, whither Sir Lewis conducted him, set
this doubt at rest and relighted the lamp of hope in the despairing soul
of our adventurer. In Sir Lewis he saw only his kinsman--his very
good friend and kinsman, to insist upon Stukeley's own description of
himself--at a time when of all others in his crowded life he needed the
support of a kinsman and the guidance of a friend.

You know the story of this Sir Walter, who had been one of the brightest
ornaments of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and might have added lustre
to that of King James, had not his Sowship--to employ the title bestowed
upon that prince by his own queen--been too mean of soul to appreciate
the man's great worth. Courtier, philosopher, soldier, man of letters
and man of action alike, Ralegh was at once the greatest prose-writer,
and one of the greatest captains of his age, the last survivor of that
glorious company--whose other members were Drake and Frobisher and
Hawkins--that had given England supremacy upon the seas, that had broken
the power and lowered the pride of Spain.

His was a name that had resounded, to the honour and glory of England,
throughout the world, a name that, like Drake's, was a thing of hate and
terror to King Philip and his Spaniards; yet the King of Scots, unclean
of body and of mind, who had succeeded to the throne of Elizabeth, must
affect ignorance of that great name which shall never die while England
lives.

When the splendid courtier stood before him--for at fifty Sir Walter was
still handsome of person and magnificent of Apparel--James looked him
over and inquired who he might be. When they had told him:

"I've rawly heard of thee," quoth the royal punster, who sought by such
atrocities of speech to be acclaimed a wit.

It was ominous of what must follow, and soon thereafter you see this
great and gallant gentleman arrested on a trumped-up charge of high
treason, bullied, vituperated, and insulted by venal, peddling lawyers,
and, finally, although his wit and sincerity had shattered every
fragment of evidence brought against him, sentenced to death. Thus far
James went; but he hesitated to go further, hesitated to carry out the
sentence. Sir Walter had too many friends in England then; the memory of
his glorious deeds was still too fresh in the public mind, and execution
might have been attended by serious consequences for King James.
Besides, one at least of the main objects was achieved. Sir Walter's
broad acres were co