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RALEGH AND COBHAM.

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Ralegh speedily recovered from his slight wound. He saw now that his one hope was to succeed in persuading Cobham to retract his false statements regarding him. He managed to have a letter conveyed to Cobham, in which he implored him to speak the truth. This letter was tied round an apple, and thrown through the window into the room in the Tower where Cobham was imprisoned, by Cotterell, an attendant of Ralegh's in the Tower. Cotterel brought back the answer, which Cobham had thrust under his door. In this Cobham said: "I never had conference with you in any treason, nor was I ever moved by you to the things I heretofore accused you of; and, for anything I know, you are as innocent and as clear from any treasons against the King as is any subject living.

God so deal with me, and have mercy on my soul, as this is true."

But even this was not to help Ralegh; and once more before Ralegh's trial Cobham had withdrawn his retractation, and made new charges against his old friend.

CHAPTER XII.

Ralegh's Trial at Winchester.

As the plague was at that time raging in

London, it was determined that the trial of the conspirators should be conducted at Winchester. On the 12th of November Ralegh was brought out of the Tower to be taken to Winchester, under the charge of Waad, Lieutenant of the Tower. So great was Ralegh's unpopularity amongst the citizens that he was greeted as he passed through the streets by the execrations of the mob. "It was hob or nob," Waad told Cecil, "whether or not Ralegh should have been brought alive through such multitudes of unruly people as did exclaim against him. .. If one harebrained fellow amongst the multitudes had begun to set upon him, as they were very near to do it, no entreaty or means could have prevailed, the fury and tumult of the people was so great." We shall see that in the end Ralegh's misfortunes taught the people to know him as he really was, and to reverence him in the days of his fall as much as they had hated him in the days of his prosperity.

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RALEGH'S TRIAL.

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On the 17th of November Ralegh was placed at the bar at Winchester on a charge of high treason. The trial was conducted before a special commission, in which sat, amongst others, Lord Henry Howard, Cecil, and some other lords; Chief Justice Popham, and three other judges. The prosecution was in the hands of Sir Edward Coke as Attorney-General. He behaved throughout the trial with great asperity and violence to Ralegh; so much so, that he called upon himself the censure even of Cecil.

The trial throughout was conducted in a manner which would now seem utterly unjust. At the present day, in a criminal trial, the accused is considered innocent until he is proved guilty, and he is allowed to choose able counsel to defend him from the accusations brought against him. At that time things were very different. The burden of the proof lay with the accused. He was all along considered guilty, unless he could prove himself innocent; and he was allowed no counsel, but was obliged to answer himself, without any preparation, the charges brought against him.

Sir Walter pleaded "Not guilty." He was asked whether he wished to challenge any of the jury, and answered: "I know none of them, but think them all honest and Christian men. I know my own innocency, and therefore will challenge none. All are indifferent to me. Only this I desire sickness hath of late weakened me, and

:

my memory was always bad; the points in the indictment are many, and perhaps in the evidence more will be urged. I beseech you therefore, my lords, let me answer the points severally as they are delivered; for I shall not carry them all in my mind to the end.”

Coke tried to make objections to this request; but he was partially overruled by the Commissioners. After a few preliminary proceedings, Coke proceeded to make a long and violent speech, in which he summed up the charges against Ralegh. But he introduced besides all sorts of matters relative only to the "Surprising Treason," as it was called, of Watson and Markham, which had nothing to do with the accusations against Ralegh. He was several times interrupted by Ralegh, who asked how he was affected by all this; and at last Ralegh exclaimed: "Your words cannot condemn me; my innocency is my defence. defence. Prove against me any one thing of the many that you have broken, and I will confess all the indictment, and that I am the most horrible traitor that ever lived, and worthy to be crucified with a thousand torments."

Then Coke rejoined furiously: "Nay, I will prove all. Thou art a monster; thou hast an English face, but a Spanish heart. You would have stirred England and Scotland both. You incited the Lord Cobham as soon as Count Aremberg came into England to go to him. The night he went, you supped with the Lord Cobham,

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COKE'S ACCUSATIONS.

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and he brought you after supper to Durham House; and then, the same night, by a back way, went with Renzi to Count Aremberg, and got from him a promise of the money. After this it was arranged that the Lord Cobham should go to Spain, and return by Jersey, where you were to meet him to consult about the distribution of the money, because Cobham had not so much policy or wickedness as you. Your intent was to set up the Lady Arabella as titular Queen, and to depose our present rightful King, the lineal descendant of Edward IV. You pretend that this money was to forward the peace with Spain. Your jargon was peace, which meant Spanish invasion and Scottish subversion."

When Coke proceeded to dwell on Cobham's treason, Ralegh interposed: "What is that to me? I do not hear yet that you have spoken one word against me. Here is no treason of mine done. If my Lord Cobham be a traitor, what is that to me?" Then Coke broke out: "All that he did was by thy instigation, thou viper. . . . I will prove thee the rankest traitor in all England." This was more than Ralegh could stand. "No, no, Master Attorney," he replied, "I am no traitor. Whether I live or die, I shall stand as true a subject as ever the King hath. You may call me a 'traitor' at your pleasure; yet it becomes not a man of quality or virtue to do so. But I take comfort in it. It is all you can do; for I do not yet hear that you charge me with any treason."

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