Sir Walter Raleigh condemn’d for Treason.
He is Repriev’d and sent again to Guiana.
Raleigh upon Gundamor’s Accusation Beheaded.
After this the Business lay still for a while, in regard Sir Walter Raleigh being (together with Grey, Cobham, and the Romish Priests, Watson and Clark) found guilty of High Treason, was Condemn’d to die; but being Repriev’d by the King, was kept a Prisoner in the Tower for the space of fourteen years; during which time he wrote a Description of Guiana; which the King perusing, was so well pleas’d with it, especially since he undertook to make out by several Reasons, that England might make it self Master of divers Gold-Mines there, to which Spain could lay no manner of Claim, that he discharg’d him out of Prison, and permitted him to make a second Expedition: Whereupon with ten Ships, Anno 1617. he set Sail for Guiana again; being toss’d with divers Storms, he at last came with five Sail to the River Calliana, where he fell dangerously sick, and therefore sent Captain Keymes with five Sail to the River Orinoque, to conduct the Men to the Gold-Mines; each Ship carrying fifty Men, and the other Captains being Parker, North, Thornap, and Sir Walter Raleigh’s Son. The Spaniards having a Garrison at Orinoque, fir’d very fiercely at the English, who suffer’d great damage, and amongst divers others, Captain Raleigh himself was slain, whilest the other five Sail lay near the Island Trinidad, under John Pennington’s Command, who daily fear’d the Spanish Fleet. But Keymes found it very difficult to Land in Orinoque, by reason of the Banks along the Shore, which Diego de Palameque from Puerto Rico kept strongly guarded; therefore going to an even Shore with intention to Land, he was so sharply receiv’d by a Body of Spanish Musquetteers, that divers of his Men were mortally wounded; yet breaking in amongst them, he went towards the Gold-Mines, to which the Way led through a Wood where the Spaniards lay in Ambuscade; but he judg’d himself too weak to do any good upon the Mines, one of which belong’d to Peter Rodrigo de Parama, a second to Herviano Frontino, and the third to Francisco Fashardo: The English also were fearful, by reason of the Spaniards Cruelties, who not long before had flay’d several Merchants alive; so that Keymes contented himself with pillaging and burning the Town St. Thomas, which the Spaniards had deserted. Soon after which Captain Whitby ran away with a Ship from the Fleet, whilest Keymes return’d back to Raleigh, who laid several things to his Charge concerning the unnecessary Expence and shame of such an unsuccessful Voyage; which so wrought upon Keymes, that he offer’d to lay violent hands on himself in his Cabbin. At length Raleigh returning to London, was accus’d by the Spanish Ambassador Gundamor for the burning St. Thomas, urging that his Master resented it so ill, that he threatned to wage a War with England if Raleigh was not Executed; who notwithstanding he alledg’d, That the Spaniards shew’d the first Acts of Hostility against the English, who onely defended themselves; and that St. Thomas was burnt without his knowledge or Order; and that Keymes had not observ’d his Command in the discovering of the Gold-Mines, (which Apologies were generally look’d upon as real Truths) yet the King esteeming the Peace with Spain of more value than one Man’s Life, without taking notice of Gundemor’s Accusations, commanded that the Sentence formerly pass’d on him for Treason should be Executed, and accordingly in the sixtieth year of his Age he was Beheaded, discovering himself, by his Christian Behavior and Profession at his Death, to be a far other kind of Person than what the World had censur’d him to be.
Since this last Expedition of Sir Walter Raleigh, we find not that there hath been any great Resort or Trade unto this Countrey, except by a few Netherland Merchants, who have yearly sent eight or nine Ships to the River Orinoque for Tobacco.
The temperature of the Air.
As for the Air or Climate of Guiana, it is very differing, for about the Amazone River, dry Weather begins about August, and the windy and rainy Season about February; but Westward towards Orinoque, the Summer takes beginning in October, and the Winter in April; the Days and Nights are almost of an equal length, and the difference of Heat and Cold is but little.
Burning-Feavers, Dropsie, and the Jawnes, destroy many People here; which last is not unlike the POX, and proceeds from carnal Copulation with the Guianian Women, who are naturally subject to this Disease.
The Nature of the Inhabitants.
The Inhabitants are divided into several sorts, the chiefest whereof being the Caribbees go naked, covering onely their Privities with a Lappet. The Women, though yellow, are very comely; and both Men and Women paint their Bodies with Netto, which grows on little Trees in Cods: They make Holes through their Noses, Lips and Ears, and hang Glass, Bells, pieces of Copper, or any other Trifles that they get from the English and Netherlanders, in them: About their Necks, Arms and Legs, they wear Strings of Beads, or Cockle-shells.