The Great Captain; A Story of the Days of Sir Walter Raleigh

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1902 Excerpt: ... of misery and sickness. And I thank God that niy fever hath not taken me at this time, asTE prayed Him it might not, that I might clear myself of some accusations laid to my charge unjustly, and leave behind me the testimony of a true heart both to my King and country. Then he held the crowd spellbound while he spoke in his defence, and when he had finished, none moved, but they all pressed closer to him as though they could not bear to leave him. At last he sent them away himself. I have a long journey to go, he said, therefore must I take my leave of you. Afterwards he tried the temper of the axe, passing his finger along the edge. 'Tis a sharp medicine, he said; but one that will cure me of all my diseases. The sheriff asked him which way he would lay himself upon the block. So as the heart be right, he said, it matters not which way the head lies. Then he laid himself down; and since the headsman feared to strike, and well he might fear, my lord himself hurried him. Strike, man, strike! he cried; and in an instant the noblest head in England rolled upon the ground. So ended the glorious Sir Walter Raleigh; and musing on that end and on the wrongs he suffered at the hands of Queen Elizabeth, I am often led to wonder that men should raise kings and queens over them to work such ill. For it seems to me that the great days of England were not made by Elizabeth Tudor or Harry, her sire, but by the great men who stood around them, and whom so often they sent to their death. Raleigh followed Essex by a space of less than a score years, both suffering execution; and I pray that in another world these two are friends who jostled each other in this, but came alike to the headsman's block. The Tudors were too fond of beheading; but they, at least, s...