lind us to the fact that in neither of these three matters
was his action true or honest. We have no particular account of his
examinations, but it is almost certain that they wrung from him
admissions of a most damaging character. He had tried to make James a
catspaw in revenging himself on Spain, and he had to take the
consequences.

It was of great importance to the Government to understand why France
had meddled in the matter. The Council, therefore, summoned La Chesnee,
the envoy who had made propositions to Raleigh at Brentford and at Broad
Street; but he denied the whole story, and said he never suggested
flight to Raleigh. So little information had been gained by the middle
of September, that it was determined to employ a professional spy. The
person selected for this engaging office was Sir Thomas Wilson, one of
the band of English pensioners in the pay of Spain. The most favourable
thing that has ever been said of Stukely is that he was not quite such a
scoundrel as Wilson. On September 9 this person, who had known Raleigh
from Elizabeth's days, and was now Keeper of the State Papers, was
supplied with 'convenient lodging within or near unto the chambers of
Sir Walter Raleigh.' At the same time Sir Allen Apsley, the Lieutenant,
who had guarded the prisoner hitherto, was relieved.

Wilson's first act was not one of conciliation. He demanded that Raleigh
should be turned out of his comfortable quarters in the Wardrobe Tower
to make room for Wilson, who desired that the prisoner should have the
smaller rooms above. To this, and other demands, Apsley would not
accede. Wilson then began to do his best to insinuate himself into
Raleigh's confidence, and after about a fortnight seems to have
succeeded. We have a very full report of his conversations with Raleigh,
but they add little to our knowledge, even if Wilson's evidence could
be taken as gospel. Raleigh admitted La Chesnee's offer of a French
passage, and his own proposal to seize the Mexican fleet; but both these
points were already known to the Council.

Towards the end of September two events occurred which brought matters
more to a crisis. On the 24th Raleigh wrote a confession to the King, in
which he said that the French Government had given him a commission,
that La Chesnee had three times offered him escape, and that he himself
was in possession of important State secrets, of which he would make a
clean breast if the King would pardon him. This import