THE LIFE DEATH OF THE Valiant and Renowned Sir Francis Drake His Voyages and Discoveries in the West-Indies and about the World WITH His Noble and Heroick Acts. By Samuel Clark Late Minister of Bennet Fink London LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Star at the West End of S. Pauls 1671. The Life and Death of Sir FRANCIS DRAKE with his Voyages into the West-Indies and about the World And other his Valiant Actions He Died Anno Christi 1595. THIS Francis Drake was born neer unto South Tavistock in Devonshire of mean Parents His Godfather was Francis Russel afterwards Earl of Bedford who gave him his Name of Francis His Father in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth was called in question for Religion by reason of the six Articles set forth by the King against the Protestants whereby he was feign to shift his habitation and to retire into Kent But after the death of King Henry in the time of King Edward the sixth he obtained a place in the Navy Royal to read Divine Service and after a while he was ordained Deacon and made Vicar of the Church of Vpnor upon the River of Medway Yet continuing poor the place being of small value he put forth this his Son to serve a neighbor Mariner that traded with a small Barke into France and Zeland who brought him up in the Mariners Art and by reason of his Ingenuity and Activity took such liking to him that being a Bachelor when he died he bequeathed unto him his Bark Shortly after this Francis Drake hearing of the preparations which were made by Sir John Hawkins for a Voyage Anno Christi 1567. He sold his Bark and joyned himself with him which voyage proving disasterous at S. John de Vllva he lost all he had and hardly brought himself back Our Drake hereupon was forced to betake himself to his Mariners practice to repair his losses by which serving in a Man of War he got good store of mony whereupon he made a second voyage into the Spanish West-Indies to recover there what he had formerly lost and with the ship of war called the Dragon and another ship none knowing his intentions but his own Consorts in the year 1572 on Whitsunday Eve being May 24 th himself being Captain of the Admiral a ship of seventy Tuns and his brother John Drake Captain of the Vice-Admiral called the Swan of twenty five Tuns having in both of them of men and boys seventy three all Voluntiers he so divided them that they were forty seven in one ship twenty six in the other These ships he furnished excellently with victuals and apparel for a whole year Providing also store of all manner of Ammunition Artillery Artificers stuff and Tools and whatsoever was requisite for such a man of war in such an attempt But especially he had provided five nimble Pinnaces made at Plimouth which being taken asunder were stored aboard his ships and ready to be set up as occasion served with these he set sail from the sound of Plimouth intending for Nombre de Dios in the West-Indies The wind was fair and favourable so that within twelve dayes they had sight of the Madara and Canary Islands yet they never cast Anchor nor made any stay for twenty five days after their setting forth at which time they saw the Island of Guadalupe one of the West Indie Islands and the next morning they entred between Dominica and Guadalupe and landed on the South side of Dominica where they remained three Days to refresh their men and to take in fresh water whereof there was plenty The third Day in the afternoon they set sail for the Continent or Terra firma and the fifth day after they had fight of Sancta Martha from which they steared their course towards Port Phesant so named by Captain Drake in his former Voyage by reason of the great store of those Fowls in that place and within six days after they safely arrived in that bay Here did Captain Drake give order to his brother what to do in his absence and well manning his Boats went to the shore where upon a great Oak he found a plate of lead nailed having in it this Inscription Captain Drake if you happen to come to this Port make hast away For the Spaniards you here met with the last year have betrayed this place and taken away all that you left here c. Your loving friend John Garret of Plimouth But notwithstanding this advertisment Captain Drake meant not to depart from this Port which was so fit for his purpose till he had set his Pinnaces together which he brought with him in his ships And for his own and his mens security whilst the Carpenters were employed about that work he made a kind of a Fort by the water side by felling great Trees and laying them one upon another The next day after their arrival came in also into that Port an English Bark of the Isle of Wight of Sir Edward Horseys whereof James Rawse was Captain and John Overy Master with thirty men These brought in with them a Spanish Carvel of Sivil being sent with Advise to Nombre de Dios and also a Shallop both which they had taken by the way And Captain Rawse understanding the design of Captain Drake desired to joyn with them and upon Articles agreed on he was admitted Within seven days the Pinnaces were fitted and furnished for service and other businesses dispatched so that setting sail in the morning toward Nombre de Dios they held on their course till they came to the Isles of Pines upon the third day at which place they found two Frigates of Nombre de Dios lading Planks and timber from thence The Negroes in those Frigats informed them of the state of the Town and told them that some souldiers were daily looked for from the Governour of Panama to defend the Town of Nombre de dios against the Symerons who were Blacks that formerly had fled from their Spanish masters by reason of their cruelty and were by this time grown to a nation under two Kings who had almost surprised it about six weeks before Captain Drake having learned what he could of them set these Negroes on shore that they might go to their Countrey-men the Symerons and to prevent any notice that they might give to Nombre de dios of his approach so hasted his going thither For which end he disposed of all his companies leaving the three ships and Carvel with Captain Rawse and chose into his Pinnaces making the Shallop one fifty three of his own company and twenty of Captain Rawse's Providing fit arms for them viz. six Targets six Firepikes twelve Pikes twenty four Muskets and Calievers sixteen Bows six Partizans two Drums and two Trumpets Then leaving their company they arrived at the Island of Catavaas where landing early in the morning Captain Drake there trained his men and delivered them their several
Arms which hitherto he had kept safe in good casks encouraging them to the enterprise by setting before them the weakness of the Town being unwalled the unexpectedness of their coming and the great Richer and honor that was to be gained if they effected it And in the afternoon he set sail for Nombre de Dios and before Sun-set gat as far as Rio Francisco from whence keeping close to the shore that they might not be discovered by the Watch-house they came within two leagues of the Point of the Bay where he caused them to strike a Hull and to cast out their graplers till it was dark when night was coming setting sail and rowing hard and silently they recovered the Point of the Harbour purposing not to attempt the Town till Day-breake But Captain Drake hearing that some of his men began to talk of the difficulty and danger of the enterprise to put by these conceits he tooke the opportunity of the rising Moon to perswade them that it was Day so that they got to the Town an hour before the Day brake In the Harbour they found a Spanish Ship of sixty Tuns newly come in laden with Canary Wines and other Commodities which spying so many Pinnaces sent his Boat presently a shoar to give the Town warning which Captain Drake perceiving cut betwixt her and the Town and forced her to go to the other side of the Bay so that he landed his men without impeachment Vpon the Platform they found six Pieces of Ordnance ready mounted some halfe some whole Culverines These they presently dismounted and the Town tooke the Alarm which they were the readier to do because they were oft disquieted by the Symerons who caused the Great Bell to be rung out and Drums run up and down the Town Captain Drake according to the directions he had given before left twelve men to keep the Pinnaces that he might assure a safe retreat if need should be and before he would enter the Town he thought fit to view the mount on the east side where as he was informed they had planted Ordnance to scower all about the Town therefore leaving half his men at the foot of the mount himself with the other half speedily marched up to the top where finding no Guns they as speedily descended and appointing his Brother with John Oxenham and sixteen of his men to go about behind the Kings Treasure-house to enter the east-end of the market-place himself with the rest passed up the broad-street with sound of Drum and Trumpet The Fire-pikes in both the companies affrighted the enemy and gave light to the English whilst the Inhabitants stood amazed at the strange sight and hearing Drums and Trumpets sounding in sundry places judged the English to be far more than they were Yet by reason of the time spent in marching up and down the Mount the Souldiâ—rs and Inhabitants of the Town had put themselves in Arms neer to the Governors house not far from the gate of the town which was only one leading towards Panama meaning as it seemed either to shew their valour in the Governors sight or if need were to have the better opportunity for their flight And to make shew of a greater number of shot than they had they had hung lines with lighted matches overthwart the end of the Market-place and at the approach of the English they gave them a Volley of shot yet levelling so low that the Bullets oft grazed on the ground The English stood not to answer them in the same kind but having once discharged their Guns and feathered with their Arrows they came to the push of Pike and their Fire-pikes being well armed did them notable service And with the Butt ends of their Guns and other short weapons Captain Drakes Brother and his Company entring at the same time another way they charged them so furiously that the Spaniards threw down their weapons and ran away And in the pursuit and return of the English many of them were wounded by the enemies weapons which lay very thick and cross one another At their return they made a stand near the midst of the Market-place whence Captain Drake sent some of his men to stay the Ringing of the Bell But the Church being strongly built and fast shut they could not get in without firing it which Captain Drake would not suffer and having taken two or three Spaniards in their flight he commanded them to conduct them to the Governours House where they ordinarily unladed their Mules that brought the treasure from Panama But though the silver was kept there yet the gold pearl and jewels was from thence carried to the King treasure-house which stood not far off At the coming of the English to the Governors house they found the gate open a candle lighted upon the top of the stairs and a fair Gennet ready sadled for the Governor by means of which light they saw a huge heap of silver in that nether Room being a pile of silver bars of about 70 foot in length 10 foot in breadth and 12 foot in heigth each bar being near 40 pound in weight Yet did Captain Drake straitly command his men not to meddle with any of it but to stand to their Arms because the town was full of people and in the Kings treasure-house nearer the water there was more gold and jewels than all their 4 pinnaces could carry which he intended they should presently break open No sooner were the English returned to their Guard but a report was brought them that their Pinnaces were in danger of being taken and that if they staied till day they would be opprest with multitudes both of Souldiers and townsmen wherefore Captain Drake sent his brother and John Oxenham to the water side to know the truth who indeed found their men much affrighted by reason that they saw great companies of the Spaniards running up and down the town which was as big as Plimouth with lighted matches which also sometimes shot at them Presently after a violent shower of rain powred down so vehemently that before the English could get the shelter of a Penthouse some of their Bow-strings were wet and their match and powder spoiled which before they could renew some of them were muttering about the strength of the enemy which Captain Drake overhearing said I have brought you to the very mouth of the treasure of the world and if you go away without it you can blame no body but your selves The storm which lasted about half an hour being ended Captain Drake desiring to put these fears out of his mens heads and to allow the enemy no longer respite to gather themselves together stept forward commanding his brother and some others to break open the Kings treasure-house and the rest to guard the market-place till the business was dispatched But as he stept forward his strength and fight and speech failed him by reason of abundance of blood which he had
the loss of their friends to live in a strange Land whether a solitary life the better choice amongst wilde Beasts as Birds on the mountains without all comfort or amongst the barbarous heathens in intollerable bondage both of body and mind But put the case that the day of the ships destruction should be deferred longer than either reason could perswade or in any likelihood could seem possible it being not in the power of any ship whatsoever to suffer what she had already endured yet could their abode there profit them nothing but encrease their wretchedness and enlarge their sorrows For as her Store and Victuals were not much sufficient to sustain them only for some few days without hope of having any new supplies no not so much as a cup of cold water so must it inevitably come to pass that they should be driven to eat the flesh of their own Arms and how intollerable a thing this would have proved may easily be judged And if they had departed from her whither should they have gone to seek relief Nay the impossibility of going seemed to be no less than those other before mentioned Their Boat was not able at once to carry above twenty Persons and they were fifty eight in all The nearest Land was eighteen miles from them and the wind from the shoar directly beat against them Or if they had thought of setting some a shoar and then fetching the rest there being no place thereabout without Inhabitants the first that had Landed must first have faln into the hand of the Enemy and so the rest in order as they came And suppose they should escape the Sword yet would their lives be worse than Death not only in respect of their woful Captivity and bodily miseries but most of all in respect of their Christian Liberty being to be deprived of all publick means of serving the true God and continually grieved with the horrible Impieties and Devilish Idolatries of the Heathen Their misery being thus manifest the consideration thereof must needs have caused trembling to flesh and blood if Faith in Gods Promises had not mightily sustained them The night they passed with earnest longings that the Day would appear the time they spent in frequent Prayer and other Godly Exercises thereby comforting themselves and reviving their hearts striving to bring themselves to an holy submission under the hand of God and to refer themselves wholly to his good will and pleasure The Day at length appearing and it being then almost ful-sea after they had given thanks to God for his forbearing them so long and had with tears called upon him to bless their labors they again renewed their travel to see if now they could possibly find any Anchor-hold which they had formerly sought in vain But this second attempt proved as fruitless as the former and left them nothing to trust to but Prayers and Tears seeing it appeared now impossible that the prudence policy or power of man could ever effect the delivery of their ship except the Lord miraculously should effect the same Then was it motioned and by general voice determined to commend and commit their case to God alone leaving themselves wholly in his hand to destroy or save them as it should seem best to his gracious wisdom and that their Faith might be the better strengthned and their comfortable apprehension of Gods mercy in Christ be more clearly felt they had a Sermon Preach'd by their Minister Master Fletcher and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper administred to them After which sweet repast and other holy exercises adjoyning to it ended left they should in any respect seem guilty of neglecting of any lawful means that might conduce to their safety they resolved to lighten their Ship by casting forth her Goods into the Sea which accordingly in a very short time they dispatched with much alacrity So that even those things which before they judged most necessary considering their condition they now despised neither sparing their Ammunition for defence nor the Food for the sustentation of their lives but every thing as it first came to hand went overboard assuring themselves that if it pleased God to deliver them out of that desperate strait he would both fight for them against their enemies and not suffer them to perish for want of Bread But when they had done all they could it was not their endeavour but Gods immediate hand and good Providence that wrought their deliverance It was he alone that having brought them to the shaddow of Death set them at liberty again after they had remained in that desperate condition full 20 hours for the magnifying of his Almighty power and mercy The manner of their delivery was thus The place where their Ship fate so fast was a firm Rock the Ship struck on the Larboard side at low water there was not above six foot depth in all on the Starboard-side and yet within a very little distance there was no bottom to be found The Brieze during all the time that they were thus stayed blew stifly against their broad side and so kept the ship upright But it pleased God in the beginning of the Tide while the water was yet almost at the lowest to slack the stiffness of the wind and then their ship that required thirteen foot water to make her float and had not at this time on one side about seven at most wanting her prop on the other side which had already too long kept her up fell a heeling towards the deep water and by that means freed her Kneel and made them all glad men This of all their other dangers in the whole Voyage was the greatest yet not the last For of a long season they could not free themselves from the care and fear of those shallows nor could they possibly come to any convenient Anchoring amongst them But were continually tossed amongst those many Islands and Shoals of the Celibes till the eighth day of the following month Jan. 12. Being not able to bear any Sails by reason of a Tempest and fearing their many dangers they let fall an Anchor upon a shoal And Jan. 14. being got a little farther South they again cast Anchor at an Island where they spent a day in taking in water and wood After which they met with foul weather and dangerous shoals for many days together which occasioned them to leave these coasts and to bear for Timor the most Southerly Cape of the Celibes Yet could they not so easily clear themselves as they expected So that Jan. 20. They were forced to run with a small Island not far from thence and while they were with their Boat at a good distance searching for a convenient place wherein to Anchor they were suddenly environed with no small extremities For there arose a most violent and intollerable flaw and storm from the south-west against them making them who were on a Lee-shoar amongst most dangerous Rocks and Shelves extreamly to fear not