Haughty of manner, splendid in dress, loving jewels
more than even a woman does, Raleigh became as fine a courtier as
he was a brave soldier. But soldier though Raleigh was, courtier
though he was, loving ease and wealth and fine clothes, he was at
heart a sailor and adventurer, and the sea he had loved as a boy
called to him.
Like many another of his age Raleigh, hearing the call of the
waves ever in his ears, felt the desire to explore tug at his
heart-strings. For in those days America had been discovered,
and the quest for the famous North-West passage had begun. And
Raleigh longed to set forth with other men to conquer new worlds,
to find new paths across the waves. But above all he longed to
fight the Spaniards, who were the great sea kings of those days.
Raleigh however could not be a courtier and a sailor at one and
the same time. He was meanwhile high in the Queen's favor, and
she would not let him go from her. So all that Raleigh could do,
was to venture his money, and fit out a ship to which he gave his
own name.
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