Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-23
Sir Walter Raleigh Before his Execution


The eve of the day fixed for his eXecu-
ton Raleigh had taken final farewell of
his wife, and the interview between the
two had lasted until the abbey had tOlled
4 the hour of y. All business matters had
been settled and there was nothing, there
fore on the mind of the condemned man
to interfere with his hopes and thoughts
as to the unseen world into which he
was about to enter. The King as a last
favor had granted the wife, speedily to be
made widow, PERMISSION to bury the body
of her husband after the headsman had
done his fell work. "lt is well, dear Bess
SIZE said Raleigh, pressing her in the
agony of a last embrace, "that thou may'st
dispose of that dead which thou had'st
not always the dispOsing of when alive"
So those two parted, never more to meet
on this side the eternal silence" God,
hold me in my Wits!" sighed the poor
dame as she entered her coach, stationed
under the very shadow of the scatfold,
upon which, in a few brief hours, the
blood of her husband was to be shed. AS
s O'Clock struck Raleigh held himself in
readiness to quit the Gate House. A cup
of excellent sack was now brought
him. which he drank at quafi.
He was asked how ne liked it. LAS the
fellow" he replied, ''whO, drink
ing of st. Giles bowl on his way to Ty-
burn, said it was a good drink if man
might tarry by it," After this refresh
ment procession was made TO the scatfold,
at the head of which walked the Dean OF
Westminster, On the way to the Old
Palace Yard Raleigh met Sir Hugh Brere-
ton, an old friend, whom he had especially
requested to be present at the execution.
ssSir Hugh, to make sure work, got a let
ter from Secretary Lake to the Sheriff TO
see him placed conveniently, and meeting
them the prOcession1 as they came near
to the soaifOld, delivered his letter. But
the Sheriff by mishap had left his specta-
cles at home, and put the letter in ans
pocket; in the meantime, Sir Hugh being
thrust aside by the crowd, Sir Walter
babe him farewell, saying: Il know not
what shift you will make, but /
am sure to have. a place." Ii was
bitterly cold Octo6er morning,
rendered all the more sharp by cutting
east wind, and as Raleigh assembled the
scatfOld aud prepared to address the vast
mob that thronged the palace yard his
limbs, enfeebled by confinement and i'll
health, tfembled so yisibly that he could
scarcely support himself, Che sheriff,
observing this debility, offered to help his
Inflated charge down from the scaGOld
and take him to a fire, so that being
warmed he might be the better able to
deliver his dying speech. mo, good Mr..
Sheriff." said Raleigh, ''let us dispatch,
for within this quarter of an hour mine
ague will come upon me, and ii / be not
dead before then mine enemies will say
that | quake fer Scar" Then, holding on
by the laii of the scaffOld, he faced the
crowd and thus begani Il thank
God heartily that He hath brought me
into the light to die, and that He hath not
suffered me t6die in the dark prison of
the Tower, where / have suffered a great
deal of misery and cruel sickness; and L
thank God that my fever hath not taken
me at the time, as | prayed to God 1t
might not" After this preface he pro-
ceeded to deal with the charges 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. lie de-
MED that he had ever been counselled by
Lord Carey and other Lords to fly the
country, or that he had ever offered Sir
Lewis Stukeley money to assist him in es-
Gaping. s'But, indeed" he acknowledged,
II showed him letter that if he would go
with me there should be order taken Tor
his debts when he was cones neither had
100000 tO.give him, for if had had so much
| could have made my peace better win
it other ways than in giving II 10 otuke-
ley" He declared that his only object in
starting for Guiana was to discover the
mine which really existed there. lie de-
MED that he ever intended to desert his
meniwhen at Trinidad, las had been alleged,
or that he had been forced to return nome
by his men against his will. Nor was it
true that he had carried with him
to sea numerous pieces, and that the only
object of his voyage was to get money
into his hands; he had taken out but lit
tie money, and such as he had takea out
he had brought back. ''These be the ma
terial points," he concluded, 81 thought
good to speak of, and am now at this III
slant 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"