Raleigh’s execution and carefully made reputation

The return from Guiana activates the old death sentence, and the 65-year-old Raleigh is taken from Plymouth to London with ample opportunity to flee. He refuses to escape and faces execution with composure. When the executioner hesitates, Raleigh urges him to "strike, man, strike." His conduct at the scaffold reinforces the distinction between personal bravery and dependable operational leadership. Raleigh became one of the most famous Elizabethan privateers despite limited practical success because he excelled at publicizing his achievements and the work of others.