know the cause, to the end they might minister the more ready consolation unto her, feared, as they said, that she took some thought for the king's majesty, her husband, who was gone from her. To whom answering again, Indeed (said she), that may be one cause, but that is not the greatest wound that pierceth mine oppressed mind; but what that was she would not express to them. Albeit afterward she opened the matter more plainly to Mistress Rise and Mistress Clarentius (if it be true that she told me, which heard it of Mistress Rise herself), who, then, being most familiar with her, and most bold about her, told her that they feared that she took thought for King Philip's departing from her. Not that only, said she, but when I am dead and opened you shall find Calais lying in my heart."

ALEIGH, the brave and learned, had been confined in the tower almost from the very beginning of James' accession, for a conspiracy which had never been proved against

him; and in that abode of wretchedness he

wrote several valuable performances, which are still in the highest esteem. His long sufferings and his ingenious writings had now turned the tide of popular opinion in his favour; and they who once detested the enemy of Essex, could not now help pitying the captivity of this philosophical soldier. He himself still struggled for freedom; and, perhaps, it was with this desire that he spread the report of his having discovered a gold mine in Guiana, which was sufficient to enrich not only the adventurers who should seize it, but afford immense treasures to the nation. The king, either believing his assertions, or willing to subject him to further disgrace,

SIR WALTER Raleigh's expedition to EL DORADO. 389

granted him a commission to try his fortune in quest of these golden schemes; but still reserved his former sentence as a check upon his future behaviour.

Raleigh was not long in making preparations for this adventure, which, from the sanguine manner in which he carried it on, many thought he believed to be as promising as he described it. He bent his course to Guiana, and remaining himself at the mouth of the river Oronooko with five of the largest ships, he sent the rest up the stream, under the command of his son, and Captain Kemmis, a person entirely devoted to his interests. But instead of a country abounding in gold, as the adventurers were taught to expect, they found the Spaniards had been warned of their approach, and were prepared in arms to receive them. Young Raleigh, to encourage his men, called out "that was the true mine," meaning the town of St. Thomas, which he was approaching, "and that none but fools looked for any other: but just as he was speaking he received a shot, of which he immediately expired. This was followed by another disappointment; for when the English took possession of the town, they found nothing in it of any value.

Raleigh, in this forlorn situation, found now that all his hopes were over; and saw his misfortunes still farther aggravated by the reproaches of those whom he had undertaken to command. Nothing could be more deplorable than his situation, particularly when he was told that he must be carried back to England, to answer for his conduct to the king. It is pretended that he employed many artifices, first to engage them to attack the Spanish settlements at a time of peace, and failing of that, to make his escape into France. But all of these proving unsuccessful, he was delivered into the king's hands, and strictly examined, as well as his fellow-adventurers, before the privy council. Count Gondemar, the Spanish ambassador, made heavy complaints against the expedition: and the king declared that Raleigh had express orders to avoid all disputes and hostilities against the Spaniards. Wherefore, to give the court of Spain a particular instance of his

attachment, he signed the warrant for his execution; not for the present offence, but for his former conspiracy. This great man died with the same fortitude he had testified through life; he observed, as he felt the edge of the axe, that it was a sharp, but a sure remedy for all evils: his harangue to the people was calm and eloquent; and he laid his head down on the block with the utmost indifference,