As For The
Gentlemen Who Went With Him As Officers, They Were So Well Qualified In
Courage, Experience And Discretion, That The Greatest Prince Might Think
Himself Happy In Being Served By The Like.
The honour of
lieutenant-general [vice-admiral] was conferred upon Sir John Burrough,
a gentleman every way worthy of
That command, by his many good and
heroic qualities; with whom, after Sir Walter returned, was joined in
commission Sir Martin Frobisher; who, for his great skill and knowledge
in maritime affairs, had formerly held employments of similar or greater
importance. The rest of the captains, sailors and soldiers were men of
notable resolution, and who for the most part had before given
sufficient proof of their valour, in sundry services of the like nature.
With these ships thus manned, Sir Walter Raleigh departed towards the
west country, there to provide such farther necessaries as were needful
for the expedition. The wind blew long from the west, quite contrary to
his intended course, by which he was wind-bound many weeks, the fittest
season for his purpose being thereby lost, his victuals much consumed,
and the minds of his people greatly changed. When her majesty came to
understand how crossly all this went, she began to call the propriety of
this expedition in question, as the 6th of May was come before Sir
Walter could put to sea. Sir Martin Frobisher came to him the next day,
in a pinnace of the lord admiral called the Disdain, and brought her
majestys letters of recal, with orders to leave the fleet under the
command of Sir John Burrough and Sir Martin Frobisher. But, finding his
honour so far engaged, that he saw no means to save his reputation or
content his friends who had adventured great sums on fitting out the
expedition, Sir Walter pretended to understand the queens letters as if
they had left it to his choice either to return or proceed; wherefore he
would in no case leave his fleet, now under sail.
Continuing therefore his course to sea, he met within a day or two some
ships newly come from Spain, among which was a ship belonging to
Monsieur Gourdon, governor of Calais, on board of which was one Mr Nevil
Davies an Englishman, who had endured a long and miserable captivity of
twelve years, partly in the inquisition, and had now by good fortune
made his escape, and was on his way home. Among other things, this man
reported that there was little good to be done or expected this year in
the West Indies, as the king of Spain had sent express orders to all the
ports both of the islands and the main, that no ships were to sail that
year, nor any treasure to be shipt for Spain. Yet did not this
unpleasant intelligence induce Sir Walter to desist from his
proceedings; till, on Thursday the 11th of May, a tempest of great
violence, when he was athwart Cape Finister, so scattered the greater
part of his fleet, and sunk his boats and pinnaces, that Sir Walter, who
was in the Garland belonging to her majesty, was in danger of
foundering.
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