- i6 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 64.
crews of the ships were called together, and acquainted with the particulars of the cause.* Doughty himself confessed to something, and evidence was produced of more. The desertion was a palpable fact which could not be denied. IS78 ' Which when our general saw,' wrote an Jul y- eyewitness, 1 ' although his private affection to Mr Doughty, as he then in the presence of us all sacredly protested, was great, yet the care 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 laws in England, it was concluded that Mr Doughty should receive punishment according to the quality of the offence. He, seeing no remedy but patience for him- self, desired before his death to receive the communion, which he did at the hands of Mr Fletcher, our minister, and our general accompanied him in that holy action. Which being done, and the place of execution being made ready, he, having embraced our general and taken leave of all his 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 Hakluyt, vol. iv. p. 232.
