s twice suffered in this way; so did Sir
Humfrey Gilbert; and, although Drake's own kind feeling for his old
friend has prevented him from leaving an exact account of his offence,
we gather from the scattered hints which are let fall, that he, too, was
meditating a similar piece of treason. However, it may or may not have
been thus. But when at Port St. Julien, 'our General,' says one of the
crew,--

Began to inquire diligently of the actions of Mr. Thomas Doughtie,
and found them not to be such as he looked for, but tending rather
to contention or mutiny, or some other disorder, whereby, without
redresse, the success of the voyage might greatly have been
hazarded. Whereupon the company was called together and made
acquainted with the particulars of the cause, which were found,
partly by Mr. Doughtie's own confession, and partly by the evidence
of the fact, to be true, which, when our General saw, although his
private affection to Mr. Doughtie (as he then, in the presence of us
all, sacredly protested) was great, yet the care which he had of the
state of the voyage, of the expectation of Her Majesty, and of the
honour of his country, did more touch him, as indeed it ought, than
the private respect of one man; so that the cause being throughly
heard, and all things done in good order as near as might be to the
course of our law in England, it was concluded that Mr. Doughtie
should receive punishment according to the quality of the offence.
And he, seeing no remedy but patience for himself, desired before
his death to receive the communion, which he did at the hands of Mr.
Fletcher, our minister, and our General himself accompanied him in
that holy action, which, being done, and the place of execution made
ready, he, having embraced our General, and taken leave of all the
company, with prayers for the Queen's Majesty and our realm, in
quiet sort laid his head to the block, where he ended his life. This
being done, our General made divers speeches to the whole company,
persuading us to unity, obedience, love, and regard of our voyage,
and for the better confirmation thereof, willed every man the next
Sunday following to prepare himself to receive the communion, as
Christian brethren and friends ought to do, which was done in very
reverent sort, and so with good contentment every man went about his
busines