Biography of Walter Raleigh 1554-1618

1580 Siege of Smerwick

1596 Sack of Cádiz

1601 Essex Rebellion

1603 Main and Bye Plots

Around 1554 Walter Raleigh was born in Devon.

Around 1564 Walter Raleigh (age 10) spent his childhood at Hayes Barton East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton, Devon.

In 1572 Walter Raleigh (age 18) educated at Oriel College, Oxford University.

In 1575 Walter Raleigh (age 21) educated at Middle Temple.

Siege of Smerwick

In Nov 1580 Edward Denny (age 33) led a company at Smerwick, County Kerry during the Siege of Smerwick. Walter Raleigh (age 26) was present at Smerwick. Arthur Grey 14th Baron Grey of Wilton (age 44) laid siege to the Smerwick garrison at Smerwick, County Kerry during the Siege of Smerwick.

The Papal commander parleyed and was bribed, and the defenders surrendered within a few days. The officers were spared, but the other ranks were then summarily executed on the orders of the English commander, Arthur Grey 14th Baron Grey of Wilton (age 44).

In 1585 Unknown Painter. Portrait of Walter Raleigh (age 31).

In 1588 Unknown Painter. Portrait of Walter Raleigh (age 34).

In or before 1590 [his future brother-in-law] Arthur Throckmorton (age 33) and Anne Lucas were married. They were half second cousins.

In 1591 Nicholas Hilliard (age 44) painted a portrait of Walter Raleigh (age 37).

In 1591 Walter Raleigh (age 37) and Elizabeth Throckmorton (age 25) were married in secret she probably being pregnant with their first child. When Queen Eizabeth (age 57) found out they had married without permission she placed them underhouse arrest then sent them to Tower of London [Map].

In 1592 Thomas Smythe (age 34) obtained settlement rights to the Virginia colony from Walter Raleigh (age 38).

In Aug 1592 Walter Raleigh (age 38) was released from the Tower of London [Map].

Sack of Cádiz

On 13 Jun 1596 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) departed from Plymouth, Devon [Map] with a fleet of 150 English and Dutch ships divided into four squads with 6,360 private soldiers, 1,000 English volunteers, and 6,772 sailors.

Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham (age 60) was admiral in command. Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) commanded the land forces. Edward Conway 1st Viscount Conway (age 32) commanded a foot Regiment.

Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 34), Walter Raleigh (age 42), Francis de Vere (age 35) each commanded a squadron.

Anthony Ashley 1st Baronet (age 35) represented Queen Elizabeth (age 62).

Toby Caulfeild 1st Baron Caulfeild (age 30) was present.

In 1598 William Segar (age 44). Portrait of Walter Raleigh (age 44).

Before 1599 [his brother-in-law] Nicholas Carew (age 32) and Mary More were married.

Essex Rebellion

Brief Lives: Charles Danvers 1568 1601. [711]Sir Charles Danvers (age 33) was beheaded on Tower-hill [Map] with Robert, earle of Essex (age 35), February the 6th, 1600[712]. I find in the register of the Tower chapell [Map] only the sepulture of Robert, earl of Essex (age 35), that yeare; wherfore I am induced to beleeve that his body was carryed to Dantesey[CX] in Wilts to lye with his ancestors. Vide Stowe's Chronicle, where is a full account of his and the earle's deportment at their death on the scaffold.

With all their faylings, Wilts cannot shew two such[713] brothers.

His familiar acquaintance were...[714], earl of Oxon (age 50); Sir Francis (age 40) and Sir Horace Vere (age 36); Sir Walter Ralegh (age 47), etc.-the heroes of those times.

Quaere my lady viscountesse Purbec and also the lord Norris for an account of the behaviour and advice of Sir Charles Danvers in the businesse of the earl of Essex, which advice had the earle followed he had saved his life.

[715]Of Sir Charles Danvers, from my lady viscountesse Purbec:-Sir Charles Danvers advised the earle of Essex, either to treat with the queen-hostages..., whom Sir Ferdinando Gorges (age 36) did let goe; or to make his way through the gate at Essex house, and then to hast away to Highgate, and so to Northumberland (the earl of Northumberland maried his mother's (age 51) sister), and from thence to the king of Scots, and there they might make their peace; if not, the queen was old and could not live long. But the earle followed not his advice, and so they both lost their heads on Tower-hill.

Note.

[711]. MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 25v.

[712]. i.e. 1600/1.

[713]. Dupl. with 'shew the like two brothers,' scil. as Sir Charles Danvers and his brother Henry, earl of Danby.

[714]. Edward Vere, seventeenth earl of Oxford (age 50).

[CX]In MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 46, Aubrey writes, in reference to burials at Dantesey, 'quaere, if Sir Charles Danvers that was beheaded?-He was buryed in the Tower chapell.' Aubrey's description of the burial-place of the Danvers family (MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 46), with the inscriptions, is printed in J. E. Jackson's Aubrey's Wiltshire Collections, pp. 223-225; the pedigree of Danvers is there given at p. 216.

Main and Bye Plots

On 19 Jul 1603 Walter Raleigh (age 49) arrested for his part in the Main and Bye Plots.

On 17 Nov 1603 Walter Raleigh (age 49) was tried by Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 40) at Great Hall, Winchester Castle.

In 1605 [his son] Carew Raleigh was born to Walter Raleigh (age 51) and [his wife] Elizabeth Throckmorton (age 39) in the Tower of London [Map].

Diary of Anne Clifford 1616. 18 May 1616. Upon the 18th being Saturday in the morning my Lord (age 27) and I having much talk about these businesses, we agreed that Mr Marsh should go presently down to my Mother and that by him I should write a letter to persuade her to give over her jointure presently to my Lord (age 27) and that he would give her yearly as much as it was worth.

This day my Lord (age 27) went from Knole to London.1

Note 1. N.B—my Lord (age 27) was at London when my mother died but he went to Lewes before he heard of her death.

Upon the 20th went my Child to W. Horsley with Mary Neville and Mr Bathurst from London. Mary Hicken was with her, for still she lain in bed with Lady Margaret.

Upon the 24th being Friday between the hours of 6 and 9 at night died my dear Mother at Broome [Map] in the same chamber where my Father was born, 13 years and 2 months after the death of Queen Elizabeth and 10 years and 7 months after the death of my Father, I being 26 years old and 5 months and the Child 2 years old wanting a month.

At this great meeting at Lewes my Lord Compton (Note: afterwards 1st Earl of Northampton), my Lord Merdaunt (Note: married Lord Compton’s sister), Tom Neville, John Herbert and all that Crew with Wat. Raleigh (age 62), Jack Laurie, and a multitude of such company were there.

There was much Bull Baiting, Bowling, Cards and Dice, with suchlike sports to entertain the time.

In 1617 Walter Raleigh (age 63) was pardoned.

On 29 Oct 1618 Walter Raleigh (age 64) was beheaded at Old Palace Yard. He was buried in St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map].

Around 1647 [his former wife] Elizabeth Throckmorton (age 81) died.

Evelyn's Diary. 17 Aug 1653. I went to visit Mr. Hyldiard, at his house at Horsley (formerly the great Sir Walter Raleigh's, where met me Mr. Oughtred, the famous mathematician; he showed me a box, or golden case, of divers rich and aromatic balsams, which a chemist, a scholar of his, had sent him out of Germany.

Evelyn's Diary. 10 Aug 1658. I dined at Mr. Carew Raleigh's (age 53), at Horsley, son to the famous Sir Walter.

Evelyn's Diary. 20 Sep 1662. I presented a petition to his Majesty (age 32) about my own concerns, and afterward accompanied him to Monsieur Febure his chemist (and who had formerly been my master in Paris), to see his accurate preparation for the composing Sir Walter Raleigh's rare cordial: he made a learned discourse before his Majesty (age 32) in French on each ingredient.