perhaps shorten his days.

One hears of him next, but only by report, in the Netherlands under
Norris, where the nucleus of the English line (especially of its
musquetry) was training. For Don John of Austria intends not only to
crush the liberties and creeds of the Flemings, but afterwards to
marry the Queen of Scots, and conquer England: and Elizabeth,
unwillingly and slowly, for she cannot stomach rebels, has sent men
and money to the States to stop Don John in time; which the valiant
English and Scotch do on Lammas day, 1578, and that in a fashion till
then unseen in war. For coming up late and panting, and 'being more
sensible of a little heat of the sun than of any cold fear of death,'
they throw off their armour and clothes, and, in their shirts (not
over-clean, one fears), give Don John's rashness such a rebuff, that
two months more see that wild meteor, with lost hopes and tarnished
fame, lie down and vanish below the stormy horizon. In these days,
probably, it is that he knew Colonel Bingham, a soldier of fortune,
of a 'fancy high and wild, too desultory and over-voluble,' who had,
among his hundred and one schemes, one for the plantation of America
as poor Sir Thomas Stukely (whom Raleigh must have known well), uncle
of the traitor Lewis, had for the peopling of Florida.

Raleigh returns. Ten years has he been learning his soldier's trade
in silence. He will take a lesson in seamanship next. The court may
come in time: for by now the poor squire's younger son must have
discovered--perhaps even too fully--that he is not as other men are;
that he can speak, and watch, and dare, and endure, as none around
him can do. However, there are 'good adventures toward,' as the
'Morte d'Arthur' would say; and he will off with his half-brother
Humphrey Gilbert to carry out his patent for planting Meta Incognita-