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to that kingdom, destined, says one of his attendants, to be the sepulchre of his father, and the gulph of his own fortunes.

In the following August, upon great apprehensions in this country of an invasion, a fleet was on a sudden fitted out under Lord Thomas Howard as admiral, and Sir Walter Ralegh in the Ark-royal as vice-admiral. Whether it was a mistrust, says Monson, the one nation had of the other, or a policy held on both sides to make peace with sword in hand, a treaty being entertained by consent of each prince, I am not to examine. But sure I am the preparation was on both sides very great, as if the one expected an invasion from the other; and yet it was generally conceived not to be intended by either, but that ours had only relation to my lord of Essex, who was then in Ireland, and had a design to try his friends in England, and to be revenged of his enemies, as he pretended, and as it proved afterward by his fall."

Mr. Rowland Whyte informs Sir Robert Sydney on the 18th of August, that Sir Walter Ralegh took his leave at court of all the ladies, and his friends;° and Monson adds, whether it was that the intended invasion from Spain was diverted, or that her Majesty was fully satisfied of my lord of Essex, I know not ; but so it was that she commanded the sudden return

" See Wotton's Parallel.

Naval Tracts, 1599.

Collins' Sydney Letters, II, 117.

of her ships from sea, after they had lain three weeks or a month in the Downs.P

On the 20th of September following Mr. Whyte writes, I heard of one that is familiar among them, that Sir Robert Cecil and Sir Walter Ralegh do infinitely desire to be barons, and they have a purpose to be called unto it though there be no parliament."

It was eight days later that Essex, after having consumed his time in Ireland on the most frivolous enterprises, and entered into a treaty with Tyrone, which is an eternal blemish on his memory, reappeared on a sudden in England, and threw himself on his knees before the queen in her bed-chamber, After a momentary kindness, the effect of surprise, her Majesty ordered him to be confined. He was examined by the council on the day following that of his return; and after the examination, we are informed, Sir Walter dined with Secretary Cecil. On a slight circumstance of favour shewn by the queen to Essex a few weeks afterward, Sir Walter, says Mr. Whyte, fell sick upon it, and her majesty very graciously sent to see him. The same intelligent correspondent adds, that soon after this a deep unhindness, of which he could not learn the cause, prevailed between Lord Cobham and Ralegh; and that in December the knight was seized with an ague, and

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1600.

suspected by the world of certain libels concerning Ireland and the commitment of Essex.

Early in January 1599-1600, Sir Walter had a hope of being advanced to the privy-council. His advice was taken in regard to victualling and manning Ireland; and in March he made great interest to be appointed one of the commissioners of the treaty at Boulogne between Elizabeth, the king of Spain, and the archduke Albert, but without success; for the queen perceived, as it was supposed, that he would apply to be of the privy-council before. his departure, which she appears to have had no inclination to grant him. Ill pleased, says Mr. Whyte, to see nothing done for him, he retired to Sherborne with his family-my lord of Northumberland made them a dinner at Sion in their way-Mr. Secretary's son, a youth of great hope, is gone down with them. Being, however, sent for about the middle of May, he returned to court early in June to renew his soli citation for the vice-chamberlainship, and must soon afterward, have accompanied Lord Cobham to Flanders; to which journey the following letter from Cecil alludes.

SIR ROBERT CECIL TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE
TREATY OF BOULOGNE.

After my very hearty commendations-I have acquainted her Majesty with your dispatch of July

• Collins' Sydney Letters, II, 139, 141, 146, 150,
Ibid. II, 156, 159, 178, 179, 181, 195, 198.

12th, whereby it appeareth, that as yet the archduke hath not returned his resolution; a matter which plainly discovereth that there is a dependency of an answer from Spain. And whereas it appeareth, that the archduke chargeth the queen with relieving of the Hollanders with munition and victual, you may do well to take occassion to make some round answer in that point. For, first, I do affirm it to be true, that there hath not a grain of corn or powder, or any manner of victual been sent from hence; which would be somewhat roundly inverted upon them, seeing we have truth on our side. And yet, because peradventure they may hear hereafter that some voluntaries do daily go over, this denial of ours would be used in such form as heretofore you have done; which is to maintain the argument still, how just it were, though it had been otherwise. I have little more therefore at this time to trouble you withal, only I think good to pre-occupate with you another circumstance if they hear it, which is the going over of my lord of Northumberland, and my lord of Rutland, and now my Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Ralegh. Of whom if they speak (but not otherwise) you may use this argument. That they have no charge, nor carried either horse or man, but some half a dozen of their own; but finding the queen is so resolved to have peace (if good conditions could be had) they obtained leave with importunity, to see this one action, before they should become desperate, of seeing any more of that

kind in her Majesty's time, which God long continue!

For the ordnance, I do protest unto you, that the queen sent none; but if there were, then surely they are sold by the patentees, in which point my lord ambassador can give satisfaction, that it is for her Majesty's commodity-and thus I end, Your assured loving friend,

July 14, 1600.

R. CECYLL.'

• Since the writing of this letter the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Ralegh are come, so as that matter will be quickly answered.""

Sir Henry Neville, however, who was one of the commissioners at Boulogne, appears to have entertained a different opinion of this journey. In a letter dated from that place July 18th, he writes to Mr. Winwood; We understand by reports, but not otherwise, that my Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Ralegh are gone over upon pretext to see the camp and siege of the fort Isabella near Ostend, where Count Mau rice is yet unprofitably, as he was before at Newport; but I cannot think but they have some other end, and that in England there is some alarm taken of these matters, although we be not worthy to know it. Five days later he adds; My Lord Cobham and Sir Wal ter Ralegh are returned; but I hear their journey

"Winwood's Memorials by Sawyer, folio, 1725, I, 215.

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