tribes of Indians. 'But I might have bettered my poor estate if I
had not only respected her Majesty's future honour and riches. It
became not the former fortune in which I once lived to go journeys of
piccory' (pillage); 'and it had sorted ill with the offices of honour
which, by her Majesty's grace, I hold this day in England, to run
from cape to cape and place to place for the pillage of ordinary
prizes.'

So speaks one whom it has been the fashion to consider as little
better than a pirate, and that, too, in days when the noblest blood
in England thought no shame (as indeed it was no shame) to enrich
themselves with Spanish gold. But so it is throughout this man's
life. If there be a nobler word than usual to be spoken, or a more
wise word either, if there be a more chivalrous deed to be done, or a
more prudent deed either, that word and that deed are pretty sure to
be Walter Raleigh's.

But the blatant beast has been busy at home; and, in spite of
Chapman's heroical verses, he meets with little but cold looks.
Never mind. If the world will not help to do the deed, he will do it
by himself; and no time must be lost, for the Spaniards on their part
will lose none. So, after six months, the faithful Keymis sails
again, again helped by the Lord High Admiral and Sir Robert Cecil.
It is a hard race for one private man against the whole power and
wealth of Spain; and the Spaniard has been beforehand with them, and
re-occupied the country. They have fortified themselves at the mouth
of the Caroli, so it is impossible to get to the gold mines; they are
enslaving the wretched Indians, carrying off their women, intending
to transplant some tribes and to expel others, and arming cannibal
tribes against the inhabitants. All is misery and rapine; the