e,
Essex began to reproach him with 'a breach of Orders and Articles,' and
to point out to him that in capturing Fayal without authority he had
made himself liable to the punishment of death. Raleigh replied that he
was exempt from such orders, being, in succession to Essex and Lord
Howard, himself commander of the whole fleet by the Queen's letters
patent. After a dispute of half an hour, Essex seemed satisfied, and
accepted an invitation to sup with Raleigh on shore. But another
malcontent, Sir Christopher Blount, obtained his ear, and set his
resentment blazing once more. Essex told Raleigh he should not sup at
all that night. Raleigh left the 'Repulse,' and prepared to separate his
squadron from the fleet, lest an attempt should be made to force him to
undergo the indignity of a court-martial. Howard finally made peace
between the two commanders, and Raleigh was induced to give some sort of
apology for his action.

The fleet proceeded to St. Miguel, when Raleigh was left to watch the
roadstead, while Essex pushed inland. While Raleigh lay here, a great
Indian carrack of sixteen hundred tons, laden with spices, knowing
nothing of the English invasion, blundered into the middle of what she
took to be a friendly Spanish fleet. She perceived her mistake just in
time to run herself ashore, and disembark her crew. Raleigh at the head
of a party of boats attempted to seize her, but her commander set her
on fire, and when the Englishmen came close to her she was one dangerous
splendour of flaming perfumes and roaring cannon. Raleigh was more
fortunate in securing another carrack laden with cochineal from Cuba.
The rest of the Islands Voyage was uneventful and ill-managed. For some
time nothing was heard of the fleet in England, and Lady Raleigh
'skrebbled,' as she spelt it, hasty notes to Cecil begging for news of
her husband. Early in October he came back to England, seriously
enfeebled in health. The only one of the commanders who gained any
advantage from the Islands Voyage was the one who had undertaken least,
Lord Howard of Effingham, who was raised to the earldom of Nottingham.

CHAPTER VI.

LAST DAYS OF ELIZABETH.

A slight anecdote, which is connected with the month of January 1598,
must not be omitted here. It gives us an impression of the personal
habits of Raleigh at this stage of his career. It was the custom of the
Queen to go to bed early, and one winter's evening the Earl of
Southampton, Raleigh,