RALEIGH,  SIR  WALTER  (1552-1618).  —  English  courtier  and  navigator,
whose  efforts  at  colonization  led  to  the  founding  of  Virginia.  When  seven-
teen years  of  age  he  left  college  to  become  a  soldier  on  the  continent  of
Europe;  returning  to  England,  he  became  interested  in  the  colonizing
schemes  of  his  half-brother,  Humphrey  Gilbert.  He  won  Queen  Eliza-
beth's favor  by  spreading  his  scarlet  cloak  over  a  muddy  place  for  the  queen
to  walk  upon.  He  obtained  a  charter  for  forming  settlements  in  the  region
now  included  in  Virginia,  and  secured  in  his  charter  the  provision  that  the
settlers  should  have  all  the  rights  of  Engliskmen,  and  should  be  governed
by  laws  made  by  themselves  so  long  as  they  conformed  to  the  laws  of
England.  This  grant  of  rights  was  renewed  in  subsequent  charters  of
Virginia,  and  was  the  foundation  of  colonial  resistance  to  British  oppres-
sion. The  death  of  Queen  Elizabeth  was  a  fatal  blow  to  Raleigh's  for-
tunes. On  a  false  charge  of  treason  he  was  imprisoned  for  thirteen  years
and  finally  executed.
