The Discovery of the Large, Rich, and Beautiful Empire of Guiana, with a Relation of the Great and Golden City of Manoa. Edited, with copious explanatory notes and a biographical memoir by Sir Robert H. Schomburgk

It's tough to be the Queen's favorite - a fact Sir Walter Raleigh found out the hard way. He was imprisoned in the tower of London along with his wife, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, whom he had seduced, married, and kept a secret (until she bore a child) from the ambiguously jealous Queen Elizabeth. He was a favorite of the court, writing poetry, organizing exploratory and colonial missions, and studying history, science, and literature until his fall from good graces. A fiery and compelling personality, Raleigh remains well known more for his life than his works.