or not.

rest I reserve, not knowing whether this may be intercepted The second by the king, dated the 17th of May, sent also by a carvel to Diego de Palomeque, governor of Guiana, Elderedo, and Trinidado. The third by the bishop of Puerto Ricco, and delivered to Palomeque the 15th of July, at Trinidado. And the fourth was sent from the farmer or secretary of his customs in the Indies. At the same time, by that of the king's hand, sent by the bishop, there was also a commission for the speedy levying of three hundred b soldiers, and ten pieces of ordnance, to be sent from Puerto Ricco for the defence of Guiana; an hundred and fifty from Nuevo Regno de Granada, under the command of captain Anthony Massica; and the other hundred and fifty d from Puerto Ricco, to be conducted by captain Fran. Lanchio.

C

Now, sir, if all that have traded to the Indies since his majesty's time know it, that the Spaniards have flayed alive all the poor men which they have taken, being but merchants men, what death and torment shall we expect, if they conquer us? Certainly they have hitherto failed grossly, we being set out unto them as we were, and discovered, both for number, time, and place.

Lastly, to make an apology for not working the mine, although I know not (his majesty excepted) whom I am to satisfy so much as myself, having lost my son and my estate in the enterprise; yet it is true that the Spaniards took more care to defend the passage leading unto it, than they did their town, which, having the king's instructions, they might easily do, the countries being aspera et nemorosae.

But it is true, that when captain Kemish found the river low, and that he could not approach the banks in most places near the mine by a mile, and when he found a descent, a volley of muskets came from the woods upon the boat, and slew two of our rowers, hurt six others, and shot a valiant gentleman, captain Thornix, in the head, of which wound he languisheth to this day; he, to wit Kemish, fol

b Three thousand, MS. Ashm.

d Fifteen hundred, MS. Ashm.

e

< Fifteen hundred, MS. Ashm.

Fragosa, MS. Ashm. and Tanner.

lowing his own advice, thought that it was in vain to discover the mine; for he gave me this for an excuse at his return, that the companies of English in the town of St. Thome were hardly able to defend it against the daily and nightly allarums and assaults of the Spaniards; that the passages to the mines were of thick and unpassable woods; and that the mine being discovered, they had no men to work it, and therefore he did not discover it at all: for it is true, the Spaniards having two gold mines near the town, the one possessed by Pedro Rodrigo de Parama, the second by Harman Franchino, the third, of silver, by captain Francisco Fachardo, they complain for want of negroes to work them; for as the Indians cannot be constrained by a law of Charles the Fifth, so the Spaniards will not, neither can they, endure the labour of these mines, whatsoever that braggadocia, the Spanish ambassador, saith; as I shall prove under the proprietor's hand by the custom-books, and the king's quinto, of which I recovered an ingot or two: I shall also make it appear, to any prince or state that will undertake it, how easily those mines and five or six more of them may be possessed, and the most of them in those places which never as yet have been attempted by any enemy, nor any passage to them ever discovered by the English, French, or Dutch. But at Kemish's return from Oroonoko, when I received his counsel and his course, and told him that he had undone me, and wounded my credit with the king past recovery, he slew himself: for I told him, that, seeing my son was slain, I cared not if I had lost an hundred more in opening of the mine, so my credit had been saved: for, I protest before God, had not captain Whitney (to whom I gave more countenance than to all the captains of my fleet) run from me at the Granadoes, and carried another ship with him of captain Wollaston's, I would have left my body at St. Thomes by my son's, or have brought with me out of that or other mines so much gold ore, as should have satisfied the king that I had propounded no vain thing. What shall become of me now, I know not; I am unpardoned in England, and my poor estate consumed; and

whether any other prince or state will give me bread or no, I know not. I desire your honour to hold me in your good opinion, to remember my service to my lords of Arundel and Pembroke, to take some pity on my poor wife, to whom I dare not write, for renewing the sorrow of her son; and beseech you to give a copy of this to my lord Carew: for to a broken mind, a sick body, and weak eyes, it is a torment to write many letters. I have found many things of importance for discovering the state and weakness of the Indies, which, if I live, I shall hereafter impart unto your honour, to whom I shall remain a faithful servant,

WALTER RALEGH.

A postscript.

SINCE the death of Kemish, it is confessed by the sergeant-major and others of his inward friends, that he told them, when he was at the river's mouth coming thence, that he could have brought them unto the mine within two hours' march from the river side; but because my son was slain, myself unpardoned, and not like to live, he had no reason to open the mine either for the Spaniard or for the king. They answered, that the king (though I were not pardoned) had granted me a patent under the great seal. He replied, that the grant to me was to a man non ens in the law, and therefore of no force. This discourse they had, which I knew not of till after his death: but when I was resolved to write unto your honour, he prayed me to join with him in excusing his not going to the mine. I answered him, I would not do it; but if himself could satisfy the king and state that he had reason not to open it, I should be glad of it but for my part, I must avow it that he knew it, and that he might with very little loss have done it; other excuse I would not frame: he told me that he would wait on me presently, and give me better satisfaction: but I was not sooner come from him into my cabin, but that I heard a pistol go off over my head, and sending to know who shot it; word was brought me that Kemish shot it out of his cabin window to cleanse it; and his boy, going, into

his cabin, found him lying upon his bed with much blood by him, and looking in his face saw him dead; the pistol being but little, the bullet did but crack his rib, but turning him over, he found a long knife in his body, all but the handle. Sir, I have sent into England a fly-boat with my cousin Harbert, (a very valiant, honest gentleman,) divers unworthy persons, good for nothing, neither by sea nor land, and, though it was at their own suit, yet I know they will wrong me in all that they can. I beseech your honour, that these scum of men may not be believed of me, who have taken more pains, and suffered more than the meanest rascal in the ship; these being gone, I shall be able, if I live, to keep the sea until the end of August, with some four reasonable good ships. Sir, whensoever God shall permit me to arrive in any part of Europe, I will not fail to let your honour know what we have done; till then and ever I remain

Your honour's

Servant,

WALTER RALEGH.

From St. Christopher's, out of the island of the Antilles,

the 21st of March, 1618.

now.

To his Wife.

I was loath to write, because I know not how to comfort you; and God knows, I never knew what sorrow meant till All that I can say to you is this; that you must obey the will and providence of God; and remember, that the queen's majesty bare the loss of prince Henry with a magnanimous spirit, as the lady Harrington of her only son. Comfort your heart, (dearest Bess,) I shall sorrow for us both; and I shall sorrow the less, because I have not long to sorrow, because not long to live. I refer you to Mr. Secretary Winwood's letter, who will give you a copy of it, if you send for it; therein you shall know what hath passed. I have written but that letter, for my brains are broken, and it is a torment to me to write, especially of misery. I

have desired Mr. Secretary to give my lord Carew a copy of his letter. I have cleansed my ship of sick men, and sent them home; and hope that God will send us somewhat before we return. Commend me to all at Lothbury. You shall hear from me, if I live, from Newfoundland, where I mean to clean my ships and revictual; for I have tobacco enough will pay for it. The Lord bless and comfort you, that you may bear patiently the death of your most valiant

son.

This 22d of March, 1618, from the isle of Christophers,

yours,

WALTER RALEGH.

Postscript.

I PROTEST before the majesty of God, that as sir Francis Drake and sir John Hawkins died heartbroken when they failed of their enterprise, I could willingly do the like, did I not contend against sorrow for your sake, in hope to provide somewhat for you, to comfort and relieve you. If I live to return, resolve yourself that it is the care for you that hath strengthened my heart. It is true, that Kemish might have gone directly to the mine, and meant it; but, after my son's death, he made them believe that he knew not the way, and excused himself upon the want of water in the river, and, counterfeiting many impediments, left it unfound. When he came back, I told him he had undone me, and that my credit was lost for ever. He answered, that seeing my son was slain, and that he left me so weak that he thought not to find me alive, he had no reason to enrich a company of rascals, who, after my son's death, made no account of him. He further told me, that the English sent up into Guiana could hardly defend the Spanish town of St. Thome which they had taken, and therefore for them to pass through thick woods it was impossible, and more impossible to have victuals brought them to the mountains. And it is true, that the governor Diego Palomeque, and other four captains, being slain, whereof my son Wat slew one, Plessington, Wat's sergeant, another, and John of Mo