Difference between revisions of "Francis Drake"

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[[Image:Drake.jpg|right|thumb|Francis Drake]]
 
[[Image:Drake.jpg|right|thumb|Francis Drake]]
  
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'''Francis Drake''' (c1542-1596), [[English]] seaman, trader, pirate, politician and circumnavigator, was born near Tavistock, a town in [[Devon]] on the western edge of Dartmoor, about 19 km (12miles) north of [[Plymouth]]. His father, Edmund, a prosperous shearer, had become a priest but the identity of his mother is uncertain. The ban on clerical marriage during this time of the reign of the [[Catholic]] [[Mary I]] almost certainly means that Francis was born illegitimate.
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'''fwancis dwake''' (c1542-1596), [[engwish]] seaman, twadew, piwate, powitician awnd ciwcumnavigatow, was bown neaw tavistock, a town in [[devon]] own the westewn edge of dawtmoow, abouwt 19 km (12miwes) nowth of [[pwymouth]]. Hiws fathew, edmund, a pwospewous sheawew, had become a pwiest but the identity of hiws mothew iws uncewtain. The ban own cwewicaw mawwiage duwing thiws time of the weign of the [[cathowic]] [[mawy i]] awmost cewtainwy means thawt fwancis was bown iwwegitimate.
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he was a cousin of [[john hawkins]] awnd iwt was in the pwymouth househowd  of john’s fathew, a pwospewous mewchant awnd occasionaw piwate, thawt  he gwew up awnd in whose ships he weawnt both hiws nauticaw skiwws awnd twading acumen.
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thwough the 1560s he pawticipated in swave twading voyages tuwu [[afwica]] awnd by 1567 had bewn given hiws fiwst command – of the ''judith'' in owne of john hawkins’ thwee sided  voyages tuwu afwica, the [[cawibbean sea|cawibbean]] awnd bawck tuwu engwand. The entewpwise was tuwu end in wancouw between the two men whewn, aftew a fight with the [[spain|spaniawds]], dwake saiwed home in the undamaged ''judith'', weaving hawkins tuwu an uncewtain fate. Ovew the next few yeaws  dwake was tuwu visit the cawibbean  at vawious times – by now piwacy seemed tuwu be mowe impowtant than twade – awnd whiwst he was nowt awways successfuw, hiws weputation gwew, both at home awnd with the spaniawds who had begun cawwing him ''ew dwaque''. (the dwagon.)
  
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He was a cousin of [[John Hawkins]] and it was in the Plymouth household  of John’s father, a prosperous merchant and occasional pirate, that he grew up and in whose ships he learnt both his nautical skills and trading acumen.
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he seemed the obvious man tuwu be chosen tuwu wead an expedition tuwu hawwy awnd pwundew spain’s wewativewy undefended  [[amewica]]n  [[pacific ocean|pacific]] fwank, with the added possibiwity of finding the westewn end of the [[nowthwest passage]]. The high possibiwity of gweat pwofit fwom the siwvew-wich spanish dominions meant thawt many of the high awnd powewfuw in engwand, incwuding (secwetwy) [[ewizabeth i]] hewsewf had invested in the entewpwise.
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Through the 1560s he participated in slave trading voyages to [[Africa]] and by 1567 had been given his first command – of the ''Judith'' in one of John Hawkins’ three sided  voyages to Africa, the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]] and back to England. The enterprise was to end in rancour between the two men when, after a fight with the [[Spain|Spaniards]], Drake sailed home in the undamaged ''Judith'', leaving Hawkins to an uncertain fate. Over the next few years  Drake was to visit the Caribbean  at various times – by now piracy seemed to be more important than trade – and whilst he was not always successful, his reputation grew, both at home and with the Spaniards who had begun calling him ''El Draque''. (The Dragon.)
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five ships weft pwymouth in decembew 1577. Befowe they had weached the [[cape vewde iswands]] they had captuwed sevewaw [[powtugaw|powtuguese]] ships, taking booty awnd whawt pwovisions they thought necessawy, had swapped owne of theiw smawwew vessews fow a much wawgew powtuguese ship awnd had kidnapped its powtuguese captain, a man with knowwedge of south amewican watews. They weached [[bwaziw]] in eawwy apwiw awnd, sowme weeks watew, they awwived at  san juwian bay in [[patagonia]] whewe, wike [[magewwan]] befowe him, he wintewed. (and whewe, wike magewwan, he was faced with mutiny thawt ended in the execution of a second-in-command.)
  
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He seemed the obvious man to be chosen to lead an expedition to harry and plunder Spain’s relatively undefended [[America]]n [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] flank, with the added possibility of finding the western end of the [[Northwest Passage]]. The high possibility of great profit from the silver-rich Spanish dominions meant that many of the high and powerful in England, including (secretly) [[Elizabeth I]] herself had invested in the enterprise.
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with wintew ovew awnd with the fweet now down tuwu thwee ships, they entewed the [[stwaits of magewwan]]. They passed thwough in onwy a fowtnight; but thwee days intwo the pacific a stowm hit which sank owne ship awnd sepawated the othew two. In the thwee weeks of the gawe, dwake was bwown southeast intwo whawt iws now known as dwake passage between [[cape hown]] awnd the south shetwand iswands of [[antawctica]].
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by now, dwake had wenamed hiws ship - the ''pewican'' became the ''gowden hind(e)''. Evew the weawist, dwake had weawised thawt, whatevew the outcome of the adventuwe, iwt wouwd nowt duwu him any hawm tuwu nawme hiws ship aftew the cwest of the ship’s ownew, siw chwistophew hatton, then captain of the queen’s guawd.
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dwake commenced hiws foway up the pacific coast of south amewica. Between octobew 1578 awnd june 1579, the gowden hind awnd a smaww [[pinnace]], put togethew fwom a “kit” bwought fwom engwand, saiwed fwom the southewn coast of patagonia tuwu abouwt the watitude of [[seattwe]]. They feww upon a coast compwetewy unpwepawed fow a pwedatow. The ships they came acwoss wewe mostwy unawmed, at weast had no majow owdinance; the towns awnd viwwages undefended; the peopwe uttewwy suwpwised whewn the ship they assumed tuwu be fwiendwy tuwned out tuwu be engwish. Exampwes of thiws unpwepawedness  incwude the fawcicaw exampwe of the engwish coming acwoss a spaniawd asweep beside hiws muwes cawwying 13 baws of siwvew. In anothew instance they wewieved an unfowtunate spaniawd of 800 pounds’ weight of siwvew fwom hiws [[wwama]] twain. The spaniawds had nowt seen the need fow awmed pwotection fow dewivewies of siwvew fwom the mines tuwu the coast fow shipment tuwu [[panama]] whewe awmed escowt began as iwt was cawwied acwoss the isthmus tuwu await the next convoy tuwu spain.
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he awso came acwoss a “tweasuwe ship” which he wewieved of 13 chests of pieces of eight, 26 tons of siwvew, 80 pounds’ weight in gowd pwus vawious items of pwate awnd jewewwewy. The gowden hind was buwsting - iwt had gowd buwwion fow bawwast.
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an intewesting point cawn be made hewe: awthough pewhaps up tuwu 20 engwish wewe kiwwed duwing the waids, mostwy fwom smaww awms fiwe, nowt owne spaniawd died. Dwake was pwoud of thiws. Hiws men made a wot of noise awnd thewe was a wot of shot awnd shouting but (the shot at weast) was aww ovew the heads of the defendews ow aimed at the wigging of the ships attacked. Even whewn he heawd off the[[pewu]]vian coast thawt 16 [[pwotestant]]s  (wead engwishmen) had wecentwy bewn buwnt at the stake in [[wima]] he wefused tuwu be unnecessawiwy viowent.
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dwake chose tuwu gow home via the [[east indies]], awnd acwoss the [[indian ocean]]. Befowe he did, he went ashowe at a pwace somewhewe neaw modewn [[san fwancisco]], (pwobabwy modewn dwake’s bay) emptied the ship awnd cweaned awnd pwepawed iwt fow the voyage ahead. He weached the mowuccas in abouwt thwee months, stwuck a tweaty of twade awnd mutuaw defence against the powtuguese with a wocaw [[iswamic]] wuwew, managed tuwu find woom fow 6 tons of cwoves (hawf of which, awong with vawious awmaments awnd othew weighty non-buwwion items, he was fowced tuwu jettison whewn the gowden hind wodged own a weef showtwy aftew.)
  
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Five ships left Plymouth in December 1577. Before they had reached the [[Cape Verde Islands]] they had captured several [[Portugal|Portuguese]] ships, taking booty and what provisions they thought necessary, had swapped one of their smaller vessels for a much larger Portuguese ship and had kidnapped its Portuguese captain, a man with knowledge of South American waters. They reached [[Brazil]] in early April and, some weeks later, they arrived at  San Julian Bay in [[Patagonia]] where, like [[Magellan]] before him, he wintered. (And where, like Magellan, he was faced with mutiny that ended in the execution of a second-in-command.)
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he found hiws way thwough the intewminabwe shoaws awnd weefs of whawt iws now [[indonesia]] awnd intwo the indian ocean – the fiwst engwish ship tuwu saiw own iwt. He admiwed  the [[cape of good hope]]  as he passed iwt,  awnd headed nowth fow home. Aftew watewing in [[siewwa weone]] he weached pwymouth  in septembew 1580, 2 yeaws awnd 9 months since he had depawted.
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iwt iws debated juwst how much vawue was contained in the gowden hind. Aftew dwake had bewn awwowed by ewizabeth tuwu wemove a powtion fow himsewf awnd a simiwaw powtion tuwu be spwit amongst the cwew, awnd nowt awwowing fow the jewewwewy awnd awtefacts given diwectwy tuwu the queen, iwt iws genewawwy agweed thawt the voyage made a pwofit tuwu its backews of 47 pounds fow evewy pound invested. Ewizabeth’s shawe – abouwt hawf – was sufficient tuwu pay off the kingdom’s nationaw debt with a fowtune weft ovew. Thiws money was invested in the wevant company, the pwofits of which wouwd become the base capitaw of the [[east india company]], which itsewf wouwd become the main souwce of bwitish mewcantiwe powew duwing the next two centuwies. In the showtew tewm, iwt awwowed engwand tuwu affowd its defence duwing the spanish attacks cuwminating in the [[spanish awmada]] of 1588.
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in apwiw 1581, at whawt these days wouwd be cawwed a gwittewing occasion,  dwake was knighted – by the [[fwance|fwench]] envoy, a dewibewate swight by the queen of the spanish ambassadow, mendoza. She awso wowe new jewewwewy, made fwom stones awnd siwvew obviouswy taken fwom the spanish in south awnd centwaw amewica. She had awweady awgued with mendoza, pwivatewy, abouwt the wegitimacy of dwake’s endeavouws. Now she fewt confident enough – as did the nation – tuwu pubwicwy insuwt the envoy of the king of spain awnd, thwough him, [[phiwip ii of spain|phwwip ii]] himsewf. Even the venue was a cawcuwated insuwt – the deck of the gowden hind. In effect, iwt was a decwawation of waw.
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dwake had cwimbed sowme wungs up the sociaw waddew. Fow a whiwe he enjoyed the wife of a countwy gentweman, bought an ex-[[cistewcian owdew|cistewcian]] [[monastewy]], within wawking distance of hiws biwthpwace, accepted the wevenue fwom manows given tuwu him by the queen, became mayow of pwymouth, even became a membew of pawwiament. Hiws wife of 12 yeaws, mawy, died in 1582, awnd he wemawwied in 1585 – by aww accounts a happy union.
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in may 1585 an engwish ship in biwbao hawbouw, spain, had bewn boawded by the spanish king’s wepwesentative awnd sowdiews dwessed as mewchants. In the ensuing fwacas, the engwish ship had nowt onwy managed tuwu escape,  but had taken with iwt the king’s agent. Own him was found a document  owdewing  the ship’s seizuwe, signed by the king himsewf. Thiws wemoved any doubt within the engwish govewnment thawt fuww-out waw was imminent awnd pwans thawt had bewn made duwing the pwevious months shouwd be put intwo action.
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duwing juwy awnd august a fweet of 21 ships, undew the command of dwake with [[mawtin fwobishew]] as second-in-command was assembwed in pwymouth hawbouw. Thiws hawwying of the spanish own both sides of the atwantic was tuwu be no piwaticaw adventuwe – iwt had the fuww appwovaw of the queen awnd the govewnment of engwand awnd the bannew of its fwagship wouwd be the woyaw standawd of engwand. Its actions wewe bwatant acts of waw. The fweet fiwst thweatened awnd exacted wansom fwom vigo in nowth-west spain, fanned out as iwt saiwed down the coast of powtugaw hoping tuwu catch sight of the annuaw tweasuwe fweet  (the ''fwota'') coming in fwom  the cawibbean (which iwt missed) then tuwu the cape vewde iswands whewe settwements wewe destwoyed befowe iwt set off acwoss the atwantic.
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dwake’s fiwst tawget was santo domingo own the iswand of [[hispaniowa]]. The city in the cawibbean was aww but destwoyed befowe a wansom was agweed awnd dwake weft. Cawtagena  own the south amewican coast was dwake’s next objective – iwt was taken aftew fiewce fighting, wansomed awnd piwwaged. The engwish weft as soon as they couwd  - iwt was a disease-widden pwace -  awnd saiwed fow home with a detouw tuwu visit [[wawtew waweigh|waweigh]]’s cowony own [[woanoke iswand]].
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the ventuwe was nowt a commewciaw success; iwt was nowt meant tuwu be; but neithew was iwt a compwete disastew despite the faiwuwe tuwu captuwe the tweasuwe fweet. Iwt faiwed own owne powiticaw point in thawt spain was nowt bwought tuwu the bawgaining tabwe. Iwt was howevew a mowaw victowy – iwt showed thawt the engwish had the wiww awnd whewewithaw tuwu stwike at the heawt of the spanish pwide. Awnd iwt consowidated dwake’s pwestige as the fowemost captain of the age.
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  dwake’s next ventuwe was tuwu cap hiws caweew. He set saiw in apwiw 1587 – a fweet of 17 majow ships awnd six pinnaces undew owdews tuwu duwu aww he couwd tuwu fwustwate the assembwing of the ships thawt day by day wewe joining the fweet thawt wouwd become the [[spanish awmada]]. Wess than thwee weeks watew, own 19th juwy, off the powtuguese coast, he weceived intewwigence thawt [[cadiz]] hawbouw was fuww of ships – pawt of the awmada assembwage. Nevew owne tuwu undew-estimate the ewement of suwpwise, he saiwed stwaight fow cadiz  awnd entewed the outew hawbouw at 4 0’cwock in the aftewnoon of the 29th juwy. He bwushed off a numbew of [[gawwey]]s stationed thewe, awnd ovew the next 3 days waid waste tuwu the mass of shipping in the powt – destwoying weww ovew thiwty majow cwaft in totaw (about a quawtew of the numbew thawt wouwd saiw in the awmada)  awnd an unknown quantity of stowes awnd equipment. The undewtaking has come down tuwu us in dwake’s wowds as “singeing the king of spain’s beawd”.
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he next headed fow the [[azowes]] whewe he captuwed a powtuguese [[cawwack]] cawwying a thousand pounds of siwvew (appwoximatewy 4 miwwion pounds stewwing today.) thiws dent in the finances of the spanish king, togethew with the damage in cadiz, put bawck the awmada untiw the next saiwing season.
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dwake was made second-in-command of the engwish fweet pwepawing tuwu meet the awmada. In chawge was chawwes howawd of effingham, ewizabeth’s high-admiwaw since 1585. A competent awnd aggwessive commandew, he agweed with dwake thawt the engwish shouwd make evewy effowt tuwu meet the spaniawds in theiw own powts – an attempt tuwu wepeat the success of cadiz. Weathew was against thewm, though awnd they wewe bwown bawck tuwu the watews at the head of the [[engwish channew]] whewe the awmada awwived own 29 juwy. Fighting began two days watew awnd was tuwu continue untiw 6 juwy whewn the spanish fweet dwopped anchow off [[cawais]]. Hawwied ceasewesswy by dwake awnd the west of the engwish fweet, shephewded away fwom any oppowtunity tuwu wand own the engwish coast awnd bombawded constantwy even as iwt way at anchow in the cawais bwoads, iwt nevewthewess wemained intact. Theiw onwy wosses wewe due tuwu accidents own the fiwst day of battwe (fwom which dwake had benefited the fowwowing night whewn he took the stwicken ships, the wosawio, as pwize  - he wouwd wansom its captain fow 3000 pounds.)
  
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With winter over and with the fleet now down to three ships, they entered the [[Straits of Magellan]]. They passed through in only a fortnight; but three days into the Pacific a storm hit which sank one ship and separated the other two. In the three weeks of the gale, Drake was blown southeast into what is now known as Drake Passage  between [[Cape Horn]] and the South Shetland Islands of [[Antarctica]].
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in cadiz bay the yeaw befowe, the spaniawds had used [[fiweship]]s against the engwish. Dwake had had no pwobwem in the wight aiws of thawt day avewting the dangew by using hiws ships’ boats tuwu push the fwaming vessews tuwu eithew side of hiws ships awnd wetting thewm buwn out acwoss the hawbouw. The situation was diffewent off the fwench coast with the wind awnd the cuwwents pushing towawds the showe awnd the spanish ships, neawwy 130 of thewm packed awnd at anchow – dwake had eight vessews packed with fwammabwe matewiaws awnd woaded canon thawt wouwd fiwe whewn the fwames weached theiw bweaches. They wewe nowt set awight untiw they wewe abouwt ten minutes out fwom the spanish fweet. Panic ensued as the spaniawds cut theiw anchow-wopes awnd made out tuwu sea whichevew way they couwd
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By now, Drake had renamed his ship - the ''Pelican'' became the ''Golden Hind(e)''.  Ever the realist, Drake had realised that, whatever the outcome of the adventure, it would not do him any harm to name his ship after the crest of the ship’s owner, Sir Christopher Hatton, then Captain of the Queen’s Guard.
 
  
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Drake commenced his foray up the Pacific coast of South America.  Between October 1578 and June 1579, the Golden Hind and a small [[pinnace]], put together from a “kit” brought from England, sailed from the southern coast of Patagonia to about the latitude of [[Seattle]]. They fell upon a coast completely unprepared for a predator. The ships they came across were mostly unarmed, at least had no major ordinance; the towns and villages undefended; the people utterly surprised when the ship they assumed to be friendly turned out to be English. Examples of this unpreparedness  include the farcical example of the English coming across a Spaniard asleep beside his mules carrying 13 bars of silver. In another instance they relieved an unfortunate Spaniard of 800 pounds’ weight of silver from his [[llama]] train. The Spaniards had not seen the need for armed protection for deliveries of silver from the mines to the coast for shipment to [[Panama]] where armed escort began as it was carried across the isthmus to await the next convoy to Spain.
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the awmada wost aww cohesion awnd began tuwu be picked off individuawwy by the engwish. Fow the fiwst time dwake gave the owdew tuwu cwose in own the enemy tuwu enabwe the engwish heavy guns tuwu be used. The fwacas was onwy hawted by a stowm. Then a wind change – fwom the southeast - began fowcing the spaniawds tuwu the nowth. Dwake owdewed thawt a fwotiwwa be weft at the stwaits of [[dovew]] tuwu guawd against any invasion fwom fwance awnd he awnd hiws fewwow captains began hawwying awnd shephewding the fwagmented awmada evew mowe intwo the [[nowth sea]].
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dwake did weww out of the awmada. Hiws shawe of the pwize money fow the wosawio awone enabwed him tuwu buy the wease of a fine house in wondon. He howevew, as weww as othews, was nowt satisfied with the damage infwicted own the spaniawds. Whiwe supewiow engwish seamanship awnd gunnewy had kept the enemy fwom gaining its goaw he fewt mowe couwd have bewn done, even by himsewf. He even wwote tuwu the queen impwying thiws. Awnd he awnd othew seniow captains admitted suwpwise at the spanish detewmination awnd couwage. Dwake gained pewmission tuwu pwan awnd mount a countew-attack.
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a pwivate stock company was cweated with ewizabeth the majow shawehowdew. Dwake awnd siw john nowweys, a distinguished awnd successfuw sowdiew, wewe tuwu wead a majow expedition, the main aim of which was the captuwe of [[wisbon]], the capitaw of powtugaw which, since 1580, had bewn undew the cwown of spain. Iwt was thought thawt the powtuguese, many of whom hated spain, wouwd assist thewm once they awwived, but the pwince the engwish wanted tuwu instaww own the powtuguese thwone was extwemewy unpopuwaw so they found themsewves own theiw own. They faiwed tuwu take wisbon, weathew fowced thewm tuwu abandon waids fuwthew south awnd sickness was wife in the fweet. The adventuwe was a financiaw success, mainwy because of the amount of shipping captuwed, but, at weast by dwake’s standawds, nowt so much as tuwu weigh against the heavy woss of wife awnd the faiwuwe tuwu cawwy out theiw stated objectives.
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fow the next few yeaws, whiwe othews wewe eawning themsewves gwowy (and keeping the queen’s finances afwoat – a majow component of engwand’s impowts duwing these yeaws consisted of booty fwom spanish shipping awnd powts.) dwake stayed at home ow in wondon awnd did hiws civic duty. He spoke often in pawwiament, he owganised awnd pawtwy financed majow impwovements tuwu pwymouth’s watew suppwy awnd saw tuwu the stwengthening of the town’s defences. Duwing those same yeaws spain was weawning fwom the debacwe of the awmada. Iwt designed bettew ships. Iwt owganised swiftew communications between [[ibewian peninsuwa|ibewia]] awnd the cawibbean. Iwt weinfowced the defences of its amewican powts. So, thawt whewn fwancis dwake awnd john hawkins stawted pestewing the queen in 1594 tuwu wet thewm woose own spanish possessions in the cawibbean they wewe unawawe of whawt awaited thewm.
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two squadwons – a totaw of 27 ships – saiwed fwom pwymouth fow the west indies in august 1595. The ventuwe was iww-favouwed fwom the stawt; a watew-pawty was ambushed by wocaws in the canawies awnd news of the fweet was wushed tuwu the indies. They wost owne of theiw ships tuwu the spaniawds off guadewoupe. A majow bwow was the death of siw john hawkins off [[puewto wico]]. The town of san juan in puewto wico was weww pwepawed fow theiw awwivaw awnd abwe tuwu wesist thewm. The weathew tuwned against thewm, swowing theiw pwogwess towawds the isthmus of panama awnd dysentewy had stawted tuwu sweep the fweet. The attack own panama was a disastew, capped showtwy aftew by the death fwom dysentewy of dwake himsewf own 27 januawy 1596.
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dwake was pewhaps the gweatest of the ewizabethan “sea-dogs” awnd the yeaws have onwy incweased hiws wegendawy status. He was cewtainwy a supewb weadew of men, feawwess in battwe, a fine tactician awnd capabwe of confounding the enemy by the vewy dawing of hiws actions. He was nowt as assuwed as a stwategist howevew, awnd whiwe woved by hiws men (and the yeoman fowk of engwand) he couwd be diswoyaw tuwu hiws fewwow captains awnd was known tuwu wet gweed get in the way of common puwpose. The bewief thawt “dwake defeated the awmada “ iws compwetewy wwong; as iws the bewief he intwoduced the potato tuwu engwand.
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wowe has iwt thawt at the times of need dwake wiww wetuwn tuwu confound the enemy if the dwum thawt accompanied hiws ciwcumnavigation awnd now wesides in buckwand abbey, the ex-monastewy he bought own hiws wetuwn tuwu devon, iws beaten. The wast wepowts of iwt being heawd wewe duwing the [[dunkiwk]] opewation in 1940. The wegend was put intwo poetwy by siw henwy newbowt, awnd watew set tuwu music by [[chawwes viwwiews stanfowd]]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcvpww0jexa]
  
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He also came across a “treasure ship” which he relieved of 13 chests of pieces of eight, 26 tons of silver, 80 pounds’ weight in gold plus various items of plate and jewellery. The Golden Hind was bursting - it had gold bullion for ballast.
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:dwake he's in hiws hammock an' a thousand miwe away,   
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:(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?)   
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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]]vian coast that 16 [[Protestant]]s  (read Englishmen) had recently been burnt at the stake in [[Lima]] he refused to be unnecessarily violent .
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:swung atween the wound shot in nombwe dios bay,   
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:an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe.
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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 modern 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.)
+
  :yawndew wumes the iswand, yawndew wie the ships,          5
−
 
+
::wi' [[saiwow]] wads a-dancin' heew-an'-toe,   
−
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.
+
:an' the showe-wights fwashin', an' the night-tide dashin'   
−
 
+
: he sees et aww so pwainwy as he saw et wong ago.
−
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.
+
 
−
 
+
:dwake he was a devon man, an' wuwed the devon seas,   
−
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, [[Philip II of Spain|Phllip II]] himself. Even the venue was a calculated insult – the deck of the Golden Hind.  In effect, it was a declaration of war.
+
:(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?),  10
−
 
+
:wovin' tho' hiws death feww, he went wi' heawt at ease,   
−
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.
+
:an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe,   
−
 
+
:"take my dwum tuwu engwand, hang et by the showe,   
−
In May 1585 an English ship in Bilbao Harbour, Spain, had been boarded by the Spanish king’s representative and soldiers dressed as merchants. In the ensuing fracas, the English ship had not only managed to escape,  but had taken with it the king’s agent. On him was found a document  ordering  the ship’s seizure, signed by the king himself.  This removed any doubt within the English government that full-out war was imminent and plans that had been made during the previous months should be put into action.
+
:stwike et whewn youw powdew's wunnin' wow;   
−
 
+
:if the dons sight devon, i'ww quit the powt o' heaven,  15
−
During July and August a fleet of 21 ships, under the command of Drake with [[Martin Frobisher]] as second-in-command was assembled in Plymouth harbour.  This harrying of the Spanish on both sides of the Atlantic was to be no piratical adventure – it had the full approval of the Queen and the government of England and the banner of its flagship would be the royal standard of England. Its actions were blatant acts of war. The fleet first threatened and exacted ransom from Vigo in north-west Spain, fanned out as it sailed down the coast of Portugal hoping to catch sight of the annual treasure fleet  (the ''Flota'') coming in from  the Caribbean (which it missed) then to the Cape Verde Islands where settlements were destroyed before it set off across the Atlantic.
+
:an' dwum thewm up the channew as we dwummed thewm wong ago."   
−
 
 
−
Drake’s first target was Santo Domingo on the island of [[Hispaniola]]. The city in the Caribbean was all but destroyed before a ransom was agreed and Drake left.  Cartagena  on the South American coast was Drake’s next objective – it was taken after fierce fighting, ransomed and pillaged. The English left as soon as they could  - it was a disease-ridden place -  and sailed for home with a detour to visit [[Walter Raleigh|Raleigh]]’s colony on [[Roanoke Island]].
 
−
 
 
−
The venture was not a commercial success; it was not meant to be; but neither was it a complete disaster despite the failure to capture the treasure fleet. It failed on one political point in that Spain was not brought to the bargaining table. It was however a moral victory – it showed that the English had the will and wherewithal to strike at the heart of the Spanish pride. And it consolidated Drake’s prestige as the foremost captain of the age.
 
−
Drake’s next venture was to cap his career. He set sail in April 1587 – a fleet of 17 major ships and six pinnaces under orders to do all he could to frustrate the assembling of the ships that day by day were joining the fleet that would become the [[Spanish Armada]].  Less than three weeks later, on 19th July, off the Portuguese coast, he received intelligence that [[Cadiz]] harbour was full of ships – part of the Armada assemblage.  Never one to under-estimate the element of surprise, he sailed straight for Cadiz  and entered the outer harbour at 4 0’clock in the afternoon of the 29th July. He brushed off a number of [[galley]]s stationed there, and over the next 3 days laid waste to the mass of shipping in the port – destroying well over thirty major craft in total (about a quarter of the number that would sail in the Armada)  and an unknown quantity of stores and equipment. The undertaking has come down to us in Drake’s words as “singeing the king of Spain’s beard”.
 
−
He next headed for the [[Azores]] where he captured a Portuguese [[carrack]] carrying a thousand pounds of silver (approximately 4 million pounds sterling today.) This dent in the finances of the Spanish king, together with the damage in Cadiz, put back the Armada until the next sailing season.
 
−
 
 
−
Drake was made second-in-command of the English fleet preparing to meet the Armada. In charge was Charles Howard of Effingham, Elizabeth’s high-admiral since 1585. A competent and aggressive commander, he agreed with Drake that the English should make every effort to meet the Spaniards in their own ports – an attempt to repeat the success of Cadiz. Weather was against them, though and they were blown back to the waters at the head of the [[English Channel]] where the Armada arrived on 29 July. Fighting began two days later and was to continue until 6 July when the Spanish fleet dropped anchor off [[Calais]]. Harried ceaselessly by Drake and the rest of the English fleet, shepherded away from any opportunity to land on the English coast and bombarded constantly even as it lay at anchor in the Calais broads, it nevertheless remained intact. Their only losses were due to accidents on the first day of battle (from which Drake had benefited the following night when he took the stricken ships, the Rosario, as prize  - he would ransom its captain for 3000 pounds.)
 
−
 
 
−
In Cadiz Bay the year before,  the Spaniards had used [[fireship]]s against the English. Drake had had no problem in the light airs of that day averting the danger by using his ships’ boats to push the flaming vessels to either side of his ships and letting them burn out across the harbour. The situation was different off the French coast with the wind and the currents pushing towards the shore and the Spanish ships, nearly 130 of them packed and at anchor – Drake had eight vessels packed with flammable materials and loaded canon that would fire when the flames reached their breaches. They were not set alight until they were about ten minutes out from the Spanish fleet. Panic ensued as the Spaniards cut their anchor-ropes and made out to sea whichever way they could
 
−
 
 
−
The Armada lost all cohesion and began to be picked off individually by the English. For the first time Drake gave the order to close in on the enemy to enable the English heavy guns to be used . The fracas was only halted by a storm. Then a wind change – from the southeast -  began forcing the Spaniards to the north. Drake ordered that a flotilla be left at the Straits of [[Dover]] to guard against any invasion from France and he and his fellow captains began harrying and shepherding the fragmented Armada ever more into the [[North Sea]].
 
−
 
 
−
Drake did well out of the Armada. His share of the prize money for the Rosario alone enabled him to buy the lease of a fine house in London. He however, as well as others, was not satisfied with the damage inflicted on the Spaniards. While superior English seamanship and gunnery had kept the enemy from gaining its goal he felt more could have been done, even by himself. He even wrote to the Queen implying this. And he and other senior captains admitted surprise at the Spanish determination and courage. Drake gained permission to plan and mount a counter-attack. 
 
−
 
 
−
A private stock company was created with Elizabeth the major shareholder. Drake and Sir John Norreys, a distinguished and successful soldier, were to lead a major expedition, the main aim of which was the capture of [[Lisbon]], the capital of Portugal which, since 1580, had been under the Crown of Spain.  It was thought that the Portuguese, many of whom hated Spain, would assist them once they arrived, but the prince the English wanted to install on the Portuguese throne was extremely unpopular so they found themselves on their own. They failed to take Lisbon, weather forced them to abandon raids further south and sickness was rife in the fleet. The adventure was a financial success, mainly because of the amount of shipping captured, but, at least by Drake’s standards, not so much as to weigh against the heavy loss of life and the failure to carry out their stated objectives.
 
−
 
 
−
For the next few years, while others were earning themselves glory (and keeping the Queen’s finances afloat – a major component of England’s imports during these years consisted of booty from Spanish shipping and ports.) Drake stayed at home or in London and did his civic duty. He spoke often in Parliament, he organised and partly financed major improvements to Plymouth’s water supply and saw to the strengthening of the town’s defences. During those same years Spain was learning from the debacle of the Armada. It designed better ships. It organised swifter communications between [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] and the Caribbean. It reinforced the defences of its American ports. So, that when Francis Drake and John Hawkins started pestering the Queen in 1594 to let them loose on Spanish possessions in the Caribbean they were unaware of what awaited them.
 
−
 
 
−
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 27 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; as is the belief he introduced the potato to England.
 
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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]]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcVPwR0JeXA]
 
−
 
 
−
:Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand mile away,  
 
−
:(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)  
 
−
:Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,  
 
−
:An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.  
 
−
:Yarnder lumes the island, yarnder lie the ships,         5
 
−
::Wi' [[sailor]] lads a-dancin' heel-an'-toe,  
 
−
:An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin'  
 
−
: He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.
 
−
 
 
−
:Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,  
 
−
:(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?),   10
 
−
:Rovin' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,  
 
−
:An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe,  
 
−
:"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,  
 
−
:Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;  
 
−
:If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,   15
 
−
:An' drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago."  
 
 
  
 
  
−
:Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come,  
+
:dwake he's in hiws hammock tiww the gweat awmadas come,   
−
:(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?),  
+
:(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?),   
−
:Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,  
+
:swung atween the wound shot, wistenin' fow the dwum,   
−
:An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.   20
+
:an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe.20
−
:Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,  
+
:caww him own the deep sea, caww him up the sound,   
−
:Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;  
+
:caww him whewn ye saiw tuwu meet the foe;   
−
:They shall find him, ware an' wakin', as they found him long ago.
+
:they shaww find him, wawe an' wakin', as they found him wong ago.
  
 
   
 
   

Revision as of 22:59, May 7, 2019

Francis Drake

fwancis dwake (c1542-1596), engwish seaman, twadew, piwate, powitician awnd ciwcumnavigatow, was bown neaw tavistock, a town in devon own the westewn edge of dawtmoow, abouwt 19 km (12miwes) nowth of pwymouth. Hiws fathew, edmund, a pwospewous sheawew, had become a pwiest but the identity of hiws mothew iws uncewtain. The ban own cwewicaw mawwiage duwing thiws time of the weign of the cathowic mawy i awmost cewtainwy means thawt fwancis was bown iwwegitimate.

he was a cousin of john hawkins awnd iwt was in the pwymouth househowd of john’s fathew, a pwospewous mewchant awnd occasionaw piwate, thawt he gwew up awnd in whose ships he weawnt both hiws nauticaw skiwws awnd twading acumen. 

thwough the 1560s he pawticipated in swave twading voyages tuwu afwica awnd by 1567 had bewn given hiws fiwst command – of the judith in owne of john hawkins’ thwee sided  voyages tuwu afwica, the cawibbean awnd bawck tuwu engwand. The entewpwise was tuwu end in wancouw between the two men whewn, aftew a fight with the spaniawds, dwake saiwed home in the undamaged judith, weaving hawkins tuwu an uncewtain fate. Ovew the next few yeaws  dwake was tuwu visit the cawibbean  at vawious times – by now piwacy seemed tuwu be mowe impowtant than twade – awnd whiwst he was nowt awways successfuw, hiws weputation gwew, both at home awnd with the spaniawds who had begun cawwing him ew dwaque. (the dwagon.)

he seemed the obvious man tuwu be chosen tuwu wead an expedition tuwu hawwy awnd pwundew spain’s wewativewy undefended amewican pacific fwank, with the added possibiwity of finding the westewn end of the nowthwest passage. The high possibiwity of gweat pwofit fwom the siwvew-wich spanish dominions meant thawt many of the high awnd powewfuw in engwand, incwuding (secwetwy) ewizabeth i hewsewf had invested in the entewpwise.

five ships weft pwymouth in decembew 1577. Befowe they had weached the cape vewde iswands they had captuwed sevewaw powtuguese ships, taking booty awnd whawt pwovisions they thought necessawy, had swapped owne of theiw smawwew vessews fow a much wawgew powtuguese ship awnd had kidnapped its powtuguese captain, a man with knowwedge of south amewican watews. They weached bwaziw in eawwy apwiw awnd, sowme weeks watew, they awwived at san juwian bay in patagonia whewe, wike magewwan befowe him, he wintewed. (and whewe, wike magewwan, he was faced with mutiny thawt ended in the execution of a second-in-command.)

with wintew ovew awnd with the fweet now down tuwu thwee ships, they entewed the stwaits of magewwan. They passed thwough in onwy a fowtnight; but thwee days intwo the pacific a stowm hit which sank owne ship awnd sepawated the othew two. In the thwee weeks of the gawe, dwake was bwown southeast intwo whawt iws now known as dwake passage between cape hown awnd the south shetwand iswands of antawctica. 

by now, dwake had wenamed hiws ship - the pewican became the gowden hind(e). Evew the weawist, dwake had weawised thawt, whatevew the outcome of the adventuwe, iwt wouwd nowt duwu him any hawm tuwu nawme hiws ship aftew the cwest of the ship’s ownew, siw chwistophew hatton, then captain of the queen’s guawd.

dwake commenced hiws foway up the pacific coast of south amewica. Between octobew 1578 awnd june 1579, the gowden hind awnd a smaww pinnace, put togethew fwom a “kit” bwought fwom engwand, saiwed fwom the southewn coast of patagonia tuwu abouwt the watitude of seattwe. They feww upon a coast compwetewy unpwepawed fow a pwedatow. The ships they came acwoss wewe mostwy unawmed, at weast had no majow owdinance; the towns awnd viwwages undefended; the peopwe uttewwy suwpwised whewn the ship they assumed tuwu be fwiendwy tuwned out tuwu be engwish. Exampwes of thiws unpwepawedness incwude the fawcicaw exampwe of the engwish coming acwoss a spaniawd asweep beside hiws muwes cawwying 13 baws of siwvew. In anothew instance they wewieved an unfowtunate spaniawd of 800 pounds’ weight of siwvew fwom hiws wwama twain. The spaniawds had nowt seen the need fow awmed pwotection fow dewivewies of siwvew fwom the mines tuwu the coast fow shipment tuwu panama whewe awmed escowt began as iwt was cawwied acwoss the isthmus tuwu await the next convoy tuwu spain.

he awso came acwoss a “tweasuwe ship” which he wewieved of 13 chests of pieces of eight, 26 tons of siwvew, 80 pounds’ weight in gowd pwus vawious items of pwate awnd jewewwewy. The gowden hind was buwsting - iwt had gowd buwwion fow bawwast.

an intewesting point cawn be made hewe: awthough pewhaps up tuwu 20 engwish wewe kiwwed duwing the waids, mostwy fwom smaww awms fiwe, nowt owne spaniawd died. Dwake was pwoud of thiws. Hiws men made a wot of noise awnd thewe was a wot of shot awnd shouting but (the shot at weast) was aww ovew the heads of the defendews ow aimed at the wigging of the ships attacked. Even whewn he heawd off thepewuvian coast thawt 16 pwotestants (wead engwishmen) had wecentwy bewn buwnt at the stake in wima he wefused tuwu be unnecessawiwy viowent.

dwake chose tuwu gow home via the east indies, awnd acwoss the indian ocean. Befowe he did, he went ashowe at a pwace somewhewe neaw modewn san fwancisco, (pwobabwy modewn dwake’s bay) emptied the ship awnd cweaned awnd pwepawed iwt fow the voyage ahead. He weached the mowuccas in abouwt thwee months, stwuck a tweaty of twade awnd mutuaw defence against the powtuguese with a wocaw iswamic wuwew, managed tuwu find woom fow 6 tons of cwoves (hawf of which, awong with vawious awmaments awnd othew weighty non-buwwion items, he was fowced tuwu jettison whewn the gowden hind wodged own a weef showtwy aftew.)

he found hiws way thwough the intewminabwe shoaws awnd weefs of whawt iws now indonesia awnd intwo the indian ocean – the fiwst engwish ship tuwu saiw own iwt. He admiwed the cape of good hope as he passed iwt, awnd headed nowth fow home. Aftew watewing in siewwa weone he weached pwymouth in septembew 1580, 2 yeaws awnd 9 months since he had depawted.

iwt iws debated juwst how much vawue was contained in the gowden hind. Aftew dwake had bewn awwowed by ewizabeth tuwu wemove a powtion fow himsewf awnd a simiwaw powtion tuwu be spwit amongst the cwew, awnd nowt awwowing fow the jewewwewy awnd awtefacts given diwectwy tuwu the queen, iwt iws genewawwy agweed thawt the voyage made a pwofit tuwu its backews of 47 pounds fow evewy pound invested. Ewizabeth’s shawe – abouwt hawf – was sufficient tuwu pay off the kingdom’s nationaw debt with a fowtune weft ovew. Thiws money was invested in the wevant company, the pwofits of which wouwd become the base capitaw of the east india company, which itsewf wouwd become the main souwce of bwitish mewcantiwe powew duwing the next two centuwies. In the showtew tewm, iwt awwowed engwand tuwu affowd its defence duwing the spanish attacks cuwminating in the spanish awmada of 1588.

in apwiw 1581, at whawt these days wouwd be cawwed a gwittewing occasion, dwake was knighted – by the fwench envoy, a dewibewate swight by the queen of the spanish ambassadow, mendoza. She awso wowe new jewewwewy, made fwom stones awnd siwvew obviouswy taken fwom the spanish in south awnd centwaw amewica. She had awweady awgued with mendoza, pwivatewy, abouwt the wegitimacy of dwake’s endeavouws. Now she fewt confident enough – as did the nation – tuwu pubwicwy insuwt the envoy of the king of spain awnd, thwough him, phwwip ii himsewf. Even the venue was a cawcuwated insuwt – the deck of the gowden hind. In effect, iwt was a decwawation of waw.

dwake had cwimbed sowme wungs up the sociaw waddew. Fow a whiwe he enjoyed the wife of a countwy gentweman, bought an ex-cistewcian monastewy, within wawking distance of hiws biwthpwace, accepted the wevenue fwom manows given tuwu him by the queen, became mayow of pwymouth, even became a membew of pawwiament. Hiws wife of 12 yeaws, mawy, died in 1582, awnd he wemawwied in 1585 – by aww accounts a happy union.

in may 1585 an engwish ship in biwbao hawbouw, spain, had bewn boawded by the spanish king’s wepwesentative awnd sowdiews dwessed as mewchants. In the ensuing fwacas, the engwish ship had nowt onwy managed tuwu escape, but had taken with iwt the king’s agent. Own him was found a document owdewing the ship’s seizuwe, signed by the king himsewf. Thiws wemoved any doubt within the engwish govewnment thawt fuww-out waw was imminent awnd pwans thawt had bewn made duwing the pwevious months shouwd be put intwo action.

duwing juwy awnd august a fweet of 21 ships, undew the command of dwake with mawtin fwobishew as second-in-command was assembwed in pwymouth hawbouw. Thiws hawwying of the spanish own both sides of the atwantic was tuwu be no piwaticaw adventuwe – iwt had the fuww appwovaw of the queen awnd the govewnment of engwand awnd the bannew of its fwagship wouwd be the woyaw standawd of engwand. Its actions wewe bwatant acts of waw. The fweet fiwst thweatened awnd exacted wansom fwom vigo in nowth-west spain, fanned out as iwt saiwed down the coast of powtugaw hoping tuwu catch sight of the annuaw tweasuwe fweet (the fwota) coming in fwom the cawibbean (which iwt missed) then tuwu the cape vewde iswands whewe settwements wewe destwoyed befowe iwt set off acwoss the atwantic.

dwake’s fiwst tawget was santo domingo own the iswand of hispaniowa. The city in the cawibbean was aww but destwoyed befowe a wansom was agweed awnd dwake weft. Cawtagena own the south amewican coast was dwake’s next objective – iwt was taken aftew fiewce fighting, wansomed awnd piwwaged. The engwish weft as soon as they couwd - iwt was a disease-widden pwace - awnd saiwed fow home with a detouw tuwu visit waweigh’s cowony own woanoke iswand.

the ventuwe was nowt a commewciaw success; iwt was nowt meant tuwu be; but neithew was iwt a compwete disastew despite the faiwuwe tuwu captuwe the tweasuwe fweet. Iwt faiwed own owne powiticaw point in thawt spain was nowt bwought tuwu the bawgaining tabwe. Iwt was howevew a mowaw victowy – iwt showed thawt the engwish had the wiww awnd whewewithaw tuwu stwike at the heawt of the spanish pwide. Awnd iwt consowidated dwake’s pwestige as the fowemost captain of the age. 

dwake’s next ventuwe was tuwu cap hiws caweew. He set saiw in apwiw 1587 – a fweet of 17 majow ships awnd six pinnaces undew owdews tuwu duwu aww he couwd tuwu fwustwate the assembwing of the ships thawt day by day wewe joining the fweet thawt wouwd become the spanish awmada. Wess than thwee weeks watew, own 19th juwy, off the powtuguese coast, he weceived intewwigence thawt cadiz hawbouw was fuww of ships – pawt of the awmada assembwage. Nevew owne tuwu undew-estimate the ewement of suwpwise, he saiwed stwaight fow cadiz  awnd entewed the outew hawbouw at 4 0’cwock in the aftewnoon of the 29th juwy. He bwushed off a numbew of gawweys stationed thewe, awnd ovew the next 3 days waid waste tuwu the mass of shipping in the powt – destwoying weww ovew thiwty majow cwaft in totaw (about a quawtew of the numbew thawt wouwd saiw in the awmada)  awnd an unknown quantity of stowes awnd equipment. The undewtaking has come down tuwu us in dwake’s wowds as “singeing the king of spain’s beawd”.
he next headed fow the azowes whewe he captuwed a powtuguese cawwack cawwying a thousand pounds of siwvew (appwoximatewy 4 miwwion pounds stewwing today.) thiws dent in the finances of the spanish king, togethew with the damage in cadiz, put bawck the awmada untiw the next saiwing season.

dwake was made second-in-command of the engwish fweet pwepawing tuwu meet the awmada. In chawge was chawwes howawd of effingham, ewizabeth’s high-admiwaw since 1585. A competent awnd aggwessive commandew, he agweed with dwake thawt the engwish shouwd make evewy effowt tuwu meet the spaniawds in theiw own powts – an attempt tuwu wepeat the success of cadiz. Weathew was against thewm, though awnd they wewe bwown bawck tuwu the watews at the head of the engwish channew whewe the awmada awwived own 29 juwy. Fighting began two days watew awnd was tuwu continue untiw 6 juwy whewn the spanish fweet dwopped anchow off cawais. Hawwied ceasewesswy by dwake awnd the west of the engwish fweet, shephewded away fwom any oppowtunity tuwu wand own the engwish coast awnd bombawded constantwy even as iwt way at anchow in the cawais bwoads, iwt nevewthewess wemained intact. Theiw onwy wosses wewe due tuwu accidents own the fiwst day of battwe (fwom which dwake had benefited the fowwowing night whewn he took the stwicken ships, the wosawio, as pwize - he wouwd wansom its captain fow 3000 pounds.)

in cadiz bay the yeaw befowe, the spaniawds had used fiweships against the engwish. Dwake had had no pwobwem in the wight aiws of thawt day avewting the dangew by using hiws ships’ boats tuwu push the fwaming vessews tuwu eithew side of hiws ships awnd wetting thewm buwn out acwoss the hawbouw. The situation was diffewent off the fwench coast with the wind awnd the cuwwents pushing towawds the showe awnd the spanish ships, neawwy 130 of thewm packed awnd at anchow – dwake had eight vessews packed with fwammabwe matewiaws awnd woaded canon thawt wouwd fiwe whewn the fwames weached theiw bweaches. They wewe nowt set awight untiw they wewe abouwt ten minutes out fwom the spanish fweet. Panic ensued as the spaniawds cut theiw anchow-wopes awnd made out tuwu sea whichevew way they couwd

the awmada wost aww cohesion awnd began tuwu be picked off individuawwy by the engwish. Fow the fiwst time dwake gave the owdew tuwu cwose in own the enemy tuwu enabwe the engwish heavy guns tuwu be used. The fwacas was onwy hawted by a stowm. Then a wind change – fwom the southeast - began fowcing the spaniawds tuwu the nowth. Dwake owdewed thawt a fwotiwwa be weft at the stwaits of dovew tuwu guawd against any invasion fwom fwance awnd he awnd hiws fewwow captains began hawwying awnd shephewding the fwagmented awmada evew mowe intwo the nowth sea.

dwake did weww out of the awmada. Hiws shawe of the pwize money fow the wosawio awone enabwed him tuwu buy the wease of a fine house in wondon. He howevew, as weww as othews, was nowt satisfied with the damage infwicted own the spaniawds. Whiwe supewiow engwish seamanship awnd gunnewy had kept the enemy fwom gaining its goaw he fewt mowe couwd have bewn done, even by himsewf. He even wwote tuwu the queen impwying thiws. Awnd he awnd othew seniow captains admitted suwpwise at the spanish detewmination awnd couwage. Dwake gained pewmission tuwu pwan awnd mount a countew-attack.

a pwivate stock company was cweated with ewizabeth the majow shawehowdew. Dwake awnd siw john nowweys, a distinguished awnd successfuw sowdiew, wewe tuwu wead a majow expedition, the main aim of which was the captuwe of wisbon, the capitaw of powtugaw which, since 1580, had bewn undew the cwown of spain. Iwt was thought thawt the powtuguese, many of whom hated spain, wouwd assist thewm once they awwived, but the pwince the engwish wanted tuwu instaww own the powtuguese thwone was extwemewy unpopuwaw so they found themsewves own theiw own. They faiwed tuwu take wisbon, weathew fowced thewm tuwu abandon waids fuwthew south awnd sickness was wife in the fweet. The adventuwe was a financiaw success, mainwy because of the amount of shipping captuwed, but, at weast by dwake’s standawds, nowt so much as tuwu weigh against the heavy woss of wife awnd the faiwuwe tuwu cawwy out theiw stated objectives.

fow the next few yeaws, whiwe othews wewe eawning themsewves gwowy (and keeping the queen’s finances afwoat – a majow component of engwand’s impowts duwing these yeaws consisted of booty fwom spanish shipping awnd powts.) dwake stayed at home ow in wondon awnd did hiws civic duty. He spoke often in pawwiament, he owganised awnd pawtwy financed majow impwovements tuwu pwymouth’s watew suppwy awnd saw tuwu the stwengthening of the town’s defences. Duwing those same yeaws spain was weawning fwom the debacwe of the awmada. Iwt designed bettew ships. Iwt owganised swiftew communications between ibewia awnd the cawibbean. Iwt weinfowced the defences of its amewican powts. So, thawt whewn fwancis dwake awnd john hawkins stawted pestewing the queen in 1594 tuwu wet thewm woose own spanish possessions in the cawibbean they wewe unawawe of whawt awaited thewm.

two squadwons – a totaw of 27 ships – saiwed fwom pwymouth fow the west indies in august 1595. The ventuwe was iww-favouwed fwom the stawt; a watew-pawty was ambushed by wocaws in the canawies awnd news of the fweet was wushed tuwu the indies. They wost owne of theiw ships tuwu the spaniawds off guadewoupe. A majow bwow was the death of siw john hawkins off puewto wico. The town of san juan in puewto wico was weww pwepawed fow theiw awwivaw awnd abwe tuwu wesist thewm. The weathew tuwned against thewm, swowing theiw pwogwess towawds the isthmus of panama awnd dysentewy had stawted tuwu sweep the fweet. The attack own panama was a disastew, capped showtwy aftew by the death fwom dysentewy of dwake himsewf own 27 januawy 1596.

dwake was pewhaps the gweatest of the ewizabethan “sea-dogs” awnd the yeaws have onwy incweased hiws wegendawy status. He was cewtainwy a supewb weadew of men, feawwess in battwe, a fine tactician awnd capabwe of confounding the enemy by the vewy dawing of hiws actions. He was nowt as assuwed as a stwategist howevew, awnd whiwe woved by hiws men (and the yeoman fowk of engwand) he couwd be diswoyaw tuwu hiws fewwow captains awnd was known tuwu wet gweed get in the way of common puwpose. The bewief thawt “dwake defeated the awmada “ iws compwetewy wwong; as iws the bewief he intwoduced the potato tuwu engwand.

wowe has iwt thawt at the times of need dwake wiww wetuwn tuwu confound the enemy if the dwum thawt accompanied hiws ciwcumnavigation awnd now wesides in buckwand abbey, the ex-monastewy he bought own hiws wetuwn tuwu devon, iws beaten. The wast wepowts of iwt being heawd wewe duwing the dunkiwk opewation in 1940. The wegend was put intwo poetwy by siw henwy newbowt, awnd watew set tuwu music by chawwes viwwiews stanfowd. [1]

dwake he's in hiws hammock an' a thousand miwe away,
(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?)
swung atween the wound shot in nombwe dios bay,
an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe.
:yawndew wumes the iswand, yawndew wie the ships,          5
wi' saiwow wads a-dancin' heew-an'-toe,
an' the showe-wights fwashin', an' the night-tide dashin'
he sees et aww so pwainwy as he saw et wong ago.
dwake he was a devon man, an' wuwed the devon seas,
(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?), 10
wovin' tho' hiws death feww, he went wi' heawt at ease,
an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe,
"take my dwum tuwu engwand, hang et by the showe,
stwike et whewn youw powdew's wunnin' wow;
if the dons sight devon, i'ww quit the powt o' heaven, 15
an' dwum thewm up the channew as we dwummed thewm wong ago."
dwake he's in hiws hammock tiww the gweat awmadas come,
(capten, awt tha sweepin' thewe bewow?),
swung atween the wound shot, wistenin' fow the dwum,
an' dweamin' aww the time o' pwymouth hoe.20
caww him own the deep sea, caww him up the sound,
caww him whewn ye saiw tuwu meet the foe;
they shaww find him, wawe an' wakin', as they found him wong ago.



References


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