otland united, whence we were wont to fear all
our troubles--Ireland quieted, where our forces were wont to be
divided--Denmark assured, whom before we were always wont to
have in jealousy--the Low Countries our nearest neighbour. And,
instead of a Lady whom time had surprised, we had now an active
King, who would be present at his own businesses. For me, at
this time, to make myself a Robin Hood, a Wat Tyler [in the
inadvertence of the moment he seems to have said 'a Tom Tailor,'
by mistake], a Kett, or a Jack Cade! I was not so mad! I knew
the state of Spain well, his weakness, his poorness, his
humbleness at this time. I knew that six times we had repulsed
his forces--thrice in Ireland, thrice at sea, once upon our
coast and twice upon his own. Thrice had I served against him
myself at sea--wherein, for my country's sake, I had expended of
my own property forty thousand marks. I knew that where
beforetime he was wont to have forty great sails, at the least,
in his ports, now he hath not past six or seven. And for sending
to his Indies, he was driven to have strange vessels, a thing
contrary to the institutions of his ancestors, who straitly
forbade that, even in case of necessity, they should make their
necessity known to strangers. I knew that of twenty-five
millions which he had from the Indies, he had scarce any left.
Nay, I knew his poorness to be such at this time that the
Jesuits, his imps, begged at his church doors; his pride so
abated that, notwithstanding his former high terms, he was
become glad to congratulate his Majesty, and to send creeping
unto him for peace.

In these fiery words the audience was reminded of the consistent hatred
which Raleigh had always shown to Spain, and of the services which he
himself, now a prisoner at the bar, had performed for the liberties of
England. The sympathies of the spectators began to be moved; those who
had execrated Raleigh most felt that they had been deceived, and that so
noble an Englishman, however indiscreet he might have been, could not by
any possibility have intrigued with the worst enemies of England.

But the prisoner had more to do than to rouse the irresponsible part of
his audience by his patriotic eloquence. The countenances of his judges
remained as cold to him as ever, and he turned to the serious business
of his defence. His quick intelligence