Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-25
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The eve OF the day hxed Tor MS execu-
ton Raleigh had taken a final farewell of
his wife. and the interview between the
two had lasted until the abbey had toiled
the hour of u. All business matters had
been settled. and there was nothing. there
fore, on the mind of the condemned man
to interfere with the hopes and thoughts
as to the unseen world into which he was
about to enter. The King as last favor
had granted the wife. speedily to be made
a widow, permission to bury the body OF
her husband after the headsman had done
his fell work. at is well. dear Bessie.
said Raleigh, pressing her in the agony OF
his last embrace. THAT thou may'st dis
pose of that dead which thou had'st not
always the disposing of alive" So these
two parted, never more to meet on this
side the eternal silence" '.HOd hold me
in my wits" sighed the poor dame as she
entered her coach, stationed under the
very shadow of the scaffold upon which IN
a few brief hours the blood of her husband
was to be shed. As o'clock struck Raj
eigh held himself in readiness to quit the
Gate House. A cup of excellent sack was
now brought him. which he drank at
a quaff. He was asked how he liked 1t.
"As the fellow he replied, ''who
drinking of St. Giles bowl on his way to
Tyburn. that it was good drink ii man
might tarry by it." After this refresh
ment a procession was made to the scat
fold. at the head OF which walked the
Dean OF Westminster. On the way to the
Old Palace Yard Raleigh met Sir Hugh
Brereton. an old friend, whom he had es-
pecially requested to be present at the ex-
ecution. Sir Hugh, to make sure work,
got letter from Secretary Lake to the
Sheriff to see him placed conveniently.
and meeting them (the procession) as they
came near to the scaffold, delivered his
letter. But the Sheriff by mishap had
left his spectacles at home, and put the
letter in his pocket in the meantime Sir
Hugh being thrust aside by the crowd,
Sir Walter babe him farewell, saying:
know not what shift you will make but |
am sure to have a place" 1t was bit
terlv cold October morning, rendered all
the more sharp by a cutting east wind.
and as Raleigh assembled the scaffold and
prepared to address the mob that thrOnged
the palace yard his limbs. enfeebled by
confinement and ill-health, trembled so
visibly that he could scarcely support
himself. The Sheriff, observing this
debility, offered to help his Inflated
charge down from the scaffold and take
him to a fire, so that being warmed he
might be the better able to deliver his
diving speech. mo, good Mr.. Sheriff."
said Raleigh. ''let us despatch. for with
in thi. quarter of an hour mine ague will.
come upon me, and if be not dead before
then'my enemies will say quake tor fear"
Then holding on by the rail of the scat
L LII 10,
II thank God heartily that He has brought
me into the light to die. and that He hath
not suffered me me to die in the dark pris
on of the tower. where | have suffered a
great deal of misery and cruel sickness:
and | thank God that my fever has not
taken me at this time, as prayed to God
it might not" After this preface he pro-
ceeded to deal with the charge brought
against him. He denied that he ever en-
tered into any plot with France. though
he admitted to save his life, he had at
tempted to escape into France. He denied
that he had ever been counselled bv Lord
Carew and other Lords to fly the
country, or that he had ever offered
Sir Lewis Stukely money to assist him
in escaping. but. indeed" he ack1owl-
edged, IL showed him letter that if be
would 90 with me there should be order
taken for his debts when he was gone
neither had 100000 to give him, for if
had so much as that l could have made
my peace better with it other ways than in
giving it to Stukely." He declared hi.
only object in starting for Guiana was to
discover the mine which really existed
there He denied that he ever intended
to desert his men when at Trinidad, as
had been alleged, or that he had been
forced to return home by his men against
his will. Nor was it true that he had car
ried with him to sea numer Gus pieces, and
that the only object of his voyage was to
get money in his hands; he had taken out
but little money, and such as he had taken
out he had brought back. These be the
material points, " he concluded, IL thought
good to speak of. and am now at this
instant to render up an account to God :;
and protest, as l shall appear before
Him, this that have spoken is true, and
hope | shall be believed. From the
GeufIe,nnn'S M101zinp