son, inherited considerable fortunes. After going through the usual course of studies at Eton, he went to Oxford; but as he is not mentioned in Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses,' it is not probable that he remained there long. As he was intended for the law, he was to finish his studies at the Temple. Humphrey, however, was by nature much more fit for a life of enterprize than of study,-for the court or the camp, rather than the cloister or the bar. When quite young, his aunt, Mrs Catherine Astley, who was in the queen's service, introduced him at court. There, in the presence of the maiden queen, he imbibed all those chivalrous feelings, that devoted loyalty, and that love of enterprize and distinction, which characterised so many of the gallant courtiers of that age. He immediately embraced a soldier's life; and having distinguished himself in several expeditions, particularly in that to Havre in 1563, he was sent to Ireland to suppress a rebellion, of which James Fitzmorris was the principal instigator. For his important services on this occasion, he was raised to the chief command in the county of Munster. He, at the same time, received the honour of knighthood at the hands of Sir H. Sydney, in January, 1570. Prince tells us that it was conferred by Queen Elizabeth in 1577; but this is a mistake. On his return to England, he was fortunate enough to marry an heiress. In 1571, he was chosen member of parliament for Plymouth. His conduct on this occasion was more loyal than popular. He excited the indignant reproofs of Mr Wentworth for maintaining the propriety of curbing that boldness of speech, which, as he pretended, was fraught with danger at once to the "liberty of the subject and to the queen's prerogative." At that period, the liberty of the subject' was put in little peril from such a cause, however ominously it might look for the royal prerogative. Mr Wentworth was almost the only man of his age who dared to speak like a free man, and no wonder that his plainness of speech offended the ears of the refined and loyal courtier.

In 1572, Sir Humphrey sailed with some forces to the aid of Colonel Morgan in Flanders. His enterprizing genius, stimulated by travel and adventure, now dwelt with enthusiasm on those various schemes for improving navigation and extending discovery and commerce, which formed the day-dreams of so many adventurous spirits of the age, but which, though they often ended in nothing but disappointment, some times led to brilliant results. In 1576, he published a book, entitled, A Discourse to prove a Passage by the North-west to Catheria and the East Indies.' This discourse is preserved in Hakluyt's voyages. It is a work of considerable merit, and displays not only extensive reading, but no inconsiderable measure of scientific knowledge. Sir Humphrey even lived to attempt the realization of his hypothesis; but the very year in which his book appeared, the well-known Frobisher sailed, probably in consequence of it. In the meantime, Sir Humphrey's energies were employed on another project. This was the more complete discovery of the northern coast of America. In 1578, he obtained from Elizabeth a patent, empowering him to take possession of any lands he might discover, or which had been, as yet, unappropriated. He could not persuade others, however, to join in the enterprize with enthusiasm equal to his own, and it was with considerable diffi culty that he obtained a sufficient number to complete the expedition.

At length he effected his object, in what way we know not; and sailed to Newfoundland. He soon returned without having accomplished any thing by his voyage. Not discouraged by this ill-success, he put to sea again in 1583, with five ships, and his half-brother, Raleigh, was his companion in this expedition. The largest vessel was compelled to put back, a virulent disease having broken out on board. August 3d, Sir Humphrey disembarked at Newfoundland, and, two days after his arrival, took formal possession of the harbour of St John's. He immediately availed himself of the queen's patent, and parcelled out considerable portions of the new territory to such of his followers as chose to take them. None of them thought it prudent to brave the horrors of that inhospitable region at that time. But as several of them returned and settled on their new possessions, Sir Humphrey is undoubtedly entitled to the honour of being considered the founder of this portion of our American possessions. This was not the great object, however, with which either Sir Humphrey Gilbert or any of the other enterprising navigators of that day fitted out their expeditions, and sought, amidst so much peril, the unknown regions of the west. Their immediate object was GOLD. The discovery of America has, it is true, incalculably enriched Europe, but not in the way Columbus and his successors imagined. To them, the vast tracts of fertile country, and the encouragement to be afforded to navigation and commerce, were as nothing. It was what was beneath the surface that they sought; all else was comparatively worthless. The success of sordid, avaricious Spain, had stimulated the cupidity of all the other European nations, and no adventurer left the ports of England who did not dream of Eldorado and the sudden acquisition of boundless wealth. In conformity with the spirit of the age, Sir Humphrey had taken out with him a Saxon miner. He soon professed to have discovered a rich silver mine on the coast. To convince Sir Humphrey, he showed some ore which he had dug up. Elated with hopes of his success, Sir Humphrey said he did not doubt of being able to obtain from Elizabeth ten thousand pounds for another and larger expedition the next year, knowing that he was secure of his mistress's smiles, if he did but gratify her avarice. These hopes, however, were soon most painfully dissipated. His largest vessel was lost in a storm; his miner perished with her, and only twelve of the crew were saved. On the 20th of August, he embarked in a small sloop, for the purpose of exploring the coast. Soon after he steered homeward, but could not be persuaded to desert the little vessel in which he had faced so many dangers. On the 9th of September, when the bark was labouring in a most tempestuous sea, he was seen by the crew of his remaining ship, sitting with a book in his hand in the stern of the vessel, and was heard to exclaim, "Courage, my lads! we are as near heaven at sea as on land." About midnight she foundered; and the gallant Sir Humphrey and his crew perished.

We have already spoken of his character. At the close of the treatise to which we have already referred, mention is made of another 'On Navigation,' which he intended to publish. It is now in all probability lost. He well deserves a name amongst the benefactors of his country, since the important colony of Newfoundland, whose fisheries have been so valuable to us, owes its establishment to his enterprise.

Sir Francis Walsingham.

DIED A. D. 1590.

early part of the

SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM was born in the sixteenth century, at Chislehurst in Kent, of an ancient and honourable family from Walsingham in Norfolk. His education was first conducted by a domestic tutor in his father's house, and at a suitable age he was entered at King's college, Cambridge. After passing the usual period at college, and completing his education he took an extensive tour among foreign nations. During the reign of Queen Mary, he continued to reside abroad, to prosecute his studies, and to make himself acquainted with every thing in the policy of foreign nations which might fit him to be serviceable to his own country. He became distinguished for his knowledge of the learned languages, as well as those of modern Europe; but more especially for the skilful and eloquent use he made of his own. Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth, he returned to his native country, rich in all those accomplishments which might fit him to occupy a distinguished station in the court of that high-minded princess. His talents for business soon recommended him to the queen's secretary, Cecil, who gave him his first employment as an ambassador to the court of France, during one of the most interesting and turbulent periods of its history. Distinguished as he was, however, by sagacity and caution, he was deceived by the execrable Charles the Ninth and his mother, and gained no foresight of those cruel and infernal plots which issued in the horrible massacre of St Bartholomew. He continued in this post till the year 1573, discharging his duties with exemplary fidelity, diligence and caution. His prudence and skill procured him the praise of Wicquefort, the distinguished critic of diplomacy, though it may be thought that he carried the arts of subtlety and deception somewhat beyond the bounds of honour and truth. Dr Lloyd says, "his head was so strong, that he could look into the depths of men and business, and dive into the whirlpools of state. Dexterous he was in finding a secret, close in keeping it. His conversation was insinuating and reserved; he saw every man, and none saw him. He would say, he must observe the joints and flexures of affairs; and so do more with a story, than others could with an harangue. He always surprised business, and preferred motions in the heat of other diversions; and if he must de bate it, he would hear all. The Spanish proverb was familiar with him, 'Tell a lie, and find a truth;' and this, Speak no more than you may safely retreat from without danger, or fairly go through with without opposition." Upon his return he stood high in the queen's favour, and in 1573, was sworn of the privy council, endowed with the honour of knighthood, and appointed one of the principal secretaries of state. One of his chief engagements consisted in watching, detecting, and defeating all plots against the queen's person and government. Few ministers of state were ever so well-qualified for this office, or ever dis charged it with more ability and success. He employed a great num ber of agents as spies both at home and abroad. The Jesuits were the principal party whom he had to watch. He overmatched them with

their own weapons, drawing out and detecting all their machinations while he seemed to be the dupe of them. He made himself acquainted with all letters which passed between the enemies of the government, without breaking their seals, or seeming even to know of their existence. He practised with great success the art of weaving plots in which the seditious were effectually entangled. Sometimes he would allow a plot to proceed for many years together, admitting treasonable conspirators to a high degree of familiarity both with himself and the queen, until their guilt was ripe for detection, when he either spared them upon an humble submission, or made them examples and warnings unto others.

sons.

In the year 1581, he was employed by the queen in the delicate and difficult affair of negotiating a marriage for her with the duke of Anjou. But after the exercise of all his patience and all his diplomatic subtlety, he had the mortification of seeing his efforts frustrated by her royal coquetry. Upon his return he was despatched to the court of Scotland for the purpose of informing his mistress of the young king's character and abilities. Walsingham was admitted to much familiar intercourse with him, and formed a very favourable opinion of his capacity for government. Soon after this embassy, his aptness at detecting plots against the queen's person was called into exercise by the Babington conspiracy. As soon as he had gained information of the existence of such a plot, his next step was effectually to entangle the conspirators. He engaged spies, who insinuated themselves into the confidence of the acting parties. He then became master of all their proceedings, and chose his own opportunity for seizing their perThis plot produced much alarm throughout the kingdom, and was the means of sealing the fate of Mary, queen of Scots. The queen, upon her trial, intimated that Walsingham had probably forged some of the letters produced against her; but, on hearing it, Walsingham rose, and most solemnly disavowed the charge, and in so convincing a manner, that the queen offered an apology to him for having indulged such a suspicion. Upon the unhappy end of the queen of Scotland, when the resentment of her son, and of Scotland generally, broke out against Elizabeth and the English nation, Walsingham penned a wise and interesting letter to Lord Thirlestone, James's secretary, showing by many irresistible arguments, the impolicy of fomenting the enmity of the two nations against each other, and the unfavourable influence it must have upon the king of Scotland's eventual succession to the English throne. In short, he proved, that to make such a breach must inevitably create an impassable gulph between the king and the highest object of his own and of the nation's hopes. This letter was attended with the desired effect: an amicable intercourse was soon after restored between the courts, and all idea of hostile measures on the part of James abandoned.

Walsingham was heartily attached to the protestant cause, and endeavoured to remove the church of England as far as possible from

'Walsingham has been charged with the guilt of endeavouring to effect the murder of that unfortunate princess privately. The authority on which he has been so charged is a letter addressed by him to Sir Amias Poulet, and signed by himself and Davidson, But there are reasons to suspect the genuineness of that letter, and Walsingham is, moreover, well known to have strenuously opposed so infamous an act when it was proposed by the earl of Leicester.

popery He believed religion to be the highest interest of his country, and to its promotion he devoted his heart, his head, and his purse. He has the honour of having sustained and cemented the protestant cause in times of its greatest peril, and of having effectually ruined the interests of popery by detecting and baffling all its plots. His firm attachment to protestantism inclined him to favour and countenance the puritans, on account of their zeal against popery, when the queen and others about the court would have employed the harshest measures against them.

In 1586, he founded a divinity lecture at Oxford, the object of which was to discuss the principal doctrines of Christianity as taught in the sacred Scriptures, and opposed by the church of Rome. This lecture he endowed with the revenue of some lands granted to him by the queen, from the vacant see of Oxford. Lloyd says, "he first observed the great bishop of Winchester fit to serve the church, upon the unlikely youth's first sermon at Allhallows, Barking. He brought the Lord Cooke first to the church upon some private discourse with him at his table. He could as well fit King James's humour with sayings out of Xenophon. Thucydides, Piutarch, Tacitus, as he could King Henry's with Rabelais's conceits, and the Hollander with mechanic discourses. In a word, Sir Francis Walsingham was a studious and temperate man; so public-spirited, that he spent his estate to serve the kingdom; so faithful, that he bestowed his years on his queen; so learned, that he provided a library for King's college of his own books, which was the best for policy, as Cecil's was for history, Arundel's for heraldry, Cotton's for antiquities, and Usher's for divinity. Finally, he equalled all the statesmen former ages discoursed of, and hardly hath been equalled by any in following ages."

In his advanced age, he retired from the active duties of public life, and enjoyed the learned, quiet, and calm repose of his country residence. In 1589, he entertained Queen Elizabeth at Barn Elms. Before this period, however, he had felt the infirmities of advancing age, and withdrew to that retirement which so well-befitted him after the long and busy life he had passed in courts and cabinets. He died, April, 1590, but so much in debt, that it was found desirable to bury him by night in St Paul's, lest his body should be arrested. As it is well-known that he was far from extravagance and luxury in his mode of living, his debts must be ascribed to his zeal in the public cause, and possibly to the entertainment he had given the queen only a year before his death. The system of espionage which he found it prudent or even necessary to keep up was most probably at his own expense; for, in that frugal age, patriotism and public service were often left to reward themselves, or to feed upon the magnanimity out of which they sprang.

He left behind an only daughter, who was successively married to Sir Philip Sidney, the earl of Essex, and the earl of Clanricarde, by all of whom she had children. A work, entitled, Arcana Aulica. or Walsingham's Manual of Prudential Maxims for the Statesman and Courtier,' has been ascribed to him, but its authenticity has never been established. His despatches and negotiations during his residence at the court of France, were collected and published in folio, in 1655, by Sir Dudley Digges.