stand a year upon the king his master's head, if a traitor could not be condemned upon circumstances. He thus, either from obsequiousness to the king, or vindictiveness towards Raleigh, established a precedent which afterwards was quoted by unscrupulous judges and advocates, who aimed more at proving state prisoners guilty than at eliciting truth and doing justice. His conduct at Raleigh's trial is the greatest blot on the memory of Coke, who must ever be regarded as one of the most eminent lawyers. We may think lightly of his coarse invective, when we remember that, in those days, refinement of expression was not sought after in controversy. But it is impossible to acquit so distinguished a lawyer from a wilful and malicious perversion of justice in the case of Sir Walter Raleigh.

When a verdict of "guilty" was returned by the jury, Raleigh remarked "They must do as they are directed." He was sentenced to death, and his property was confiscated. The day for his execution was not fixed, and he was, in the meantime, remanded to the Tower, where for twelve years he remained a prisoner. His wife and son were allowed to reside with him. His second son, Carew, was born in the Tower in 1604. Raleigh found solace in music, poetry, painting, chemistry, and literature. His "History of the World" was all written in the Tower. The materials were supplied by friends, of whom he still had many. Amongst his admirers and visitors, was the heir apparent, Henry, Prince of Wales, who is said to

SETS SAIL FOR GUIANA.

have observed, that none but his father would keep such a bird in such a cage. The Prince died on the 6th of November, 1612. In 1614, Raleigh's "History of the World" was published, and in the following year he regained his liberty, through the interest of Villiers, the king's favorite, whose good graces he gained by a present of fifteen hundred pounds.

Raleigh was no sooner free again than he proposed an expedition to Guiana "that mighty, rich, and beautiful empire," containing "the great and golden city, which the Spaniards call El Dorado." James would neither engage his services, nor assist him in the undertaking; it is even said that he informed the Spanish ambassador of Raleigh's designs.

So sanguine was Raleigh that he embarked the whole of his own and his wife's fortune in fitting out a fleet to South America. At this time, Sir Ralph Winwood was secretary of state, and he used his influence to procure for Raleigh the rank of admiral of the fleet, and a royal commission authorizing him to found an English settlement in Guiana. But the expedition met with determined opposition from the Spaniards, who had received information long before of Raleigh's designs.

Since Raleigh's visit to Guiana, the Spaniards had established a settlement there; and James gave him and his captain strict injunctions not to molest them, or to interfere with any of the Spanish settlements.

It was a most inauspicious time for Raleigh, or for any other Englishman, to undertake an expedition to

any part of the New World. The Spaniards were jealous of other nations, and especially jealous of the English, by whom they had suffered many defeats; and James was anxious to propitiate the Spanish court, in order that his son Charles, the Prince of Wales, might marry the Infanta.

With a fleet of fourteen ships, Raleigh left Plymouth on the 13th of August, 1617, and reached his destination in November. He sent Keymis, his captain, with five of the largest ships, up the Oronoco, and gave him instructions with reference to the locality of the valuable mine. The captain proceeded up the river according to Raleigh's direction. The Spaniards had been on the look-out for an English fleet; and accordingly they, in the night, attacked the five ships as they passed Fort St. Thomas. The English acted on the defensive and defeated the enemy; but not content with this, they attacked the fort and captured it; they then plundered the town. The governor of St. Thomas's was a relative of the Spanish ambassador in London; he was killed in the conflict, as was also Raleigh's son.

The search for the mine proved-as no doubt Raleigh expected it would prove-fruitless. Keymis and his men, who had encountered much opposition from the Spaniards, and innumerable difficulties incidental to such an enterprise, rejoined Sir Walter, after an absence from him of about two months. violent quarrel ensued between Raleigh and Keymis. Of course it is impossible to say who was most

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