iberated from the Tower. He
still lay under the weight of a sentence which had been pronounced
against him on the occasion of the plot which bears his name. He might
have purchased its removal; but he was assured by the most influential
voices that he had nothing more to fear from it; and he thought that
he could apply the money more profitably to the execution of the great
design which he had long ago formed, and which he had never for an
instant lost sight of during his captivity. A story was then afloat
that after the destruction of the kingdom of Peru the descendants of
the Incas had founded another kingdom between the Amazon and the
Orinoco, the Dorado of the Spaniards. It was Ralegh's ambition to open
to his countrymen this region which would be easily accessible from
the coasts, of which he had formerly taken possession in the name of
England. The old reputation of Ralegh's name procured him sufficient
support for his expedition, not only from the merchants, but also from
wealthy private individuals; and the King gave him a patent which
empowered him to sail to the ports of America still in possession of
the heathen, in order to open commercial intercourse with them, and to
spread the Christian, especially the Reformed, faith among them.[398]
In July 1617 Ralegh set sail from Plymouth harbour for this object,
with seven ships of war and a number of small transports carrying
about 700 men.

It was presupposed that in such an enterprise all hostilities against
the Spaniards would be avoided. When the Spanish ambassador complained
of this expedition undertaken by a man who had already on one occasion
been very troublesome to the Spanish colonies, the Privy Council
answered that Ralegh was pledged by his instructions to do no damage
to the Spaniards; and that 'if he violated them his head was there to
pay for it.'[399] The King himself repeated this answer to him.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1618.]

Ralegh in fact guarded against any collision with the Spaniards on his
voyage. He was said not to have taken a single Spanish vessel, and he
directed his course without stopping to Guiana, the goal which he had
set before himself. But the Spaniards had become powerful there,
although not until after his former visit. From Caraccas they had
conquered the natives, who were engaged in internal wars, and had
firmly established themselves at a short distance from the coast.
What was likely to happen if they opposed the forces which Ra