"I myself knew the old Countess of Desmond of Inchiquin, in Munster, who lived in the yeare 1589, and many years since, who was married in Edward IV.'s time, and held her joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since then; and that this is true, all noblemen and gentlemen of Munster can witnesse." From this passage I think it can be shown, that the reader can draw no other inference than that the Countess of Desmond was dead at the time Sir Walter Raleigh wrote it. In his heading to the chapter he speaks of some of "_late memory_;" and the words "_many years since_" evidently mean that she lived many years _after_ 1589.[4] We do not know at what precise period the above passage was penned; but we learn from Sir Walter's Preface, that he composed this great and admirable work whilst a prisoner in the Tower (from which he was liberated in 1616). In that preface he speaks with deep feeling and regret for the loss of Prince Henry. He says _the Prince read part of the work_; and that he wrote it "for the service of that inestimable" youth. We know that Henry died in November, 1612. The passage, therefore, about the "old Countess," which occurs in a very early part of the book, there can be no doubt, was written before 1612, and the entire work published in 1614. If, therefore (as I think no one can doubt, from the manner in which it is worded), the old lady was dead when Sir Walter wrote about her, it is not possible she could have visited the court of King James in 1614.