, but they gained nothing of political
or diplomatic value. Affairs in Ireland, connected with the Spanish
invasion, occupied Raleigh's mind and pen during this autumn, but he
paid no visit to his Munster estates. There were plots and counterplots
developing in various parts of these islands in the autumn of 1600, but
with none of these subterranean activities is Raleigh for the present
to be identified.

When Sir Anthony Paulet died, on August 26, 1600, Raleigh had the
satisfaction of succeeding him in the Governorship of Jersey. He had
asked for the reversion of this post, and none could be found more
appropriate to his powers or circumstances. It gave him once more the
opportunity to cultivate his restless energy, to fly hither and thither
by sea and land, and to harry the English Channel for Spaniards as a
terrier watches a haystack for rats. Weymouth, which was the English
postal port for Jersey, was also the natural harbour of Sherborne, and
Raleigh had been accustomed, as it was, to keep more than one vessel
there. The appointment in Jersey was combined with a gift of the manor
of St. Germain in that island, but the Queen thought it right, in
consideration of this present, to strike off three hundred pounds from
the Governor's salary. Cecil was Raleigh's guest at Sherborne when the
appointment was made, and Raleigh waited until he left before starting
for his new charge; all this time young William Cecil continued at
Sherborne for his health. At last, late in September, Sir Walter and
Lady Raleigh went down to Weymouth, and took with them their little son
Walter, now about six years old. The day was very fine, and the mother
and son saw the new Governor on board his ship. He was kept at sea
forty-eight hours by contrary winds, but reached Jersey at last on an
October morning.

Raleigh wrote home to his wife that he never saw a pleasanter island
than Jersey, but protested that it was not in value the very third part
of what had been reported. One of his first visits was to the castle of
Mont Orgueil, which had been rebuilt seven years before. His intention
had been to destroy it, but he was so much struck with its stately
architecture and commanding position that he determined to spare it, and
in fact he told off a detachment of his men then and there to guard it.
Raleigh's work in Jersey was considerable. While he remained governor,
he established a trade between the island and Newfoundland, undertook to
regist