A DECLARATION OF THE DEMEANOR AND CARRIAGE OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH, KNIGHT, AS WELL IN HIS VOYAGE AS IN AND SITHENCE HIS RETURN; AND OF THE TRUE MOTIVES AND INDUCEMENTS WHICH OCCASIONED HIS MAJESTY TO PROCEED IN DOING JUSTICE UPON HIM, AS HATH BEEN DONE.1

Although Kings be not bound to give account of their actions to any but God alone, yet such are his Majesty's proceedings as he hath always been willing to bring them before sun and moon, and careful to satisfy all his good people with his intentions and courses, giving as well to future times as to the present true and undisguised declarations of them; as judging that for actions not well founded it is advantage to let them pass in uncertain reports, but for actions that are built upon sure and solid grounds (such as his Majesty's are), it belongeth to them to be published by open manifests: Especially his Majesty is willing to declare and manifest to the world his proceedings in a case of such a nature as this which followeth is; since it not only concerns his own people, but also a foreign prince and state abroad.

Accordingly therefore, for that which concerneth Sir Walter Raleigh late executed for treason (leaving the thoughts of his heart and the protestations that he made at his death to God that is the searcher of all hearts and judge of all truth), his Majesty hath thought fit to manifest unto the world how things appeared unto himself, and upon what proofs and evident matter, and the examination of the commanders that were employed with him in the voyage (and namely of those which Sir Walter himself by his own letter to Secretary Winwood had commended for persons of special worth and credit, and as most fit for greater employments), his Majesty's proceedings have been grounded; whereby it will evidently appear how agreeable they have been in all points to honour and justice.

Sir Walter Raleigh having been condemned of high treason at his Majesty's entrance into this kingdom, and by the space of fourteen years by his Majesty's princely clemency and mercy not only spared from his execution, but permitted to live as in liberá custodiâ in the Tower, and to enjoy his lands and living,

1 London, printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill, printers to the King's most excellent Majesty. M.DC.XVIII.

till all was by law evicted from him upon another ground, and not by forfeiture, (which notwithstanding, his Majesty out of his abundant grace gave him a competent satisfaction for the same); at length he fell upon an enterprise of a golden mine in Guiana. This proposition of his was presented and recommended to his Majesty by Sir Ralph Winwood, Secretary of State, as a matter not in the air or speculative, but real and of certainty, for that Sir W. Raleigh had seen of the ore of the mine with his eyes, and tried the richness of it. It is true that his Majesty in his own princely judgment gave no belief unto it, as well for that his Majesty was verily persuaded that in nature there are no such mines of gold entire, as they described this to be; and if any such had been, it was not probable that the Spaniards, who were so industrious in the chase of treasure, would have neglected it so long; as also that it proceeded from the person of Sir W. Raleigh, invested with such circumstances both of his disposition and fortune. But nevertheless Sir W. Raleigh had so enchanted the world with his confident asseveration of that which every man was willing to believe, as his Majesty's honour was in a manner engaged not to deny unto his people the adventure and hope of so great riches to be sought and achieved at the charge of voluntaries; especially for that it stood with his Majesty's politic and magnanimous courses in these his flourishing times of peace to nourish and encourage noble and generous enterprises for plantations, discoveries, and opening of new trades.

Hereupon the late Spanish Ambassador, the Count de Gondomar, took great alarm, and represented unto his Majesty by loud and vehement assertions upon iterated audiences that he knew and had discovered the intention and enterprise of Sir Walter Raleigh to be but hostile and piratical, and tending to the breach of the peace between the two Crowns, and danger and destruction of the King his master's subjects in those parts; protesting in a sort against the same. To which his Majesty's answer always was, that he would send Sir Walter Raleigh with a limited commission, and that he durst not upon peril of his head attempt any such matter; and if he did he would surely do justice upon him, or send him bound hand and foot into Spain, and all the gold and goods he should obtain by robbery and bring home, were they never so great. And for further caution his Majesty enjoined Secretary Winwood to urge Sir Walter Raleigh upon

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his conscience and allegiance to his Majesty to deal plainly, and express himself whether he had any other intention but only to go to those golden mines in Guiana; which he not only solemnly protested unto the said Sir Ralph Winwood, but by him writ a close letter to his Majesty, containing a solemn profession thereof, confirmed with many vehement asseverations, and that he never meant or would commit any outrages or spoils upon the King of Spain's subjects. But notwithstanding his Majesty acquainted the Spanish ambassador with this his protestation, yet the said ambassador would never recede from his former jealousy and importuning his Majesty to stay his voyage, alleging that the great number of ships that Sir Walter Raleigh had prepared for that voyage shewed manifestly that he had no such peaceable intent; and offering (upon Sir Walter Raleigh his answer thereunto, that those ships were only provided for his safe convoy) that if Sir Walter Raleigh would go with one or two ships only to seek the said mine, that he would move the King of Spain to send two or three ships with him back again for his safe convoy hither with all his gold; and the said ambassador's person to remain here in pledge for the King his master his performance thereof. But such were the constant fair offers of the said Sir Walter Raleigh, and specious promises, as his Majesty in the end rejected the importunate suit of the said Spanish ambassador for his stay, and resolved to let him go;1

1 I am indebted to Mr. Gardiner for some notes from Simancas which fully confirm this part of the story. "In a letter of the 2d of September, 1616" [23 August according to English reckoning], Sarmiento writes that W. Raleigh, 'being a prisoner in England for a crime of high treason, had proposed to that King by means of some of his supporters, that he should be set at liberty, and that he with his kinsmen and friends should make a fleet and go to Guiana near the river Orinoco, where he said that there was a mine of gold, which had not been discovered by any one, and was not his Majesty's [i.e. the King of Spain's] but very distant from his lands, and that he would try to take it. And that the Count had spoken to that King and to his Councillors, and had tried to persuade them not to admit of this expedition, because all that part about the river Orinoco was his Majesty's. That that King had assured him that he would not touch what was his Majesty's, and that he would give him respectable persons to accompany him, who would not allow him to do what he ought not; and that he had not been able to obtain more. And he sent with this letter a copy of the project which Walter gave, and also a relation of the preparations he made, and the designs which he understood him to have formed, and of that which could be done there to hinder them.' He also sent a copy of Raleigh's Commission."

On the 12th of October [2d O. S.] Sarmiento writes "that that King had assured him that Walter should not go forth without giving security that he would do no harm to any of his Majesty's subjects."

On the 30th [20th] of November "Sarmiento had again spoken to the King and his Councillors about this expedition, trying to bring them not to allow it,

but therewithal took order both that he and all those that went in his company should find good security to behave themselves peaceably towards all his Majesty's friends and allies, and to observe strictly all the articles of the commission, which his Majesty for that cause had the greater care to have it well and clearly penned and set down. And that his Majesty's honest intention may herein the better appear, the words of the commission are herein inserted, as follows.

James by the grace of God, etc. To all to whom these presents shall come to be read heard or seen, and to every of them, greeting. Whereas Sir W. Raleigh, Knight, intendeth to undertake a voyage by sea and shipping unto the south parts of America, or elsewhere within America, possessed and inhabited by heathen and savage people, to the end to discover and find out some commodities and merchandises in those countries that be necessary and profitable for the subjects of these our kingdoms and dominions, whereof the inhabitants there make little or no use or estimation; whereupon also may ensue by trade and commerce some propagation of the Christian Faith and reformed religion amongst those savage and idolatrous people: And whereas we are credibly informed that there are divers merchants and owners of ships and others well disposed to assist the said Sir Walter Raleigh in this his enterprise, had they sufficient assurance to enjoy their due parts of the profits returned (in respect of the peril of law wherein the said Sir Walter Raleigh now standeth): And whereas also we are informed that divers other gentlemen, the kinsmen and friends of the said Sir Walter Raleigh, and divers captains and other commanders are also desirous to follow him and to adventure their lives with him in this his journey, so as they might be commanded by no other than himself:

with very strong reasons and arguments, and they had answered him in the same way as before."

On the 6th of April [27 March] 1617, "Sarmiento writes that Walter is just about to start, and that upon this occasion he had again spoken to the King about the said expedition, and that he showed himself annoyed, saying to him that if they tried to overthrow it, all the kingdom would speak against it. Yet he would summon his Council to see if it could be overthrown. And having summoned it the King himself put forward the inconveniences of that expedition. But Walter had so many supporters in the Council that they all helped him, offering to the King security that he would do no harm in his Majesty's lands, and the Count of Gondomar sent a copy of that which he had written in this matter to the King of England, and to his favourite Don George Villiers, and to the Secretary of State Don Thomas Lake; all of which was to urge the overthrowing of the expedition, representing its inconveniences, and the obligation under which they placed his Majesty [the King of Spain] to chastise Walter Raleigh, wherever he might be found.

"And in his letter of the 7th of April [28 March] he states that Winwood had been to speak to him on behalf of that King, and to satisfy him with the same reasons as before, and he shewed him the memorial which Walter gave, and the certificate which he made of his ships, which were seven, and the security which he gave to do no harm."

Know ye that we, upon deliberate consideration had of the premisses, being desirous by all ways and means to work and procure the benefit and good of our loving subjects, and to give our princely furtherance to the said Sir Walter Raleigh his friends and associates herein, to the encouragement of others in the like laudable journeys and enterprises to be hereafter prosecuted and pursued; and especially in advancement and furtherance as well of the conversion of savage people as of the increase of the trade traffic and merchandises used by our subjects of this our kingdom, being most famous throughout all nations: of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have given and granted, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors do give and grant unto the said Sir W. Raleigh full power and authority and free licence and liberty out of this our realm of England or any other our dominions to have carry take and lead for and towards his intended voyage into the said south parts or other parts of America (possessed and inhabited as aforesaid), and to travel thither, all such and so many of our loving subjects or any others strangers that will become our loving subjects, and live under our obeisance and allegiance, as shall willingly accompany him, with sufficient shipping, armour, weapons, ordinance, munition, powder, shot, habiliments, victuals, and such wares and merchandises as are esteemed by the wild people in those parts, clothing, implements, furniture, cattle, horses, and mares, and all other such things as he shall think most necessary for his voyage, and for the use and defence of him and his company, and trade with the people there; and in passing and returning to and fro; and in those parts to give away, sell, barter, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the same goods merchandises and premisses, to the most benefit, and at the will and pleasure of the said Sir Walter Raleigh and his company and such other person or persons as shall be adventurers or assistants with or unto him in this his intended voyage; and from thence to return, import, convey and bring into this our kingdom or any other our dominions such gold, silver, bullion, or any other wares and merchandises or commodities whatsoever, as they shall think most fit and convenient; and the same being so returned, imported, conveyed and brought into this our kingdom or any other our dominions, to have, take, keep, retain and convert to the only proper use benefit and behoof of the said Sir W. Raleigh and his said company and other persons adventurers and assistants with or to him in this voyage, without the let, interruption, molestation, and disturbance of us, our heirs or successors, or any the officers or ministers of us, our heirs or successors whatsoever; paying and answering unto us, our heirs and successors, the full fifth part in five parts to be divided of all such gold and silver and bullion and ore of gold or silver and pearl and precious stone, as shall be so imported, over and besides and together with such customs, subsidies, and other duties as shall be due for or in respect of any other goods, wares, or merchandises whatsoever to be imported by the true meaning of these presents. And to the end the said Sir W. Raleigh may be the more encouraged to go forward in this his enterprise and all our loving subjects desirous to be adventurers with him