id of his old confederates,
now become his most inveterate enemies. But the confession, as well as
trial, of the criminals, put the matter beyond doubt.[**] And though no
one could find any marks of a concerted enterprise, it appeared that
men of furious and ambitious spirits, meeting frequently together, and
believing all the world discontented like themselves, had entertained
very criminal projects, and had even entered, some of them at least,
into a correspondence with Aremberg, the Flemish ambassador in order to
give disturbance to the new settlement.

* Sully's Memoirs.

** State Trials, p. 180, 2d edit. Winwood, vol. ii. p. 8,11.

The two priests[*] and Broke[**] were executed: Cobham, Grey, and
Markham were pardoned,[***] after they had laid their heads upon the
block.[****] Raleigh too was reprieved, not pardoned; and he remained in
confinement many years afterwards.

It appears from Sully's Memoirs, that Raleigh secretly offered his
services to the French ambassador; and we may thence presume that,
meeting with a repulse from that quarter, he had recourse, for the same
unwarrantable purposes, to the Flemish minister. Such a conjecture we
are now enabled to form; but it must be confessed, that on his trial
there appeared no proof of this transaction, nor indeed any circumstance
which could justify his condemnation. He was accused by Cobham alone, in
a sudden fit of passion, upon hearing that Raleigh, when examined, had
pointed out some circumstances by which Cobham's guilt might be known
and ascertained. This accusation Cobham afterwards retracted; and, soon
after, he retracted his retractation. Yet upon the written evidence
of this single witness, a man of no honor or understanding, and so
contradictory in his testimony; not confronted with Raleigh; not
supported by any concurring circumstance; was that great man, contrary
to all law and equity, found guilty by the jury. His name was at that
time extremely odious in England; and every man was pleased to give
sentence against the capital enemy of Essex, the favorite of the people.

Sir Edward Coke, the famous lawyer, then attorney-general, managed the
cause for the crown, and threw out on Raleigh such gross abuse, as may
be deemed a great reflection, not only on his own memory, but even, in
some degree, on the manners of the age. Traitor, monster, viper, and
spider of hell, are the terms which he employs against one of the
most illustrious men of