child. Thy mourning cannot avail me, I am but duft.

Thirdly, you shall understand that my land was conveyed, bona fide, to my child. The writings were drawn at Midfummer was twelve months; my honeft coufin Brett can teftify fo much, and Dolberry too can remember fomewhat therein: and, I trust my blood will quench their malice that have cruelly murdered me; and, that they will not feek alfo to kill thee and thine with extreme poverty.

To what friend to direct thee I know not, for all mine have left me in the true time of trial; and I perceive that my death was determined from the first day. Moft forry I am,. God knows, that, being thus furprized with death, I can leave you in no better eftate: God is my witness I meant you all my office of wines, or all that I could have purchased by felling it, half my stuff, and all my jewels, but fome one for the boy; but God hath prevented all my refolutions: that great God that ruleth all in all: but, if you can live free: from want, care for no more, the reft is but vanity. Love God, and begin betimes to repofe yourself upon him; and therein you shall find true and lafting riches, and endless comfort for the reft, when you have travelled and wearied your thoughts over all forts of worldly cogitations, you fhall but fit down by forrow in the end. Teach your fon alfo to love and fear God, whilft he is yet young, that the

fear

fear of God may grow with him; and then God will be a husband to you, and a father to him; a husband and a father which cannot be taken from you.

Bailey oweth me two hundred pounds, and Adrian fix hundred pounds, in Jerfey. I alfo have much owing me befides. The arrearages of the wines will pay your debts: and, howfoever you do, for my foul's fake, pay all poor men. When I am gone, no doubt but you fhall be fought to, for the world thinks that I was very rich. But take heed of the pretences of men and their affections, for they laft not but in honeft and worthy men; and no greater mifery can befal you in this life than to become a prey, and afterwards to be defpifed. I fpeak not this, God knows, to diffuade you from marriage, for it will be beft for you both in refpect of the world and of God. As for me, I am no more yours, nor you mine; Death hath cut us afunder; and God hath divided me from the world, and you from me. Remember your poor child for his father's fake, who chose you, and loved you in his happiest times.

Get thofe letters, if it be poffible, which I writ to the lords, wherein I fued for my life. God is my witness, it was for you and yours that I defired life; but it is true that I dif dained myself for begging of it: for know it, my dear wife, that your fon is the son of a true man, and who, in his own refpect, defpifeth death and all his mishapen and ugly forms. I

cannot

cannot write much. God, he knows how hardly I fteal this time while others fleep; and it is alfo time that I fhould feparate my thoughts from the world.

Beg my dead body, which living was denied thee; and either lay it at Sherburne, (and, if the land continue) or in Exeter-church, by my father and mother.

I can fay no more, time and death call me away. The everlafting, powerful, infinite, and omnipotent God; that almighty God, who is goodness itself, the true life and true light, keep thee and thine; have mercy on me, and teach me to forgive my perfecutors and accufers, and fend us to meet in his glorious kingdom. My dear wife farewel. Blefs my poor boy. Pray for me, and let my good God hold you both in his arms.

Written with the dying hand of sometimes thy husband, but now, alas! overthrown,

WALTER RALEIGH.

A gentleman, who writes the hiftory of Raleigh's life, informs us, That, coming from Ireland, and being equipped in a very good habit, which it feems was the greatest part of his eftate (and which, he well obferves, is one of the best means of introducing a man into the world whofe worth is unknown) as the queen was walking in the park, and coming to a watry place, where he found fome difficulty to get over, Sir Walter immediately pulled off a new plush coat he had on, and

laid it down for her majesty to tread on; which the queen was extremely pleased with, and foon after took occafion to requite.

To fuch lucky accidents fometimes do men owe their fuccefs. The greatest merit is often defeated by a kind of criminal modefty, or a want of opportunity to discover itfelf; while the forward and bold, though the most empty worthlefs things in nature, often arrive at the highest preferments; but this was not the cafe of Sir Walter. He was a gentleman of a good prefence, handfome, and well proportioned; had a strong and natural wit, and a better judgment; a voluble tongue, and good addrefs; and to thefe he had added a general. learning, being an indefatigable reader, even while engaged in the fervice by fea or land; and a great obferver of men and times.

His motto, fays the writer of his life, was, Tam Marti quam Mercurio; though we find it in Collier to be, Either die nobly, or live honourably.

Five hours he used to fleep, four he read, two he spent in discourse, and the reft he allotted for bufinefs. There was not an expert foldier or feaman but he confulted; no valuable treatise of navigation, whether printed or manufcript, but he read: obferving that there was nothing of greater confequence, for the advancement of learning, than the finding out the plainest and most compendious way of knowing and teaching things in every fci

ence.

During

During his confinement in the Tower, he compofed that excellent work, entitled, The History of the World; from whence, indeed, the character of this gentleman may be best collected, every man being best known by his works.

On his return to England, after his last expedition, not doubting but that he should be made a facrifice to the Spaniard, he fent for Mr. Burre, who had printed his first volume of The Hiftory of the World, and asked him how it fold. Burre answered, It fold fo flowly it had undone him; which it feems was falfe. Whereupon Sir Walter took the other part, which was unprinted, out of his defk, and fighing faid, "Ah! my friend, hath the firft part undone thee? The fecond volume fhall undo no more; this ungrateful world is unworthy of it and immediately threw it into the fire, and fet his foot upon it till it was confumed.

Befides his Hiftory of the World, he wrote a treatise called, The Cabinet Council; containing the arts of government: An Accurate Account of his Catholic Majefty's power and Riches: The Rife and Ruin of the Saracen Empire A Treatife of Mines and Minerals : The Prerogatives of Parliaments: another treatise, entitled, Instructions to his Son and his Pofterity; and feveral fpeeches and arguments in several parliaments.