The Gray Monk

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August 24, 2004

Drake he was a Devon man ...

One of the most flambouyant characters in Elizabethan England was a gentleman, son of an impoverished clergyman, named Francis Drake. I suspect that he would have been a difficult man to like in our present society and with our present ideas of morality, duty, and slavish obedience to rules and law. After all, he was a seaman, a man of his own age - an age when the men relieved themselves in the bilges of their ships and bathed when they got soused by a breaking sea on deck - a tough-minded and ruthless man with a temper to match his red hair!

It took an exceptional man to sail a 90 foot long, and none too seaworthy, ship around the world with only the most primitive navigation aids. It speaks volumes that the Spanish were convinced that he had to have the assistance of the Devil himself. In fact, some argued that he was the Devil Incarnate! His journal of the voyage round Cape Horn (the wrong way!) and up the West Coast of the America's makes interesting reading. Certainly his sacking of Panama and the capture of the treasure galleon from Manila gave the Spanish a number of problems. It gave Drake a problem, too, for it overloaded his already heavily laden ship quite dramatically. Somewhere near modern San Fransico, possibly in San Fransico Bay itself, he beached the Golden Hind, carried out extensive repairs and then reballasted the ship with the treasure - ditching his cannon shot and stone ballast to accomodate the treasure. He then sailed North turning back somewhere North of modern Vancouver and then setting off across the Pacific. When he ran aground near the North Australian coast, probably in the Coral Sea, he lightened the ship by throwing overboard a King's Ransom in treasure! And that was only what was in private belongings!

His arrival in England was unexpected, and a bit of an embarrassment, but Queen Elizabeth wasn't about to turn down the windfall! She gave him 24 hours to "secure" the Crown's Property - a euphemism for getting his and his crews share ashore before the arrival of the Taxman! That worthy had orders to seize everything for the Crown. The Crown got £6 million out of what remained aboard, Drake got a generous portion and so did his surviving crew. He bought Buckfast Abbey out of his share and established himself and his household there - it can still be visited, though now it is a museum to his exploits.

His career began inauspiciously sailing with his uncle. They fell foul of a Spanish governor who, having agreed to trade with them, then had their ships and their goods seized. Drake never forgot that slight and never forgave it either. He wasn't popular with his superiors, and contrary to popular legend, he played only a minor part in the defeat of the Armada, the fleet being actually under the command of Lord Howard, the Lord High Admiral. That worthy complained bitterly that Drake was not amenable to taking orders, and in fact disobeyed orders in order to seize a Spanish prize when he should have been harassing the rest of the fleet.

He finally met his end once more raiding the Spanish Main - in particular the Panama Coast, where it is believed he caught malaria and succumbed. He was buried at sea - in Nombre de Dios Bay.

Recently an attempt has been made to find the lead coffin he was reportedly placed within to be buried. I am not sure of the outcome and must make a note to search for information on this. In the extended post below, I have placed the poem by Henry Newbolt - Drake's Drum - a highly romantic version of his death and burial, but certainly reflecting the legend this rather small, very fiery and very determined man has left behind.

I wonder what he would make of modern England?

Posted by The Gray Monk at August 24, 2004 07:50 PM

Comments

Posted by: skipjack at August 27, 2004 06:08 AM