Great Britain -- History; Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618
But to return. Raleigh attaches himself to Cecil; and he has good
reason. Cecil is the cleverest man in England, saving himself. He has
trusted and helped him, too, in two Guiana voyages; so the connection is
one of gratitude as well as prudence. We know not whether he helped him
in the third Guiana voyage in the same year, under Captain Berry, a north
Devon man, from Grenvile’s country; who found a ‘mighty folk,’ who were
‘something pleasant, having drunk much that day,’ and carried bows with
golden handles: but failed in finding the Lake Parima, and so came home.
Raleigh’s first use of his friendship with Cecil is to reconcile him, to
the astonishment of the world, with Essex, alleging how much good may
grow by it; for now ‘the Queen’s continual unquietness will grow to
contentment.’ That, too, those who will may call policy. We have as
good a right to call it the act of a wise and faithful subject, and to
say, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children
of God.’ He has his reward for it in full restoration to the Queen’s
favour; he deserves it. He proves himself once more worthy of power, and
it is given to him. Then there is to be a second great expedition: but
this time its aim is the Azores. Philip, only maddened by the loss at
Cadiz, is preparing a third armament for the invasion of England and
Ireland, and it is said to lie at the islands to protect the Indian
fleet. Raleigh has the victualling of the land-forces, and, like
everything else he takes in hand, ‘it is very well done.’ Lord Howard
declines the chief command, and it is given to Essex. Raleigh is to be
rear-admiral.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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