required, from 1604 to 1618, except during the last voyage to Guiana. He
was at the same time a pensioner, a companion, and confidential factotum
of his old friend the Earl of Northumberland both in the Tower and at
Sion for fifteen years. Watched as these two prisoners were, ensnared,
entrapped, and entangled for new evidence against them, it was necessary
for Hariot to pursue a delicate and cautious course, to eschew politics,
statecraft and treason, and to devote himself to pure science (almost
the only pure commodity that was then a safeguard) metaphysics, natural
philosophy, mathematics, history, and literature. He was their jackal,
their book of reference, their guide, their teacher, and their friend.

Raleigh found himself in December 1603, lodged in the Tower, innocent,
as is now generally admitted, of the charges against him, but legally
attainted of high treason. All his worldly effects therefore escheated
to the Crown. The King out of pure cowardice (for he dared not carry out
the sentence of the Court) waived the horrid parts of the sentence-too
horrid even to be quoted here-and commuted it to execution by the block.
He also waived the immediate forfeitureof property acquired under
Elizabeth's reign, and even allowed Raleigh to complete the entail of
certain estates to his wife and son.

The Governor of the Tower and his Lieutenant were at first officially
kind and friendly, extending many privileges to win his confidence. If
there had been any treason in Sir Walter they would most certainly have
wormed it out of him, for his eyes at first were not fully open. He
still believed in the honour and fidelity of his mock friends at Court.

When no more satisfactory evidence of his guilt could be smuggled out of
him, or his companions, in support of the unjust verdict, they began, in
1605, to abridge his privileges and darken his lights. At first his