RALEIGH. 185 



55. WALTER RALEIGH. 



WALTER RALEIGH was born in 1552 in Devonshire, between Exmouth and 

 Sidmouth. He attended Oxford for one year and there showed proficiency in 

 oratory and philosophy. He left Oxford in 1566 for the French wars in a company, 

 led by his cousin Henry Champernoun, that was supporting the Huguenot cause, 

 and he remained there 5 or 6 years. He was almost certainly in Paris at the 

 time of the massacre on St. Bartholomew's eve in 1572. In 1578, as captain of 

 the Falcon, he accompanied his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, on an expe- 

 dition to find the northwest passage, but this failed because of internal dissen- 

 sions. Impoverished, he sought to rehabilitate his fortunes at the court and 

 attached himself to the queen's favorite. He also entered the Irish service, advo- 

 cated a ruthless policy, and recommended assassination as a means of getting 

 rid of the Irish leaders. Returning to England, he became a favorite and lover 

 of Queen Elizabeth. He now put into operation a plan he had long cherished 

 that of colonizing the American continent from crowded London. Accordingly, 

 Sir Humphrey Gilbert was sent with a colony to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 

 1583. In the following year Raleigh ordered two captains, Armadas and Barlowe, 

 to explore the east coast of North America, and in 1585, he sent out his first colony, 

 which settled for a time on Roanoke island and on their return brought with them 

 the tobacco plant. Colonies were sent out in the two following years, but they 

 also failed. In 1588 he was serving as vice admiral in looking after the coast de- 

 fenses of Devon. In 1592 he was at sea with a fleet to intercept the Spanish trade. 

 In 1595 he undertook a voyage of exploration, gold-hunting, and conquest to South 

 America, and wrote his book "Discoverie of Guiana." In 1596 he took part 

 in the capture of Cadiz, and in 1597 he cooperated in an expedition to the Azores. 

 With the death of the Queen, Raleigh's fortunes fell and he was deprived of many 

 sources of income. In revenge he took part in some conspiracies directed against 

 James I and was imprisoned. In confinement he made chemical experiments, 

 wrote treatises, and began his "History of the World." Promising to bring gold 

 from Guiana, he was released to direct the expedition. But all he accomplished 

 was to lose his son, his favorite captain, and his prestige; and the old sentence 

 of death was executed in October 1618. 



Raleigh had a craving for adventure. He could not long remain on land in 

 comparative inactivity. In Ireland he, with 6 men, rode through an ambush, 

 of whose presence he was aware, to meet a friendly leader on the other side. He 

 was fond of fighting. As we have seen, he left Oxford to take part in the French 

 wars and was actively engaged in Ireland and at Cadiz. He was twice arrested 

 for dueling. This adventurous and nomadic trait is seen in his mother's brothers 

 and his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert. 



Raleigh was a hyperkinetic. He had restless energy and much initiative. 

 He protested violently against the mismanagement of the Irish war. He trusted 

 his own opinion and did everything with all his might. He had imagination and 

 vision. He early urged that the surplus from England should be transplanted 

 to the new continent; this was partly also to secure these lands for England. 

 Like many another hyperkinetic, he had weak control over his sex-impulses. He 

 carried out even bizarre ideas that occurred to him. Thus he plastered the mouth 

 and beard of a great talker with sealing wax. Having made prisoner an Irishman 

 who carried withes and who, answering a demand, declared with spirit they were 



