manor of Sherborne, in Dorsetshire; a very princely gift, for it did include the castle and park, and a fair piece of land.

ce all around and

dise. There was bountifully em

Here did he employ himself delightedly for some time. He builded, he planted, he sowed with such skilfulness, that the p about became quite an earthly p. soon newly raised a most fine hous, bellished with all manner of orchards, gardens, and groves, so fair to look upon, that for a right delicate aspect, it had not its like in those parts. But his excellent wife would not allow him to be satisfied with these pursuits, doubtless thinking that, surrounded by so many enticing pleasures, his noble spirit might sink into indolence, and he should not be able to recover his lost greatness; therefore he did liberally employ his pen in the writing of such papers to the queen, concerning of the dangers of England from foreign states, as might put her to a careful regard of her own security. Though he failed not to accompany them with most moving complaints of the unpleasantness of his situation, in being kept from serving of her majesty in such sort as he desired, while she paid the properest attention to what he stated upon matters of state, she heeded not anything that related to his own affairs. In truth, she was so taken up with my Lord Essex at this time, that she cared not for the presence of his rival. Yet had she such estimation of

Raleigh's insight into the designs of her enemies, in the which her great discrimination in such matters made her a profound judge, that she would receive ought from him, in the way of information, with more respect than she would give even to the opinions of any in greater favour with her.

Finding that all these endeavours of his availed him nothing, he then commenced preparations for the going upon a grand expedition, having for its object no other than the discovery and conquest of that wonderful rich country called Guiana, in which was situated, as had been related by many credible writers, that far-famed city styled El Dorado. Now it was the belief of all persons of experience inhabiting the coast of the Spanish main, that there was an inland country abounding in such store of gold and precious things, as exceeded all sober belief among other people. And, moreover, it was said by the Spaniards generally, that upon their conquest of the great empire of Peru, a kinsman of the last reigning Inca Atabalipa did make his escape from that country, and taking with him a powerful force, and so wonderful a store of treasure that the like hath never since been heard of, did migrate into a place afar off, where, in the course of time, he established for himself a richer kingdom than that he had left. This new country so abounded with mines of the most precious ore, as was reported, and with other costly things, that

the fame of such great riches had stirred up divers Spanish commanders to attempt its conquest; but all had failed, from the lack of such knowledge in them as might lead them to the discovery of the exact place where this El Dorado might be found. In the mean while, the fame of such a wealthy country more and more increased, not only among the Spaniards, but it spread from them into other nations; and among those notable commanders who were ambitious to attempt its discovery and conquest, Sir Walter Raleigh had long been of the foremost.

He saw at a glance that there was nothing so like to restore him to the queen's favour as the succeeding in so famous an enterprise; and to the acquiring of the necessary knowledge and the getting of proper assistance from his friends, he now bent all the powers of his mind. With the first of these objects in view, he presently fitted out a ship under the command of one Captain Whiddon, in whom he placed his trust, to obtain such information as he could of Guiana at the island of Trinidad, and make such observations of the coast bordering on the Orinoco, (a famous river in the New World up which he must go to approach the place he sought,) as might be serviceable to him when he proceeded on the voyage. Then for the other object, he made it public that he was about to venture himself on this alluring

expedition, and such was his reputation in these things, that in a marvellous brief space he was addressed by scores of the bravest spirits in the land, eager to join him in the adventure. With his share of the prize taken at the Azores, which despite of what was seized of the queen and pilfered by the men, amounted to so large a sum, that after the making of all his improvements at Sherborne, he had still enough to spare to commence the procuring of such an armament as seemed to him sufficient for the realizing of his wishes; in the doing of which it was not long before he had such assistance from those desirous of embarking with him, that his preparations proceeded so fast as to make him and his adventure the subject of the general talk.

When the captain whom he had sent out returned from his voyage, the information he brought though it spoke of difficulty and danger, in no way abated the eagerness of Sir Walter Raleigh or his associates for the adventure; and now so well was it entertained of all men, even of those skilled in maritime affairs, and others of too much gravity to be easily misled, that my Lord Howard, the lord high admiral, did send him a ship of his own called the Lion's Whelp, and Sir Robert Cecil did forward him such assistance as was like to stand him in good stead, and both, it hath been suspected, not without some colouring of pro

bability, were done at the command of the queen ; but as if it came of themselves, because she would seem as if she would have no hand in it, in consequence of his having so hugely offended her in the matter of Elizabeth Throckmorton. By these means there were collected of soldiers and their officers, and the gentlemen adventurers, as many as a hundred, with mariners in sufficiency, and a squadron of five sail well equipped with all manner of warlike stores, and with such a complement of barges, wherries, and tenders as might suffice for the inland navigation.

During this time Master Francis had grown to be as gallant a gentleman as you shall see of his years, well taught in all proper accomplishments, and in the possession of a beard which would have put his fitness for " doing the women," completely c of the conceit of Gib the call-boy. He was he such estimation of Sir Walter Raleigh for the ptness he displayed in every thing, his modesty and affectionateness, that Sir Walter seemed inclined to stop at nothing for the advancement of his welfare, and his fortunes thus seemed to be in such goodly keeping that it was believed of many none ought to be more happy than he. Yet was he very doleful upon occasion. The more he moved among persons of worship, which he did in some respect of them, in consequence of the visible esteem he was held of Sir Walter and his