Within sight of Salisbury Ralegh asked Manourie for a vomit. "It will be good," he said, "to evacuate bad humours. And by its means I shall gain time to work my friends and order my affairs; perhaps even to pacify His Majesty. Otherwise, as soon as ever I come to London, they will have me to the Tower, and cut off my head. I cannot escape it without counterfeiting sickness."
They arrived in Salisbury a few days before King James and the Court were expected. Ralegh strung himself to his pathetic part, and played it so bravely that Stukeley and the whole retinue were convinced that a deadly sickness was approaching. On entering the house where he was to be lodged in Salisbury he staggered, as a man staggers who is overcome by sudden sickness, and fell against a pillar in the doorway, bruising his head. A delay was ordered. Lady Ralegh, with her retinue of servants and Captain King, was sent on towards London. Hardly had they started when a servant came to Stukeley's room, and said he, "My master is out of his wits. I have just found him in his shirt, upon all fours, gnawing at the rushes on the floor." Stukeley was amazed and perplexed. King James and the Court were daily expected at Salisbury, and his special instructions to hurry on the prisoner could only mean that the King was anxious not to be in Salisbury at the same time as Ralegh. And yet the prisoner must not be allowed to die. Moreover, pustules broke out all over Ralegh's body, and Stukeley could not have then known that they were produced by a cunning ointment which Manourie had given to Ralegh. Stukeley went to Bishop Andrewes, the bishop sent physicians to Ralegh, and they signed a certificate to say that he was not in a fit state of health to travel further. Ralegh's point was gained. He set to work and wrote his "Apology for the Voyage to Guiana," in which he stated his good case to the world.
It has been remarked, almost with astonishment, by some that Ralegh was not in the least ashamed of his action. But there was no reason why he should be ashamed. He decided in his own mind that to gain time was a necessity to him, and having done so he set about the business in the only way that he could, and he succeeded. Afterwards he was reproached for the lack of dignity he showed, and answered, "I hope it was no sin. The prophet David did make himself a fool, and suffered spittle to fall upon his beard, that he might escape the hands of his enemies; and to him it was not imputed as a sin." Men like Ralegh have different values from the values of ordinary men; in that, perhaps, chiefly lies their greatness. Dignity is a thing which can very well be left to look after itself; the dignity which needs any careful bolstering is not in itself of great value.
Meanwhile King James and his Court arrived at Salisbury, and orders were immediately issued that Ralegh should continue his journey to London. It was probably about this time that Manourie learned the full importance of the fellow-chemist whom he was assisting, and became afraid. Hereafter Stukeley was informed of all the things which Ralegh said and did, and of many things doubtless which he had never said and never done.
So Ralegh continued his journey with his two false friends. As they neared London, the French resident in London, by name Le Clerc, and David de Novion, Sieur de la Chesnaye, met the party. De Novion was awaiting Ralegh's arrival at Brentford. He was empowered by the French minister to offer Ralegh means of escape to France. Men in authority at the French Court considered that such an enemy of Spain, whose head the Spanish ambassador desired to fall as a tribute to Spain's power over James, would be a useful man to save. But Ralegh appears to have listened with no great eagerness to their proposals. He was no longer anxious to continue his life in a strange country under a strange king, to whom he was indebted. He needed all his strength for the last achievement on which his heart was set—to clear his name from slanders, and he was not sure that escape was the best means to his end; though he listened later to the entreaties of his wife and Captain King, to whom his very life was dear. But Ralegh must have listened with some pleasure: the anxiety shown on his account, for whatever reason, must have made it clear to him that now, at any rate, he could not be huddled away to the Tower and to his death, unheard, as he had feared. He desired publicity, that he might die, as he had lived—greatly.
TRAITOR’S GATE
On August 7 Ralegh reached London, and, instead of going to the Tower, was allowed to go to his own house, which was in Broad Street. Captain King was waiting for him. He had arrived some days previously, and had wasted no time. A barque was in readiness at Tilbury to take his master to France. Had Ralegh's whole mind been centred on escape, there is no doubt that he could have escaped, in spite of Stukeley's treachery. But his mind was divided. His own desire was to stay in England, and meet whatever his fate might be; but his desire was, no doubt, obscured by his wife's entreaties that he should seize any opportunity of life under any conditions. He allowed himself to be rowed down the Thames. Stukeley was actually with him, vowing that he wished his escape. A boat, however, was seen to be in pursuit. The men at the oars grew suspicious; they slackened their rowing, and at length turned back. At Greenwich Stukeley declared himself, and arrested Captain King and his master. Ralegh turned to Stukeley and said quietly, "Sir Lewis, these actions will not turn out to your credit," and to Captain King, from whom he took leave at the Tower gates, "You need be in fear of no danger. It is I only that am the mark shot at."
Once again Ralegh was in the Tower—the day he entered it was August 10. Manourie received £20 for his part of the treachery, Sir Lewis Stukeley £965 6s. 3d.; the money was made up, for the most part, of the price of jewels which were taken from Sir Walter's person on this day of his last entry to the Tower. Among these jewels was the ring he had always worn since it was put on his finger by Queen Elizabeth.