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bledon Common, which were amongst the most notoriously dangerous 
localities. I was at school near Finchley, and remember one of two 
highwaymen who stopped the carriage of a traveller being shot dead. 
At length, about 1815, armed horse patrol took charge of the roads, and 
the evil was abated.* 
Such difficulties and dangers had they ever really been encountered, 
our travellers in the little cart and on foot would have had their pilgri- 
mage ended for them somewhere on the Bristol road, a long way from 
London. But Lord Lecyester wields a magician’s rod, and as in its 
power they are brought safely to London, roads and robbers notwith- 
standing, we must per force attend their steps—a veracious chronicler,— 
and, as best we may, faithfully record how the Countess prospered in her 
suit. 
Remembering that they landed at Bristol in great poverty, and had 
been at least a fortnight on the journey, the purse could not but have 
become fearfully light. Consequently, she must look round for assist- 
ance; and, most fortunately, her friend, Sir Walter Raleigh, who had 
shared her hospitality at Inchiquin Castle in 1589, was now stationary 
in London, high in favour at court, and, in addition to previous prefer- 
ments, had become captain of the guard to the queen, and so continued 
during Hlizabeth’s reign. Of course, the Countess bent her steps to his 
residence, ‘‘ claimed kindred there, and had her claims allowed.” We 
have seen, by Sir Walter’s lease of 1588, that he not only acknowledged, 
but guarded her legal claims on the lands he let to Mr. Cleaver. No 
person, therefore, could be better acquainted with her rights; and few 
at that period had more court influence to assert them than the warrior, 
statesman, and philosopher; and, be it told to his honour, that he in- 
stantly and heartily took up her cause, and fought her battle with all his 
heart and head. 
* Since writing this paper, I find my statement of the dangers of travelling at this 
time most fully borne out by an article in the ‘‘ Gentleman’s Magazine” for January, 
1861, founded on the records of the county of Middlesex of the sixteenth century, p. 31. 
Unfortunately this reprehensible course had been followed by men whose after emi- 
nence gave peculiar eclat to such depravity, and rendered it difficult for the popular mind 
to regard a gentleman highwayman with the same feelings that would have been shown 
to an ordinary thief. Eminent courtiers had been recognised, in spite of their masked 
faces, on the road: even the dignity of justice was marred by the fact that some of her 
administrators had, in their youth, followed such vicious ways. Sir Roger Cholmeley and 
Sir Edward Popham were both said to have occasionally practised as gentlemen high- 
waymen. A party of wild young fellows being taken before Chief Justice Cholmeley, 
one of them had the effrontery to remind the judge of his early irregularities. 
“Indeed,” answered he, “‘in youth I was as you are now, and I had twelve fellowes, 
like unto myselfe ; but not one of them came unto a good ende, and, therefore, follow not 
my example in youth, but follow my counsel in age, if ever ye think to cum to this place, 
or to these yeares that I am cum unto, lest you meet with povertie, or Tibburne on the 
way.” 
% With bad roads and dense thickets yet skirting the suburban thoroughfares, the pur~ 
suits of the highwayman were upattended with much danger. He had few risks, and 
had little fear of interruption.” By 
