In The End, However, In
Consequence Of The Overwhelming Number That Came Against Her, The
Revenge Was Taken, But To The Heavy Loss Of The Spaniards, Who Lost In
The Fight, Either Slain Or Drowned, Above 400 Men, While 100 Of The
English Were Slain.
Sir Richard was himself wounded in the brain, of
which he afterwards died.
[Footnote 385: It is probable, from this date, that the arrival of the
fleet at Tercera on the 25th August, as above, is an error; and that it
only then left Ferrol; on its voyage for Tercera. - E.]
[Footnote 386: See the English account of these events in the
immediately preceding section. - E.]
Sir Richard, after the Revenge yielded, was carried on board the San
Paulo, the ship in which was Don Alonso de Bacan, the admiral of the
Spanish fleet, where his wounds were dressed by the Spanish surgeons,
but Don Alonso would neither see nor speak to him. All the other
captains went to visit and comfort him in his hard fortune, wondering at
his courage and constancy, as he shewed no signs of faintness, not even
changing colour: But, feeling his death approaching, he spoke in Spanish
to the following purport: "Here die I Richard Grenville, with a joyous
and quiet mind, having ended my life as a true soldier ought to do,
fighting for my country, my queen, my religion, and my honour: so that
my soul most joyfully departeth from this body, and shall always leave
behind the everlasting fame of a true and valiant soldier, having done
my duty as became me." When he had finished these, or such like words,
he gave up the ghost with great and unshaken courage, no man being able
to perceive the least sign of concern. This sir Richard Grenville was a
great and rich gentleman of England, having large yearly revenues, but
of a daring and intrepid disposition, and much affected to warlike
enterprize; insomuch that he voluntarily offered his services to the
queen. He had performed many valiant deeds, and was greatly feared among
the islands, his intrepidity being well known to all. He was, however,
of a severe and rigid character, so that his own people feared and hated
him for his fierceness, and spoke very hardly of him. For, when they in
the Revenge first fell in among the Spanish fleet, they had their
mainsail in readiness, and might possibly have got away, as it was one
of the best sailing ships of the English; and, as the master perceived
that the rest of the squadron had left them, and did not follow up to
their support, he gave orders to _cut the mainsail_, that they likewise
should make off: But sir Richard threatened him and all the rest of the
crew, that if any man laid hold of the mainsail with that intent, he
would cause him to be hung up immediately; so that in fact they were
compelled to fight, and in the end were taken.
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