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friend, Sir Hugh Beeston, shut out by the sheriff from witnessing his execution. 'Never mind, Beeston," cried Raleigh, "I am sure to have a place." Perceiving an old bald-headed man anxious to speak to him, he inquired his wish, and when the person replied, "he only desired to see him, and to pray to God for him," Raleigh, who had on a richly-embroidered night-cap, took it from his head, and placed it upon that of the stranger, saying, “Take this to remember me; for thou hast more need of it than I." He ascended the scaffold with cheerfulness, called certain lords nearer to him, addressed them, and, in his old courtly style, affectionately embraced them, observing, "I have now a long journey to go, and must take my leave." Having taken off his black velvet night-gown, satin doublet, and lace ruff, he called to the executioner to show him the axe; which not being instantly done, he repeated, "I prithee let me see it." On receiving it, he said, “Think not I am afraid of this: it is a sharp medicine, but a sound cure for all diseases." Having kissed the instrument, he called on the people to pray with him and for him more than once, and then laid himself upon the block to see if it would fit him. At this moment the executioner, awed by his magnanimity, threw himself upon his knees, and implored his pardon. Raleigh, with an embrace, desired him to rise, and said, "I freely forgive thee, poor soul: but have a care, and when I lift up my hand so, fear not, but strike!" He immediately laid his head upon the block, and was some minutes employed in private prayer; during which the headsman became so affected, that, when the hero gave the appointed signal, he struck at random. Raleigh, upon this, wounded as he was, put forth his hands and exclaimed, “Strike, man! why dost thou not strike?" Although two more blows were required to decapitate him, he shrank not, nor moved; and when his head fell, a murmur of horror passed throughout the vast assembled crowd.-From Prince's 'Parallel Universal History.'

PRINCE HENRY AND SIR WALTER RALEIGH, A.D. 1603-1618.

KING JAMES, and his wife, Anne of Denmark, had a large family of children, who all died in their infancy except three, Henry, Elizabeth, and Charles, the last of whom was a very weakly child, and the great darling of his father, who called him "Baby Charles," and loved him above all things.

The eldest, Henry, Prince of Wales, was a youth of the highest promise, earnestly pious, full of courage and generosity, and with great abilities. He delighted in active sports, was very eager for war, and anxious to distinguish himself. He was thought to be very like Henry V., and longed to imitate him in his career of glory, though he was too right-minded to follow his example of youthful dissipation. Indeed, his life was so strict and regular, that the Puritans supposed him to be one of themselves; but there seems to be no reason for believing that he was not a dutiful son of the English Church.

His sister Elizabeth, to whom he was greatly attached, and who had shared as much as possible in his pursuits, was engaged to be married to Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and he pleased himself with superintending the building of the vessel which was to carry her to her new home.

The Count Palatine had arrived, and all was prepared for the wedding, when, one Sunday afternoon, while listening to a sermon in the King's Chapel, the Prince of Wales suddenly fainted, and in a short time became dangerously ill. His disorder rapidly increased, and on the 16th of November, 1612, he expired, rejoicing almost with his last breath that he was spared from so many of the trials and temptations of this world.

By no one was Prince Henry more lamented than by Sir Walter Raleigh, whom he had always highly esteemed, often visiting him in the Tower, where he had been imprisoned for a plot against the King in the early part of his

reign. King James, on the contrary, had a great prejudice against Raleigh, and disliked him, among other reasons, as the introducer of tobacco, which he held in great abomination, saying, "that he could not bear to see men make chimneys of their mouths."

Losing with Henry all hopes of a pardon, Raleigh attempted to regain his freedom by promising to show the way to a rich gold mine in South America, and thus prevailed on the King to release him and place two vessels under his command. Instead, however, of seeking gold, he attacked a Spanish settlement on the coast, plundered the inhabitants, and shortly after returned to England.

He was again arrested, and imprisoned in the Tower, and, to please the Spaniards, with whom James was then in alliance, was at last beheaded, A.D. 1618.

Much discontent was occasioned by the conduct of the favourite on whom both the King and his son, Charles, had set their affections. This was George Villiers, a handsome and clever man, of worthless character, yet so beloved by James, that he created him Duke of Buckingham, and threw almost all power into his hands.

The King fell ill of an ague, and at the end of a fortnight died, on the 23rd of March, 1625, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and the twenty-third of his reign.-From the Kings of England.'

QUEEN ELIZABETH, 1558 to 1603.

QUEEN ELIZABETH was endowed with a masculine mind, and was remarkable for her wisdom; she therefore chose clever ministers, and knew how to promote the wealth and prosperity of the nation. As she was a Protestant, she had a difficult part to perform during the life of her sister Mary; and although she never ventured openly to profess her sentiments on religion, Mary was always jealous of her, and never treated her with confidence or affection.

She was kept in confinement, and closely watched; and at one time was even accused of being concerned in a plot against the life of her sister, and sent a prisoner to the Tower, where she remained some time in a most alarming state of suspense, sadly meditating on the fate of Lady Jane Grey, and other unhappy individuals who had been inmates of that dismal abode. She was liberated, however, without any trial, and sent to Woodstock, where she lived under the eye of a very severe and vigilant guardian, for a long time; and indeed she never felt free from danger, as long as her sister was alive.

The few years of restraint to which she had been subjected may have tended to exasperate a temper naturally overbearing; for she soon began to exercise a most despotic control over others; and this disposition was fully exemplified in the reply she made to one of her ministers, who, shortly after her accession, was urging her to make choice of a husband. "No, no," said she, "I will have no master here, and only one mistress, I promise you."

The proclamation of Elizabeth, as queen of England, was hailed with great joy by the people, who were tired of the late gloomy reign. No one disputed her title, and all London resounded with shouts of "God save Queen Elizabeth!" The church bells were set ringing, tables were spread in the streets, where there was plenty of feasting and merry making; and at night, bonfires were seen blazing in every direction. The new queen herself was at Hatfield House, in Hertfordshire, when the news was brought to her of the death of Mary, and the joyful manner in which her accession had been greeted by the whole country; on which she fell on her knees, exclaiming, in Latin, "It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes! and these words were afterwards stamped on her gold coin.

On the 23rd of November, 1558, Queen Elizabeth left Hatfield, with a numerous and joyous retinue, to take possession of the throne, and at Highgate was met by the bishops who, kneeling before her, tendered their allegiance. At the foot of Highgate Hill, the lord mayor, aldermen,

and common council, were waiting to conduct her to the Charterhouse, where Lord North, who had always been her friend, then resided.

The coronation was conducted with great magnificence. All the ladies of the train, according to the fashion of the times, rode on horseback, for coaches were not then in use. The queen, however, rode in a chariot, and delighted the people all the way she went by the notice she took of them, stopping, at intervals, to receive the nosegays that were presented to her by the women in the crowd. All the streets through which she passed, from the Tower to Westminster, were adorned with pageants and shows; and as the shouts of the populace greeted her on every side, she answered with gracious smiles, saying, at intervals, "I thank you, my good people, be well assured I shall stand your good queen."

When Elizabeth ascended the throne of England, Mary, queen of Scots, was living happily in France, where she had been educated, and had been married to the Dauphin,* who was now King Francis the Second; therefore Mary was queen of France as well as of Scotland, and there were many persons who thought she had a better title to the English crown than its possessor, and who persuaded her to assume the arms of England; an offence that was never forgiven by the proud and jealous Elizabeth. Mary was the great grand-daughter of Henry the Seventh, and those who desired to see her reigning over this country, and who were principally the Roman Catholics, maintained that Elizabeth ought to have been excluded from the throne, because her mother Anne Boleyn, had suffered death on a charge of adultery; although it is believed that this charge was fabricated merely to release the king from his marriage.

A great many voyages were made to America and India by different navigators, particularly by Sir Francis Drake, who sailed round the world; and Martin Frobisher, who made discoveries in the North American seas. The pro

* A title given at that time to the eldest son of the French monarch.