LAURENCE KEYMIS a.d. 



1596. 



the inheritance of the countrey did belong after him ; 

 there was no other likelihood, but that you, who ad- 

 ventured so farre, and in such sort as you did, onely 

 to see, and knowe a certainty, would leave nothing 

 unattempted to possesse so rich a countrey, and without 

 all doubt would returne presently. That meane time, you 

 had left this aged Sire alive, to bee a blocke in their 

 way, to whom after his decease, this enterprise by patent 

 did belong, and to bee a weake adversarie against your [III. 676.] 

 selfe, whom at all times you knew easily how to distresse : 

 and that therefore it might be behoovefull for his majestic 

 to revoke Berreo his grant, and to use their service, who 

 were readie and willing without any delay to undertake the 

 charge. These newes being at large amplified and de- 

 livered to the king : Domingo de Vera, Berreo his Camp- 

 master, who was sent into Spaine, five moneths before 

 your arrivall at Trinidad, with a sufficient quantitie of 

 gold gotten out of Guiana, to levie and furnish 500. men, 

 having gotten knowledge of this practise, so solicited this 

 cause in Berreo his behalfe, that present order was given 

 for the victualling and manning of tenne ships to be sent 

 to Berreo : and farther, this gold bore such waight, that 

 the king commanded other 18. of his ships to stop at 

 Trinidad, and not to follow their other directions, before 

 they saw that place secured from enemies. 



Berreo supposing that these governours in sending 

 with such speede into Spaine, meant him no good ; to 

 approove his care and constancie, and that he never 

 would yeelde under the burthen of his adverse fortune ; 

 giving no time or breath to his adversaries nor himselfe : 

 returned foorthwith to Carapana his port, onely with 

 fifteene men, being the scattered remnant of those whom 

 you lately dispossessed of Trinidad. These governours 

 followed him, and assuring themselves of present imploy- 

 ment from their king, preoccupating the time of their 

 directions to bee returned from Spaine, entered Guiana 

 with their men, with full determination to murther 

 Berreo, and to dispatch all his company. They indeed 



461 



