you may bear patiently the death of your valiant son This 22. of March from the Isle of Christophers yours Walter Raleigh Yours Walter Raleigh Post-script I Protest before the Majestie of God That as Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins died heart broken 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 and to comfort and relieve you If I live to return resolve your self that it is the care for you that hath strengthened my heart It is true that Kemish might have gone directly to the Myne and meant it but after my sons death he made them believe he knew not the way and excused himself upon want of water in the River and counter feiting 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 when any son was lost and that he left me so weak that he resolved not to find me alive he had no reason to enrich a companie of Rascals who after my sons death made no account of him He further told me that the English sent up into Guiana could hardly defend the Spanish town of S. Thome which they had taken and therefore for them to passe through thick woods it was impossible and more impossible to have victuall brought them into the Mountains And it is true that the Governour Diego Poloâ—eqe and other four Captains being slain whereof Wat flew one Plessington Waâ—s servant and John of Morocâ—urs one of his men slew other two I say five of them slain in the enterance of the Town the rest went off in a whole bodie and took more care to defend the passages to their Mynes of which they had three within a League of the Town besides a Myne that was about five miles off than they did of the Town it self Yet Kemish at the first was resolved to go to the Myne but when he came to the banck-side to Land and had two of his men slain outright from the bank and six other hurt and Captain Thornix shot in the head of which wound and the accident thereof he hath pined away those twelve weeks Now when Kemish came back and gave me the former Reasons which moved him not to open the Myne the one the death of my son a second the weaknesse of the English and their impossibilities to work and to be victualled a third that it were a folly to discover it for the Spaniards and lastly my weaknesse and being unpardoned and that I rejected all these his Arguments and told him that I must leave him to himself to resolve it to the King and State he shut up himself into his Cabbin and shot himself with a pocket Pistol which broke one of his ribs and finding that he had not prevailed he thrust a long Knife under his short ribs up to the handle and died Thus much I have written to Mr Secretarie to whose Letters I refer you to know the truth I did after the sealing break open the Letter again to let you know in brief the state of that business which I pray you impart to my Lord of Northumberland and Silvanus Scoâ—y For the rest there was never poor man so exposed to slaughter as I was for being commanded upon mine Alleagiance to set down not onely the CouÌ„-trey but the very River by which I was to enter it to name my Ships number men and my Artillerie This now was sent by the Spanish Ambassador to his Master the King of Spain the King wrote his Letters to all parts of the Indies especially to the Governour Palamago of Guiana Elderado and Trinidado of which the first Letter bore date 19 of March 16â—7 at Maâ—rill when I had not yet left the Thames which Letter I have sent ot Mr Secretarie I have also other Letters of the Kings which I reserve and one of the Councels The King also sent a Commission to leave three hundred souldiers out of his Garrisons of â—nie Regno de Granado è Portricho with ten pieces of brasle Ordinance to entertain us he also prepared an Army by sea to set upon us If were too long to tell you how we were preserved if I live I shall make it known my brains are broken and I cannot write much I live yet and I told you why Witney for whom I sold all my Plate at Plymouth and to whom I gave more credit and countenance than to all the Captains of my Fleet ran from me at the Granadoes and Wolleston with him so as I have now but five Ships and out of those I have sent some into my Fly boat a sabble of idle Rascals which I know will not spare to wound me but I care not I am sure there is never a base slave in all the Fleet hath taken the pain and care that I have done that have slept so little and travelled so much my friends will not believe them and for the rest I care not God in heaven blesse you and strengthen your heart Sir Raleigh's Letter to Mr Secretary Winwood SIR SInce the death of Kemish it is contessed by the Serjeant Major and others of his inward friends that he told them that he could have brought them unto the Myne within two hours March from the Riverside but because my son was slain my self unpardoned and not like to live he had no reason to open the Myne either for the Spaniard or for the King they answered that the King though I were not pardoned had granted my heart under the Great Sea He replyed that the grant to me was to no 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 joyn with him in excusing his not going to the Myne I answered him I would not do it but if my self could satisfie 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 that he knew it and that he might with loss have done it other excuses I would not frame he told me that he would wait on me presently and give me better satisfaction but I was no sooner come from him into my Cabbin but I heard a Pistol go over my head and sending to know who shot it word was brought me that Kemish shot it out of his Cabbin window to cleanse it his boy going into his Cabbin found him lying upon his bed with much bloud by him and looking in his face saw him dead the Pistol being but little did but crack his rib but turning him over found a long Knife in his bodie all but the handle Sir I have sent into England with my cosin Harbert a very valiant honest Gentleman divers unworthy persons good for nothing neither by sea
inhabitants that assisted the Lords in his Minority of the 17. shires which offence he had long before pardoned his blank Charters and letting the Realme to farme to meon persons by whom he was wholly advised increased the peoples hatred towards the present government IUST You say well my L. Princes of an ill destiny do alwayes follow the worst counsell or at least imbrace the best after opportunity is lost Qui consilia non ex suo corde sed alienis viribus colligunt non animo sed auribus cogillant And this was not the least grief of the subject in generall that those men had the greatest part of the spoil of the commonwealth which neither by virtue valour or counsell could adde any thing unto it Nihil est sordidius nihil crudelius saith Anto Pius quamsi Remp. iâ— arrode qui nihil in eam suo labore conferent COUNS. Indeed the letting to farm the Realm was very grievous to the subject IUST Will your Lordship pardon me if I tell you that the letting to farm of his Majesties Customes the greatest revenue of the Realm is not very pleasing COUNS. And why I pray you doth not the King thereby raise his profits every third yeare one farmer outbids another to the Kings advantage IUST It is true my Lord but it grieves the subject to pay custome to the subject for what mighty men are those Farmers become and if those Farmers get many thousands every yeare as the world knows they do why should they not now being men of infinite wealth declare unto the King upon oath what they have gained and henceforth become the Kings collectours of his Custome did not Queen Elizabeth who was reputed both a wise and juft Princesse after she had brought Customer Smith from 14000l a yeare to 42000l a yeare made him lay down a recompence for that which he had gotten and if these Farmers do give no recompence let them yet present the King with the truth of their receivings and profits But my Lord for conclusion after Bullingbrook arriving in England with a small troop Notwithstanding the King at his Landing out of Ireland had a sufficient and willing army yet he wanting courage to defend his right gave leave to all his Souldiers to depart and put himself into his hands that cast him into his grave COUNS. Yet you see he was depos'd by Parliament IUST Aswell may your Lordship say he was knock't in the head by Parliament for your Lordship knows that if King Richard had ever escaped out of their fingers that deposed him the next Parliament would have made all the deposers traitours and Rebels and that justly In which Parliament or rather unlawfull assembly there appeared but one honest man to wit the B. of Carlile who scorned his life and estate in respect of right and his allegiance and defended the right of his Soveraigne Lord against the Kings elect and his partakers COUNS. Well I pray goe on with the Parliaments held in the time of his successor Henry the fourth IUST This King had in his third year a subsedv and in his fift a tenth of the Clergy without a Parllament In his sixt year he had so great a subsedie as the House required there might be no record thereof left to posterity for the House gave him 20s of every Knights Fee and of every 20l. land 20d and 12d the pouud of goods COUNS. Yea in the end of this year the Parliament prest the King to annex unto the Crown all temporall possessions belonging to Church-men within the land which at that time was the third foot of all England But the Bishops made friends and in the end saved their estates IUST By this you see my Lord that Cromwell was not the first that thought on such a business And if King Henry the 8. had reserved the Abbeyes and other Church lands which he had given at the time the revenue of the Crown of England had exceeded the revenue of the Crown of Spaine with both the Indies whereas used as it was a little enriched the Crown served but to make a number of pettifoggers and other gentlemen COUNS. But what had the King in steed of this great revenue IUST He had a 15th of the Commons and tenth and a half of the Clergy and withall all pensions graunted by King Edward and King Richard were made void It was also moved that all Crown lands formerly given at least given by King Edw and King Richard should be taken back COUNS. What think you of that Sir would it not have been a dishonour to the King and would not his Successors have done the like to those that the King had advanced IUST I cannot answer your Lordship but by distinguishing for where the Kings had given land for services and had not been over reached in his gifts there it had been a dishonour to the King to have made void the graunts of his predecessors or his graunts but all those graunts of the Kings wherein they were deceived the very custome and policy of England makes them voyd at this day COUNS. How mean you that for his Majestie hath given a great deal of Land among us since he came into England and would it stand with the K. honour to take it from us again IUST Yea my Lord very well with the Kings honour if your Lordship or any Lord else have under the name of 100l land a year gotten 500l land and so after that rate COUNS. I will never believe that his Majesty will ever doe any such thing IUST And I believe as your Lordship doth but we spake e're while of those that disswaded the King from calling it a Parliament And your Lordship asked me the reason why any man should disswade it or fear it to which this place gives me an opportunity to make your Lordship answer for though his Majesty will of himself never question those grants yet when the Commons shall make humble petition to the King in Parliament that it will please his Majesty to assist them in his relief with that which ought to be his own which if it will please his Majesty to yeild unto the house will most willingly furnish supply the rest with what grace can his Majesty deny that honest suit of theirs the like having been done in many Kings times before This proceeding may good Lord my perchance prove all your phrases of the Kings honour false English COUNS. But this cannot concern many and for my self I am sure it concerns me little IUST It is true my Lord there are not many that disswade his Majestie from a Parliament CO. But they are great ones a few of which will serve the turn wel enough IUST But my Lord be they never so great as great as Gyants yet if they disswade the King from his ready and assured way of his subsistence they must devise how the K. may be elsewhere supplied for they otherwise â—â—nne into a dangerous fortune COUNS.
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 the scorn of men may not be believed of me who have taken more pains and suffered more than the meanest Rascall in the Ship these being gone I shall be able to keep the Sea untill the end of August with some four reasonable good ships Sir wheresoever 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 rest Your Honours servant W. Raleigh Sir WALTER RALEIGH'S Letter to King JAMES at his return from GVIANA May it please your most excellent Maiestie IF in my Journey outward bound I had my men murthered at the Islands yet spared to take revenge if I did discharge some Spanish Barks taken without spoil if I so bear all parts of the Spanish Indies wherein I might have taken twentie of their Downs on the sea coasts and did onely follow the enterprize I undertook for Guiana where without any directions from me a Spanish Village was burnt which was new set up within three miles of the Myne By your Majesties favour I find no reason why the Spanish Ambassador should complain of me If it were lawfull for the Spaniards to murther twentie six English men tying them back to back and then cutting their throats when they had traded with them whole moneth and came to them on the land without so much as one sword and that it may not be lawfull to your Majesties subjects being charged first by them to repell force by force we may justly say O miserable English If Pâ—â—â—â—â— and â—â—eâ—â—â—m took Campeâ—â—â— and other places in the Honduras seated in the heart of the Spanish Indies burnt towns and killed the Spaniards and had nothing said unto them at this return and my self forbore to look into the Iâ—â—â—â—as because I would not offend I may as justly say O miserable Sir Walter Raleigh If I have spent my poor estate lost my son suffered by sicknesse and otherwise a world of miseries if I have resisted with manifest hazard of my life the Robberies and Spoils with which my Companions would have made me rich if when I was poor I would have made my self rich if when I have gotten my liberty which all men and nature it self do much prize I voluntarily lost it if when I was sure of my life I rendered it again if I might elsewhere where have sold my ship and goods and put five or six thousand pounds in my purse and yet brought her into England I beseech your Majestie to believe that all this I have done because it should not be said to your Majestie that your Majestie had given libertie and trust to a man whose end was but the recoverie of his libertie and who had betrayed your Majesties trust My Mutiniers told me that if I returned from England I should be undone but I believed in your Majesties goodnesse more than in all their being arguments Sure I am the first that being free and able to enrich my self yet hath embraced povertie and perill And as sure I am that my example shall make me the last but your Majesties wisdom and goodnesse I have made my judges who have ever been and shall ever be Your Majesties most humble Vassal Walter Raleigh Sir Raleighs's Letter to his Wife after his Condemnaetion YOu shall receive my dear Wife my Last words in these my Last lines my love I send you that you may keep when I am dead and my counsell that you may remember it when I am no more I would not with my will present you sorrows dear Bess let them go to the grave with me and be buried in the dust And seing that it is not the will of God that I shall see you any more bear my destruction patiently and with an heart like your self First I send you all the thanks which my heart can conceive or my words expresse for your many travels and cares for me which though they have not taken effect as you wished yet my debt to you is not the lesse but pay it I never shall in this world Secondly I beseech you for the love you bare me living that you do not hide your self many days but by your travels seek to help my miserable Fortunes and the Right of your poor Child your mourning cannot avail me that am but dust Thirdly you shall understand that my Lands were conveyed bona fide to my Child the writings were drawn at Midsummer was twelve moneths as divers can witness and I trust my bloud will quench their malice who desired my slaughter that they will not seek also to kill you and yours with extream poverty To what friend to direct you I know not for all mine have left me in the true time of triall Most sorrie am I that being thus surprised by death I can leave you no better Estate God hath prevented all my determinations that great God which worketh all in all and if you can live free from want care for no more for the rest is but a vanitie Love God and begin betimes in him you shall find true everlasting and endlesse comfort when you have travelled and wearied your self with all sorts of worldly cogitations you shall sit down by sorrow in the end Teach your son also to serve and fear God whilest he is young that the fear of God may grow up in him then will God be an Husband to you and a Father to him an Husband and a Father that can never be taken from you Baylie oweth me a thousand pounds and Arvan six hundred in Jâ—rnesey also have much owing me Dear wife I beseech you for my Souls sake pay all poor men When I am dead no doubt you shall be much sought unto for the world thinks I was very rich have a care to the fair pretences of men for no greater miserie can befall you in this life than to become a prey unto the world and after to be despised I speak God knows not to disswade you from Marriage for it will be best for you both in respect of God and the world As for me I am no more yours nor you mine death hath cut us asunder and God hath divided me from the world and you from me Remember your poor Child for his Fathers sake who loved you in his happiest estate I sued for my life but God knows it was for you and yours that I desired it for know it my dear Wife your Child is the Child of a true man who in his own respect despiseth Death and his mishapen and ugly forms I cannot write much God knows how hardly I steal this time when all sleep and it is also time for me to separate my thoughts from the world Beg my dead body which living was denied you and either lay it in Sâ—â—â—bâ—rn or in Exceter Church by my
Crown the ornaments thereof And it is an infalliable maxime that he that loves not his Majesties estate loves not his person COUNS. How came it then that the act was not executed IUST Because these against whom it was granted perswaded the King to the contrary as the Duke of Ireland Suffolk the chief Iustice Tresilian and others yea that which was lawfully done by the King and the great Councell of the kingdome was by the mastery which Ireland Suffolk and Tresilian had over the Kings affections broken and disavowed Those that devised to relieve the King not by any private invention but by generall Councell were by a private and partiall assembly adjudged traitors and the most honest Iudges of the land enforced to subscribe to that judgement In so much that Iudge Belknap plainly told the Duke of Ireland and the Earl of Suffolk when he was constrained to set his hand plainly told these Lords that he wanted but a rope that he might therewith receive a reward for his subscription And in this Councell of Nottingham was hatched the ruine of those which governed the King of the Iudges by them constrained of the Lords that loved the King and sought a reformation and of the King himself for though the King found by all the Shrieves of the shires that the people would not fight against the Lords whom they thought to bee most faithfull unto the King when the Citizens of London made the same answer being at that time able to arme 50000. men and told the Major that they would never fight against the Kings friends and defenders of the Realme when the Lord Ralph Passet who was near the King told the King boldly that he would not adventure to have his head broken for the Duke of Irelands pleasure when the Lord of London told the Earle of Suffolk in the Kings presence that he was not worthy to live c. yet would the King in the defence of the destroyers of his estate lay ambushes to intrap the Lords when they came upon his faith yea when all was pacified and that the King by his Proclamation had clear'd the Lords and promised to produce Ireland Suffolk and the Archbishop of Yorke Tresiltan and Bramber to answer at the next Parliament these men confest that they durst not appear and when Suffolk fled to Callice and the Duke of Ireland to Chester the King caused an army to be leavied in Lancashire for the safe conduct of the Duke of Ireland to his presence when as the Duke being encountered by the Lords ranne like a coward from his company and fled into Holland After this was holden a Parliament which was called that wrought wonders In the Eleventh year of this King wherein the fornamed Lords the Duke of Ireland and the rest were condemned and confiscate the Chief Iustice hanged with many others the rest of the Iudges condemned and banisht and a 10. and a 15. given to the King COUNS. But good Sir the King was first besieged in the Tower of London and the Lords came to the Parliament and no man durst contradict them IUST Certainly in raising an army they committed treason and though it appear that they all loved the King for they did him no harm having him in their power yet our law doth construe all leavying of war without the Kings commission and all force raised to be intended for the death and destruction of the King not attending the sequell And it is so judged upon good reason for every unlawfull and ill action is supposed to be accompanied with an ill intent And besides those Lords used too great cruelty in procuring the sentence of death against divers of the Kings servants who were bound to follow and obey their Master and Soveraigne Lord in that he commanded COUNS. It is true and they were also greatly to blame to cause then so many seconds to be put to death seeing the principalls Ireland Suffolk and York had escaped them And what reason had they to seek to enform the State by strong hand was not the Kings estate as dear to himself as to them He that maketh a King know his errour mannerly and private and gives him the best advice he is discharged before God and his own conscience The Lords might have â—â—tired themselves when they saw they could not prevail and have left the King to his own wayes who had more to lose then they had IUST My Lord the taking of Arms cannot be excused in respect of the law but this might be said for the Lords that the King being under yeares and being wholly governed by their enemies and the enemies of the kingdome and because by those evil mens perswasions it was advised how the Lords should have been murthered at a feast in London they were excusable during the kings minority to stand upon their guard against their particular enemies But we will passe it over go on with our parliaments that followed whereof that of Cambridge in the Kings 12th year was the next therein the King had given him a 10th and a 15th after which being 20. yeares of age rechanged saith H. Kinghton his Treasurer his Chancellour the Iustices of either bench the Clerk of the privy seal and others and took the government into his own hands He also took the Admirals place from the Earl of Arundell and in his room he placed the Earl of Huntingdon in the yeare following which was the 13th year of the K. in the Parliament at Westminster there was given to the King upon every sack of wooll 14s and 6d in the gound upon other Merchandise COUNS. But by your leave the King was restrained this parliament that he might not dispose of but a third part of the money gathered IUST No my Lord by your favour But true it is that part of this mony was by the Kings consent assigned towards the wars but yet left in the Lord Treasurers hands and my Lord it would be a great ease and a great saving to his Majesty our Lord and Master if it pleased him to make his assignations upon some part of his revenewes by which he might have 1000l upon every 10000l and save himself a great deale of clamour For seeing of necessity the Navy must be maintained and that those poor men as well Carpenters as ship-keepers must be paid it were better for his Majesty to give an assignation to the Treasurer of his Navy for the receiving of so much as is called ordinary then to discontent those poor men who being made desperate beggars may perchance be corrupted by them that lye in wait to destroy the Kings estate And if his Majesty did the like in all other payements especially where the necessity of such as are to receive cannot possible give dayes his Majesty might then in a little rowle behold his receipts and expences he might quiet his heart when all necessaries were provided for and then dispose the rest at his pleasure And my good Lord
how excellently and easily might this have been done if the 400000l had been raised as aforesaid upon the Kings lands and wards I say that his Majesties House his Navy his guards his pensioners his munition his Ambassadors and all else of ordinary charge might have been defrayed and a great summe left for his Majesties casuall expences and rewards I will not say they were not in love with the Kings estate but I say they were unfortunately borne for the King that crost it COUNS. Well Sir I would it had been otherwise But for the assignments there are among us that will not willingly indure it Charity begins with it self shall we hinder our selves of 50000l per annum to save the King 20 No Sir what will become of our New years gifts our presents and gratuities We can now say to those rhat have warrants for money that there is not a penny in the Exchequer but the King gives it away unto the Scots faster then it comes in IUST My Lord you say well at least you say the truth that such are some of our answers and hence comes that generall murmure to all men that have money to receive I say that there is not a penny given to that nation be it for service or otherwise but is spread over all the kingdome yea they gather notes and take copies of all the privy seals and warrants that his Majesty hath given for the money for the Scots that they may shew them in Parliament But of his Majesties gifts to the English there is no bruit though they may be tenne times as much as the Scots And yet my good Lord howsoever they be thus answered that to them sue for money out of the Echequer it is due to them for 10. or 12. or 20. in the hundred abated according to their qualities that shew they are alwaies furnished For conclusion if it would please God to put into the Kings heart to make their assignations it would save him many a pound and gain him many a prayer and a great deal of love for it grieveth every honest mans heart to see the abundance which even the petty officers in the Exchequer and others gather both from the king and subject and to see a world of poore men runne after rhe King for their ordinary wages COUNS. Well well did you never hear this old tale that when there was a great contentation about the weather the Seamen complaining of contrary windes when those of the high Countreys desired rain and those of the valleys sunshining dayes Iupiter sent them word by Mercury then when they had all done the weather should be as it had been And it shall ever fall out so with them that complain the course of payments shall be as they have been what care we what petty fellows say or what care we for your papers have not we the Kings eares who dares contest with us though we cannot be revenged on such as you are for telling the truth yet upon some other pretence wee 'le clap you up and you shall sue to us ere you get out Nay wee 'le make you confesse that you were deceived in your projects and eat your own words learn this of me Sir that as a little good fortune is better then a great deal of virtue so the least authority hath advantage over the greatest wit was he not the wisest man that said the battel was not the strongest nor yet bread for the wise nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of knowledge but what time and chance came to them all IUST It is well for your Lordship that it is so But Qu Elizabeth would set the reason of a mean man before the authority of the greatest Councellor she had and by her patience therein she raised upon the usuall and ordinary customes of London without any new imposition above 50000l a year for though the Treasurer Burleigh and the Earle of Leicester and Secretary Walshingham all three pensioners to Customer Smith did set themselves against a poor waiter of the Custome-house called Carwarden and commanded the groomes of the privy Chamber not to give him accesse yet the Queen sent for him and gave him countenance against them all It would not serve the turn my Lord with her when your Lordships would tell her that the disgracing her great officers by hearing the complaints of busie heads was a dishonour to her self but she had alwayes this answer That if any men complain unjustly against a Magistrate it were reason he should be severely punished if justly shee was Queen of the small as well as of the great and would hear their complaints For my good Lord a Prince that suffereth himself to be besieged forsaketh one of the greatest regalities belonging to a Monarchie to wit the last appeal or as the Trench call it le dernier resort COUNS. Well Sir this from the matter I pray you go on IUST Then my Lord in the Kings 15. year he had a tenth and a fifteen graunted in Parliament of London And that same year there vvas a great Councell called at Stamford to vvhich diverse men vvere sent for of diverse counties besides the Nobility of vvhich the King took advice vvhether he should continue the vvar or make a finall end vvith the French COUNS. What needed the King to take the advice of any but of his ovvn Councell in matter of peace or vvarre IUST Yea my Lord for it is said in the Proverbs where are many counsellers there is health And if the King had made the vvarre by a generall consent the Kingdome in generall vvere bound to maintain the vvarre and they could not then say when the King required aid that he undertook a needlesse vvarre COUNS. You say vvell but I pray you go on IUST After the subsedy in the 15. yeare the King desired to borrovv 10000l of the Londoners vvhich they refused to lend COUNS. And vvas not the King greatly troubled there vvith IUST Yea but the King troubled the Londoners soon aftar for the king took the advantage of a ryot made upon the Bishop of Salisbury his men sent for the Major and other the ablest citizens comitted the Major to prison in the Castle of Windsor and others to other castles and made a Lord Warden of this citie till in the end vvhat vvith 10000l ready money and other rich presents instead of lending 10000l it cost them 2000l Betvveen the fifteenth yeare and tvventieth yeare he had tvvo aides given him in the Parliaments of Winchester and Westminster and this later vvas given to furnish the Kings journey into Ireland to establish that estate vvhich vvas greatly shaken since the death of the Kings Grandfather vvho received thence yearly 30000l and during the Kings stay in Ireland he had a 10th and a 5th granted COUNS. And good reason for the King had in his army 4000. horse and 30000. foot IUST That by your favour vvas the Kings savity for great armies do