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 RALEIGH RALPH 193 own, annoying it by quick and unexpected movements. He was in Drake's expedition to restore Dom Antonio to the throne of Por- tugal (1589), and captured some Spanish ves- sels intended for a fresh invasion of England. Visiting Ireland, he saw Edmund Spenser, with whom he had already contracted a friendship, and brought him to Elizabeth's court to pre- sent to her majesty three books of the "Faerie Queen." In the hope of shattering the power of Spain in the West Indies, he collected, most- ly at his own expense, and sailed with a fleet of 13 vessels, and with Frobisher captured the largest Spanish prize that had ever been brought to an English port. Soon after this (1591) it was discovered that he had debauched one of the queen's maids of honor, the daughter of Sir Nicholas Throgmorton ; and though he married the lady and lived with her happily till his death, such an offence was not to be over- looked. Imprisoned for two months and ban- ished from court, he employed the period of his disgrace in planning an expedition to Gui- ana. He set sail with five ships in 1595, and returned the same year, after exploring a con- siderable extent of country about the Orinoco and destroying the Spanish settlement of San Jose He published on his return a highly col- ored account of this voyage, in his "Discovery of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Gui- ana" (4to, 1596). He cooperated in the cap- ture of Cadiz, was wounded, and was restored to the queen's favor. In 1597 he sailed under Essex against the Azores, and took Fayal, but quarrelled with his commander and returned. He had obtained a grant of the manor of Sher- borne in Dorsetshire, which he magnificently embellished, was sent with Lord Cobham on a joint embassy to the Netherlands in 1600, and on his return was made governor of Jersey. The execution of Essex, which he was supposed to have had an agency in effecting, added great- ly to the public odium with which he was regarded, and the death of Elizabeth in 1603 proved a final blow to his fortunes. On the accession of James he was stripped of his pre- ferments, forbidden the royal presence, and shortly afterward arrested on charge of con- spiring to place Lady Arabella Stnart on the throne. He made an attempt, probably feigned, to commit suicide. Convicted on the slightest evidence, after a rancorous speech from Attor- ney General Coke, he was reprieved and sent to the tower, and his estates were given to Carr, afterward earl of Somerset. During his 13 years' imprisonment he composed his " Histo- ry of the World" (1614), a work greatly supe- rior botli in style and matter to the English historical compositions which had preceded it. For six years his wife was permitted to bear him company. At last, Villiers having sup- planted Somerset in the royal favor, Raleigh was liberated in March, 1615, but not pardoned. Obtaining from James a commission as admiral of the fleet with ample privileges, he fitted out 14 ships, and reached Guiana with the loss of two in November, 1617. Keymis was sent up the Orinoco with 250 men in boats, landed at the Spanish settlement of St. Thomas, and, in defiance of the peaceable instructions of James, killed the governor and set fire to the town. Raleigh's eldest son was killed in the action. Unable either to advance or to maintain their position, they retreated in haste to the ships, a Spanish fleet, which had been informed of their intended movements, hovering near them. Keymis, reproached for his ill success, com- mitted suicide ; many of the sailors mutinied; the ships scattered ; and Raleigh landed at Ply- mouth in June, 1618, completely broken in for- tune and reputation. He was soon arrested, and failing in an attempt, by feigning madness, to escape to France, was committed to the tower. The Spanish ambassador demanded his punishment, and James was not reluctant to grant it. The judges decided that, being still under judgment of death pronounced in 1603, he could not be tried again, and it was resolved to execute the former sentence. Raleigh was a man of imposing person, dauntless courage, extensive knowledge, and varied accomplish- ments. His speeches show a knowledge of the principles of political economy far above his time. His literary productions, besides those already mentioned, include some short poems, " Maxims of State," " The Cabinet Council," " The Sceptic," and "Advice to his Son ;" and he is also remembered in the world of letters as the founder of the " Mermaid club." His life has been written by William Oldys, Arthur Cay ley (2 vols. 4to, London, 1805-'6), Mrs. A. T. Thomson (8vo, London, 1830), P. F. Tytler (Edinburgh, 1833), and Edward Edwards (2 vols., London, 1868). His poems were col- lected by Sir E. Brydges (London, 1814), his "Miscellaneous Waitings" by Dr. Birch (2 vols., 1751), and his " Complete Works" were published at Oxford (8 vols., 1829). RALLS, a N. E. county of Missouri, separated from Illinois by the Mississippi river, and in- tersected by Salt river ; area, about 525 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 10,510, of whom 1,255 were col- ored. The surface is broken or undulating, comprising prairie and timber land in nearly equal proportion. The soil is very fertile. The chief productions in 1870 were 158,728 bushels of wheat, 292,534 of Indian corn, 125,677 of oats, 15,740 of potatoes, 32,533 Ibs. of wool, 127,793 of butter, and 8,962 tons of hay. There were 4,715 horses, 1,150 mules and asses, 3,668 milch cows, 11,470 sheep, and 16,660 swine. Capital, New London. RALPH, James, an English author, born in Philadelphia, Pa., died in Chiswick, England, Jan. 24, 1762. He was a schoolmaster in Phila- delphia, went to England in company with Ben- jamin Franklin in 1724, wrote "The Fashion- able Lady, or Harlequin's Opera," performed in 1730, and altered several old plays. He at- tached himself to the faction of the prince of Wales, and on the accession of George III. re- ceived a pension, but only lived to enjoy it six