The Roanoke Voyages 1584-90 (2 Vols)

The Roanoke Voyages, 1584-1590: Documents to Illustrate the English Voyages to North America under the Patent Granted to Walter Raleigh in 1584 was published in 1955 and edited by the historian David Beers Quinn. The volume brings together a carefully selected body of primary source material relating to England?s earliest attempts at colonisation in North America.

Covering the period from the first exploratory voyage of 1584 to the disappearance of the Roanoke colony in 1590, the documents include contemporary narratives, letters, reports, and official papers. Together they illuminate the ambitions behind Raleigh’s patent, the practical challenges of transatlantic settlement, and early encounters between English settlers and Indigenous peoples. The collection also sheds light on the political, economic, and strategic motivations that shaped English expansion overseas.

Quinn?s scholarly editing provides context and clarity, making the sources accessible while preserving their original voices. The 1955 publication remains a foundational reference for the study of early English exploration and the enduring mystery of the Roanoke, or Lost Colony, expeditions.