right of your poor child. Thy mournings cannot avail me, I am but dust. Thirdly, you shall understand that my land was conveyed bona fide to my child. The writings were drawn at Midsummer was twelvemonths. My honest cousin, Brett, can testify so much, and Dalberrie, too, can remember somewhat therein; and I trust my blood will quench their malice that have thus cruelly murdered me, and that they will not seek also to kill thee and thine with extreme poverty. To what friend to direct thee I know not, for all mine have left me in the true time of trial; and I plainly perceive that my death was determined from the first day. Most sorry I am, God knows, that, being thus surprised with death, I can leave you in no better estate. God is my witness I meant. you all my office of wines, or all that I could have purchased by selling it; half my stuff and all my jewels, but some one for the boy. But God hath prevented all my resolutions, even that Great God that ruleth all in all. But if you can live free from want, care for no more; the rest is but vanity. Love God, and begin betimes to repose yourself on him; and therein shall you find true and lasting riches, and endless comfort. For the rest, when you have travailed, and wearied your thoughts over all sorts of worldly cogitation, you shall but sit down by sorrow in the end. Teach your son also to love and fear God, while he is yet young, that the fear of God may grow up with him. And then God will be a husband to you, and a father to him; a husband and a father which cannot be taken from you. Bayly oweth me £200, and Adrian Gilbert £600. In Jersey, also, I have much money owing me. Beside, the arrearages of the wines will pay my debts; and, howsoever you do, for my soul's sake, pay all poor men. When I am gone, no doubt, you shall be sought to by many, for the world thinks that I was very rich. But take heed of the pretences of men, and their affections. For they last not, but in honest and worthy men; and no greater misery can befal you in this life, than to become a prey, and afterward to be despised. I speak not this, God knows, to dissuade you from marriage; for it will be best for you, both in respect of the world and of God. As for me, I am no more yours, nor you mine. Death has cut us asunder; and God hath divided me from the world, and you from me. Remember your poor child, for his father's sake, who chose you and loved you in his happiest time. Get those letters, if it be possible, which I writ to the lords, wherein I sued for my life. God is my witness, it was for you and yours that I desired life. But it is true that I disdain myself for begging it; for, know it, dear wife, that your son is the son of a true man, and one who, in his own respect, despiseth death, and all his mishapen and ugly forms. I cannot write much. God, he knoweth, how hardly I steal this time while others sleep. And it is also high time that I should separate my thoughts from the world. Beg my dead body, which, living, was denied thee. And either lay it at Sherborne, if the land continue, or in Exeter church, by my father and mother. I can say no more, time and death call me away. The everlasting, powerful, infinite, and omnipotent God, who is goodness itself, the true life and true light, keep thee and thine, have mercy on me, and teach me to forgive my persecutors and accusers, and send us to meet in his glorious kingdom. My dear wife, farewell! Bless my poor boy, pray for me, and let my good God hold you both in his arms! Written with the dying hand of, sometime thy husband, but now, alas! overthrown, Your's that was, but now not my own, WALTER RALEGH." น Sir Walter was removed to the Tower on the 15th of December,* with little apprehension, probably, whatever his feelings may have been, that he should remain immured within those walls for above twelve years. In 1604, a grant was made of his 1604. goods and chattels, forfeited by his attainder, to John Shelbery and Robert Smyth, (trustees appointed by himself), for the benefit of his family and creditors. Upon the earnest solicitation likewise of Lady Ralegh, she obtained permission to accompany Sir Walter in prison; and in the latter part of this, or the beginning of the following year, she was delivered of her second son, Carew, after an infecundity (as far as record goes) of ten years. y The life of a prisoner, however eminent, like that of a secluded scholar or a monk, affords but little which can interest posterity. The anecdotes transmitted to us of Sir Walter Ralegh's imprisonment, Harleian and other collections, and Birch's Works of Ralegh, II, 383. * Stow's Annals. y Appendix, N°. XIV. 2 Oldys asserts this, without naming any authority. It is, however, confirmed by Sir W. Wade's letter of Aug. 19, 1605, quoted in this chapter. 1605. are peculiarly scanty; and we have now a long pe- tion to it to detain our attention. very Among the Hatfield papers, are two letters from Sir William Wade, Lieutenant of the Tower, to Cecil, at that time newly created earl of Salisbury, dated August 17th and 19th, 1605, from which the following extracts relative to Ralegh's confinement are made. My lord treasurer and my lord of Devonshire met at the Tower on Monday at three of the clock. in the afternoon, and gave me my oath. Though Sir Walter Ralegh used some speech of his dislike of me the day before, yet sithence he doth acknowledge his error, and seemeth to be very well satisfied. Sir Walter Ralegh hath like access (with Cobham) of divers to him. The door of his chamber being alway open all the day to the garden, which indeed, is the only garden the lieutenant hath. And in the garden he hath converted a little hen-house to a still-house, where he doth spend his time all the day in distillations. Persons permitted to have access to Sir Walter His lady and son, and her waiting-maid. John Talbot, these to remain in the tower Peter Dean, with him. John Talbot, a boy, |