a proclamation had been iffued, declaring the king's disapprobation of Raleigh's conduct, and requiring all those who were acquainted with any particulars respecting his scheme of exploring Guiana, or his tranfactions while there, to give information of the fame to the Council. All this could not perfuade him to confult his own fafety. He determined to feek an investigation, and to filence the clamours of his enemies, by exhibiting a complete juftification of his conduct. On his way to London, he was apprehended by Sir Lewis Stuckley, who had been fent by the court for that purpofe. He found by this man's converfation, that an apology could not fave him, as his enemies had determined upon his death. He now repented of not having made his escape while it was in his power. He was immediately conveyed to the Tower, whence in fact, he foon after attempted to escape, but was taken in a boat on the Thames. This attempt was improved into a new charge against him, in which he was accused of having intended to go over to France, and it was afferted that he had previously entered into fome unjuftifiable correfpondence with the French king. In his fpeech at his death, however, he disclaimed all fuch intentions, and declared that his only object was to wait an opportunity to return to Guiana, in order to retrieve his character by a more fortunate adventure. On his fecond apprehenfion, he was re-committed to the Tower, from which it was pre-determined he should never be releafed but by death. Commiffioners were appointed to enquire into his conduct, who, after a laborious examination, reported that no ground for legal judgment could be drawn from any of his conduct relative to Guiana. In confiftency, therefore, with the predetermination to facrifice him at the fhrine of Spanish jealousy, and private revenge, he was called to judgment upon his former conviction. Though he was fo ill with the fever and ague, that he could fcarcely rife from his bed, he was brought to the bar of the

court of King's Bench, and the record of his former conviction was ordered to be read. The Chief Juftice, Sir Henry Montague, then demanded what he had to plead why execution fhould not be ordered. Sir Walter urged his commiffion in defence, which, he faid, conveyed a pardon for all former offences. This was over-ruled. He then offered to justify his conduct respecting the expedition to Guiana. This the court refused to hear, and execution was immediately ordered, for which the king's warrant was produced, figned and fealed before hand.

On the 28th of Oat. he was brought to the bar of the King's Bench, at Westminster, when fentence of death was pronounced upon him, and the next day he was beheaded in Old Palace-Yard. His body was interred in St. Margaret's, Weftminster; but his head was preserved for many years by his family.

At his death, he behaved with the utmost magnanimity, and retained his prefence of mind till the last. On the fcaffold he freely converfed with fome of the nobility, who came to witnefs the folemn fcene which awaited him, fully juftified himself from the imputa tions caft upon him, and vindicated his loyalty even to the weak, pufillanimous prince who thus facrificed him to the jealoufy of the Spaniards.

It is generally confidered as fettled beyond difpute, at the present day, that Sir Walter Raleigh died innocent. The charges exhibited against him as being an accomplice with lord Cobham and George Brooke in the confpiracy of the duke of Aremberg, as it has been generally viewed, through the two priefts Watfon and Clerk, were the apparent actors, have, fince, been proved to be falfe, by the acknowledgment of the fame Brooke at his death, who, it will be remembered, was the only fubftantial witness against him. These charges being falfe, the fentence paffed against him, and the attainder in confequence, muft have been illegal. His laft condemnation muft have been equally unjust, since it was grounded upon his first conviction.

Thus died without guilt and law, a man whose whole life was devoted to the benefit of his country, and who was never marked by a fingle crime

RAY, (JOHN) an eminent natural philofopher, was the fun of a blacksmith at Black-Notley, near Braintree in Effex, and was born there in 1628. He received the first part of his education at a school in Braintree, and from thence was fent, in 1644, to Catharine-Hall Cambridge. At this univerfity he remained about two years, but not being altogether satisfied with the regulations of that house, removed to Trinity-College. Here the degrees of the arts was conferred upon him, and he was chofen fellow of his college. In confequence of his great knowledge and fkill in the Greek language, he was, in 1651, chofen Greek lecturer of that Seminary; in 1653, mathematical lecturer, and in 1655, humanity-reader, which appointments plainly discovered the great reputation he had, in that early part of his life, acquired in the languages, polite literature, and the fciences.

While he remained in this univerfity, he acquitted himself honorably as a tutor and preacher; for preaching and common-placing, both in the college and in the university-church, was very frequently performed by perfons not ordained. In 1660, he published a "Catalogue of the Cambridge Plants," in order to promote the study of botany, which was then much neglected, and the good reception which this work met with, encouraged him to proceed farther in those ftudies and obfervations. He could no longer content himself with what he met with about Cambridge, but extended his pursuits through the greatest part of England and Wales, and part of Scotland. In thefe journies he sometimes went alone, but commonly had the company of other curious gentlemen. At the reftoration of the king, he refolved upon entering into holy

orders, and was accordingly ordained by Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln, Dec. 23, 1660. He continued fellow of Trinity-College, till the beginning of the Bartholomew-act, which required a fubfcription against the folemn league and covenant; this occafioned him to refign his fellowship on account of his refusing to fign that declaration.

Having now got clear of his fellowship, and being pretty much at liberty, he visited moft parts of his own country, but this not fatisfying him, he was anxious to fee what nature afforded in foreign parts, and accordingly in April 1663, himself and a few compan, ions, went from Dover to Calais, and thence to different parts of Europe; which, it is fufficient just to mention, as Mr. Ray himfelf, in 1673, publifhed the "Obfervations" they made in that tour. In March 1665-6, Mr. Ray returned to England, where he purfued his philofophical ftudies with great attention, and became fo diftinguished, that he was folicited to come into the Royal Society, and in 1667 was admitted fellow of that inftitution.

In the fpring of 1669, Mr. Ray and Mr. Willoughby, his intimate friend, entered upon those experiments, about the tapping of trees, and the afcent and defcent of their fap; an account of which is published in the Philofophical Tranfactions. Somewhere

about this time, Mr. Ray began to arrange his obfervations for publication, and one of his firft works, his "Collection of English Proverbs," was published in 1672. At the fame time he published his "Nomenclator Clafficus," for the use of his pupils, who were the fons of Mr. Willoughby, his deceased friend. In June 1673, Mr. Ray married the daughter of Mr. Oakeley, of Launton in Oxfordshire, a young lady of about twenty years of age. The latter part of the fame year was published his " Obfervations Topographical, Moral, &c." made in foreign countries. alfo prepared Mr. Willoughby's "Observations about

He

Birds," for the prefs, which was not publifhed, however, till 1678.

The old lady Willoughby dying, and in confequence of which, Mr. Willoughby's fons being removed from under the tuition of Mr. Ray, in 1676, he thought it beft to leave Middleton-Hall, and retire with his wife to fome pleasant place; accordingly he removed to Sutton-Cofield, about four miles from Middleton. Sometime after he went into Effex, to Falborne-Hall, where he remained till June 1679, and then removed to Black-Notley his native place. Being fettled here, and free from interruptions, he began to renew his wonted labors, particularly in botany. Here he publifhed, in 1685, the "History of Fishes," and having written many books on fubjects, which he thought to be foreign to his profeffion, he refolved to entertain the world like a divine as well as like a natural philofopher, and with this view, fet about his Demonftration of the Being and Attributes of God, which he calls "The Wisdom of God Manifefted in the Works of the Creation." This work met with universal applaufe, which was fo great an encouragement to him, that he published another of the like nature, whose foundation was alfo laid at Cambridge, in fome fermons which he had preached before the univerfity. And this was his " Three Phyfico-Theological Difcourses concerning the Chaos, Deluge, and Diffolution of the World, in 1692," octavo.

Both of these works have gone through feveral large editions. Shortly after the publication of these theological pieces, his "Synopfis Methodica Animalium Quadrupedum," was ready for the prefs, and was publifhed in June 1693; after having dispatched thofe, he fet about and finished a fynopfis of Birds and Fishes, which was not publifhed till after his death, which happened Jan. 17, 1704-5, at Black-Notley, at his own house.