There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory.

The main pieces of evidence against Doughty were the testimony of the ship's carpenter Edward Bright who after the trial was inexplicably promoted to master of the ship Marigold and Doughty's admission of telling Lord William Burghley a vocal opponent of agitating the Spanish of the intent of the voyage. A most consequential action
Near Lima Drake captured a Spanish ship laden with 25000 pesos of Peruvian gold amounting in value to 37000 ducats of Spanish money (about £7m by modern standards). Drake sailed to the New World and sacked the ports of Santo Domingo and Cartagena in present-day Colombia.

Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. King Philip II was said to have offered a reward of 20000 ducats about £4 million (US$6.