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Honourable SIR,
I Was lately per∣swaded, by two Gentlemen, my ancient Friends, to acquaint your Honour with some offers of mine, made heretofore for a Jour∣ney to Guiana, who were of
opinion, That it would be better understood now, than when it was first propound∣ed, which advice having sur∣mounted my dispair, I have presumed to send unto your Honour the Copies of those Letters which I then wrote, both to his Majestie, and to the Treasurer Cecill, wherein as well the reasons that first moved me are remembered, as the objections by him made, are briefly answer∣ed.
What I know of the rich∣es of that place, not by hear∣say, but what mine eyes hath seen, I have said it of∣ten but it was then to no end: Because those that had
the greatest trust, were re∣solved not to believe it, not because they doubted the Truth, but because they doubted my Disposition to∣wards themselves; where (if God had blessed me in the enterprise) I had recover∣ed his Majesties favour and good opinion. Other cause than this, or other suspition they never had any. Our late worthy Prince of Wales was extream curious in searching out the Nature of my offences, The Queens Majestie hath informed her self from the beginning, The King of Denmark at both times of his being here was throughly satisfied of my in∣nocency,
they would other∣wise never have moved his Majestie on my behalf.
The Wife, the Brother, and the Son of a King, do not use to sue for men suspect; but Sir, since they all have done it out of their charitie, and but with refe∣rences to me alone. Your Honour (whose respect hath onely relation to his Maje∣sties service) strengthened by the example of those Princes, may with the more hardness do the like, being Princes to whom his Maje∣sties good estate is no less dear, and all men that shall oppugne it, no less hatefull, than to the King himself.
It is true Sir, That his Majestie hath sometimes an∣swered, That his Councel knew me better than he did; meaning some two or three of them. And it was indeed my infelicitie; for had his Majestie known me, I had never been here where I now am: or had I known his Majestie, they had never been so long there where they now are. His Majestie not knowing of me hath been my ruin, and his Maje∣sties misknowing of them, hath been the ruin of a goodly part of his estate: but they are all of them now, some living and some dying, come to his Majesties know∣ledge.
But Sir, how little soever his Majestie knew me, and how much soever he be∣lieved them, yet have I been bound to his Majestie both for my Life, and all that re∣mains, of which, but for his Majestie, nor Life, nor ought else had remained. In this respect Sir, I am bound to yield up the same life, and all I have for his Majesties ser∣vice; to die for the King, and not by the King, is all the ambition I have in the world.
Walter Raleigh.