sty's mercy turn the point towards me that
expelleth. Lost I am for hearing of vain man, for hearing only,
and never believing or accepting: and so little account I made
of that speech of his, which was my condemnation (as my
forsaking him doth truly witness), that I never remembered any
such thing, till it was at my trial objected against me. So did
he repay my care, who cared to make him good, which I now see no
care of man can effect. But God (for my offence to him) hath
laid this heavy burden upon me, miserable 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 case
to lie) that I honoured your majesty by fame, and loved and
admired you by knowledge; so 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, most merciful prince, vouchsafe to
ascribe it to the counsel of a dead heart, and to a mind that
sorrow hath confounded. But the more my misery is, the more is
your majesty's mercy, if you please to behold it, and the less I
can deserve, the more liberal your majesty's gift shall be:
herein you shall only imitate God, by giving free life; and by
giving it to such a one, from whom there can be no retribution,
but only a desire to pay a lent life with the same great love,
which the same great goodness shall bestow on it. This being the
first letter that ever your majesty received from a dead man: I
humbly submit myself to the will of God, my supreme lord, and
shall willingly and patiently suffer whatsoever it shall please
your majesty to afflict me withal.

'WALTER RALEIGH.'

_Sir Walter Raleigh's Letter to his Wife._

'You shall now receive, my dear wife, my last words in these my
last lines. My love I send you, that you may keep it when I am
dead; and my counsel, that you may remember it when I am no
more. I would not by my Will present you with sorrows, dear
Besse, let them go into the grave with me, and be buried in the
dust. And seeing that it is not God's will that I should see you
any more in this life, bear it patiently, and with a heart like
thyself. First, I send you all the thanks which my heart can
conceive, or my words can rehearse, for your many