trumpets, only a page bearing his lance, passing by him with a courteous salute, took his ground, with such good success, that at the sound of the charge he passed the Turk through the sight of his bearer, face, head and all, that he fell dead to the ground; where alighting and unbracing his helmet, he cut off his head, and the Turks took his body; and so returned without any hurt at all.

The head he returned to the Lord Moses, the general, who kindly accepted it; and with joy to the whole army he was generally welcomed.

The death of this Captain so swelled in the heart of one Grualgo, his vowed friend, as, rather enraged with madness than choler, he directed a particular challenge to the conqueror, to regain his friend's head, or lose his own, with his horse and armour for advantage: which according to his desire, was the next day undertaken.

As before, upon the sound of the trumpets, their lances flew in pieces upon a clear passage; but the Turk was near unhorsed. Their pistols was the next, which marked Smith upon the placard; but the next shot the Turk was so wounded in the left arm, that being not able to rule his horse and defend himself, he was thrown to the ground; and so bruized with the fall, that he lost his head, as his friend before him; with his horse and armour: but his body and his rich apparel was sent back to the town.

Every day the Turks made some sallies, but few skirmishes would they endure to any purpose. Our works and approaches being not yet advanced to that height and effect which was of necessity to be performed; to delude time, Smith, with so many incontradictable persuading reasons, obtained leave that the ladies might know he was not so much enamoured of their servants heads, but if any Turk of their rank would come to the place of combat to redeem them, he should have his also upon the like conditions, if he could win it. The challenge presently was accepted by Bonny Mulgro.

The next day both the champions entering the field as

before, each discharging their pistol (having no lances, but such martial weapons as the defendant appointed), no hurt was done; their battle-axes was the next, whose piercing bills made sometime the one, sometime the other to have scarce sense to keep their saddles: specially the Christian received such a blow that he lost his battle-axe, and failed not much to have fallen after it; whereat the supposing conquering Turk, had a great shout from the rampiers. The Turk prosecuted his advantage to the uttermost of his power; yet the other, what by the readiness of his horse, and his judg ment and dexterity in such a business, beyond all men's expectation, by God's assistance, not only avoided the Turk's violence, but having drawn his falchion, pierced the Turk so under the Culets through back and body, that although he alighted from his horse, he stood not long ere he lost his head, as the rest had done.

SIR W. RALEIGH

TO HIS WIFE, THE NIGHT BEFORE HE EXPECTED TO BE PUT TO DEATH AT WINCHESTER, 1603

You shall now receive (my dear Wife) my last words in

these my last lines. My love I send you, that you may keep it when I am dead; and my counsel that you may remember it, when I am no more. I would not, by my will, present you with sorrows (dear Bess) let them go into the grave with me, and be buried in the dust: and seeing it is not the will of God, that ever I shall see you more in this life; bear it patiently, and with a heart like thyself. First, I send you all thanks which my heart can conceive, or my words can express, for your many travels and care taken for me; which though they have not taken effect as you wished, yet my debt to you is not the less; but pay it I never shall in this world. Secondly, I beseech you, for the love you bare me living, do not hide yourself many days after my death, but by your travels seek to help your miserable fortunes, and the right of

your poor child: thy mournings cannot avail me, I am but dust.

Thirdly, you shall understand, that my land was conveyed (bona fide) to my child; the writings were drawn at midsummer was twelve months; my honest cousin Brett can testify so much, and Dalberie, too, can remember somewhat therein and I trust my blood will quench their malice that have thus cruelly murdered me; and that they will not seek also to kill thee and thine with extreme poverty. To what friend to direct thee I know not, for all mine have left me in the true time of trial: and I plainly perceive that my death was determined from the first day. Most sorry I am, God knows, that being thus surprized with death, I can leave you in no better estate; God is my witness I meant you all my office of wines, or all that I could have purchased by selling it; half my stuff and all my jewels, but some one for the boy; but God hath prevented all my resolutions, even that great God that ruleth all in all: but if you can live free from want, care for no more, the rest is but vanity; love God, and begin betimes to repose yourself on him; and therein shall you find true and lasting riches and endless comfort. For the rest, when you have travelled and wearied your thoughts over all sorts of worldly cogitation, you shall but sit down by sorrow in the end. Teach your son also to love and fear God, whilst he is yet young, that the fear of God may grow up with him; and then God will be a husband to you, and a Father to him; a husband and a father which cannot be taken from you. Bayly oweth me a hundred pounds, and Adrian Gilbert six hundred pounds. In Jersey also I have much money owing me; besides, the arrearages of the Wines will pay my debts; and howsoever you do, for my soul's sake pay all poor men. When I am gone, no doubt you shall be sought to by many, for the world thinks that I was very rich: but take heed of the pretences of men, and their affections; for they last not, but in honest and worthy men, and no greater misery can befall you in this life, than to become a prey, and after wards to be despised. I speak not this (God knows) to

dissuade you from marriage; for it will be best for you, both in respect of the world and of God. As for me I am no more yours, nor you mine; Death has cut us asunder; and God hath divided me from the world, and you from me.

Remember your poor child, for his father's sake; who chose you and loved you in his happiest time. Get those letters (if it be possible) which I writ to the Lords, wherein I sued for my life. God is my witness, it was for you and yours that I desired life: but it is true that I disdain myself for begging it, for know it, dear wife, that your son is the son of a true man, and one who, in his own respect, despiseth death, and all his ..s shapen and ugly forms. I cannot write much; God he knoweth how hardly I steal this time, while others sleep; and It is also high time that I should separate my thoughts from the world. Beg my dead body, which living was denied thee, and either lay it at Sherburne (if the land continue) or in Exeter Church by my father and mother; I can say no more, time and death call me away.

The everlasting, powerful, infinite and omnipotent God; who is goodness itself; the true Life and true Light, keep thee and thine, have mercy on me, and teach me to forgive my persecutors and accusers, and send us to meet in his

nous Kingdom. My dear wife, farewell, bless my poor ty, pray for me, and let my good God hold you both in his

arms.

Written with the dying hand of sometime thy husband, but now (alas) overthrown.-Yours that was, but now not my own, WALTER RALEIGH.

I

LORD HERBERT OF CHERBURY

THOUGHT fit to entreat Sir William Herbert, now Lord Powis, to go to Sir John Ayres, and tell him that I marvelled hat the information given me by these great persons, and that I could not imagine any sufficient ground hereof; howbeit, if he had anything to say to me in a fair and noble

way, I would give him the meeting as soon as I had got strength enough to stand upon my legs.

Sir William hereupon brought me so ambiguous and doubtful an answer from him, that whatsoever he meant, he would not declare yet his intention, which was really, as I found afterwards, to kill me any way that he could, since, as as he said, though falsely, I had seduced his wife. Finding no means thus to surprise me, he sent me a letter to this effect that he desired to meet me somewhere, and that it might so fall out as I might return quietly again. To this I replied that if he desired to fight with me upon equal terms, I should, upon assurance of the field and fair play, give him meeting when he did any way specify the cause, and that I did not think fit to come to him upon any other terms, having been sufficiently informed of his plots to assassinate

me.

After this, finding he could take no advantage against me, then, in a treacherous way, he resolved to assassinate me in this manner. Hearing I was to come to Whitehall on horseback, with two lackeys only, he attended my coming back in a place called Scotland Yard, at the hither end of Whitehall, as you come to it from the Strand, hiding himself here with four men armed, on purpose to kill me.

I took horse at Whitehall Gate, and passing by that place, he being armed with a sword and dagger, without giving me so much as the least warning, ran at me furiously, but instead of me, wounded my horse in the brisket, as far as his sword could enter for the bone. My horse hereupon starting aside, he ran him again in the shoulder, which, though it made the horse more timorous, yet gave me time to draw my sword. His men thereupon encompassed me, and wounded my horse in three places more; this made my horse kick and fling in that manner as his men durst not come near me; which advantage I took to strike at Sir John Ayres with all my force, but he warded the blow both with his sword and dagger; instead of doing him harm, I broke my sword within a foot of the hilt. Hereupon some passenger that knew me, and