in whom
Raleigh could not fail to take an interest, Lady Arabella Stuart, died
in the Tower. In December, Raleigh was deprived, by an order in Council,
of Arabella's rich collection of pearls, but how they had come into his
possession we cannot guess. Nor can we date the stroke of apoplexy from
which Raleigh suffered about this time. But relief was now briefly
coming. Two of Raleigh's worst enemies, Northampton and Somerset, were
removed, and in their successors, Winwood and Villiers, Raleigh found
listeners more favourable to his projects. It has been said that he owed
his release to bribery, but Mr. Gardiner thinks it needless to suppose
this. Winwood was as cordial a hater of Spain as Raleigh himself; and
Villiers, in his political animus against the Somerset faction, would
need no bribery. Sir William St. John was active in bringing Raleigh's
claims before the Court, and the Queen, as ever, used what slender
influence she possessed. Urged on so many sides, James gave way, and on
January 30, 1616, signed a warrant for Raleigh's release from the Tower.
He was to live in his own house, but, with a keeper; he was not to
presume to visit the Court, or the Queen's apartments, nor go to any
public assemblies whatever, and his whole attention was to be given to
making due preparations for the intended voyage to Guiana. This warrant,
although Raleigh used it to leave his confinement, was only provisional;
and was confirmed by a minute of the Privy Council on March 19. Raleigh
took a house in Broad Street, where he spent fourteen months in discreet
retirement, and then sailed on his last voyage.

CHAPTER IX.

THE SECOND VOYAGE TO GUIANA.

Raleigh had been released from the Tower expressly on the understanding
that he should make direct preparations for a voyage to Guiana. The
object of this voyage was to enrich King James with the produce of a
mine close to the banks of the Orinoco. In the reign of Elizabeth,
Raleigh had stoutly contended that the natives of Guiana had ceded all
sovereignty in that country to England in 1595, and that English
colonists therefore had no one's leave to ask there. But times had
changed, and he now no longer pretended that he had a right to the
Orinoco; he was careful to insist that his expedition would infringe no
privileges of Spain. He was anxious by every diplomatic subtlety to
avoid failure, and for the first few months he kept extremely quiet. He
had called in the 8,000_l._ which