CHAP. IX. WHEN Ralegh saw Somerset brought to the Tower, and himself Anecdote. released, he is reported to have said, the whole history of the world had not the like precedent, of a king's prisoner to purchase freedom, and his bofom-favourite to have the halter, but in Scripture, in the cafe of Mordecai and Haman. Upon hearing which, we are told the king replied, Ralegh might die in that deceit'; which we shall find proved too true, for Somerset was pardoned and Ralegh executed. with Guiana. Under every difficulty of persecution and imprisonment, Guiana still strongly prevailed in the mind of Sir Walter. The intermediate voyages of Messrs. Leigh and Harcourt, the former in 1604, the latter in 1609, had contributed little to the progress of the enterprise; while the royal concurrence which they obtained, proved that King James was well satisfied as to the claims he had in that country. At least every second year during his imprisonment, Sir Walter Correspondence was at the charge of sending thither, to keep up the hopes of relief against the new encroachments and cruelties of the Spaniards; and some years previously to his release, he had proposed an expedition to Guiana if he could obtain his freedom. The death of Cecil, and the subsequent advancement of Sir Ralph Winwood, no friend to the Spanish interest, as secretary of state, improved probably his hopes of success. The following letter, addressed to Sir Ralph by Ralegh on the occasion, bears date in a copy of it in the Harleian Collection, July 1615'. • See Saunderson's History of King James, &c. See his Apology in this Chapter. 3 No. XXXIX, Sec. 41. p. 342. See also Dr. Birch's Works of Ralegh, 11. p. 362. Sir Letter to Winwood. Sir WALTER RALEGH to Secretary WINWOOD. "HONOURED SIR, "I was lately persuaded by two gentlemen, my ancient friends, to acquaint Your Honour with some offers of mine, made heretofore for a journey to Guiana; who were of opinion, that it would be better understood now, than when it was first propounded. Which advice having surmounted my despair, I have presumed to send unto Your Honour, the copies of those letters which I then wrote, both to His Majesty and to the treasurer Cecil. Wherein, as well the reasons that first moved me are remembered, as the objections by him made are briefly answered. What I know of the riches of that place, not by hearsay, but what mine eyes have seen, I have said it often. I have said it often. But it was then to no end, because those that had the greatest trust were resolved not to believe it. Not because they doubted the truth, but because they doubted my disposition toward themselves, where, if God had blessed me in the enterprize, I had recovered His Majesty's favour and good opinion. Other cause than this, or other suspicion, they never had any. Our late worthy Prince of Wales, was extreme curious in' searching out the nature of my offences. The Queen's Majesty hath informed herself from the beginning. The King of Denmark, at both times of his being here, was thoroughly satisfied of my innocency. They would otherwise never have moved His Majesty on my behalf. The wife, the brother, and the son of a king, do not use to sue for men suspect. But, Sir, since they all have done it out of their charity, and but with references to me alone, Your Honour, whose respect hath only relation to His Majesty's service, and strengthened by the example of those princes, may with the more hardiness do the like; being princes to whom His Majesty's good estate is no less. dear, dear, and all men that shall oppugn it is no less hateful, than to the king himself. his estate. It is true, Sir, that His Majesty hath sometimes answered, that his council knew me better than he did; meaning some two or three of them. And it was indeed my infelicity. For, had His Majesty known me, I had never been here where I now am; or, had I known His Majesty, they had never been so long there where they now are. His Majesty not knowing of me, hath been my ruin; and His Majesty misknowing of them, hath been the ruin of a goodly part of But they are all of them now, some living and some dying, come to His Majesty's knowledge. But, Sir, how littlesoever His Majesty knew me, and how muchsoever he believed them, yet have I been bound to His Majesty, both for my life and all that remains; of which, but for His Majesty, nor life nor aught else had remained. In this respect, Sir, I am bound to yield-up the same life, and all I have, for His Majesty's service. To die for the king, and not by the king, is all the ambition I have in the world. WALTER RALEGH." new voyage. His freedom obtained, Sir Walter, without delay, made prepara- Prepares for a tions for a new voyage to Guiana. The eight thousand pounds given by the king against Sherborne, and which had been lent to the Countess of Bedford, were now called-in for this purpose. Lady Ralegh's consent was obtained for selling an estate belonging to her at Mitcham, in Surry, which produced two thousand five hundred pounds. Co-adventurers in the undertaking were sollicited and obtained, among which were some foreigners; and a commission, * See the Observations on Saunderson's Hist. p. 11. and Ralegh's Apology. In Sir Toby Matthews' Collection of Letters (p. 66.) is one from Ralegh to a nobleman, which, 5 See Oldys' Life of Ralegh, p. 193. through Spanish politics. Gondomar. His practices. through the influence of Sir Ralph Winwood procured from the king, bearing date August the 26th 16167. A due attention to the history of this reign will convince us, that among other foreign powers, the court of Spain well understood the character of James. On his weak opinion, that any alliance below that of a great king was unworthy of a Prince of Wales, that court had already founded the hope of governing him in points of the utmost importance; and in the life-time of Prince Henry, with the view of holding James in neutrality as to the succession of Cleves,. some hints had been dropped of bestowing on that prince the eldest daughter of Spain, afterward espoused by Lewis XIII. Don Diego Sarmiento de Acuna (better known by his subsequent title of Count de Gondomar) at this time the Spanish Ambassador in England, was a man who, under the appearance of frankness and pleasantry, disguised the most dangerous politics. He soon became acquainted with the disposition of James, and failed not to exact the severest contributions from his weakness. Among these sacrifices; perhaps no one appears more remarkable to posterity than the life of Sir Walter Ralegh. The knight's American voyages in the former reign, had been looked upon by Spain with too jealous an eye to leave Gondomar unemployed at this time, when Sir Walter was preparing a new expedition. Accordingly we find him complaining to King James of the knight's intention as hostile and piratical to Philip his master'; holding the king in a state of severe circumspection as to his proceedings, and drawing from his weakness every particular of the voyage. How far the following letter, from the new favourite to Sir Ralph Winwood, confirms the latter supposition, the reader may decide for himself. The Earl of BUCKINGHAM to Secretary WINWOOD. " SIR, letter. "I have acquainted His Majesty with your letter, Buckingham's and that which came inclosed from Sir Henry Wotton, of whose: opinion His Majesty is, touching the advertisement given therein; that this discovery is like to unite the Duke and the Venetian closer together, and bring on better conditions for a peace with Spain. His Majesty perceiveth, by a letter he hath received from the Spanish ambassador, that you have not been yet with him, to acquaint him with the order taken by His Majesty about Sir Walter Ralegh's voyage. And, therefore, would have you go to him as soon as you can possible, to relate unto him particularly His Majesty's care of that business, and the course he hath taken therein. And so I rest,. Although released from confinement, Sir Walter had not obtained a pardon; and appears to have been the less sollicitous in this particular, owing to the commission which he had received from the king. The writer of the Observations on Sanderson's History, informs us ", that Sir Walter's former friends, Sir William St. John and Sir Edward Villiers, offered him for £.700, not only his full pardon, but liberty Offered a par-not to go his voyage, if he pleased, both which he refused. For in a 1. See the Hardwicke State Papers, No. 25. Dr. Birch remarks, though this letter does not inform us what Winwood was to deliver to Gondomar, it appears that the business was of . such a kind that the honest secretary was not " Page 10. conversation. don. |