The Epistle of sir Walter Ralegh to the reader
To the Reader.
BECAUSE there have bin divers opinions conceived of the
gold oare broght from Guiana
, and for that an Alderman
of London & an officer of her Majesties Mint, hath given
out that the same is of no price, I have thought good
by the addition of these lines to give answer aswel to
the said malicious slander, as to other objections. It is
true that while we abode at the yland of Trinidad
, I was
informed, by an Indian, that not far from the Port, where
we ancored, there were found certaine mineral stones
which they esteemed to be gold, & were thereunto perswaded the rather for that they had seene both English
and Frenchmen gather, & imbark some quantities therof:
upon this likelyhood I sent 40. men & gave order that
each one should bring a stone of that mine to make trial
of its goodnes: which being performed, I assured them
at their returne that the same was Marcasite, & of no
riches or value: notwithstanding divers, trusting more
to their owne sence, then to my opinion, kept of the said
Marcasite, and have tried therof since my returne in
divers places. In Guiana
it selfe I never saw Marcasite,
but al the rocks, mountains, al stones in ye plaines,
woods, & by the rivers side are in effect throughshining,
and seem marvelous rich, which being tried to be no
Marcasite, are the true signes of rich minerals, but are
no other then El madre del oro (as the Spaniards terme
them) which is the mother of gold, or as it is said by
others the scum of gold: of divers sorts of these many
of my company brought also into England
, every one
taking ye fairest for the best, which is not general. For
mine own part I did not countermand any mans desire,
or opinion, & I could have aforded them litle if I should
have denied them the pleasing of their owne fancies
therein: but I was resolved that gold must be found either
in graines separate from the stone (as it is in most of
the rivers in Guiana
) or els in a kind of hard stone, which
we call The white spar, of which I saw divers hils, & in
sundry places, but had neither time nor men, nor instruments fit for labour. Neere unto one of the rivers I
found of the said White sparre or flint a very great ledge
or banke, which I endevoured to breake by al the meanes
I could, because there appeared on the outside some smal
graines of gold, but finding no meane to worke the same
upon the upper part, seeking the sides and circuit of the
said rocke, I found a clift in the same from whence with
daggers, and with the head of an axe, we got out some
smal quantitie therof, of which kind of white stone (wherin
gold ingendred) we saw divers hils and rocks in every
part of Guiana
, wherein we traveiled. Of this there have
bin many trials, and in London
it was first assaid by
M. Westwood a refiner dwelling in Woodstreet, and it
held after the rate of 12000. or 13000. pounds a tunne.
Another sort was afterward tried by M. Bulmar & M.
Dimock Assay-master, & it held after the rate of 23000
li. a tunne. There was some of it againe tried by M.
Palmer comptroller of the Mint, and M. Dimock in goldsmiths hal, & it held after 26900. li. a tun. There was
also at the same time, & by the same persons a trial
made of the dust of the said mine which held 8 li. 6.
ounces weight of gold in the 100: there was likewise at
the same time a triall of an image of copper made in
Guiana
, which held a third part of gold, besides divers
trials made in the countrey, & by others in London
. But
because there came ill with the good, & belike the said
Alderman was not presented with the best, it hath pleased
him therefore to scandall all the rest, and to deface the
enterprize as much as in him lieth. It hath also bene
concluded by divers, that if there had bin any such oare
in Guiana
, and the same discovered, that I would have
brought home a greater quantitie thereof: first I was not
bound to satisfie any man of the quantitie, but such onely
as adventured, if any store had bin returned thereof: but
it is very true that had al their mountaines bene of massie
gold, it was impossible for us to have made any longer
stay to have wrought the same: and whosoever hath
seene with what strength of stone the best gold oare is
invironed, hee will not thinke it easie to be had out in
heapes, and especially by us, who had neither men, instruments, nor time (as it is said before) to performe the
same. There were on this discovery no lesse then 100.
persons, who can all witnesse, that when we past any
branch of the river to view the land within, and stated
from our boats but 6. houres, wee were driven to wade
to the eyes, at our returne: and if wee attempted the
same, the day following it was impossible either to ford
it, or to swim it, both by reason of the swiftnesse, and
also for that the borders were so pestred with fast woods,
as neither boat nor man could find place, either to land
or to imbarke: for in June, July, August and September,
it is impossible to navigate any of those rivers: for such
is the fury of the current, and there are so many trees
and woods overflowne, as if any boat but touch upon any
tree or stake, it is impossible to save any one person
therein: and yer we departed the land it ranne with such
swiftnes, as wee drave downe most commonly against
the wind, little lesse than 100. miles a day: Besides our
vessels were no other then whirries, one little barge, a
small cockboat, and a bad Galiota, which we framed in
hast for that purpose at Trinidad
, and those little boats
had 9. or 10. men a piece, with all their victuals, and
armes. It is further true, that we were about 400. miles
from our ships, and had bene a moneth from them, which
also we left weakly manned in an open road, and had
promised our returne in 15. dayes. Others have devised
that the same oare was had from Barbary, and that we
caried it with us into Guiana
: surely the singularitie of
that device I doe not well comprehend: for mine owne
part, I am not so much in love with these long voyages,
as to devise, therby to cozen my selfe, to lie hard, to fare
worse, to be subjected to perils, to diseases, to ill savors,
to be parched & withered, and withall to sustaine the
care & labour of such an enterprize, except the same had
more comfort, then the fetching of Marcasite in Guiana
,
or buying of gold oare in Barbary. But I hope the better
sort wil judge me by themselves, & that the way of deceit
is not the way of honor or good opinion: I have herein
consumed much time, & many crownes, & I had no other
respect or desire then to serve her Majestie and my
country thereby. If the Spanish nation had bene of like
beliefe to these detracters, we should litle have feared or
doubted their attempts, wherewith we now are daily
threatned. But if we now consider of the actions both
of Charles the 5. who had the maidenhead of Peru
, and
the abundant treasures of Atabalipa, together with the
affaires of the Spanish king now living, what territories
he hath purchased, what he hath added to the acts of his
predecessors, how many kingdoms he hath indangered,
how many armies, garisons, & navies he hath and doth
mainteine, the great losses which he hath repaired, as in
88. above 100. saile of great ships with their artillery,
& that no yere is lesse unfortunate but that many vessels,
treasures, and people are devoured, and yet notwithstanding he beginneth againe like a storme to threaten
shipwrack to us all: we shall find that these abilities rise
not from the trades of sacks, and Sivil oringes, nor from
ought els that either Spaine, Portugal
, or any of his other
provinces produce: it is his Indian gold that indangereth
and disturbeth all the nations of Europe
, it purchaseth
intelligence, creepeth into counsels, and setteth bound
loyaltie at libertie, in the greatest Monarchies of Europe.
If the Spanish king can keepe us from forren enterprizes,
& from the impeachment of his trades, either by offer of
invasion, or by besieging us in Britaine, Ireland
, or elsewhere, hee hath then brought the worke of our peril in
great forwardnes. Those princes which abound in treasure have great advantages over the rest, if they once
constraine them to a defensive war, where they are driven
once a yere or oftener to cast lots for their own garments,
and from such shal all trades, & entercourse be taken
away, to the general losse and impoverishment of the
kingdom and common weale so reduced: besides when
our men are constrained to fight, it hath not the like
hope, as when they are prest & incouraged by the desire
of spoile & riches. Farther, it is to be douted how those
that in time of victory seeme to affect their neighbor
nations, wil remaine after the first view of misfortunes,
or il successe; to trust also to the doubtfulnes of a battel,
is but a fearefull & uncertaine adventure, seeing therein
fortune is as likely to prevaile, as vertue. It shall not
be necessary to alleage all that might bee said, and therefore I will thus conclude, that whatsoever kingdome
shalbe inforced to defend it selfe may be compared to a
body dangerously diseased, which for a season may be
preserved with vulgar medicines, but in a short time, and
by litle and litle, the same must needs fall to the ground,
& be dissolved. I have therefore laboured all my life,
both according to my smal power, & perswasion, to
advance al those attempts, that might either promise
return of profit to our selves, or at least be a let and
impeachment to the quiet course and plentifull trades of
the Spanish nation, who in my weake judgement by such
a warre were as easily indangered & brought from his
powerfulnes, as any prince of Europe
, if it be considered
from how many kingdomes and nations his revenues are
gathered, & those so weake in their owne beings, and so
far severed from mutual succour. But because such a preparation and resolution is not to be hoped for in hast,
& that the time which our enemies embrace, cannot be
had againe to advantage, I wil hope that these provinces,
and that Empire now by me discovered shal suffice to
inable her Majestie & the whole kingdome, with no lesse
quantities of treasure, then the king of Spaine hath in
all the Indies East and West, which he possesseth, which
if the same be considered and followed, ere the Spaniards
enforce the same, and if her Majestie wil undertake it,
I wil be contented to lose her highnesse favour & good
opinion for ever, and my life withall, if the same be not
found rather to exceed, then to equal whatsoever is in
this discourse promised or declared. I wil now referre
the Reader to the following discourse, with the hope that
the perillous and chargeable labours and indevors of such
as thereby seeke the profit and honour of her Majestie,
and the English nation, shall by men of qualitie and
vertue receive such construction, and good acceptance,
as themselves would looke to be rewarded withall in the
like. W. R.
