Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/504

 490 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

brought to a religious and penitent death. But what deferved mod, and muft have drawn the queen's afFetlion to him, was his extreme attention to the fecurity of her per- fon : each year he promoted fome afts of parliament for the defence cf it ; and alone perfilled in unra- velling the myilerious treafons of her phyfician Lopez, who was fcreened and proteded by the Ce- cils-^ not merely by the Ton,

whofe bafe nature was capable cf any ingratitude — Tc is me- lancholy that faftion could make even Burleigh carelefs of the fafe- ty of his queen, when detedioii of the treafon would refied ho- nour on the profecutor: Yet this zealous Efiex did fte fuffer her council to keep kneeling for eleven hours at his examination; for this man's liberty did (lie accept prefents from his mother and lifter, yet without vouchfafing to fee them,

or grant their fuit Indeed fbe

did permit him to celebrate St. George's day alone ; one fhould like to know how he played at this ceremony by himfelf. In (hort, this gallant, though rafli man, (he delivered over to the executioner, becaufe his bitterelt enemies had told her he had declared. That his life was inconfiftent with her fafe-

ty. A tale fo ridiculous, that it

is amazing how moft of our hifto-

rians can give credit to it!

How was he dangerous, or could he he ? — His wild attempt on the city had demcnftrated his impo- tence. So far from this decla- ration, on receiving fetitence he be- fought the lords, ' not to tell the ' queen that he neglefted or fl'ght- devotion, yet undaunted, Marlhal Biron derided his death, and died himieU like a frantic coward. Ra- leigh imitated his death more wor- thily than he beheld it! *
 * ed her mercy.' He died with

^I'he queen at firft carried her refentment fo far, as to have a fer- mon preached at Si. Paul's crofs to blacken his memory. Befides the ridicule thrown on her perfon, many pafl";.ges in his behaviour had fiiocked her haughtinef^, and com- bated herafFedion. His pretend- ing to be head of the puritans, and to diilike monarchy, in order to fiat:er the Dutch ; his fpeaking of the king of Spain in terms too familiar ; his prefuming to create knights in fome of his Spanilb ex- peditions ; his blaming the queen's parhmony in the affairs of Ireland, which (he had once near loll for the trifling fum of two thoufar.d pounds ; his treating with Tir f

Oen

endeavoured to excule his appearmg at the execution, by pretending it was to clear hinilelf if the earl fliould tax him with any indireft dealings. One of their firft quarrels was the tari's braving Sir Waiter at a tilt, and appearing theie in defiance oi him with two thouland oiange tawncy feathers j an afficnt not very intelligible at prel'ent. f^itJe Lord Clayendcn's dilparity. p 190. However, it is cej tain that Sir Walter Viore great malice to the earl, and fell fick on the ap- prehenlion of his being rcltored to the o,ueen''s favour. Bacon papers, vol. z. p. 438 ; and Sid/^ey papers, 'vol. z. p. 139.
 * Sir Walter Raleigh was known to bear perfonal enmity to the earl, and

-}• The earl's treaty with Tir Oen is a great blemifh on Ills rr.emory. Though the Iriih general had an army of iiye thouiand foot and five hundred horle, and

Eflex