[809]'Twas Sir Walter Ralegh's epigram on Robert Cecil, earle of Salisbury, who died in a ditch 3 or 4 miles west from Marleborough, returning from Bathe to London, which was printed in an 8vo booke about 1656 (perhaps one of Mr. Osborne's):—
Here lies Robert, our shepherd whilere,
Who once in a quarter our fleeces did sheer:
For his oblation to Pan his manner was thus,
He first gave a trifle, then offred up us.
* * * * * * *
In spight of the tarbox he dyed of the shabbo.
—This I had from old Sir Thomas Malett, one of the Judges of the King's Bench, who knew Sir Walter Ralegh, and did remember these passages.
<Raleigh in James I's reign.>
[810]I have now forgott (vide History) whether Sir Walter was not for the putting of Mary, queen of Scotts, to death; I thinke, yea. But, besides that, at a consultation at Whitehall, after queen Elizabeth's death, how matters[811] were to be ordered and what ought to be donne, Sir Walter Raleigh declared his opinion, 'twas the wisest way for them to keep the government[812] in their owne hands, and sett up a commonwealth, and not be subject to a needy beggerly nation. It seemes there were some of this caball[813] who kept not this so secret but that it came to king James's eare; who at ... (vide Chronicle) where the English noblesse mett and recieved him, being told upon their presentment to his majesty their names, when Sir Walter Raleigh's name was told ('Ralegh') said the king 'On my soule, mon, I have heard rawly of thee.'—He was such a person (every way) that (as King Charles I sayes of the lord Strafford) a prince would rather be afrayd of then ashamed of. He had that awfulnes and ascendency in his aspect over other mortalls, that the king....
It was a most stately sight, the glory of that reception of his majesty, where the nobility and gentry were in exceeding rich equippage, having enjoyed a long peace under the most excellent of queens; and the company[814] was so exceeding numerous that their obedience[815] carried a secret dread with it. King James did not inwardly like it, and with an inward envy sayd that, though so and so (as before), he doubted not but he should have been able on his owne strength (should the English have kept him out) been able to have dealt with them, and get his right. [LXXII.]Sayd Sir Walter Raleigh to him, 'Would to God that had been put to the tryall.' 'Why doe you wish that?' sayd the king.—'Because,' said Sir Walter, 'that then you would have knowne your friends from your foes.' But that reason of Sir Walter was never forgotten nor forgiven.
[LXXII.] From Dr. Whistler.
[816]He was praefectus ( ...[817]) of Jarsey (Caesaria).
[818]Old major[LXXIII.] Stansby of ..., Hants, a most intimate friend and neighbour and coetanean of the late earle of Southampton (Lord Treasurer), told me from his friend, the earle, that as to the plott and businesse (vide Chronicle) about the lord Cobham, etc., he being then governor of Jersey[819], would not fully, or etc., doe things unles[820] they would goe to his island and there advise and resolve about it; and that really and indeed Sir Walter's purpose was when he had them there, to have betrayed them and the plott, and to have then delivered-up to the king and made his peace.