deserving of notice, that it was written when its author was on the eve of being accused of a treasonable plot, to be carried into execution through the agency of that power which he there. treats so contemptuously, and to which he evinces so rooted a dislike!

But, notwithstanding all his mortifications and disappointments, we find Raleigh vehemently protesting that his mind was in no degree soured by discontent. Thus, in the piece just mentioned, he assures the King, that it proceeds from a faithful breast, which his Majesty could not beat from the love of his royal person and estate;' and in a letter, written shortly after he was charged with treason, he utters this solemn asseveration: The great God of heaven and earth so relieve me as I was the reverse of discontented.' We would fain believe that Raleigh's fancy here deceived him; for it is impossible to shut our eyes to the fact of his discontent-a fact in itself both probable and natural, and which all contemporary authority attests. The evidence of Sully, though there was none else, would be decisive; for it is that of a most competent and disinterested observer, pronounced after much private and confidential intercourse. It does not, indeed, warrant the statements which Carte and Hume have founded upon it-statements which represent Raleigh and some of his associates as having solicited both Beaumont and himself to aid them in certain treasonable designs; but it pourtrays them as restless and speculative malecontents, not greatly indisposed to embark in designs hostile to their sovereign and to the state."

James had been only about three months seated on his new throne, when the discovery of more than one treasonable plot took place. That which was first brought to light, never has been a subject of doubt either as to its objects or the persons concerned in it. It seems to have originated with two priests, named Watson and Clarke. Their design was to seize the King whilst engaged in his favourite occupation of hunting; and then to carry him to the Tower or some other place of strength, there to be detained till he should new-model his ministry agreeably to their wishes, and swear to grant a full toleration of religion. Amongst

*See Sully's despatches, contained in the original edition of his Memoirs, entitled, Mémoires des Sages, &c., t. ii. pp. 123, 148.

In a copy now before us, of a paper in the handwriting of Sir Edward Coke, preserved in the State-Paper Office, he makes an abstract of evidence, with reference to three plots, described by him as the Spanish, 'or Cobham's treason,' the Priests' treason,' and, Lord Grey's treason.'

their first associates were George Brooke, brother to Lord Cobham, Sir Griffin Markham, and a Catholic gentleman of the name of Copeley; and a communication having been opened through Brooke with Lord Grey of Wilton, a zealous Puritan, who appears to have been ready to embark in any treasonable project, they began to apportion amongst themselves the different offices of that new administration which they wished to form, and to deliberate as to the time for proceeding to action. But jealousies and misgivings speedily arose to distract their machinations. Grey, a young man of talents and ambition, became apprehensive that if the plot succeeded the Catholics might obtain some advantage over his own sect; and he therefore opposed any movement until he should strengthen himself with an armed force, which he secretly hoped to obtain permission to embody, under the pretext of employing them in the Netherlands. In this way, the day of action was postponed; but with an understanding that every possible effort should be made to augment the number of confederates.

Coincident with these treasons was another, called the Spanish or Lord Cobham's treason.'* This weak, but intriguing and opulent nobleman, who had lived much in Raleigh's society, and been an active partisan in the quarrels with Essex, was much at variance with Cecil, who was his brother-in-law; and the King having, in consequence of the Secretary's representations, treated him coldly when he went to join the royal 'Progress,' his resentment rose to a high pitch against both Sovereign and minister. His notorious disaffection encouraged his abler and deeper brother, George Brooke, to disclose to him the plot of the Priests; and the idea seems to have been started by one or other of them-in all probability Brooke-that, could adequate assistance be procured from Spain, James might be dispossessed of the throne, and his cousin the Lady Arabella Stuart advanced to it in his stead. The same notion, according to Beaumont, occurred, but without leading to any concerted plan, to some of those engaged in the other treasons. Cobham agreed to apply to Spain for money; and he accordingly made an application to that effect to Count D'Aremberg, immediately on his arrival in London, as the temporary representative both of the Governor of the Netherlands and of the King of Spain. He appears to have had some previous intercourse with that minister; and to have been particularly acquainted with a person in his retinue of the name of La Renzi. This person was in consequence employed as the agent of their secret correspondence.

* So designated, in the analysis mentioned in the foregoing note, by Sir Edward Coke.

Brooke undertook to persuade the Lady Arabella to enter into their views; and to prevail upon her to write to the Archduke and the King of Spain-pledging her lasting friendship, and engaging to be guided by them in the choice of a husband, in the event of her being elevated to the throne through their assistance. But all these treasonable schemes were overset, before they had ripened into any determinate or connected plan, through the fortunate imprudence of Copeley. On going from home, he told his sister that he was engaged in a great and dangerous undertaking for the good of the country. His words, having made a strong impression, were repeated to her husband, and by him to the Lord Admiral, who, in consequence, caused Copeley to be apprehended; and he having made a full disclosure of the plot of the Priests, they and their accomplices were seized and imprisoned.*

When Cecil heard that Brooke was one of the conspirators, he naturally inferred that his discontented brother Cobham might be concerned; and Raleigh's intimacy with, and ascendency over the latter, exposed him, in the ready mind of the Secretary, to a similar suspicion. He was accordingly, on Cecil's suggestion, examined, in presence of some of the Lords of the Council, as to whether he had any knowledge of the plot divulged by Copeley. He unhesitatingly declared his utter ignorance of it; and his name stood quite free from any disloyal imputations, till Brooke, in his examination, disclosed his brother Cobham's intrigues with Aremberg;-adding, that the former had told him their intercourse was known to Raleigh. Being in consequence again examined, he, equally as before, declared that he was wholly ignorant of any criminal correspondence between Cobham and the Flemish Minister; but either at that examination, or soon thereafter, he appears to have stated that he knew there was some intercourse between them; and he farther suggested, in a private letter to Cecil, that La Renzi might be examined as the person most likely to be informed of its nature. This suggestion-most extraordinary if that of a guilty participator+was productive of lasting misfortune to its author. Cobham had before been examined without effect; but the letter to Cecil having been unwarrantably shown to him, he instantly became enraged against Raleigh;-charged him with having instigated all his dealings with Aremberg; confessed that it had

*Beaumont, Dép. May 12-June 13-July 30, 1603.

† So thought one who was present at his trial.-See Sir Toby Matthews's Collection of Letters, published by Dr Donne, p. 281. Sir Thomas Overbury, who also was present, expresses himself to the same purpose. Arraignment of Sir Walter Raleigh.

been agreed, with Raleigh's privity, that he should proceed to Spain to negotiate for money, Aremberg being unable to engage for all that was wanted; and that he was to return by Jersey, of which Sir Walter was governor, there to consult as to their farther proceedings. In almost the same breath, however, he admitted his having become apprehensive that, if he did so return, Raleigh would seize and deliver both the treasure and himself to the King. Nor was this all. As soon as he became cool, according to one account, or after a private remonstrance from Raleigh, according to another, he fully and solemnly retracted all that he had laid to his charge.*

Raleigh was nevertheless, towards the end of July, committed to the Tower. But, previously to this, he appears to have acknowledged that Cobham, on the part of Aremberg, had offered him a sum of money, or a pension, on condition of his using his endeavours to promote a peace between the two crowns; and as Brooke had confessed that Cobham had also promised money for distribution amongst the associates of the priests, it appears to have been thought that the acknowledged offer to Raleigh was for similar treasonable purposes. When informed of this injurious construction, he addressed a letter to the Lords of the Council, in which, after repeating the purport of Cobham's offer, he made a solemn renunciation of all claim to mercy, if it should ever be shown that he was aware of its connexion with any treasonable design. But this address, which was powerful and eloquent, does not seem to have made any impression. Yet, as he had not been accused by any one of any participation in the plot of the Priests, and as Cobham's accusation respecting the treasonable dealings with Aremberg stood retracted, the Council appear to have been somewhat doubtful as to the propriety of any farther proceedings against him. Cecil, unwilling that he should escape, caused a strict enquiry to be made amongst all likely to be acquainted with his secrets; but the investigation ended without any discovery calculated to gratify the wishes of the minister.+

We must not, in the history of these proceedings, omit the mention of a remarkable incident, by no means favourable to Raleigh's character, and which, accordingly, Mr Tytler's partiality induces him to view as liable to question. One afternoon, whilst Cecil and others of the Council were engaged in the examination of the other prisoners in the Tower, Raleigh made an attempt at suicide-wounding himself rather

* Beaumont-Carte-Overbury. † Beaumont, Dép. August 13.

VOL. LXXI. NO. CXLIII.

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severely by a stab in the breast. When we were advertised of it,' says Cecil, we came to him, and found him in some agony, seeming to be unable to endure his misfortunes, and protesting 'innocency, with carelessness of life.' He had often expressed his firm belief, that the administration of the law of treason was such as to enable his enemies to effect his condemnation though innocent; and on this occasion, his proud and lofty spirit seems to have hurried him on to the rash determination to deprive them of the means of achieving such a triumph. A recent publication respecting the reign of King James, furnishes us with a very affecting letter from Raleigh to his wife, written in contemplation of his design. We do not refer to it for evidence of the fact; for that was long ago incontrovertibly established, not only by the above communication by Cecil, but by Beaumont's despatches to his court, and by a contemporary letter published by Sir Toby Matthews. We refer to it as being in itself remarkable, and as showing that the deed which he meditated ought not to be viewed as the act of conscious guilt, but rather as that of ungovernable and despairing pride. I cannot live,' says he, 'to think how I shall be derided-to think of the expectation of my enemies the scorns I shall receive-the cruel words of lawyers -the infamous taunts and despites-to be made a wonder and a spectacle.' His allusions to the sad consequences of his misfortunes to his family, and to the revolting nature of the imputation of plotting with Spain-the enemy he had ever hated and scorned, and sometimes scourged-are strikingly pathetic and indignant;-indicating a lofty consciousness of his own merits and services, now unminded by his country. But there is nothing more worthy of remark in this extraordinary letter (which we regret we cannot extract at full length) than its strongly characteristic touches;-particularly its remarkable display of great warmth of feeling and tenderness of heart, joined with much worldly wisdom and calculating prudence; the one exemplified, in his agonizing emotions on taking leave of his wife; the other, in his recommendation to her to marry again, but not for love- only to avoid poverty;'-and to overlook Cecil's conduct to himself, because,' says he, he must be master of your child, and may have compassion on him.' We shall quit this singular compound of strong emotions and sage counsels, by quoting his ground of hope of forgiveness for the unholy act which he was meditating. I know," says he, that

Letter to Sir Thomas Parry, 4th August 1608, in Cayley's Life of Raleigh.