knows then, thou standest free of this plot-aye! free as that blythe bird that now soarest above us," and he pointed upwards as he spoke. "The former dearness between thee and me tied so firm a knot of my conceit of thy virtues, that I am sorely, sorely grieved to have it broken by the discovery of thy imperfections."

"Thou speakest marvels, Sir Robert Cecil. Plot! Imperfections! What plot? what imperfections, I ask thee? nay, I demand to know. Who doubts my allegiance?"

The tone in which this question was asked might well have unnerved a stout man, yet the sickly, delicate being, to whose ear it was thundered, was unmoved.

Ispeak no marvels; I tell thee in sober sadness, neither from doubt nor suspicion. I have plain stubborn facts to bear me out, not merely to speak by, but to act on; facts well and credibly authenticated by unimpeachable evidence."

"I dare thee to the proof," said his companion, impatiently.

""Tis well," muttered the Secretary, a gleam of malignant joy lighting up his ill-favored countenance, as though he had gained his end. "Yet methinks, as this is no meet place to unravel a treasonable conspiracy, if thou be'est innocent, as thou sayest, 't were as well we went at once before the Lords of the Council."

"The Lords of the Council!" repeated Sir Walter, in amaze. "Doth they sit here?"

The Secretary nodded assent, and a new light seemed to have burst on the Knight. "By whose orders dost thou visit me with this indignity Cecil?" demanded he, sternly.

"The King wills it," meekly replied the other.

"Then I obey." And with his head erect, as though conscious of his innocence, Sir Walter followed Cecil to a private meeting of the Council.

History seems to be very vague as to the certainty of any plot against the government at this time, and all that appears against Raleigh is this. Lord Cobham, brother-in-law of Cecil, was a correspondent of Count Aremberg, a Flemish nobleman in the service of Spain, who, on the accession of James I., was sent as ambassador to England, where he renewed the acquaintance, and engaged Cobham to further a peace with his Catholic Majesty. One of the great enemies of this peace was Raleigh, and aware of this, Cobham suggested to Aremberg that Sir Walter should have a pension if he withdrew his opposition. Accordingly his lordship offered Sir Walter 8000 crowns, to which he, considering it an idle conceit of Cobham, jocosely replied, "Ill tell thee more when I see the money." Now supposing Raleigh was weak enough to accept it, where was the harm? The King was as anxious for peace as Aremberg. Many courtiers took the money and presents so lavishly bestowed to further the design; nay, Cecil himself acceded to the eager desires of his sovereign. But other circumstances aided Cecil in his base project to injure the man whose genius he envied. Some few persons were suspected of a design to place the Lady Arabella Stuart, a near relation of the King's, upon the throne. This gave the crafty Secretary, who knew how to take advantage of the timorous monarch, ample scope to work on. Brooke, the brother of Cobham, was implicated; that threw suspicion on his kinsman ;

the conversation between Cobham and Raleigh was related in frightful colours, and suspicion soon hardened into certainty.

But three days after our first interview, a hasty knocking at his study door aroused Sir Walter. He desired the applicant to "come in," and his lady entered, in disorder, pale, and agitated.

"I have been requested," said she, presenting a small sealed billet to her husband, "to deliver this with speed. It was handed me by an aged man, whom, the porter affirmed, he descried plying a small boat with the speed of a sea-gull, from the Surrey side of the river. What can it mean, dear Walter? she asked tenderly, as she saw her husband's hand tremble as he took the paper. He recollected the warning, and now read its repetition. "You are accused of treason. Sir Walter Raleigh, beware!

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My sweet Bess," replied Sir Walter, looking up with an air of confused dignity, "it is no doubt meant as a friendly warning, for I heard it before."

"And yet you told me not of it, Walter," said she, reproachfully.

Wherefore, dearest? why cause you anxiety when there is no reason? I am not conscious of guilt, and come what may, will bear myself composedly. And you must not be so easily excited, my wife, my dear Elizabeth," he added, taking her hand; "calm this beating pulse, which is a sure index of perturbed spirits."

"I will try, dear heart, replied the lady. "I disturb you instead of being of use; but promise you that, with Heaven's blessing, you may not complain of me, or find me wanting in aught. And when God pleases, or where it is His will thou shouldst go, there will I abide, and be happy."

"Did'st the old man depart? perchance he needs refreshment?" asked Sir Walter.

"He refused both cheer and gold, and vanished as he came."

Strange! passing strange!" mused the Knight, and he fell into a reverie of the sudden nature of these warnings, so mysteriously announced. Who his veteran guardian was, he could not surmise.

His wife still lingered, her eyes fixed on her husband's face, and sighed at the prospect of the plans of quiet life, when retired to the country, she had pictured to herself, being shattered like a dream. "We should be so happy, she said, in a low tone, as though communing with herself, "at Sherborne, calm, peaceful Sherborne. Oh! that I might again enjoy my own loved home. Our quiet morning's walk under the wide old trees, our forenoon reading in the library, or walking through the grounds, our meal free from the bustle of company-the fatigue of dress-of dissipation; but I am too selfish," she said, as she caught her husband's gaze," and it is sinful to talk in this strain of regret, when God wills it otherwise. Dear Walter, wilt thou avail thyself of the warning, and retire for a time?"

"To what end, dearest ? It would but countenance any idle suspicions that may be entertained of me; I fear nothing, I dread no one; I will not stir."

"Thou art always wise, my Walter, and I should be loth to advise any craven act to thee, now or ever; " and she kept her purpose faithfully. It was about noon. Sir Walter and Lady Raleigh had just dined; the

household were partaking of their repast, when the hall of Durham Place was filled with the underlings of Sir William Wade, the lieutenant of the Tower, a creature of Cecil's, who, on his entrance, commanded the porter, in the king's name, to deliver to him the keys of the mansion. This the servant refused to do, so the lieutenant stationed sentinels to prevent ingress or egress without his permission. The tumult soon reached the ears of the Lady Raleigh, who, casting herself on her husband's neck, wept bitterly. He was engaged soothing her, when Sir William Wade entered the study. Somewhat abashed at the calm self-possession of the noble Raleigh, the lieutenant was silent some moments. He at last plucked up courage to say, "Sir Walter Raleigh, I arrest you of high treason." "Shew your commission, Sir? asked the accused.

Truly might his countenance fall, when, on glancing his eye over the document, he saw he had been indicted at Staines, on the 21st September, and a true bill found by the grand jury-he was to take his trial speedily, and in the mean time to be sent to the Tower.

PART II.

On the 17th November, 1603, owing to the prevalence of the plague, at that time raging in London, the commission to try Sir Walter Raleigh assembled at Winchester. The principal Commissioners were, Howard, Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain; Charles Blount, Earl of Devon; Lord Henry Howard, Cecil; Lord Wotton, of Morley; Sir John Stanhope, Vice-Chamberlain; and Lord Chief Justice Popham. The constitution of the court, as well as the injustice and rigour of the law of treason, as it then existed, was little calculated to inspire the prisoner with confidence or the hope of an impartial trial. Among his judges were his determined enemies, or the subservient tools of a government anxious for his ruin. The iniquitous system of packing juries to insure conviction, was known in those days, for we read, that the jury first appointed being suspected of too much independence, a list of more obsequious persons was substituted in their stead. The great mind of Coke, so highly venerated for his invaluable Commentaries on British Law, seems to have hid itself beneath a murky cloud, warping its better reason wrong, during the entire of this transaction. As Attorney-General it was his province to prosecute, but not to persecute, and that he did both with a baseness that tarnishes his fame will appear in its place.

Aware, by a deep knowledge of the men he was oppressed by, that they would leave nothing undone to procure his conviction; having strong notions of the enmity of Cecil, the malignity of Coke, and calculating that in such hands he had small reason to expect to shield himself under the palladium of English liberty-the jury of his country-Raleigh made every exertion to save himself from destruction. Rumours had reached him that unworthy means were used to induce Lord Cobham to implicate him, and that that weak nobleman fell into the snare. He therefore penned a letter to Cobham-" that as he uttered many things prejudicial to his life, he would write one line for its securement." But how to have this conveyed was the question. Cobham was a prisoner in another part of the Tower, and the lieutenant would allow no intercourse between them.

Planning in his mind how to proceed in this matter, Sir Walter found the window of his cell, which was on the ground floor, suddenly darkened as by an opaque body placed before it. He hastily looked up from his musing position, and beheld an aged man habited in the ordinary garb of one of the wardens. The venerable face once seen could not be forgotten, and Raleigh knew him instantly.

"We have met before, methinks, friend," said the knight, opening the casement, and peering through the close-barred iron grating; "thou plyest an oar with skill."

We had met before that time, Sir Walter Raleigh," said the old man, with emotion.

Sir Walter paused for some seconds, as if recollecting himself, and his mind wandered o'er many a year, and from clime to clime, and in its remembrance called back many a face, since numbered with the dust or long forgotten. At length, shaking his head

"My memory serveth not; I call not to mind."

"The mind of one who received a kindness is better than that of the donor," said the old man. "You saved the little property of my family from the hand of the rapacious Saxon; and dear to me was my farm at the foot of Mole, by the banks of the flowing Mulla.”

"And why art thou not

'Keeping thy sheep amongst the cooly shade,

Of the green alders by the Mulla's side,'

as my friend Spencer hath it?" demanded the captive knight.

Hearing of the strait you were in, and not knowing but, old as I am, Redmond Barry might be of service, I left the ground to Robin Oge, and the bark of a kinsman sailing from Cork, I took my passage in her, got service here, and want only the opportunity to shew my gratitude.'

"

Sir Walter brushed away the tear that came to his eyes, at this timely aid from one he had quite forgotten.

"Thanks, my worthy Hibernian, and in good time hast thou come. I am in sore plight as to a matter needful for my defence on my trial; canst thou find means to convey this letter unto my Lord Cobham, now in the Tower?

"That can I," replied the other, and having secured the billet in his doublet, disappeared on his errand, just as the lieutenant returned from

supper.

"I have even now received orders concerning thee, Sir Walter," said that officer.

"To what purpose?" demanded the prisoner.

"That by dawn thou goest under escort to Winchester, when the trial proceeds before my Lords Commissioners. Is there aught thou standest in need of?"

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Grammercy; there is naught. Good night;" and his gaoler with

drew.

Raleigh again took his station by the casement, to await the return of life or death. His window looked on the dreary prison and the tall grim walls of the White Tower, said to have been built by Julius Cæsar. Beyond it was the hoarse-flowing river, on which the curtain of night was rapidly falling. Alas, Nature herself declines-

"And now the cold autumnal dews are seen,
To cobweb every green;

And by the low-shorn rowans doth appear
The fast declining year;

The sapless branches doff their summer suits,
And wane their winter fruits;

And stormy blasts have forced the quaking trees

To wrap their trembling limbs in suits of mossy freize."

"Ha, here comes my faithful kerne," and a gentle tap caused Sir Walter to rise. "Thou gavest him?”

"Troth aye! by a device."

"How was that?" demanded Sir Walter, as he read the reply, and falling on his knees, uttered a pious "thank Heaven!" at the exculpation it brought him.

"Why, an' it please you, I found my Lord Cobham's cell on the top of the lion's tower, and on seeking to ascend the stairs was repulsed by the guard. 'I want to look to the prisoner,' I said. Then thou art likely to keep thy want,' was the reply; so finding it was no use to parley, I left the group busy over a flagon of Rhenish, and seeing my Lord's casement open, took my cross bow, and placing thy billet in the cleft of an apple, shot the missive into the apartment."

Right skilfully done," said the knight joyously; "and brought back a reply that shall keep this head on these shoulders for many a year. How can I requite thee?"

But ere these last words were uttered, the warden was gone.

The trial was numerously attended, by nobles and esquires, and the prisoner might well have been surprised at the multitude of charges brought against him. The indictment accused him of conspiring to dethrone the king-to raise sedition-of consulting with Lord Cobham at Durham Place to put the crown on the head of Arabella Stuart-of consenting to receive 8000 crowns for bringing about a peace with Spain.

Sir Edward Coke then addressed the jury, in statement of the case for the prosecution, but instead of confining himself to making a case against the prisoner at the bar, contrived to interlard his speech with a detail of the treason of others, enlarging on their baseness. On this, he was at once interrupted by Sir Walter, who mildly begged he would remember "that they were not on their trial but he was; that matter likely to raise any prejudice against him should be avoided, and that the Attorney General should confine himself to the matter at issue, and not travel out of the indictment." Coke seemed nettled at this—he proceeded: "Now I come to your charge, my masters of the jury. The greatness of treason is to be considered in two things-determinatione finis, et electione mediorum. This treason excelleth in both; for that it was to destroy the king and his progeny. These treasons are said to be crimen læsæ majestatis; this goeth farther, and may be termed crimen extirpandæ regiæ majestatis et totius progeniei suæ. I shall not need, my Lords, to speak anything concerning the King, nor of his bounty and sweetness of his nature, whose thoughts are innocent, whose words are full of wisdom and learning, and whose works are full of honour; although it be a true saying, Nunquam nimis quod numquam satis. But to whom do you bear malice? to the children?