Walter Raleigh

, a person in his time of a good natural wit, better judgment and of a plausible tongue, Son of Walt. Raleigh Esq by Catherine his Wife Daughter of Sir Philip Champernoon Kt. was born at a place called Hayes in Parish of East-Budeleigh in Devonshire, an. 1552. Which Hayes is a farm, and his Father having had a remnant of a Lease of 80 years in it, came after the expiration thereof to one Duke: unto whom afterwards, our author W. Raleigh having a desire to purchase it, wrote a Letter dated from the Court 26. July 1584. wherein he says that for the natural disposition he has to that place, being born in that house, he had rather seat himself there, than any where else, &c. His Father was the first of his name that lived there, but his ancestors had possessed Furdell in the same County for several Generations before, where they lived in (b)(b) See in J [•] . H [•] oker’s Epistle dedicated to Sir Walt. Raleigh, set before his translation of Garald C [•] mbrersis his Irish History. Printed in the 2. vol. of R [••] h Holi [•] sheds Chror—Lord. 1587. [•] ol. gentile estate, and were esteemed antient Gentlemen. In 1568, or thereabouts he became a Commoner of Oriel coll. at what time C. Champernoon his kinsman studied there, where his natural parts being strangely advanced by Academical learning under the care of an excellent Tutor, became the ornament of the Juniours, and was worthily esteemed a proficient in Oratory and Philosophy. After he had spent about 3. years in that house, where he had laid a good ground and sure foundation to build thereon, he left the University without a degree, and went to the Middle-Temple to improve himself in the intricate knowledge of the municipal Laws. How long he tarried there, ’tis uncertain, yet sure I am, from a Epistle, or copy of Verses of his composition, which I have seen, that he was abiding in the said Temple, in Apr. 1576. at which time his vein for ditty and amorous Ode, was esteemed most lofty, insolent and passionate. As for the remaining part of his life, it was sometimes low, and sometimes in a middle condition, and often tossed by fortune to and fro, and seldome at rest. He was one that fortune had pickt up out of purpose, of whom to make an example, or to use as her Tennis-Ball, thereby to shew what she could do; for she tost him up of nothing, and to and fro to greatness, and from thence down to little more than to that wherein she found him, (a bare Gentleman) not that he was less, for he was well descended and of good alliance, but poor in his beginnings, and for the jest (c)(c) Fragm. Regalia, &c by Sir K. No [•] m [•] n, printed at Lond. in [〈◊〉] 1650. p. 57. of Edw. Earl. of Oxon. (the Jack, and an upstart Kt.) all then knew it savoured more of emulation, and his humour, than of truth. France was the first School, wherein he learn’d the rudiments of War, and the Low Countries and Ireland (the military Academies of those times) made him Master of that discipline: for in both places he expos’d himself afterwards to Land-service, but that in Ireland was a Militia, which then did not yeild him food and raiment, nor had he patience to stay there, tho shortly after (in 1580.) he went thither again, and was a Captain there under Arthur Lord Grey who succeded Sir Will. Pelham in the Deputy-ship of that Kingdom. Afterwards gaining great credit, he was received into the Court, became a person in favour, and had several boons bestow’d on him afterwards, particularly the Castle of Shireborne in Dorsetshire, taken from the See of Salisbury. In the latter end of 1584. he discovered a new Country, which he, in honour of the Queen, called Virginia, received the honour of Knighthood from her, and was afterwards made Captain of her Majesties Guards, Senceschal of the Duchies of Cornwall, and Exeter, Lord Warden of the Stanneries of Devon. and Cornwall, Lord Leivtenant of Cornwall and Governour of Jersey. In 1588. he shew’d himself active against the invincible Armada of the Spaniards, and in 1592. being about that time a Parliament man, wherein, as in other Parliaments in the latter end of Q. Eliz. was he a frequent Speaker, he went to America with 15. men of War to possess himself of Panama, where the Spaniards Ship their riches, or to intercept them in their passage homewards, but returned successless, and was out of favour for a time, not only for that but for divirginating a maid of Honour (Elizabeth Daughter of Sir Nich. Trockmorton) whom he afterwards married, and for some few months being kept under custody, was at length set free, but banished the Court. Afterwards to follow the directions of of his own Genie, that was always inclined to search out hidden regions, and the secrets of nature, he undertook a navigation to Guiana that bears Gold, in 1595. purposely for the improvement and honour of his Country, both by getting store of wealth, and by molesting the Spaniard, within the inward coasts of America, which he thought would be more profitable than on the Sea coasts, where there are never any Towns laden with any riches, but when they are conveyed thither to be carried over into Spain. He set out from Plymouth (d)(d) Camden in Annal R. Elizab. an. 1595. on the 6. of Febr. and arrived at the Island Trinidada 22. March. There he easily took a little City called S. Joseph, and the Governour thereof Don Antonio de Bereo, but sound not so much as a piece of Silver there. Having enquired many things of this Antonio about the mines of Gold in Guiana, he left his Ship in Trinidada and entred the vast River Orenoque, with little Barks, and some hundred Souldiers. He searched up and down Guiana for the space of 4 Miles among the crooked and short turnings of the water several ways: where, being parched with the reflecting beams of the Sun, just over his head, and too much wet sometimes with Showers, and having long wrestled with such like difficulties, he yet continued so long, till that it growing wintry cold in Apr. the waters all over-spread the earth; insomuch that now he could pass away in no less danger of the waters, than he came thither in danger of his enemies. After his return he was constituted one of the (e)(e) Vide ibid. an 1596. chief persons in the expedition to Cadiz, where he performed notable service, and obtained to himself at home a great name. In 1603, he presented to K. James at his entrance to the Crown of England a Manuscript of his own writing, containing valid arguments against a peace to be made with Spain, which was then the common discourse. But the King being altogether for peace, ’twas rejected, and the same year, just after he had been deprived of the Captainship of the Guard, (which K. James bestowed on Sir Tho. Erskin Viscount Fenton in Scotland) we find him in a plot against the King, generally called Sir Walter Raleighs Treason, for which being brought to his Tryal (with others) at Winchester in 1603. was at length found guilty and condemn’d to die. But being repreived, he was committed Prisoner to the Tower of London for life, where he improved his confinement to the greatest advantage of learning and inquisitive men. In Apr. 1614. he (f)(f) W. Camden in Annal. Jac. 1. M.S. [〈…〉] . published the History of the World, a book, which for the exactness of its Chronology, curiosity of its contexture and learning of all sorts, seems to be the work of an Age. In 1617. power was granted to him to set forth Ships and men for the undertaking an enterpize of a golden Mine in Guiana, in the southern parts of America, and on the 28. March in the year following he left London in order for that Voyage, notwithstanding Didacus Sarmiento de Acunna Earl or Count of Gundamore the Spanish Embassador to the K. of England, endeavoured to hinder him with many arguments proposed to his Majesty. But at length Sir Walter going beyond his Commission in taking and sacking the Town of St. Thome, belonging to the Spaniard, which was much aggravated by Gundamore, the K. on the 9. June 1618, published his Royal Proclamation for the discovery of the truth of Raleigh’s proceedings and for the advancement of justice. Whereupon, when Raleigh arrived at Plymouth, Sir Lewis Steukeley Vice-Admiral of the County of Devon. seized him, and brought him up to London 9. Aug. following. But Raleigh finding the Court wholly guided by Gundamore, as ’tis said, (notwithstanding I find elsewhere (g)(g) Ibid [〈…〉] that he left England 16 July going before) he could hope for little mercy. Whereupon wisely contriving the design of an escape, was betrayed by Steukley, taken on the Thames and committed to a close Prison. Afterwards being often examined by the Lord Chancellour and Privy-Councel, was at length on the 24 Oct. warned by them (as they had been commanded by the King) to prepare for death. The particulars of which proceedings, as also of his Voyage to Guiana, you may see at large in a book intit. A Declaration of the demeanour and carrige of Sir W. Raleigh Knight, as well in his Voyage, as in, and sithence his return; and of the true motives and inducements which occasion’d his Majesty to proceed in doing justice upon him. Lond. 1618. in 8 sh. in qu. On the 28. of the month of Oct. he was conveyed to the Court called the Kings-Bench in Westminster, where it being proposed to him what he had to say for himself, why the sentence of death, pronounced against him in 1603. should not be put in execution, he fell into a long discourse, and vindicated himself so much, that most wise men thought then (and all Historians since) that his life could not be taken away upon that account. Afterwards being conveyed to the Gatehouse, suffered death the next day, notwithstanding David Noion Lord of Chesne acted much to save him. Authors are perplex’d (as some are pleased to say) under what topick to place him, whether of Statesman, Seaman, Souldier, Chymist, or Chronologer; for in all these he did excell. And it still remains a dispute, whether the age he lived in was more obliged to his Pen or his Sword, the one being busie in conquering the new, the other in so bravely describing the old, World. He had in the outward men, (as an observing (h)(h) [〈…〉] p. 59. writer saith) a good presence, in a handsome and well compacted person, a strong natural wit, and a better judgment, with a bold and plausible tongue, whereby he could set out his parts to best advantage; and to these he had the adjuncts of some general learning, which by diligence he enforced to great augmentation and perfection; for he was an indefatigable reader, whether by Sea or L [•] nd, and none of the least observers both of men and of the times: And I am confident that among the second causes of his growth, that variance between him and the Lord Grey, in his descent into Ireland, was a principal, for it drew them both over to the Councel Table, there to plead their cause, where he had much the better in telling of his tale; and so much that the Qu. and the Lords took no slight mark of the man and his parts: for from thence he became to be known, and to have recess to the Qu. and the Lords; and then we are not to doubt how such a man would comply and learn the way of progression, &c. He had giuen the Queens ear at a trice, and she began to be taken with his e [•] cution, and loved to hear his reasons to her demands: And the truth is, she took him for a kind of an Oracle, which netle [•] them all; yea, those that he relyed on began to take his sudden favour for an allarum, and to be sensible of their own supplantation and to project his.—So that finding his favour declining, and falling into recess, he undertook a new peregrination to leave that Terra infirma of the Court, for that of the Wars, and by declining himself, and by absence, to expect his, and the passion of his Enemies, which in Court was a strange device of recovery, &c. The truth is he was unfortunate in nothing else but the greatness of his wit and advancement: his eminent worth was such, both in domestick Policy, forreign expeditions, and discoveries, Arts and literature, both practive and contemplative, that they seem’d at once to conquer both example and imitation. Those that knew him well esteem’d him to be a person born to that only which he went about, so dextrous was he in all, or most of, his undertakings, in Court, in Camp, by Sea, by Land, with Sword, with Pen: witness in the last, these things following, tho some of them, as ’tis credibly believed, were written by others, with his name set to them for sale sake.

Discovery of the large, rich and beautiful Empire of Guiana, with a relation of the great and golden City of Manoa, and of the Provinces of Emeria, Arromaia, Amapaia, &c. performed in the year 1595. Lond. 1596. qu. Printed at Francof. and Norib. in Latine 1599. qu. This book of Guiana, with the authors Presatorie Epist. to the Hist. of the World, are (as ’tis said) full of proper, clear, and Courtly graces of speech.

History of the world in 5 books. Lond. 1614. &c. fol. Abbreviated and animadverted upon by Alex. Ross a Scotchman, in a book entit. The marrow of History. Lond. 1662. oct. 2d. edit. But of Raleigh and his History hear what an ingenious (i)(i) Deg. Wheare, in lib. suo De ratione & [〈…〉] hi [•] tori [•] s. Sect. 6. writer saith—Hes autem sequi possunt nonnulli ex recentioribus: quos inter, principem locum obtinere meretur Gualterus Raulaeus nostras, eques auratus, vir clari nominis, & ob singularem fortitudinem ac prudentiam meliori fato dignus. Is universalem historiam ab initio mundi usque Macedonici imperii, sive tertiae monarchiae occasum, ex probatissimis auctoribus coagmentavit, nostrae quidem gentis idiomate vernaculo, sed accurato admodum judicio, methodo, perspicua, stylo eleganti ac virili, &c. He was delivered of that Exquisite Minerva during his tedious imprisonment in the Tower of London; for being clapt up there for Treason during his Life, as I have before told you, did improve his confinement, far better than his enlargment. He had composed a second part, which reached down to the time he lived, but he burnt it a little before his death. Afterward Alex. Ross before mentioned continued it in a book intit. The History of the World, the second part in 6. books, being a continuation, &c. beginning where he left, viz. at the end of the Macedonian Kingdom, and deduced to these later times, that is from the year of the World 3806. or 160. years before Christ, till the end of the year 1640. after Christ, &c. together with a Chronology of those times, &c. Lond. 1652. fol. Here having made twice mention of Alexand. Ross, I desire the reader to observe by the way these things of him: that he was D. D. and a native and minister of Aberdene in Scotland, which Country he leaving, (upon what account I know not) came into England, succeeded Tho. Parker (Son of Robert) author of the book De traductione peccatoris in the Mastership of the free School at Southampton, and was Chaplain in ordinary to K. Ch. 1. a little before the civil war began. He hath written many books in Latine and English, and in Prose and Verse, the titles of which are now too numerous to insert. He died in the Park-house at Bramsell in Hampshire, belonging to one Henley one of the Prothonotaries, in the beginning of the year 1654. aged 64. or thereabouts; at which time he bequeathed many rich legacies by his (k)(k) In the Will-office near to S. Paul’s Cati [••] n [〈…〉] part 2. Qu. 93. Will, (dat. 21. Feb. 1653. and proved 19. Apr. 1654.) among which were 200 livers to the Senate of Aberdene to remain for ever towards the maintenance of two Scholars, that shall be born in the town of Aberdene, and educated in Grammer there, 50 l. to the town of Southampton, for the better maintenance of the Schoolmaster, 50 l. to the poor houshold keepers of Allsaints parish there, 50 l. to the publick library at Cambridge, 5 l. to that of Oxon, &c. Andrew Henley son of the aforesaid Henley was his Executor, who had his library remaining at [•] ramsell, wherein, mostly in the books, he found, as I have been credibly informed, about a thousand pound in gold. I shall now proceed to give you a farther account of Sir W. Raleigh’s works.

The Prerogative of Parliaments in England, proved in a dialogue between a Counsellour of State and a Justice of Peace. Middleburg (some copies have it Hamburge) 1621. Lond. 1640. qu.

Instructions to his son and posterity. Lond. 1632. 36. 1651. oct. 56. in tw.

The life and death of Mahomet, the conquest of Spaine, together with the rising and ruin of the Sarazen Empire. Lond. 1637. in tw. In another title printed the year following ’tis called The History of Mahomet.

The Prince, or Maxims of State. Lond. 1642. in 7 sh. in qu. there again in 51. and 56. in tw. ’Tis the same with his Aphorisms of State. Lond. 1661. oct. published by John Milton.

Observations on the first invention of shipping, or invasive War, the Navy-Royal, and Sea-service. Lond. 1650. 1667. oct.

Apology for his Voyage to Guiana.—Printed with the Observations, &c. ’Twas by him penned (at Salisbury) in July 1617. I have a copy of it in MS. bound with his Confession, which is in MS. also, and begins thus, I thank God of his infinite Goodness that he hath sent me to die in the light, and not in the darkness, &c.

Observations touching Trade and Commerce with the Hollanders and other Nations, as it was presented to King James. Lond. 1653. 56 in tw.

The Cabinet-Council, containing the chief Arts of Empire and Mysteries of State. Lond. 1658. oct. This book was published by John Milton before-mentioned; of whom you may see more in the Fasti, an. 1635.

Historical and Geographical description of the great Country and River of the Amazons in America, &c. Lond. 1661. published by W. H.

Wars with Foreign Princes dangerous to our Commonwealth. Or Reasons for Foreign Wars answered.—When printed I know not.

Various Letters.—See in the Cabala, or Screnia Sacra. Lond. 1663. fol.

Divers Speeches and Arguments in several Parliaments towards the latter end of Q. Elizab.—See in H. Townsend’s Historical Collections. Lond. 1680. fol.

The Sons advice to his Father.

The great Cordial.—Upon which N. le Febure hath written an English discourse. Lond. 1664. oct. I have seen a book in MS. containing Sir Walt. Raleigh’s Speech at the time of his death; and His Ghost, or a conference between Sur Gundamoure his Maj. Embassadour of Spain, the Fryer Confessor, and Father Baldwyn the Jesuit, at Ely House in Holbourne, in 1622. but whether ever printed I know not. However the Reader is to understand that Sir Walter’s Ghost beforementioned is not the same with his Ghost or Apparition to his intimate Friend, willing him to translate into English the learned book of Leonard Lessius, intit. De providentia numinis & animi immortalitate. Lond. 1651. in tw. translated in compliance with Sir Walter’s late request, because he had been often soully aspersed for an Atheist. There is also a MS. going about from hand to hand, said to have been written by our author Sir Walter, which is concerning,

The present state of Spain, with a most accurate account of his Cath. Majesty’s power and riches, &c.—Whether this, or his

Discourse touching a consultation about Peace with Spain.—MS. (sometimes in the Libr. of Arthur Earl of Anglesey,) were ever printed, I know not. He hath also written,

The life and death of Will. the Conquerour.—MS. sometimes in the Library of Sir Ken. Digby, afterwards in that of George Earl of Bristow.

Of Mines and trials of Minerals.—MS. &c. with other things which I have not yet seen. But I say it again, that I verily think that several of those things before-mentioned, which go under his name, were never written by him. At length he was beheaded in the old Pallaceyard in Westminster, 1618 on 29. [〈◊〉] in sixteen hundred and eighteen, aged 66. Whereupon his body, (which he sometimes designed to be buried in the Cath. Church at Exeter,) was conveyed to St. Margarets Church in the said City of Westminster, and buried in the Chancel there, at the upper end almost, near to the Altar. Over whose grave, tho there was never any Epitaph put, yet this following, among others, was made for him:

Here lieth hidden in this pit,

The wonder of the World for wit.

It to small purpose did him serve,

His wit could not his life preserve.

He living, was belov’d of none,

Yet at his death all did him moan.

Heaven hath his Soul, the World his fame,

The Grave his Corps, Steukley his shame.

Some writers in the long Rebellion under K. Ch. 1. especially such who were not well-wishers to Monarchy, have reported that his death was no less than a downright Murder, having had his blood spilt upon a Scaffold meerly to satisfie some unworthy ends, and the revenge of the Spaniard. Nay, and farther, they have not stuck to say that the Conspiracy of Gowry, seemed rather a Conspiracy of the K. of Scots against Gowry, as many of that Nation have declared. The said Sir Walt, Raleigh left behind him a Son named Carew Raleigh, born in Middlesex, (in the Tower of London, as it seems, while his Father was Prisoner there,) became a Gent. Com. of Wadham coll. in 1620. aged 16. but proved quite different in Spirit from his Father. Afterwards he was Gent. of the Privy Chamber to K. Ch. 1. who honoured him with a kind token at his leaving Hampton Court, when he was jugled into the Isle of Wight, cringed afterwards to the Men in Power, was made Governour of Jersey, by the favour of General George Monk, in the latter end of January 1659. and wrote a book (as ’twas generally reported) intit. Observations upon some particular persons and passages in a book lately made publick, intit. A compleat History of the Lives and Reigns of Mary Q. of Scotland, and of James K. of England, written by Will. Sanderson Esq Lond. 1656. in 3 sh. in qu. I have seen also some Sonnets of his composition, and certain ingenious discourses, but whether ever printed I know not. I have seen also a Poem of his, which had a Musical composition of two parts set to it, by the incomparable Hen. Lawes Servant to K. Ch. 1. in his publick and private Musick. Sir Hen. Wotton gives (*)(*) In his Letters printed 1672. p. 481. him the Character of a Gentleman of dextrous abilities, as it appeared in the management of a publick concern in Sir Henries time; and so by others he is with honour mentioned; but far, god wot, was he from his Fathers parts, either as to the Sword or Pen. He was buried in his Fathers grave in the month of Decemb. (or thereabouts,) an. 1666. leaving Issue behind him a Daughter.