Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) Sir Walter Raleigh (1554?-1618) Mrs. Cumberland

Christopher Marlowe Killed before the age of 30 Spent college days writing plays and serving as a government agent His Tragedy- Doctor Faustus His 1st drama: Tamburlaine

Marlowe: Life of Intrigue Been described as a scoundrel, a ladies’ man, and a hothead; however, it is clear that he was full of personal magnetism, for his numerous friends- and even his enemies-were drawn to him like moths to a flame

Marlowe When the council of Queen Elizabeth I wrote a letter implying that Marlowe had performed important government services, rumors flew that he was a spy. Marlowe was knifed to death in a tavern brawl in 1593. To this day, scholars question whether his death was really caused by his drunken refusal to pay his bill or whether he was murdered because of his undercover activities.

Sir Walter Raleigh Famed for being a courtier, a navigator, a poet, and a historian

Sir Walter Raleigh A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, Raleigh was given estates and prestigious appointments. In 1584, he set up a colony on Roanoke Island, Virginia. Returning home, Raleigh introduced tobacco and potatoes into England and Ireland.

Disaster While away, Raleigh was replaced in the queen’s affection by the Earl of Essex, and when it was discovered that Raleigh had been secretly married to one of the queen’s maids, he and his wife were imprisoned in the Tower of London for a time.

Following the death of the queen in 1603, Raleigh was accused of conspiring against James I and was again sent to the Tower of London, where he lived for 13 yrs. He was eventually released to seek out gold along the Orinoco river in Venezuela, but the expedition was plagued by ill luck and he lost his fleet and his son. Upon his return, Raleigh was beheaded at Whitehall under the old sentence of treason.