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rafted and, if we fhould allow his mind might change, yet the courfe of his life afterwards left no room for any fuch performance. The merit of this work is too well known, to need any enlarging upon here: and therefore let the judgement of a polite writer upon it ferve for, what it really is, the judgement of mankind in general. Sir Walter Ralegh's Hiftory of the World' is "a work of fo vaft a compafs, fuch endless variety, that 66 no genius but one adventurous as his own durft have "undertaken that great defign. I do not apprehend," Differtation fays he, "any great difficulty in collecting and common on the Clafr placing an univerfal hiftory from the whole body offies, p. 216. "hiftorians; that is nothing but mechanic labour: but 1730. "to digeft the feyeral authors in his mind, to take in all

their majefty, ftrength and beauty, to raife the Ipirit of "meaner hiftorians, and to equal all the excellences of "the beft, is Sir Walter's peculiar praife. His ftyle is "the most perfect, the happieft, and moft beautiful, of "the age he wrote in, majeftic, clear, and manly; and he appears every where fo fuperior, rather than unequal, to his fubject, that the fpirit of Rome and Athens feems to be breathed into his work.-To conclude, his admirable performance in fucl. a prodigious undertaking fheweth, that, had he attempted the history of his own country or his own times, he would have equalled even Livy and Thucydides: and the annals of queen Elizabeth by his pen had been the brightest glory of her reign, and would have tranfmitted his hiftory as the ftandard of our language even to the prefent age.?

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Some have fancied, that the merit of this work procured his releafement from the Tower; but there feems little foundation for that opinion, fince king James is known to have expreffed fome diflike to it. But whatever procured it, as no doubt it was his money that did, the mine-adventure to Guiana was made ufe of to the king; and we find him actually abroad March 25, 1616. In Auguft, he received a commiffion from the king to go and explore the golden mines at Guiana; but did not fet off from Plymouth till July 1617. In the mean time his defign, being betrayed to the Spaniards, was defeated; and, his eldeft fon Walter being killed by the Spaniards at St. Thome, the town was burnt by captain Keymis, who, being reproached by Sir Walter for his ill conduct in this affair, killed himself. Upon this, the Spanish

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Spanish ambaffador Gundamor making heavy complaints
to the king, a proclamation was published immediately
against Ralegh and his proceedings, and threatening pu-
nishment in an exemplary manner. Ralegh landed at Ply-
mouth in July 1618; and, though he heard the court was
exafperated by the Spanish ambaffador, firmly refolved to
go to London. He was arrefted on his journey thither;
and finding, as he approached, that no apology could fave
him, repented of not having made his escape while he
had it in his power. He attempted it, after he was con-
fined in the Tower, but was feized in a boat upon the
Thames. It was found, however, that his life conld not
be touched for any thing which had been done at Guiana:
therefore a privy feal was fent to the judges, forthwith to
order execution, in confequence of his former attainder.
This manner of proceeding was thought extra-judicial at
firft; but at length he was brought, Oct. 28, to the King's
bench bar at Westminster, and there asked, if he could'
fay any thing, why execution fhould not be awarded! To
this he faid, that " he hoped the judgement he received*
to die fo long fince, could not now be ftrained to take*
away his life; fince, by his majefty's commiffion for*
"his late voyage, it was implied to be reftored, in giving
"him power as maríhal upon the life and death of
"others" and of this he had been affured by Sir Francis
Bacon, then lord keeper, when he expreffed fome folici-*
tude for a pardon in form, before he fet fail for Guiana.
This notwithstanding, fentence of death was paffed upon"
him; and he was beheaded the next day in Old Palace-`
yard, when he fuffered his fate with great magnanimity.
His body was interred in St. Margaret's Westminster;
but his head was preferved by his family many years."
The putting this great and uncommon man to death thus
injuriously, to please the Spaniards, gave the highest of-
fence then; and has been mentioned with general indig-
nation ever fince. Burnet, fpeaking of certain errors in
James I's reign, proceeds thus: "Befides thefe public

Hit. of his
own time,
p. 16, 1724.

66

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actings, king James fuffered much, in the opinion of all people, by his ftrange way of ufing one of the greatest "men of that age, Sir Walter Ralegh; against whom "the proceedings at firft were cenfured, but the last part "of them was thought both barbarous and illegal" And 2 little farther: the firft condemnation of him was very black; but the executing him after fo many years, and after an employment that had been given him, was counted a barbarous facrificing him to the Spaniards.'

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Sir Walter was tall, to the height of fix feet, well shaped, and not too flender; his hair of a dark colour, and full; and the features and form of his face fuch as they appear before the last edition of his history in 1736. His tafte in drefs, both civil and military, was magnificent. Of the latter fort, his armour was fo rare, that we are told part of it was for its curiofity preferved in the Tower: and his civil wardrobe was richer, his cloaths being adorned with jewels of great value. The truth is, the richness of his apparel was made matter of reproach to him; but, though he was undoubtedly pleased with the diftinction, he was far from making it the end of his ambition: for how much he excelled in arms abroad, counsel at home, and letters in general, history and his own writings have made fufficiently notorious.

The best edition of his "Hiftory of the World" is that published by Oldys, in 2 vols. folio. A collection of his fmaller pieces were collected and printed together, in 2 vols. Svo, in 1748.

Lord Vere

RAWLEY (Dr. WILLIAM), the learned chaplain of the celebrated Sir Francis Bacon, and editor of his Works, was born at Norwich about the year 1588. Collections He was of Benet-college in Cambridge; took a bachelor relating to of arts degree in 1604, a master's in 1608, a bachelor of lam, predivinity's in 1615, and a doctor's in 1621. About Lady- fixed to day 1609, he was chofen fellow of his college, took holy Blackorders in 1611, and was inftituted to the rectory of Land-bourne's beach near Cambridge in Jan. 1616. Landbeach is a living his Works, in the gift of Benet-college; nevertheless, as my account 4 vois. folio, fays, he was prefented to it " 'per hon. virum Francifcum Lond. 1730 "Baconum Mil. Reg. Maj. Advocatum Generalem, 218.

ejufdem Rectoriæ, pro hac unica vice, ratione concef"fionis Magiftri et Sociorum Coll. C. C. (uti affereba"tur) patroni." He held this living till his death, which happened June 18, 1667; nor does it appear that he had any other preferment, which may feem fomewhat marvellous, when it is confidered, that he was not only domeftic chaplain to Lord Verulam, who had the highest opinion of his abilities, as well as the most affectionate regard for his perfon, but chaplain alfo to the kings Charles L. and II.

edition of

On a flat marble near the communion-table, in the church of Landbeach, there is the following infcription. over him: "Hic jacet Gulielmus Rawley, S. T. Doctor,

P. 217,

❝ vir

"vir Gratiis et Mufis ex æquo charus, fereniff. regibus "Car. I. & II. a facris, D. Fran. Verulamio facellanus

:

primus atque ultimus, cujus opera fumma cum fide edita ei debent literæ. Uxorém habuit Barbaram, ad latus "mariti pofitam, Jo. Wixted aldermanni nuper Cantabr. "filiam ex ea filium fufcepit unicum Gulielmum, in cu jus cineribus falis haud parum latet. Ecclefiam hanc per annos quinquaginta prudens adminiftravit. Tandem "placide, ut vixit, in Domino obdormivit, A. D. 1667, Jun. 18; ætat. 79."

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RAY, or WRAY (JOHN), an eminent English natural philofopher, was the fon of a blacksmith at BlackNotley, near Braintree, in Effex; and was born there in Ray's Life 1628. He was bred a scholar at Braintree school; and by Derham, fent thence, in 1644, to Catherine Hall in Cambridge. prefixed to Here he continued about two years, and then removed, mains of for fome reafon or other, to Trinity-college: with which, the learn- fays Derham, he was afterwards much pleased, because in * ed John Catherine Hall they chiefly addicted themselves to dif"Ray," 1760, 8vo. putations, while in Trinity the politer arts and sciences

Select re

were principally minded and cultivated. He took the degrees in arts, and was chofen fellow of his college; and the learned Duport, famous for his skill in Greek, who had been his tutor, used to say, that the chief of all his pupils, and to whom he esteemed none of the reft comparable, were Mr. Ray and Dr. Barrow, who were of the fame ftanding. In 1651, he was chofen the Greek lecturer of the college; in 1653, the mathematical lecturer; in 1655, humanity reader: which three appointments fhew the reputation he had acquired in that early period of his life, for his skill in languages, polite literature, and the fciences.

During his continuance in the univerfity, he acquitted himfelf honourably as a tutor and preacher for preaching and common placing, both in the college and in the univerfity-church, were then ufually performed by perfons not ordained. He was not affected with the fanaticiim of the times, but diftinguished himself by preaching found and fenfible divinity, while the generality filled their fermons with enthusiasm and nonfenfe. His favourite ftudy, and what indeed made the chief business of his life, was. the univerfal hiftory of nature, and the works of God: and in this he acquired great and exact fkill. He publifhed, in 1660, a "Catalogue of the Cambridge Plants"

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RAY.

in order to promote the ftudy of botany, which was then much neglected; and the good reception this work met with encouraged him to proceed further in thefe ftudies and obfervations. He no longer contented himself with what he met with about Cambridge, but extended his purfuits throughout the greateft part of England and Wales, and part of Scotland. In thefe journies of fimpling, though he fometimes went alone, yet he had commonly the company of other curious gentlemen, particu larly Mr. Willoughby, his pupil Mr. afterwards Sir Philip Skipton, and Mr. Peter Courthope. At the reftoration of the king, he refolved upon entering into holy orders; and was ordained by Sanderfon, bishop of Lincoln, Dec. 23, 1660. He continued fellow of Trinity-college, till the beginning of the Bartholomew act; which, requiring a fubfcription against the folemn league and covenant, occafioned him to refign his fellowship, he refufing to fign that declaration.

Having now left his fellowship, and vifited moft parts of his own country, he was minded to fee what nature afforded in foreign parts; and accordingly, in April 1663, himfelf, with Mr. Willoughby, Mr. Skippon, and Mr. Nathanael Bacon, went over from Dover to Calais, and thence through divers parts of Europe: which however it is fufficient juft to mention, as Mr. Ray himself, in 1673, published the "Obfervations" they made in that tour. Towards the end of their journey, Mr. Willoughby and Mr. Ray parted company; the former paffing through Spain, the latter from Montpelier, through France, into England, where he arrived in March, 1665-6. He purfued his philofophical ftudies with his ufual attention, and became fo diftinguifhed, that he was importuned to come into the Royal Society, and was admitted fellow thereof in 1667. Being then folicited by dean, afterwards bifhop, Wilkins, to tranflate his "Real Cha"racter" into Latin, he confented; and the original manufcript of that work, ready for the prefs, is ftill extant in the library of the Royal Society.

In the fpring of 1669, Mr. Ray and Mr. Willoughby entered upon thofe experiments about the tapping of trees, and the afcent and defcent of their fap; which are publifhed in the Philofophical Tranfactions, and may be met with together in Lowthorp's" Abridgement." About this vol. II. p. time, Mr. Ray began to draw up his Obfervations for 682. public ufe; and one of the firft things he fet upon was,

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