History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of VirginiaCampbell, Charles
History
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia
Campbell, Charles
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Virginia -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Essex having engaged in a rash treasonable conspiracy, the object of
which was to seize upon the queen's person, so as thereby to control the
government, Raleigh aided in defeating his designs. But after the
execution of his popular rival, Raleigh's fortune began to wane.
Nevertheless, in 1600 he was made Governor of the Isle of Jersey. In the
following year, in a speech made in Parliament on an act for sowing
hemp, Sir Walter said: "For my part, I do not like this constraining of
men to manure or use their grounds at our wills, but rather let every
man use his ground to that which it is most fit for, and therein use his
discretion." Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, and Raleigh's happiness ended
with her life.
James the First came to the throne of Great Britain prejudiced against
Raleigh. He was also at this time extremely unpopular, and especially
odious to the friends of the highly gifted, but rash and unfortunate
Earl of Essex. In three months after the arrival of King James in
England, Sir Walter was arrested on a charge of high treason, in
conspiring with the Lords Cobham and Grey to place the Lady Arabella
Stuart on the throne. Arraigned on charges frivolous and contradictory,
tried under circumstances of insult and oppression, he was found guilty
without any sufficient evidence. By their conduct on this occasion, Sir
Edward Coke, Lord Chief Justice Popham, and Sir Robert Cecil proved
themselves fit tools for the abject and heartless James. Raleigh, though
reprieved, remained a prisoner in the Tower at the king's mercy.
Lady Raleigh and her son were not excluded from the Tower, and Carew,
the youngest, was born there. During his long confinement, Sir Walter
devoted himself to literature and science, and enjoyed the society of a
few friends, among them Hariot and the Earl of Northumberland, who was
likewise a State prisoner. Sir Walter was also frequently visited by
Prince Henry, the heir-apparent, who was devotedly attached to him, and
who said that "none but his father would keep such a bird in a cage."
Prince Charles, on the contrary, appears to have entertained a strong
dislike to him. In the Tower Raleigh composed his great work, the
"History of the World," the first volume of which appeared in the year
1614; it extended from the creation to the close of the Macedonian war,
and embraced a period of about four thousand years. It was dedicated to
Prince Henry. Raleigh intended to compose two other volumes, but owing
to the untimely death of that prince, and to the suppression of it by
King James, on the ground that it censured princes too freely, and
perhaps to the magnitude of the task, he proceeded no further than the
first volume. Oliver Cromwell recommended this work to his son.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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