Lewis Stukley

Sir Lewis Stukley (b. 1574–d. 1620) lord of the manor of Affeton in Devon, was Vice-Admiral of Devonshire. He was guardian of Thomas Rolfe, and a main opponent of Walter Raleigh in his last days. Stucley's reputation is equivocal; popular opinion at the time idealised Raleigh, and to the public he was "Sir Judas" Stucley.

He was the eldest son of John Stucley (1551–1611) lord of the manor of Affeton in Devon, and his wife Frances St Leger, daughter of Sir John St Leger, (d.1596) of Annery in Devon, His grandfather Lewis Stucley (c.1530–1581) of Affeton was the eldest brother of Thomas Stucley (1520–1578), a mercenary leader who was killed fighting against the Moors at the Battle of Alcazar.

He was knighted by King James I when on his way to London in 1603. In April 1617 he was appointed guardian of Thomas Rolfe, the two-year-old son of John Rolfe and "Rebecca" (Pocahontas). He later transferred Thomas's wardship to John's brother, Henry Rolfe in Heacham.

In 1618 Stucley had purchased the political office of Vice-Admiral of Devonshire. In June of the same year he left London with verbal orders from the James I to deal with Sir Walter Raleigh when he arrived at Plymouth on his return from the 1617 Orinoco expedition. A royal proclamation of 9 June had stated that the British Privateer had broken the peace treaty between England and Spain. This had caused intense diplomatic embarrassment for King James; Stucley may have understood the king's intention to be that Raleigh should flee the country, but in any case his approach was relaxed for a number of weeks.

Stucley had a public notary board Raleigh's ship the Destiny in port. Then on the basis of a letter from the Lord High Admiral, Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, dated 12 June, Stucley had the written authority to arrest Raleigh. He met Raleigh at Ashburton, and accompanied him back to Plymouth. While Stucley was waiting for further orders, Raleigh attempted to escape to France; but returned to his arrest. Stucley sold off the Destiny's cargo of tobacco.

Stucley had been told to make the journey easy for Raleigh, and show respect for his poor health. Setting off in earnest from the Plymouth area, from John Drake's house some way to the east and joining the Fosse Way near Musbury, on 25 July, Stucley's party escorted Raleigh. The events that followed were later much discussed. Raleigh traveled with his wife and son. One of Stucley's entourage was a French physician, Guillaume Manoury. They went via Sherborne, met Sir John Digby, and stayed with Edward Parham at Poyntington. They reached Salisbury on the 27th, haste now prompted by an official reproach.

At Salisbury the journey halted for a time. Manoury connived at a sickness Raleigh alleged, and Raleigh used the break in the journey to prepare some defense. The king was there, on a summer progress, and Raleigh used several devices to play for time, composing a state paper in justification of his expedition. At this point Stucley refused a bribe which Raleigh offered him. On 1 August they moved on.

By the time the party reached Andover, Stucley was aware that Raleigh intended to escape, and kept a better guard on him. He also countered Raleigh's attempts to corrupt him with duplicity, pretending to be swayed. In London on 7 August, Raleigh was for a short time a prisoner at large, lodging at his wife's house in Broad Street; he used the excuse of illness to argue for this lenient treatment, and was granted five days to regain his health. A chance contact in a Brentford inn with a French official gave him hope.