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recovered it again, and died in a few years. Some of her letters are preserved, and show her to have been an amiable woman, of a cheerful temper, and without any ambition to be a queen.

4. Sir Walter Raleigh was accused of being concerned in the conspiracy in favor of Lady Arabella. He was hated by the people on account of his known enmity to their darling, the unfortunate Earl of Essex. He had also made himself obnoxious to the king, and to his minister, Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, a son of the great Lord Burleigh, who possessed much of his father's capacity, bu without his integrity.

5. Under such circumstances, Raleigh, whether guilty or innocent, could have no hope to escape conviction. He was sentenced to death, but reprieved and held for many years in imprisonment, which he employed in writing a "History of the World," and other works which have gained him a high reputation as an author. He was cheered in his confinement by the friendship of Henry, Prince of Wales.

He

6. The prince, who was as unlike his father as possible, sincerely admired the splendid talents of Sir Walter, and used to say that 'no king but his father would keep such a bird in a cage.' would have seen, had he lived, that this poor bird was at length permitted to enjoy a short period of liberty. Thirteen years of imprisonment had subdued Raleigh's pride and haughtiness. The people had forgotten his enmity to Essex, and now exceedingly desired his liberation.

7. This was at length granted, probably by the application of bribes to the king's favorite, Villiers, of whom we shall soon hear more. No formal pardon was granted, but might readily have been purchased; Sir Walter, indeed, thought of doing this, but he was told by Lord Bacon, whom he consulted, that it was not necessary, since the king's appointment of him to the command of an expedition to Guiana, with the power of life and death over those under him, was a sufficient pardon.

8. This expedition was fitted out, at the instigation of Sir Walter, to go in search of a very rich gold mine, of which he said he had obtained information in a former voyage. He sailed with several ships, and directed his course to the river Orinoco. Nothing was effected but the destroying of a small Spanish town, in the attack on which Raleigh's eldest son was killed.

9. The Spanish government complained of this act, and James, who was desirous to keep on good terms with that government, resolved to sacrifice Raleigh to appease their resentment. He was first tried for misconduct in the late expedition, but after frequent examinations, the commissioners insisted that there was no ground for complaint. James then ordered the old sentence to be put in force. On the 29th of October, 1618, he was brought to the scaffold, where he behaved with great manliness and dignity.

Arabella Stuart? 4. What befell Sir Walter Raleigh? 5. How did he employ his time in prison? 6. What of Prince Henry? 7. Why did not Raleigh demand a formal par don? 8. What expedition did he go upon? With what success? 9, 10. Relate the remaining particulars of his life.

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THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.-1605.

10. He desired to see the axe, and, feeling the edge of it, said the sheriff, "This is a sharp medicine, but a sure remedy for all evils." This act of deliberate cruelty is the greatest blot on James' reign, and caused great indignation among the people, who felt that they had lost the only man in the kingdom who had any reputation for valor or any military experience.

1. FOR the sake of giving the life of Sir Walter Raleigh to its conclusion, without interruption, we have gone a little before our story, and must now return to the year 1605. The Roman Catholics had expected great indulgences from James on his mother's account; but they found, to their great chagrin, that he was no less steady than Elizabeth had been to the cause of the Protestants.

2. To this disappointment was owing the famous Gunpowder Plot. Two Catholic gentlemen, named Percy and Catesby, being in conver sation about public affairs, became highly excited, and in their heat, agreed to attempt the destruction of the king, lords, and commons, at one stroke. This was to be done by blowing up the Parliament House with gunpowder, at a time when the lords and commons

CLIX.-1. What disappointments did the Catholics meet with? 2. What was the

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.-1605.

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should have met together to hear the speech which the king n.akes at the opening of each session.

3. The design was communicated to a few persons, and Guy Fawkes, a man of known courage and zeal, who was then serving as an officer in the Spanish army, was sent for to aid in its execution. Percy hired the building next to the parliament-house, and the conspirators began to undermine the wall between the two houses. After they had worked some time, they learned that the cellar of the parliament-house was to be let.

4. This was exactly what they wished; Percy at once hired it for the ostensible purpose of storing fuel. Thirty-six barrels of gunpowder were secretly placed in it, and covered over with fagots and billets of wood. To complete the deception, the doors were boldly kept open, and everybody admitted as if it contained nothing dangerous.

5. The secret, though intrusted to above twenty persons, had been faithfully kept for nearly a year and a half, during which time there had been no meeting of parliament. At length the members were ordered to assemble on the 5th of November, 1605. A few days before the time appointed for the meeting, Lord Monteagle received a letter from an unknown hand, begging him not to be present at the opening of parliament.

6. It warned him not to think lightly of this advice; "for though there was no appearance of any stir, yet they will receive a terrible blow this parliament, yet they shall not see who hurts them." Monteagle knew not what to think of this letter, and showed it to Lord Salisbury, who was not inclined to pay much attention to it; but who, nevertheless, laid it before the king.

7. The king had sagacity enough to perceive, from its earnest style, that something important was meant; and this forewarning of a sudden and terrible blow, yet with the authors concealed, made his suspicions come very near the truth. The day before the meeting of parliament, he sent the Earl of Suffolk to examine all the cellars under the buildings where they were to assemble.

8. Suffolk was surprised to see so many piles of wood and fagots in the cellars under the house of lords, and was struck also with the dark and mysterious countenance of Guy Fawkes, who called himself Mr. Percy's servant. Suffolk departed, however, without giving any intimation of his suspicions, but resolved to make a more thorough search at an hour when the conspirators would probably be making their last preparations.

9. Accordingly, about midnight, a party of officers proceeded t the cellar. Near the door they seized Guy Fawkes, dressed in a cloak and boots, and carrying a dark lantern; and in his pockets were found matches and everything requisite for setting fire to the powder. On turning over the fagots, the barrels of gunpowder were discovered. Fawkes at first appeared undaunted, but his courage afterwards failed him, and he made a full confession.

10. Percy, Catesby, and some others fled into Warwickshire, where

gunpowder plot? 3. Who were the principal actors? Relate the preparation made by the conspirators. 5, 6, 7. How was it discovered? 8, 9. What steps were taken by the

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Sir Everard Digby, another of the band, had already taken up arms so confident was he that the "terrible blow" had been given in London. The country was soon roused against the criminals, who took refuge in one of those fortified houses, so common at that day.

11. But the same fate awaited them which they had designed for so many others. Their gunpowder took fire and blew up, maiming and destroying several of them. The rest rushed out upon the multitude, and were literally cut to pieces, except a few who were taken alive, and afterwards tried and executed.

12. The 5th of November is still observed as a holiday in England, and was also observed in this country so long as it remained in a state of dependence upon Great Britain. One of the most noisy observances of the day is the burning of Guy Fawkes in effigy. But the bundle of rags which serves as his representative, by no means does justice to him.

13. We are told that during his trial and imprisonment he was richly apparelled, to the great scandal of the people; some, it is said, were especially indignant at him for "taking tobacco out of measure;" tobacco being then a novelty, it was doubtless considered too great a luxury for a traitor.

government? 10 1. What became of the chief conspirators? 12, 13. What of Guy Fawkes?

DEATH OF PRINCE HENRY.-1612.

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CHAPTER CLX.

Prince Henry.-The Condition of the English People una、r James.— Masques.-Baronets first created.

1. PRINCE Henry has been introduced to the reader in so favorable a manner, that he may doubtless be willing to hear something more of him. He is always spoken of in history as an extraordinary young man. He was fond of study, and before he was seven years old he could write Latin correctly; he was also exceedingly expert in all manly and active exercises.

2. He was sincerely religious, and when he was old enough to have an establishment, would keep no persons in his service whom he did not think worthy of his good opinion. We are told that he kept his numerous household in the most exact order, and that a glance of his eye served instead of a command; but though a strict, he was a very kind master.

3. He was warm and ardent in his friendships, and a great proof of his sense was that his friends were always well chosen. He had an anxiety to know all great and distinguished persons, and he cultivated the correspondence of learned men, his own countrymen as well as foreigners.

4. There was one trait in his character which might have been productive of national evils. This was his ambition of military glory. His mother, because his person had a real or a fancied resemblance to Henry V., used to tell him that he was born to conquer France like that hero. He had too much good sense to be misled by such a foolish prognostic; yet it is certain that he indulged in many visionary schemes of future prowess.

5. He took great interest in the navy, and made frequent visits to Chatham, where there was and still is a dock-yard, to examine and learn all he could about shipping. He was never idle, and his extraordinary diligence gave him time to attend to a great many things. Possessed of so many noble qualities, it is no wonder that the English looked forward with pleasure to the time when he should rule over them.

6. But all their anticipations were disappointed by his death at the early age of eighteen. When first taken ill he did not show his usual discretion. He had such confidence in his own strength of constitution that he would not give up his accustomed duties and exercises so long as he could rise from his bed. The ignorance of his physicians completed what his own imprudence had begun.

7. The death of this prince was a peculiar disappointment to all the restless and ardent men who hoped for an opportunity to signalize themselves under a prince of martial genius. To such, the peaceful and inactive disposition of his father was matter of complaint; but to the great mass of the people it brought comfort and happiThere were no expensive wars, and therefore few taxes.

ness.

CLX.-1, 2, 3. What of Prince Henry's character? 4, 5. What sovereign was he said to resemble? What was predicted on this account? 6. How were the hopes of all dis