The great days were passing. Ralegh had seen the Queen ruling the nation as only a woman and a woman of genius and of beauty could rule it; he saw her when the power of her womanhood was declining and its weakness was in evidence. Who could take her place? What man or what woman? And must not the place itself be changed and its absolute authority be modified? Time was converting the Queen into her country's encumbrance. And who would succeed his Queen Elizabeth? Where were the men to carry on the great traditions of Elizabeth? Robert Cecil was too astute.... * * * * * Meanwhile Ralegh continued the duties of his own life, at Sherborne and at Durham House. Lord Cobham's name is often found at this time in association with Ralegh. Cobham was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and often on his way to the coast he managed to make a short visit to the Raleghs at Sherborne. He was a weak man, as the event proved. And Ralegh liked him; a strong man is often led into liking a weak man, whom he is able to render pliant to his will. About this time, too, Ralegh was made Governor of Jersey, and immediately he set about his new duties, which were many and various, with his own energy. There is an interesting letter from Lady Ralegh to Cecil; it tells not only of her husband's first journey to Jersey but also of a fire at Durham House, and in the telling shows something of Lady Ralegh's character. "SUR, "Hit tis trew that your packet brought me the newes of the mischans of feeiar at Durram Houes, wher, I thanke God hit went noo fardar. Other wies, hit had rid ous of all our poour substans of plat and other thinges. Unly now the loos is of your cumpani and my Lord Cobham's wich I thinke by this menes wee cannot injoy this winter.... "I ded heer from Sur Walter within too dayes after he landed at Jarsi: wher he was safly landed and rioly intertained with joye. But he was too dayes and too nites on the sea, with contrari windes, not withstanding hee went from Wamouthe in so fayer a wind and weether, as littell Wat and myselfe brought him abord the shipt. Hee writeth to me hee never saw a plesanttar iland; but protesteth unfannedly hit tis not, in valew, the veri third part that was reported, or inded hee beliffed. My cossin Will is heer, very will and louketh will and fat with his batheinge. This, wishing you all honnar and the full contentements of your hart, I ever rest "Your asured poour frind "E. RALEGH "I am glad this mischans of feeiar cam not by ani neckelegans of ani sarvant of mine, but by me cossin Darci's sarvant,--a woman that delleth just under our logging, and anoyeth ous infenitly. I hope hee will now remoueve heer. I humbelly besuch you let this lettar heer inclosed be sent."