The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 21
Sr FRANCIS DRAKE one of the first of those wch in his Sea voyages put a Girdle about the World. He Died upon the Seas. Anno Dni 1595. W.M. sculp:
CHAP. 21. The life of Sir FRANCIS DRAKE.
FRancis Drake was born nigh*Sr. Francis Drake his nephew in the descript. of his third voyage, Epistle to the Reader. south Tavestock in Devonshire, and brought up in Kent; God dividing the honour betwixt two Counties, that the one might have his birth, and the other his education. His Father, being a Minister, fled into Kent for fear of the Six Articles, wherein the sting of Popery still remained in England, though the teeth thereof were knock'd out, and the Popes Supremacy abolished. Coming into Kent, he bound his sonne Francis apprentice to the Master of a small bark, which traded into France, and Zealand, where he underwent a hard service; and pains with patience in his youth did knit the joynts of his soul, and made them more solid and compacted. His Master dying unmarried, in reward of his industry, bequeath'd his bark unto him for a Legacie.
For some time he continued his Masters profession: But the Narrow Seas were a prison for so large a spirit, born for greater undertakings. He soon grew weary of his bark, which would scarce go alone but as it crept along by the shore: wherefore selling it, he unfortunately ventured most of his estate with Captain John Hawkins into the West Indies,1567. whose goods were taken by the Spaniards at S. John de Ulva, and he himself scarce escaped with life. The King of Spain being so tender in those parts, that the least touch doth wound him; and so jealous of the West Indies, his wife, that willingly he would have none look upon her, and therefore used them with the greater severity.
Drake was perswaded by the Minister of his ship that he might lawfully recover in value of the King of Spain, and repair his losses upon him any where else. The Case was clear in sea-divinity, and few are such Infidels, as not to believe doctrines which make for their own profit. Whereupon Drake, though a poore private man, hereafter undertook to revenge himself on so mighty a Monarch; who, as not contented that the Sun riseth and setteth in his dominions, may seem to desire to make all his own where he shineth. And now let us see how a dwarf, standing on the Mount of Gods providence, may prove an overmatch for a giant.
After two or three severall Voyages to gain intelligence in the West Indies, and some prizes taken, at last he effectually set forward from Plimouth with two ships, the one of seventy, the other twenty five tunnes, and seventy three men and boyes in both. He made with all speed and secrecy to Nombre de Dios, as loth to put the Town to too much charge (which he knew they would willingly bestow) in providing beforehand for his entertainment; which City was then the granary of the West Indies, wherein the golden harvest brought from Panama was hoarded up till it could be conveyed into Spain. They came hard aboard the shore, and lay quiet all night intending to attempt the Town in the dawning of the day.
But he was forced to alter his resolution, and assault it sooner; for he heard his men muttering amongst themselves of the strength and greatnesse of the Town: and when mens heads are once fly-blown with buzzes of suspicion, the vermine multiply instantly, and one jealousie begets another. Wherefore he raised them from their nest before they had hatch'd their fears, and to put away those conceits, he perswaded them it was day-dawning when the Moon rose, and instantly set on the Town, and wonne it being unwalled. In the Market-place the Spaniards saluted them with a volley of shot; Drake returned their greeting with a flight of arrows, the best and ancient English complement, which drave their enemies away. Here Drake received a dangerous wound, though he valiantly conceal'd it a long time, knowing if his heart stooped, his mens would fall, and loth to leave off the action, wherein if so bright an opportunity once setteth, it seldome riseth again. But at length his men forced him to return to his ship, that his wound might be dressed, and this unhappy accident defeated the whole designe. Thus victory sometimes slips thorow their fingers, who have caught it in their hands.
But his valour would not let him give over the project as long as there was either life or warmth in it: And therefore having received intelligence from the Negroes, called Symerons, of many mules-lading of gold and silver, which was to be brought from Panama, he leaving competent numbers to man his ships went on land with the rest, and bestowed himself in the woods by the way as they were to passe, and so intercepted and carried away an infinite masse of gold. As for the silver which was not portable over the mountains, they digged holes in the ground and hid it therein.
There want not those who love to beat down the price of every honourable action, though they themselves never mean to be chapmen. These cry up Drakes fortune herein to cry down his valour; as if this his performance were nothing, wherein a golden opportunity ran his head with his long forelock into Drakes hands beyond expectation. But certainly his resolution and unconquerable patience deserved much praise, to adventure on such a designe, which had in it just no more probability then what was enough to keep it from being impossible: yet I admire not so much at all the treasure he took, as at the rich and deep mine of Gods providence.
Having now full fraughted himself with wealth, and burnt at the House of Crosses above two hundred thousand pounds worth of Spanish Merchandise, he returned with honour and safety into England, and some *1577. Decemb. 13.years after undertook that his famous voyage about the world, most accurately described by our English Authours: and yet a word or two thereof will not be amisse.
Setting forward from Plimouth, he bore up for Caboverd, where near to the Iland of S. Jago he took prisoner Nuno-da-Silva, an experienc'd Spanish pilot, whose direction he used in the coasts of Brasil and Magellan straits, and afterwards safely landed him at Guatulco in New Spain. Hence they took their course to the iland of Brava, and hereabouts they met with those tempestuous winds, whose onelyonly praise is, that they continue not above an houre, in which time they change *Manusc. of Geor. For…escue who went the voyage with Sr Fran. Drake.all the points of the compasse. Here they had great plenty of rain, poured (not as in other places, as it were out of sives, but) as out of spouts, so that a but of water falls down in a place: which notwithstanding is but a courteous injury in that hot climate farre from land, and where otherwise fresh water cannot be provided: then cutting the Line, they saw the face of that heaven which earth hideth from us, but therein onelyonly three *Cambd. Eliza. Anno 1580. p. 323.starres of the first greatnesse, the rest few and small compared to our Hemisphere, as if God, on purpose, had set up the best and biggest candles in that room wherein his civilest guests are entertained.
Sayling the South of Brasile, he afterwards passed the *August. 20. 1578.Magellan straits, and then entred Mare pacificum, came to the Southermost land at the height of 55 ½ latitude; thence directing his course Northward, he pillaged many Spanish Towns, and took rich prizes of high value in the kingdomes of Chily, Peru, and New Spain. Then bending Eastwards, he coasted China, and the Moluccoes, where by the King of Terrenate, a true Gentleman Pagan, he was most honourably entertain'd: The King told them, They and he were all of one religion in this respect, that they believed *Manuscri. Geor. Fortescuenot in Gods made of stocks and stones as did the Portugalls. He furnish'd them also with all necessaries that they wanted.
On the ninth of*1579. January following, his ship, having a large wind and a smooth sea, ran a ground on a dangerous shole, and strook twice on it, knocking twice at the doore of death, which no doubt had opened the third time. Here they *Hacluits voyage, p. 741.3. vol.stuck from eight a clock at night till foure the next afternoon, having ground too much, and yet too little to land on, and water too much, and yet too little to sail in. Had God (who, as the wiseman saith, Prov. 30.4. holdeth the winds in his fist) but opened his little finger, and let out the smallest blast, they had undoubtedly been cast away; but there blew not any wind all the while. Then they conceiving aright that the best way to lighten the ship, was first to ease it of the burthen of their sinnes by true repentance, humbled themselves by fasting under the hand of God: Afterwards they received the Communion, dining on Christ in the Sacrament, expecting no other then to sup with him in heaven: Then they cast out of their ship six great pieces of ordinance, threw over-board as much wealth as would break the heart of a Miser to think on't, with much suger, and packs of spices, making a caudle of the sea round about: Then they betook themselves to their prayers, the best lever at such a dead lift indeed, and it pleased God that the wind, formerly their mortall enemy, became their friend, which changing from the Starboard to the Larboard of the ship, and rising by degrees, cleared them off to the sea again, for which they returned unfeigned thanks to almighty God.
By the Cape of good hope and west of Africa he returned safe into England, and landed at *Novemb. 3. 1580.Plimouth, (being almost the first of those that made a thorow-light through the world) having in his whole voyage, though a curious searcher after the time, lost one day through the variation of severall Climates. He feasted the Queen in his ship at Dartford, who Knighted him for his service: yet it grieved him not a little, that some prime *Camb. Eliza. Anno ut priùs, pag. 127.Courtiers refused the gold he offer'd them, as gotten by piracy. Some of them would have been loth to have been told, that they had Aurum Tholosanum in their own purses. Some think that they did it to shew that their envious pride was above their covetousnesse, who of set purpose did blur the fair copy of his performance, because they would not take pains to write after it.
I passe by his next 1585.West Indian voyage, wherein he took the Cities of S. Jago, S. Domingo, Carthagena, and S. Augustine in Florida: as also his service performed in 88, wherein he with many others helped to the waining of that half Moon, which sought to govern all the motion of our Sea. I hast to his last Voyage.
1595.Queen Elizabeth perceiving that the onelyonly way to make the Spaniard a criple for ever, was to cut his Sinews of warre in the West Indies, …urnished Sr Francis Drake, and Sr John Hawkins with six of her own ships, besides 21 ships and Barks of their own providing, containing in all 2500 Men and Boyes, for some service on America. But, alas, this voyage was marr'd before begun. For so great preparations being too big for a cover, the King of Spain knew of it, and sent a Caravall of adviso to the West Indies, so that they had intelligence *Hacluits voyage, 3. vol. pag. 583.three weeks before the Fleet set forth of England, either to fortifie, or remove their treasure; whereas in other of Drakes Voyages not two of his own men knew whither he went; and managing such a designe is like carrying a Mine in warre, if it hath any vent, all is spoyled. Besides, Drake and Hawkins being in joynt Commission hindred each other. The later took himself to be inferiour rather in successe then skill, and the action was unlike to prosper when neither would follow, and both could not handsomly go abreast. It vexed old Hawkins that his counsell was not followed, in present sayling to America, but that they spent time in vain in assaulting the Canaries; and the grief that his advice was slighted (say some) was the cause of his death. Others impute it to the sorrow he took, for the taking of his Bark called the Francis, which five Spanish Frigates had intercepted: But whē the same heart hath two mortall wounds given it together, 'tis hard to say which of them killeth.
Drake continued his course for Port-Rico, and riding within the roade, a shot from the Castle entred the steerage of the ship, took away the stool from under him as he sate at supper, wounded Sr Nicholas Clifford and Brute Brown to death. Ah dear *From the mouth of Henr. Drake Esquire there present, my dear and worthy parishioner lately deceased.Brute (said Drake) I could grieve for thee▪ but now is no time for me to let down my spirits. And indeed a Souldiers most proper bemoaning a friends death in warre is in revenging it. And sure, as if grief had made the English furious, they soon after fired five Spanish ships of two hundred tunnes apiece, in despight of the Castle.
America is not unfitly resembled to an Houre-glasse, which hath a narrow neck of land (suppose it the hole where the sand passeth) betwixt the parts thereof, Mexicana & Pervana. Now the English had a designe to march by land over this Isthmus from Port-Rico to Panama, where the Spanish treasure was layd up. Sr Thomas Baskervile, Generall of the landforces, undertook the service with seven hundred and fifty armed men. They marched through deep wayes, the Spaniards much annoying them with shot out of the woods. One fort in the passage they assaulted in vain, and heard that two others were built to stop them, besides Panama it self. They had so much of this breakfast, they thought they should surfet of a dinner and supper of the same. No hope of conquest, except with cloying the jaws of Death, and thrusting men on the mouth of the Canon. Wherefore fearing to find the Proverb true, That Gold may be bought too dear, they returned to their ships. Drake afterwards fired Nombre de Dios, and many other petty Towns (whose treasure the Spaniards had conveyed away) burning the empty casks, when their precious liquour was runne out before, and then prepared for their returning home.
Great was the difference betwixt the Indian cities now from what they were when Drake first haunted these coasts: At first the Spaniards here were safe and secure, counting their treasure sufficient to defend it self, the remotenesse thereof being the greatest (almost onelyonly) resistance, and the fetching of it more then the fighting for it. Whilest the King of Spain guarded the head and heart of his dominions in Europe, he left his long legs in America open to blows, till finding them to smart, being beaten black and blew by the English, he learned to arm them at last, fortifying the most important of them to make them impregnable.
Now began Sr Francis his discontent to feed upon him. He conceived that expectation, a mercilesse usurer, computing each day since his departure exacted an interest and return of honour and profit proportionable to his great preparations, and transcending his former atchievements. He saw that all the good which he had done in this voyage, consisted in the evill he had done to the Spaniards afarre off, whereof he could present but small visible fruits in England. These apprehensions accompanying if not causing the disease of the flux wrought his sudden *Ianuary 28. 1595.death. And sicknesse did not so much untie his clothes, as sorrow did rend at once the robe of his mortality asunder. He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it. Thus an ex-tempore performance (scarce heard to be begun before we hear it is ended) comes off with better applause, or miscarries with lesse disgrace, then a long studied and openly premeditated action. Besides, we see how great spirits, having mounted to the highest pitch of performance, afterwards strain and break their credits in striving to go beyond it. Lastly, God oftentimes leaves the brightest men in an eclipse, to shew that they do but borrow their lustre from his reflection. We will not justifie all the actions of any man, though of a tamer profession then a Sea-Captain, in whom civility is often counted precisenesse. For the main, we say that this our Captain was a religious man towards God and his houses (generally sparing Churches where he came) chast in his life, just in his dealings, true of his word, and mercifull to those that were under him, hating nothing so much as idlenesse: And therefore lest his soul should rust in peace, at spare houres he brought fresh water to Plimouth. Carefull he was for posterity (though men of his profession have as well an ebbe of riot, as a flote of fortune) and providently raised a worshipfull Family of his kinred. In a word, should those that speak against him fast till they fetch their bread where he did his, they would have a good stomach to eat it.