Sir WALTER RALEIGH's Letter to the KING the Night before his Death.

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HE Life which I had, Moft Mighty Prince, the Law hath taken from me, and I am now but the fame Earth and Duft, out of which I was made. If my Offence had any Proportion with your Majefty's Mercy, I might defpair, or if my Deferving had any Quantity with your Majefty's unmeafurable Goodnefs, I might yet have Hope; but it is you that must judge, and not I. Name, Blood, Gentility, or Eftate, I have none; no not so much as a Being, no not so much as a Vitam planta : I have only a penitent Soul in a Body of Iron, which moveth towards the Loadftone of Death, and cannot be withheld from touching it, except your Majefty's Mercy turn the Point towards me that expelleth. Loft I am for hearing of vain Man, for hearing only, and never believing nor accepting: And fo little Account I made of that Speech of his, which was my Condemnation (as my forfaking him doth truly witness) that I never remembred any fuch thing, till it was at my Tryal objected against me. So did he repay my Care, who cared to make him Good, which I now fee no Care of Man can effect. But God (for my Offence to him) hath laid this heavy Burden on me, miferable and unfortunate Wretch that I am. But for not loving you (my Sovereign) God hath not laid this Sorrow on me; for he knows (with whom I am not in cafe to lie) that I honoured your Majefty by Fame, and loved and admired you by Knowledge; fo that whether I live or die, your Majesty's loving Servant I will live and die. If now I write what Seems not well-favoured (Moft merciful Prince) vouchsafe to afcribe it to the Counsel of a dead Heart, and to a Mind that Sorrow hath con founded. But the more my Mifery is, the more is your Majefty's Mercy (if you pleafe to behold it) and the lefs I can deferve, the more liberal your Majesty's Gift fhall

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be: Herein you fhall only imitate God, giving free Life: And by giving to fuch a one from whom there can be no Retribution, but only a Defire to pay a Lent-life with the fame great Love, which the fame great Goodness fhall bestow on it. This being the first Letter that ever your Majefty receiv'd from a dead Man: I humbly Submit my felf to the Will of God, my fupreme Lord, and fhall willingly and patiently fuffer whatsoever it shall pleafe your Majefty to afflict me withal.

WALTER RALEIGH.

The Copy of Sir WALTER RALEIGH's Letter to his Wife, the Night before his Death.

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OU shall now receive (my dear Wife) my last Words in thefe my laft Lines My Love I fend you, that you may keep it when I am dead, and my Counfel, that you may remember it when I am no more. · I would not by my Will prefent you with Sorrows (Dear Beffe) let them go into the Grave with me, and be buried in the Duft. And seeing that it is not God's Will that I fhould fee you any more in this Life, bear it patiently, and with a Heart like thy felf. First I fend you all the Thanks which my Heart can conceive, or my Words can rehearse, for your many Travails, and Care taken for me; which tho' they have not taken Effect as you wished, yet my Debt to you is not the lefs; but pay it I never fhall in this World. Secondly, I beseech you, for the Love you bare me living, do not hide your felf many Days, but by your Travels feek to help your miferable Fortunes, and the Right of your poor Child. Thy mourning cannot avail me, I am but Duft. Thirdly, You shall understand that my Land was conveyed bona fide to my Child: The Writings were drawn at Midfummer was twelve Months, my honeft Coufin Brett can testify fo much, and Dolberry too can remember Somewhat therein. And I trust my Blood will quench

their Malice that have cruelly murder'd me, and that they will not seek also to kill thee and thine with extreme Poverty. To what Friend to direct thee I know not, for all mine have left me in the true time of Tryal. And I perceive that my Death was determin'd from the first Day. Moft forry I am, God knows, that being thus Surpriz'd with Death I can leave you in no better Eftate. God is my Witnefs, I meant you all my Office of Wines, or all that I could have purchased by felling it, half my Stuff, and all my Jewels, but fome one for the Boy; but God hath prevented all my Refolutions. That great God that ruleth all in all; but if you can live free from Want, care for no more, the reft is but Vanity. Love God, and begin betimes to repofe your felf upon him, and therein shall you find true and lafting Riches, and endless Comfort: For the reft, when you have travelled and wearied your Thoughts over all forts of worldly Cogitations, you shall but fit down by Sorrow in the end. Teach your Son alfo to love and fear God whilft he is yet young, that the Fear of God may grow with him; and then God will be a Husband to you, and a Father to him ; a Husband and a Father which cannot be taken from you. Baily oweth me 200 1. and Adrian 600 1. in Jersey. I alfo have much owing me befides. The Arrearages of the Wines will pay your Debts. And bowfoever you do, for my Soul's Jake, pay all poor Men. When I am gone, no doubt you shall be fought to, for the World thinks that I was very rich. But take heed of the Pretences of Men, and their Affections, for they laft not but in honeft and worthy Men; and no greater Mifery can befall you in this Life than to become a Prey, and afterwards to be defpifed. I speak not this (God knows) to diffuade you from Marriage, for it will be best for you both in respect of the World and of God. As for me, I am no more yours, nor you mine, Death hath cut us afunder; and God hath divided me from the World, and you from me. Remember your poor Child for his Father's fake, who chofe you, and loved you in his happieft F 4

Times.

Times. Get thofe Letters (if it be possible) which I writ to the Lords, wherein I fued for my Life: God is my Witness, it was for you and yours that I defir'd Life; but it is true that I disdain'd my felf for begging of it: For know it (my dear Wife) that your Son is the Son of a true Man, and who, in his own refpect, defpifeth Death and all his mishapen and ugly Forms. I cannot write much, God he knows how hardly I fteal this time while others fleep, and it is also time that I should feparate my Thoughts from the World. Beg my dead Body, which living was denied thee; and either lay it at Sherburne (and if the Land continue) or in ExeterChurch by my Father and Mother. I can say no more, Time and Death call me away, the everlasting, powerful, infinite, and omnipotent God, that Almighty God, who is Goodness it felf, the true Life and true Light keep thee and thine, have Mercy on me, and teach me to forgive my Perfecutors and Accufers, and Send us to meet in his glorious Kingdom. My dear Wife farewel. Blefs my poor Boy. Pray for me, and let my good God hold you both in his Arms. Written with the dying Hand of fometimes thy Husband, but now alas over

thrown.

WALTER RALEIGH,

Sir WALTER'S FAMILY and CHARACTER.

Sir Walter Raleigh, youngest Son of Walter Raleigh Efq; by Catherine his Wife, Daughter of Sir Philip Champernoon Knt. was born at Budely in Devonfire, in a House which his Family had long poffefs'd, call'd Hays He was educated at OrielCollege in Oxon, from whence he remov'd to the Inns of Court: But thinking it more eafy to fight than talk himself into Reputation: And thofe active Times, and a bufy warlike Princess pointing him out the Way to the Temple of Honour; the Sword

Sword he judg'd, with Alexander, the readieft Inftrument to diffolve all Knots and tedious Obftacles to Greatnefs. Collier's Hift. Dictionary. Life of Sir Walter. Cambden's Eliz.

The first Campaign he made was in France, being one of those Gentlemen who compos'd that Troop of one hundred Volunteers, commanded by Henry Champernoon, Anno 1569. The Motto in their Colours was, Finem det nobis Virtus. Here it was his Valour firft made him taken notice of; He ferv'd alfo in the Low Countries, and afterwards in Ireland, in Quality of a Captain, Anno 1580. Where fome Differences arifing between him and the Lord Grey, they were both fent for over, and heard before the Council-Table, where Raleigh manag'd his Caufe with that Address, that the Queen took particular Notice of him.

The

Gentleman, who writes the History of his Life, informs us, that coming from Ireland on this Occafion, and being equip'd in a very good Habit, which it feems was the greatest Part of his Estate (and which, he well obferves, is one of the beft Means of introducing a Man into the World whose Worth is unknown) as the Queen was walking in the Park, and coming to a watry Place, where The found fome Difficulty to get over, Sir Walter immediately pulls off a new plufh Coat he had on, and lays it down for her Majefty to tread on, which the Queen was extremely pleas'd with, and foon after took Occafion to requite: To fuch lucky Accidents fometimes do Men owe their Succefs: The greatest Merit is often defeated by a kind of Criminal Modefty, or a want of Opportunity to difcover it felf, while the forward and bold, tho the most empty worthlefs things in Nature, often arrive at the highest Preferments; but this was not the Cafe of Sir Walter. He was a Gentle

man