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To the approved, Right Valorous, and worthy Knight, Sir Walter Ralegh, Lord warden of the Stanneries, Captaine of her Majesties Guard, and her Highnesse Lieutenant generall of the Countie of Cornewall.
I HAVE here briefly set downe the effect of this your second Discoverie without any enlargement of made wordes: for in this argument, single speech best beseemeth a simple trueth. Where the affinitie of the matter with your person, leadeth mee to write of your selfe, unto your selfe, that small libertie which I have therein used, shall, I doubt not, without offence or sinister construction, be given to the cause in hand: which, whether it suffer not detriment, by attributing lesse then of right belongeth; the judgement bee theirs, that uprightly and indifferently shall weigh the consequents of their evill purpose, who in seeking to detract from the Author of these Discoveries, doe so much as in them lieth, wound, deface, & tread under foot the thing it selfe. But this is no novelty, nor proper only to these our dayes. For long since it hath bin said, Laudes eo usque sunt tolerabiles, donec ea dicuntur, quae auditores se quoque facere posse existimant: simajora proferantur, invident, non credunt. The fervent zeale & loyalty of your minde in labour with this birth of so honorable expectation, as it hath deserved a recompence farre different, so needeth it not my poore suffrage to endeare the toyle, care, and danger that you have willingly undergone for the good and advancement of our weale publique. The praise-worthinesse thereof doeth approve it selfe, and is better read in your living doings, then in my dead unregarded papers. All that I can wish, is that my life were a sufficient pledge, to justifie, how much more easie, and more materiall, the course for Guiana would bee then others, which requiring greater charge, yeelde not so large benefit, and are subject to more doubtfull events. If unto their wisdomes who sit in place and authority, it shall appeare otherwise, and that in following of other attempts there is lesse difficultie, certainer profit, and needfuller offence unto the enemie: the cost and travaile which you have bestowed, shall not, I hope, be altogether lost, if unto your Honour I can prove how, and where the amends is to be had, maugre the force and prevention of all Spaniards.

Your Lordships to be commanded in all service,
LAURENCE KEYMIS.

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Guiana (Guyana) (2)

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