OCTOBER 29

On this date 400 years ago, the man that popularized tobacco in England and introduced it to the United States lost his head.  The capital of North Carolina is named after him.  The famous Royal, Sir Walter Raleigh.

Walt was a BFF of Queen Elizabeth I and he flitted around the world doing cool things he liked to do.  He was a smart dude; he could write poetry and history books.  He was a brave dude, a soldier, spy and explorer.  Liz knighted him (thus the Sir).  He wasn't all that smart because he became a sort-of politician.  Which, when Liz died and James I succeeded her, put him in the clink.  He was held there for years and did quite a bit of good writing and smoking while there.

James pardoned him eventually and let him out of jail but he sailed away and broke a treaty or two the English had with the Spanish and he ended up back in the pokey - in the Tower of London.  Spain insisted that the death penalty be imposed.

So, 400 hundred years ago today, Walt had his hands tied behind him, he was put on his knees and his neck was stretched across the executioner's block.  Raleigh asked to see the axe with which the deed would be done and seeing it, he said, "This is sharp medicine but a physician for all diseases and miseries."  While he waited impatiently for the blow, it is reported he yelled at the executioner, "Strike man, strike!"  I suppose he was impatient.

His embalmed head was put in a sack and given to his loving wife.  After her death 29 years later, it was placed with the rest of the body  interred at St. Margaret's Church in London.  You can visit and see the crypt.  No smoking allowed.
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Happy Birthday, Joe!
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