n the Tower, on account
of a criminal intrigue with one of the maids of honor, who was
imprisoned at the same time; and this incident is alluded to in Sir
Walter Scott's "Fortunes of Nigel." The lady was Elizabeth, daughter of
Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, and a celebrated beauty, whom Raleigh
afterwards married. In a letter written from the Tower, and addressed to
Sir Robert Cecil, Raleigh indulged in a vein of extravagant flattery of
the queen: "I that was wont to behold her riding like Alexander, hunting
like Diana, walking like Venus--the gentle wind blowing her fair hair
about her pure cheeks like a nymph; sometime sitting in the shade like a
goddess; sometime singing like an angel; sometime playing like
Orpheus." Elizabeth was at this time about sixty years old.

In 1593 she granted him the Manor of Sherborne, in Dorsetshire. About
this period he distinguished himself in the House of Commons. In 1595 he
commanded an expedition to Guiana, in quest of the golden El Dorado, and
another in the following year. In an expedition against Cadiz he led the
van in action, and received a severe wound in the leg. Upon his return
to England he embarked in his third voyage to Guiana. In 1597 he was
restored to his place of captain of the guard, and entirely reinstated
in the queen's favor.

Essex having engaged in a rash treasonable conspiracy, the object of
which was to seize upon the queen's person, so as thereby to control the
government, Raleigh aided in defeating his designs. But after the
execution of his popular rival, Raleigh's fortune began to wane.
Nevertheless, in 1600 he was made Governor of the Isle of Jersey. In the
following year, in a speech made in Parliament on an act for sowing
hemp, Sir Walter said: "For my part, I do not like this constraining of
men to manure or use their grounds at our wills, but rather let every
man use his ground to that which it is most fit for, and therein use his
discretion." Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, and Raleigh's happiness ended
with her life.

James the First came to the throne of Great Britain prejudiced against
Raleigh. He was also at this time extremely unpopular, and especially
odious to the friends of the highly gifted, but rash and unfortunate
Earl of Essex. In three months after the arrival of King James in
England, Sir Walter was arrested on a charge of high treason, in
conspiring with the Lords Cobham and Grey to place the Lady Arabella
Stuart on the throne. Arraigned