Introduction
Walter Raleigh was not always popular in England, as in John Aubrey’s phrase he was ‘damnable proud’, but his gracious demeanour in the weeks preceding his execution in 1618 changed that. One of the best-loved tales of Sir Walter goes back to the early 1580s, when he was still a relative unknown at court with little more than the clothes on his back — though they were all he needed.
HE was born at Budley in this county,* of an ancient family, but decayed in estate, and he the youngest brother thereof. He was bred in Oriel College in Oxford; and thence coming to court, found some hopes of the queen’s favours reflecting upon him. This made him write in a glass window, obvious to the queen’s eye,
Fain would I climb,
yet fear I to fall.
Her majesty, either espying or being shown it, did underwrite,
If thy heart fails thee,
climb not at all.
However he at last climbed up by the stairs of his own desert.
But his introduction into the court bare an elder date from this occasion: this captain Raleigh coming out of Ireland to the English court in good habit (his clothes being then a considerable part of his estate) found the queen walking, till, meeting with a plashy place, she seemed to scruple going thereon. Presently* Raleigh cast and spread his new plush cloak on the ground; whereon the queen trod gently, rewarding him afterwards with many suits, for his so free and seasonable tender of so fair a foot cloth. Thus an advantageous admission into the first notice of a prince is more than half a degree to preferment.
* Walter Raleigh (?1554-1618) was born at Hayes Barton near Budleigh Salterton, Devon.
* ‘Presently’ here means ‘at once’. Compare William Shakespeare’s Henry V Act II Scene 3, where Gower says: “Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak with you.”
Précis
Seventeenth-century historian Thomas Fuller told how Walter Raleigh had left a message on Queen Elizabeth I’s window testing her likely reception of him, and received a teasing reply beneath encouraging him to try his luck. He had already come favourably to her notice, when the well-dressed soldier sacrificed a cloak to save Elizabeth wetting her feet in a puddle. (59 / 60 words)
Seventeenth-century historian Thomas Fuller told how Walter Raleigh had left a message on Queen Elizabeth I’s window testing her likely reception of him, and received a teasing reply beneath encouraging him to try his luck. He had already come favourably to her notice, when the well-dressed soldier sacrificed a cloak to save Elizabeth wetting her feet in a puddle.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, despite, may, must, otherwise, since, unless, whereas.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Meet. Own. Spread.
2 Cloth. Occasion. Oxford.
3 First. Into. Introduction.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Suit. 2. Free. 3. Ground. 4. Spread. 5. Habit. 6. Date. 7. Last. 8. Own. 9. Fair.
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Write. 2 Show. 3 Reward. 4 Date. 5 Present. 6 Walk. 7 Suit. 8 Eye. 9 Till.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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