And indeed he feem'd not a Man made for the Court, being not eafily induc'd to any unhandsome: Action, of a foftly and eafy Nature to take Offence, but harder to remit it, and one that could not conceal himself, but (as Cuffe was wont to complain to me) carried his Love and his Hatred always in his Brow, and could not hide it. In a Word, no Man was more ambitious of Glory by virtuous and noble Deeds, no Man more careless of all things else.

On the fifth Day of March, after the Earl's Exe cution, were tried Sir Chriftopher Blunt Sir Charles Danvers, Sir John Davis, Sir Gyo rick, and Cuffe, the Earl's Sec 1S WO Thefe were all convicted and execute the Earl's Accomplices: As for the reft of the Confpirators, the richer Sort were fin'd, which very few of them ever paid: The reft had their Lives pardon'd, and their Offences remitted.

Southampton, and Smith the Sheriff of London, were kept Prifoners in the Tower; but Smith, who was, upon the Informations of fome few, and Ef fex's Credulity, falfly accus'd, and put to a great deal of Trouble, was either by the Queen's Clemency, or his own Innocence preferv'd from fur ther Suffering, and at length admitted to Bail, Camb. Eliz. 630.

The EXECUTION of Sir WALTER RALEIGH Knt. at Westminster, on the 29th of October, Anno 16° Jacobi Regis, 1618.

PON Wednesday, the 28th of October, Anno Dom. 1618, the Lieutenant of the Tower, according to a Warrant to him directed, brought Sir Walter Raleigh from the Tower to the King's Bench Bar at Westminster: Where the Re cord of his Arraignment at Winchester was open'd,

and

and it was demanded why Execution fhould not be done upon him according to Law.

He began, in way of Anfwer, to justify his Proceedings in the late Voyage.

But the Lord Chief Juftice filenced him therein, faying, There was no other Matter there in Question, but concerning the Judgment of Death, that formerly had been given against him, the which the King's Pleafute was, upon fome Occafions best known to himself, to have executed, unlefs he could fhew good Caufe to the contrary.

Unto which Sir Walter Raleigh faid, That he was told by his Council, that in regard his Majelty, fince the faid Judgment, had been pleafed to imploy him in his Service, as by Commiffion he had done, it made void the faid Judg

ment.

But the Lord Chief Juftice told him, That he was therein deceiv'd, and that the Opinion of the Court was to the contrary.

Wherewith he was fatisfied, and defired that fome reasonable Time might be allowed him to prepare himself for Death.

But it was anfwer'd him, That the Time appointed was on the Morrow, and that it was not to be doubted but that he had prepared himself for Death long fince.

And I am glad, faid the Lord Chief Juftice, that you have given the World fo good Satisfaction of your Religion, as by fome Books, publifh'd by you, you have.

Mafter Attorney General, requiring in the King's Behalf, that Execution might be done upon the Prisoner, according to the forefaid Judg ment: The Sheriffs of Middlefex were commanded for that Purpose to take him into their Cuftody, who prefently carried him to the Gatehouse. en gisul

From

From whence, the next Morning, between the Sheriffs of Middlefex, Sir Walter Raleigh was brought to the old Palace-Tard in Weftminster, where a large Scaffold was erected for the Execution.

Whereupon, when he came, with a chearful Countenance he faluted the Lords, Knights and Gentlemen there present.

After which, a Proclamation was made for Silence, and he addreffed himself to fpeak in this

manner.

I defire to be borne withal, for this is the third Day of my Fever, and if I fhall fhew any Weaknefs, I befeech you to attribute it to my Malady, for this is the Hour in which it is wont to come.

Then paufing a while, he fat, and directed himfelf towards a Window, where the Lord of Arundel, Northampton, and Doncafter, with fome other Lords and Knights, fate, and fpake as followeth;

I thank God, of his infinite Goodness, that he hath brought me to die in the Light, and not in Darkness; (but by reafon that the Place where the Lords, &c. fat, was fome Distance from the Scaffold, that he perceived they could not well hear him, he faid) I will ftrain my Voice, for I would willingly have your Honours hear me.

But my Lord of Arundel faid, Nay, we will rather come down to the Scaffold, which he and fome others did.

Where being come, he faluted them feverally, and then began again to fpeak as followeth, viz.,

As I faid, I thank God heartily, that he hath brought me into the Light to die, and that he hath not fuffer'd me to die in the dark Prifon of the Tower, where I have fuffer'd a great deal of Mifery and cruel Sicknefs; and I thank God that my Fever hath not taken me at this time, as I prayed to God it might not.

There

a

There are two main Points of Sufpicion that his Majefty, as I hear, hath conceived against

me.

To refolve your Lordships wherein his Majesty cannot be fatisfy'd, which I desire to clear, and to refolve your Lordships of:

One is, That his Majefty hath been inform'd that I have often had Plots with France, and his Majefty had good Reason to induce him there

unto.

One Reason that his Majefty had to conjecture fo was, that when I came back from Guyana, being come to Plymouth, I endeavour'd to go in a Bark to Rochel, which was, for that I would have made my Peace before I had come to England.

Another Reafon was, That upon my Flight, I did intend to fly into France, for the faving of my felf, having had fome Terror from above.

A third Reason, that his Majesty had Reason to fufpect, was the French Agents coming to me; befides, it was reported that I had a Commiffion from the French King at my going forth: Thefe are the Reasons that his Majefty had, as I am inform'd, to fufpect me.

But this I fay, for a Man to call God to Witnefs to a Falfhood at the Hour of Death, is far more grievous and impious, and that a Man that fo doth cannot have Salvation, for he hath no time of Repentance; then what fhall I expect, that am going inftantly to render up my Account? I do therefore call God to witness, as I hope to be faved, and as I hope to fee him in his Kingdom, which I hope I fhall within this Quarter of this Hour, I never had any Commiffion from the French King, nor never faw the French King's Hand-writing in all my Life, neither knew I that there was a French Agent, nor what he was, till I met him in my Gallery at my Lodging unlook'd

for:

for: If I fpeak not true, O Lord! let me never enter into thy Kingdom.

The fecond Sufpicion was, That his Majesty had been inform'd, that I fhould speak difhonourably and disloyally of my Sovereign; but my Accufer was a bafe French-man, and runnagate Felfow, one that hath no Dwelling, a kind of a Chymical Fellow, one that 1 knew to be perfidious; for being by him drawn into the Action of fearing my felf at Winchefter, in which I confefs my Hand was toucht, he being fworn to Secrefy over-night, revealed it the next Morning.

But this I fpeak now, what have I to do with Kings? I have nothing to do with them, neither do I fear them; I have only now to do with my God, in whofe Prefence I ftand, therefore to tell a Lie, were it to gain the King's Favour, were vain: Therefore, as I hope to be fav'd at the laft Judgment-day, I never fpoke difhonourably, difloyally, or difhoneftly of his Majefty in all my Life; and therefore I cannot but think it ftrange that that French-man, being fo bafe and mean a Fellow, fhould be fo far credited as he hath been.

I have dealt truly, as I hope to be fav'd, and I hope I fhall be believ'd: I confefs I did attempt to escape, I cannot excuse it, but it was only to fave my Life.

And I do likewife confefs, that I did feign my felf to be ill-difpos'd and fick at Salisbury; but I hope it was no Sin, for the Prophet David did make himself a Fool, and fuffer'd Spittle to fall down upon his Beard, to escape from the Hands of his Enemies, and it was not imputed unto him: So, what I did, I intended no Ill, but to gain and prolong time till his Majefty came, hoping for fome Commiferation from him.

But