nexion not only with the learned men of his day, but also with the men of letters. Besides being a scholar, he was also a poet, and as such seems to have been on intimate terms with the great poets and dramatists of those times. He is said to have founded a club, in a tavern called "The Mermaid," by Cheapside, at which Shakspeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher, and others met and made merry. Ralegh kept up his intimacy with Ben Jonson whilst he was in prison. Jonson is said to have aided Ralegh in his History, and to have gone abroad as tutor with Ralegh's eldest son. The existence of Ralegh's club at the Mermaid, as well as the fact of Ben Jonson's journey with his son, are only traditions; but they have as traditions this value, that the very fact of their existence proves the intimacy which existed between Ralegh and the play-writers. Ralegh himself was a poet; and those poems of his that remain are again a proof of the fulness and many-sidedness of his active nature. His poems for the most part appeared in two collections of English poetry, one of which, called England's Helicon, was published in 1600, and the other, Davidson's Rhapsody, in 1602. They are mostly amorous and pastoral lays and sonnets of the kind that were common in those days. One of a very different kind, called The Lie, is a bitter and powerful satire upon the existing state of things. In it he exclaims against the powers that ruled in England at that time THE LIE. "Go, tell the court it glows "Tell potentates they live Acting by others actions! Not strong but by their factions. 211 1614] THE SPANISH MARRIAGE. 213 miento of his readiness to favour the Spanish scheme. Meanwhile the Parliament summoned. in 1614 had shown itself unwilling to listen to the King's demands. James had dissolved it in disgust. He was in great want of money, and this helped to make him turn to Spain once more. The Infanta would bring with her a larger dowry than could the French Princess. He thought that if he had the King of Spain as his firm friend, he should be enabled to do without Parliament. Sarmiento was only too ready to welcome James's approaches. He saw that a great struggle between the Protestant powers and the Catholic powers was drawing near; and he believed that if England could be drawn away from the Protestants, their party would fall to pieces. Negotiations were entered into with Spain for the marriage. At first the Spanish demands were such that even James felt it was impossible to agree to them. But Digby, the English ambassador at Madrid, succeeded in bringing about some slight modifications. He was not in favour of the marriage; but after protesting against it to James, he had agreed to undertake the charge of the negotiations. James, when he had received the modified demands, still hesitated; and the opponents of Spain in the English Council determined to do their utmost, while the hesitation still lasted, to make the marriage impossible. Chief amongst these was Sir Ralph Winwood, now secretary. He had been for some years am CHAPTER XV. Ralegh's last Woyage. HE result of Cecil's foreign policy had been THE to place James at the head of the Protestant party in Europe. In 1613 it had even seemed possible that war between England and Spain would once more break out. The Spaniards were so alarmed by the attitude of the English that the Spanish ambassador in London was recalled, in order that an abler man might be put in his place. The man chosen, Diego Sarmiento de Acuna, afterwards known as the Count of Gondomar, was admirably suited for the purpose. He was deeply impressed with the importance of the task entrusted to him, and put his whole heart into it. He found the King anxious for a marriage between his son Charles and a French Princess; but he did not despair of bringing back James in time to a Spanish marriage. Circumstances favoured him. Rochester, now Earl of Somerset, had been in favour of the French marriage; but on finding it supported by his opponents, he informed Sar |