Block, SkipCaptcha, Automoderated users, edit
4,575
edits
Changes
Paragraphs; add link to song
An interesting point can be made here: although perhaps up to 20 English were killed during the raids, mostly from small arms fire, not one Spaniard died . Drake was proud of this. His men made a lot of noise and there was a lot of shot and shouting but (the shot at least) was all over the heads of the defenders or aimed at the rigging of the ships attacked. Even when he heard off the[[Peru|Peruvian]] coast that 16 [[Protestant]]s (read Englishmen) had recently been burnt at the stake in [[Lima]] he refused to be unnecessarily violent .
An interesting point can be made here: although perhaps up to 20 English were killed during the raids, mostly from small arms fire, not one Spaniard died . Drake was proud of this. His men made a lot of noise and there was a lot of shot and shouting but (the shot at least) was all over the heads of the defenders or aimed at the rigging of the ships attacked. Even when he heard off the[[Peru|Peruvian]] coast that 16 [[Protestant]]s (read Englishmen) had recently been burnt at the stake in [[Lima]] he refused to be unnecessarily violent .
Drake chose to go home via the [[East Indies]], and across the [[Indian Ocean]]. Before he did, he went ashore at a place somewhere near modern [[San Francisco]], (probably Drake’s Bay) emptied the ship and cleaned and prepared it for the voyage ahead. He reached the Moluccas in about three months, struck a treaty of trade and mutual defence against the Portuguese with a local [[Islamic]] ruler, managed to find room for 6 tons of cloves (half of which, along with various armaments and other weighty non-bullion items he was forced to jettison when the Golden Hind lodged on a reef shortly after.)
Drake chose to go home via the [[East Indies]], and across the [[Indian Ocean]]. Before he did, he went ashore at a place somewhere near modern [[San Francisco]], (probably Drake’s Bay) emptied the ship and cleaned and prepared it for the voyage ahead. He reached the Moluccas in about three months, struck a treaty of trade and mutual defence against the Portuguese with a local [[Islamic]] ruler, managed to find room for 6 tons of cloves (half of which, along with various armaments and other weighty non-bullion items, he was forced to jettison when the Golden Hind lodged on a reef shortly after.)
He found his way through the interminable shoals and reefs of what is now [[Indonesia]] and into the Indian Ocean – the first English ship to sail on it. He admired the [[Cape of Good Hope]] as he passed it, and headed north for home. After watering in [[Sierra Leone]] he reached Plymouth in September 1580, 2 years and 9 months since he had departed.
He found his way through the interminable shoals and reefs of what is now [[Indonesia]] and into the Indian Ocean – the first English ship to sail on it. He admired the [[Cape of Good Hope]] as he passed it, and headed north for home. After watering in [[Sierra Leone]] he reached Plymouth in September 1580, 2 years and 9 months since he had departed.
In April 1581, at what these days would be called a glittering occasion, Drake was knighted – by the [[France|French]] envoy, a deliberate slight by the queen of the Spanish ambassador, Mendoza. She also wore new jewellery, made from stones and silver obviously taken from the Spanish in South and Central America. She had already argued with Mendoza, privately, about the legitimacy of Drake’s endeavours. Now she felt confident enough – as did the nation – to publically insult the envoy of the king of Spain and, through him, the king himself. Even the venue was a calculated insult – the deck of the Golden Hind. In effect, it was a declaration of war.
It is debated just how much value was contained in the Golden Hind. After Drake had been allowed by Elizabeth to remove a portion for himself and a similar portion to be split amongst the crew, and not allowing for the jewellery and artefacts given directly to the queen, it is generally agreed that the voyage made a profit to its backers of 47 Pounds for every Pound invested. Elizabeth’s share – about half – was sufficient to pay off the kingdom’s national debt with a fortune left over. This money was invested in the Levant Company, the profits of which would become the base capital of the [[East India Company]], which itself would become the main source of British mercantile power during the next two centuries. In the shorter term, it allowed England to afford its defence during the Spanish attacks culminating in the [[Spanish Armada]] of 1588.
In April 1581, at what these days would be called a glittering occasion, Drake was knighted – by the [[France|French]] envoy, a deliberate slight by the queen of the Spanish ambassador, Mendoza. She also wore new jewellery, made from stones and silver obviously taken from the Spanish in South and Central America. She had already argued with Mendoza, privately, about the legitimacy of Drake’s endeavours. Now she felt confident enough – as did the nation – to publicly insult the envoy of the King of Spain and, through him, [[Phillip II of Spain|Phillip II]] himself. Even the venue was a calculated insult – the deck of the Golden Hind. In effect, it was a declaration of war.
Drake had climbed some rungs up the social ladder. For a while he enjoyed the life of a country gentleman, bought an ex-[[Cistercian Order|Cistercian]] [[monastery]], within walking distance of his birthplace, accepted the revenue from manors given to him by the Queen, became mayor of Plymouth, even became a Member of Parliament. His wife of 12 years, Mary, died in 1582, and he remarried in 1585 – by all accounts a happy union.
Drake had climbed some rungs up the social ladder. For a while he enjoyed the life of a country gentleman, bought an ex-[[Cistercian Order|Cistercian]] [[monastery]], within walking distance of his birthplace, accepted the revenue from manors given to him by the Queen, became mayor of Plymouth, even became a Member of Parliament. His wife of 12 years, Mary, died in 1582, and he remarried in 1585 – by all accounts a happy union.
Two squadrons – a total of 27 ships – sailed from Plymouth for the West Indies in August 1595. The venture was ill-favoured from the start; a water-party was ambushed by locals in the Canaries and news of the fleet was rushed to the Indies. They lost one of their ships to the Spaniards off Guadeloupe. A major blow was the death of Sir John Hawkins off Puerto Rico. The town of San Juan in Puerto Rico was well prepared for their arrival and able to resist them. The weather turned against them, slowing their progress towards the Isthmus of Panama and dysentery had started to sweep the fleet. The attack on Panama was a disaster, capped shortly after by the death from dysentery of Drake himself on 27th January 1596.
Two squadrons – a total of 27 ships – sailed from Plymouth for the West Indies in August 1595. The venture was ill-favoured from the start; a water-party was ambushed by locals in the Canaries and news of the fleet was rushed to the Indies. They lost one of their ships to the Spaniards off Guadeloupe. A major blow was the death of Sir John Hawkins off Puerto Rico. The town of San Juan in Puerto Rico was well prepared for their arrival and able to resist them. The weather turned against them, slowing their progress towards the Isthmus of Panama and dysentery had started to sweep the fleet. The attack on Panama was a disaster, capped shortly after by the death from dysentery of Drake himself on 27th January 1596.
Drake was perhaps the greatest of the Elizabethan “sea-dogs” and the years have only increased his legendary status. He was certainly a superb leader of men, fearless in battle, a fine tactician and capable of confounding the enemy by the very daring of his actions. He was not as assured as a strategist however, and while loved by his men (and the yeoman folk of England) he could be disloyal to his fellow captains and was known to let greed get in the way of common purpose. The belief that “Drake defeated the Armada “ is completely wrong.
Drake was perhaps the greatest of the Elizabethan “sea-dogs” and the years have only increased his legendary status. He was certainly a superb leader of men, fearless in battle, a fine tactician and capable of confounding the enemy by the very daring of his actions. He was not as assured as a strategist however, and while loved by his men (and the yeoman folk of England) he could be disloyal to his fellow captains and was known to let greed get in the way of common purpose. The belief that “Drake defeated the Armada “ is completely wrong.
Lore has it that at the times of need Drake will return to confound the enemy if the drum that accompanied his circumnavigation and now resides in Buckland Abbey, the ex-monastery he bought on his return to Devon, is beaten. The last reports of it being heard were during the [[Dunkirk]] operation in 1940. The legend was put into poetry by Sir Henry Newbolt, and later set to music by [[Charles Villiers Stanford]].
Lore has it that at the times of need Drake will return to confound the enemy if the drum that accompanied his circumnavigation and now resides in Buckland Abbey, the ex-monastery he bought on his return to Devon, is beaten. The last reports of it being heard were during the [[Dunkirk]] operation in 1940. The legend was put into poetry by Sir Henry Newbolt, and later set to music by [[Charles Villiers Stanford]]. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcVPwR0JeXA]]
:Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand mile away,
:Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand mile away,