Virginia-His Estate in Ireland-Lane's Letter-Occurrences in p. 28. Earl of Essex-Expedition with Don Antonio-Ralegh's Squabble with Sir R. Williams-Receives a golden Chain-Driven from Court by Essex-Visits Spenser in Ireland-Brings him to England and intro- duces him to the Queen-Encourages his Fairy Queen-Intercedes for Mr. Udall-Defends Sir R. Grenville-His Reflections on the Spa- niards-Expedition to Panama-His Letter to Cecil-His Return- The Madre de Dios taken-Ralegh confined in the Tower for debauch- ing Elizabeth Throckmorton-Marries her-Anecdote in the Tower- His three Letters to Cecil-Released-Shines in Parliament-Speeches for the Subsidy and against Aliens retaining foreign Wares-Aspersed with Atheism-Obtains Sherborne Manor-His Letters to the Queen, CH AP IV. Ralegh fires Cumana, &c.-Returns to England-His indifferent Re- ception-Second Voyage to Guiana-Dedication to Ralegh-Action at Cadiz-Ralegh's Dissention with Vere-He is Rear-admiral-Fleet sails-His Relation of the Action-Heads the Fleet-Is wounded— Testimonies to his Bravery-Return from Cadiz-Third Voyage to The Queen pleased notwithstanding Essex-Sir Robert Cecil-His Ill- of the Journey doubted-Ralegh made Governor of Jersey-Essex suspended from his Offices-Outrageous-His Correspondence with King James-He prejudices him against Ralegh-His Insurrection- Design on Ralegh-Ralegh's Conference with Gorges-He is falsely p. 290. THE THE LIFE OF SIR WALTER RALEGH. CHAP. I. lies of the name. RALEGH, with variations in the orthography' of it, is a very. Different famiancient name in this kingdom. There are towns and villages so called, particularly in the western counties, some of which formerly belonged to noble lords of the name. Two parishes in Devonshire derived their names from the very family of Sir Walter: and the Devonshire Raleghs having been settled in that county before the Conquest, and being certainly the ancestors of the Warwickshire Raleghs', it has been supposed that their namesakes in other coun Few names vary so much in the manner of writing it. Sir Robert Naunton and Lord Bacon write Rawleigh-Rale and Ralega are to be found in old deeds, concerning families of this name; while Raleigh is adopted by King James, Sir Walter's son Carew, (see Harleian Miscellany, vol. iii.) John Hooker, and many respectable writers of the 16th and 17th centuries. His original letters, however, in the Harleian Collection, prove that Sir Walter himself, wrote Ralegh; which did not escape the attention of Oldys and Dr. Birch'; and on which account the name is thus printed in the present work. t B 2 As Ralegh in the parish of Pilton near 3 See Camden's Britannia in Devon. See Dugdale's Antiq. of Warwickshire,: ties Seat of Sir legh's family. Yet, as we find in name, at one time ties might likewise have proceeded from them. Smalridge, in the parish of Axminster in the county of Devon, was one of the most ancient seats of Sir Walter Ralegh's family. According to Sir William Pole, an ancestor of his in a direct line, removed thither from Nettlecomb-ralegh in Somersetshire, in the fourteenth year of Henry III.3 To him succeeded Sir Wimond, Sir Hugh, Sir John, Sir Peter, two more Sir Johns, and then other successors, all of whom could boast the same rank of knighthood, or married into families so distinguished, down to Wimond, the grandfather of Sir Walter". John Hooker" was related to, and acquainted with Sir Walter Ralegh, from which circumstance, and that of his addressing the knight in his days of celebrity with an account of his genealogy, he appears entitled to peculiar credit. He informs us, that Smalridge was in the possession of the Raleghs before the Norman Conquest; and that one of the family who had been made a prisoner by the Gauls, and obtained his freedom on St. Leonard's day, consecrated a chapel there to that saint on his re Prince, p. 517. 7 Prince, p. 516. later acquisition to the family, and that in Devonshire the more ancient seat; or that the Pole's Collections toward a Description of removal was made to the former, rather than Devon, 4to. 1791, in Smalridge. to the latter county.-Oldys. 9 In a visitation-book, made Anno 1623, of the counties of Wilts, Dorset, and Somerset, there is a pedigree of Sir Walter's family from the reign of King John. This Wimond in the time of Henry III. is therein called Lord of Coliton and Nettlecomb. Whence it should seem, the Somersetshire estate was a 10 Prince, 530; and Pole in Fardell. "Alias VOWELL. He was the first chamberlain of Exeter, and twice member of Parliament for that city. Camden says of him, Vir eruditus, et de antiquitatis studio optime meritus. turn, |