Raleigh had broken the peace in land belonging to "our dear
brother the King of Spain" said James, therefore he must die.
Thus once again, Raleigh found himself lodged in the Tower. But
so clearly did he show that he had broken no peace where no peace
was, that it was found impossible to put him to death because of
what he had done in Guiana. He was condemned to death,
therefore, on the old charge of treason passed upon him nearly
fifteen years before. He met death bravely and smiling. Clad in
splendid clothes such as he loved, he mounted the scaffold and
made his farewell speech to those around.
"'Tis a sharp medicine, but it is a sound cure for all diseases,"
he said smiling to the Sheriff as he felt the edge of the ax.
Then he laid his head upon the block.
"Thus," says the first writer of Raleigh's life, "have we seen
how Sir Walter Raleigh who had been one of the greatest scourges
of Spain, was made a sacrifice to it."
"So may we say to the memory of this worthy knight," says Fuller,
"'Repose yourself in this our Catalogue under what topic you
please, statesman, seaman, soldier, learned writer or what not.
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