essively
ingenious, as well as eloquent, and directed to move the sympathy of his
hearers as much as possible, without any deviation from literal truth.
He said that it was true that he had tried to escape to France, but that
his motive was not treasonable; he knew the King to be justly incensed,
and thought that from La Rochelle he might negotiate his pardon. What he
said about the commission from France is so ingeniously worded, as to
leave us absolutely without evidence from this quarter. After speaking
about La Chesnee's visits, he proceeded to denounce the base Mannourie
and his miserable master Sir Lewis Stukely, yet without a word of
unseemly invective. He then defended his actions in the Guiana voyage,
and turning brusquely to the Earl of Arundel, appealed to him for
evidence that the last words spoken between them as the 'Destiny' left
the Thames were of Raleigh's return to England. This was to rebut the
accusation that Raleigh had been overpowered by his mutinous crew, and
brought to Kinsale against his will. Arundel answered, 'And so you did!'
The Sheriff presently showing some impatience, Raleigh asked pardon, and
begged to say but a few words more. He had been vexed to find that the
Dean of Westminster believed a story which was in general circulation to
the effect that Raleigh behaved insolently at the execution of Essex,
'puffing out tobacco in disdain of him;' this he solemnly denied. He
then closed as follows:

And now I entreat that you will all join me in prayer to the
Great God of Heaven, whom I have grievously offended, being a
man full of all vanity, who has lived a sinful life in such
callings as have been most inducing to it; for I have been a
soldier, a sailor, and a courtier, which are courses of
wickedness and vice; that His almighty goodness will forgive me;
that He will cast away my sins from me; and that He will receive
me into everlasting life.--So I take my leave of you all, making
my peace with God.

Proclamation was then made that all visitors should quit the scaffold.
In parting with his friends, Raleigh besought them, and Arundel in
particular, to beg the King to guard his memory against scurrilous
pamphleteers. The noblemen lingered so long, that it was Raleigh himself
who gently dismissed them. 'I have a long journey to go,' he said, and
smiled, 'therefore I must take my leave of you.' When the friends had
retired he addressed himself to prayer,