their enemies, which would turn to our great hurt when Sir Walter Ralegh should come thither, having occasion to use this river where we were informed was good store of gold, they resolved to return, though I yielded divers reasons to the contrary. So, upon Tuesday night, we came back to Vaperon, where we lodged,

And upon Wednesday, May 4th, we came to our ships, where it was reported that the Spaniards were gone out of Desekebe, which was not so; but as it seemed in policy by them given out to make our men that we left in our ships more careless, that they might the easier have surprised them in our absence. The next night we had news brought us to Mawranamo, where we yet rode, that there were ten canoes of Spaniards in the mouth of Coritine; and fearing lest they had intended to come to us in the night, we fitted all our guns and muskets, and kept good watch to prevent them of their purpose, who, as it was afterward told us, went along the coast to buy bread and other victuals for them in Oronoko, Marowgo, and Desekebe. Upon Friday, May 6th, we weighed and made down the river, and upon Sunday the 8th we got clear of it. This river is much like unto Morawynne in breadth, and about fifty leagues from the mouth to the first falls, full of islands as the other; in which are three rivers, Mano, Tapuere, and Tabuebbi, otherwise Tapuellibi; with six towns, Warrawalle, Mawranamo, Maapuere, Maccharibi, Yohóron, and Vapéron. And so clearing ourselves of this coast, we took our course to the islands of the West Indies.

Now I think it not amiss to speak something of this country. And first touching the climate. Though it stand within the tropic, and something near to the equinoctial, so that the sun is twice a-year over their heads, and never far from them, yet it is temperate enough in those parts. For, beside that we lost not a man upon the coast, one that was sick before he came there, was nothing sicker for being there, but came home safe, thanks be to God. And for mine own part, I was never bet

ter in body all my life, and in like sort fared it with the rest of the company; for indeed it is not so extreme hot as many imagine. The people in all the lower parts of the country go naked, both men and women, being of several languages, very tractable and ingenious, and very loving and kind to Englishmen generally, as by experience we found, and upon our knowledge do report. In the upper countries they go apparelled, being, as it seemeth, of a more civil disposition, having great store of gold, as we are certainly informed by the lower Indians, of whom we had some gold, which they brought and bought in the high country of Wiana, being able to buy no more, because they wanted the things which now we have left among them. They keep no order of marriage, but have as many wives as they can buy, or win by force of their enemies, which principally is the cause of all their wars. For bread there is infinite store of cassavi, which is as good bread as a man need to eat, and better than we can carry any thither. We spent not a bit of our own all the while we were upon the coast. It is made of a root so called, which they take and scrape, and crush all the juice out, being poison; and when it is dry it is as fine flour as our white meal maketh. Which, dry as it is, without any moisture, they strew upon a round stone, having a still fire under it, and so it congealeth to a cake; and when it cometh new off, it eateth like to our new white bread. Beside, there is great store of Guinea wheat, whereof they make passing good drink, which, after it is once sowed, if you cut off the ear, on the same stalk' groweth another.

• For victuals, we either did not, or at least needed not to have spent any of our own; for there is great store of as good fish in the rivers, as any is in the world. Great store of fowl of tortoises' eggs innu

divers sorts, tortoise-flesh plentiful, and merable. Deer, swine, conies, hares, cocks and hens, with potatoes more than we could spend. Beside, all kind of fruits

at all times of the year; and the rarest fruits of the world, the pine, the plantain, with infinite other variable and pleasant, growing to their hands, without planting or dressing. For commodities, though we had but small time to search, because we spent so much time in searching the rivers, yet we have brought examples of some which the country yieldeth in great plenty; as a kind of long hemp like unto steel hemp, fine cotton wool which the trees yield great store of, and wherewith the women make a fine thread, which will make excellent good fustains or stockings. Great store of pitch, divers sorts of sweet gums and West Indian pepper, balsamum, parrots, and monkies. Beside divers other commodities, which in good time be found out to the benefit of our country and profit of the adventurers, who as yet, having ventured much have gained little.

may

• Now leaving the river of Coritine, passing by St. Vincent, Santa Lucia, and Matalina, we came to Dominica upon the Friday following, being May 13th, having lost the bark that came out with us the Wednesday before. Upon Sunday morning, May 15th, we came to Guadaloupe, where we watered at the southern part of the island; and having done by night, we set sail, and stood away to the northward, but were becalmed all night, and until ten of the clock on Monday night; at which time, having a fair gale at east, and after at south-east, we passed along in the sight of Monserat, Antigua, and Barbuda. Upon June 9th, being Thursday, we made the islands of Flores and Corvo; and June 28th, we made the Lizard, and that night came all safe to Plymouth, blessed be God!

Between the isle of Barbuda in the West Indies, and England, we had three mighty storms, many calms, and some contrary winds. And upon June 14, 1597, there being divers whales playing about our pinnace, one of them crossed our stem, and going under rubbed her back against our keel; but

by none of all these we sustained any loss, thanks be to him that governeth all things!'

Written by MR. THOMAS MASHAM.

No. XII.

CONCESSIO PRO WALTERO RALEGH MILITE OFFICII GUBERNATORIS ET CAPITANEI INSULE DE JERSEY.

1

[From RYMER'S Fœdera, XVI. 398.]

REGINA omnibus, ad quos, &c. Salutem.

• Sciatis quòd nos,

• Tam pro et in consideratione boni et fidelis servitii, 'per dilectum et fidelem servientum nostrum Walterum Ralegh militem nobis antehanc impensi et inposterum impendendi, quàm pro diversis aliis causis et considerationibus nos ad præsens specialiter moventibus,

• De gratia nostra speciali, ac ex certa scientia et mero motu mostris, dedimus et concessimus, ac per præsentes, pro nobis hæredibus et successoribus nostris, damus et concedimus eidem Waltero Ralegh officium Gubernatoris et Capitanei Insula nostra de Jersey et Castri nostri de Gurry aliàs de Mountorgyll, unà cum omnibus talibus vadiis feodis messuagiis terris tenementis redditibus reventionibus servitiis jurisdictionibus auctoritatibus privilegiis commoditatibus ac proficuis quibuscumque, eidem officio debitis sive consuetis, ratione vel prætextu dicti officii perceptis habitis usitatis vel receptis, qualia Amicius Pawlet pater vel Antonius Pawlet filius milites jam defuncti, nuper

gubernatores et capitanei insulæ prædictæ, aut aliquis alius gubernator sive capitaneus in officio prædicto habuit sive percepit, habuerunt seu perceperunt, seu habere percipere aut gaudere debuerunt, aut aliquis eorum debuit, unà cum omnibus aliis feodis redditibus proficuis juribus commoditatibus et emolumentis quibuscumque eidem officio quovismodo pertinentibus sive spectantibus, ac præfatum Walterum Ralegh cusTODEM GUBERNATOREM et CAPLTANEUM eorundem insulæ et castri, per has literas nostras patentes, facimus ordinamus et constituimus; quod quidem officium in manibus et dispositione nostris existit ratione mortis prædicti Antonii Pawlet ;

Habendum gaudendum excercendum occupandum tenendum et possidendum officium prædictum, et cætera præmissa cum pertinentiis, præfato Waltero Ralegh per seipsum, vel per sufficientem deputatum suum sive per sufficientes deputatos suos, pro termino vitæ ejusdem Walteri, ac habendum gaudendum et annuatim percipiendum in et pro officio prædicto prædicta vadia feoda mesuagia terras tenementa redditus reventiones commoditates et proficua, tam per manus suas proprias, quam per manus firmariorum et tenentium nostrorum insulæ præ dictæ.

Ac de abundantiori gratia nostra speciali, ac ex certa scientia et mero motu nostris, damus et concedimus præfato Waltero manerium sive dominium nostrum vocatum Saint Germayne alias manerium sive dominum de Saint Germain infra insulam prædictam, cum omnibus mesuagiis terris tenementis pratis pascuis redditibus reventionibus, et cæteris hæreditamentis commoditatibus et proficuis quibuscumque, cum suis pertinentiis dicto manerio spectantibus sive pertinentibus, per quodcumque nomen conseatur sive reputetur, ac omnia mesuagia terras tenementa redditus reventiones proficua et hæreditamenta nostra quæcumque, quondam parcella, sive pertinentia aut.quoquomodo spectantia nuper Prioratui de le Islet de Saint Hillier in dicta insula, unà cum omnibus advocationibus ecclesiarum