59 
of the only good word I ever read of him. I need not quote from 
Sir Thomas’s rather numerous despatches on State Affairs. I extract 
a paragraph from a letter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, Ambassador 
at Paris, to Chaloner, dated Paris, 14th June, 1562: “I pray you 
good My Lord Ambassador sende me two Paire of parfumed 
Gloves, parfumed with Orrange Flowers and Jacemin, thone for 
my wives hand, the other for myn owne ; and whereinsoever I can 
pleasure you with anything in this Country, you shall have it in 
Recompense thereof, or els so moche money as they shall coste 
you, provided alwaies that they be of the best choise, wherein your 
Judgment is inferior to none. I would be glad you wold sende 
them me by Mr. Henry Cobham, who I here wilbe in these Parties 
or it be longe,” &c., &c. It may add a little interest to this extract 
when I state that the Ambassador to France was father of the fair 
Elizabeth Throckmorton, who by captivating Raleigh’s heart and 
becoming his wife, exercised an unfavourable influence on his 
worldly fortunes. 
I pass over most of the rest of his communications from Spain 
to the Queen, only quoting two, both, I believe, to Cecil, and 
characteristic of Spanish medical treatment of the times. The 
unfortunate Don Carlos (son of Philip II. of Spain by his first 
wife, Mary of Portugal, the hero of Schiller’s tragedy of that name, 
and celebrated not for either virtue or genius, but for his unhappy 
end, for he is said to have been put to death by his father for 
plotting against him,) “had the misfortune,” says Chaloner, writing 
1562, “to tumble down stairs, for he was never over steady on his 
legs ; he brocke his head and was at the point of death,” chiefly 
through the contrary opinions, and, consequently, neutralised prac- 
tice of his numerous physicians. Chaloner, who was not without 
medica] skill himself, proclaims them all as bunglers. They 
let the moody young prince’s wound heal so soon, that the 
injured bone beneath putrified; “he may yet! get well,” says 
Chaloner, “but it will axe about six weeks space to heal him 
thoroughly,” adding, “his hurt is upon the top of his noddle side- 
ways as he slipped down stairs.” Chaloner in good old-fashioned 
Saxon words describes such Court scenes, while his life hung in 
