THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE

The maritime war with Spain continued for ten years after the defeat of the Armada. Here Sir Walter Raleigh, soldier, sailor, courtier, statesman and author, tells the story of the Revenge perhaps the most remarkable sea-fight on record, out of which Tennyson made his poem.

The Spanish fleete hauing shrouded their approach by reason of the Iland; were now so soone at hand, as our ships had scarce time to waye their anchors, but some of them were driuen to let slippe their Cables, and set sayle. Sir Richard Grinuile (Grenville) was the last waied, to recouer the men that were vpon the Iland, which otherwise had beene lost. The L. Thomas with the rest verie hardly recouered the winde, which Sir Richard Grinuile (Grenville) not being able to do, was perswaded by the maister and others to cut his maine saile, and cast about, and to trust to the sailing of his shippe; for the squadron of Siuil (Seville) were on his wether bow. But Sir Richard vtterly refused to turne from the enimie, alledging that he would rather chose to dye, then to dishonour him selfe, his countrie, and her Maiesties shippe, perswading his companie that he would passe through the two Squadrons, in despight of them: and enforce those of Siuill (Seville) to give him way. Which he performed vpon diuerse of the formost, who as the mariners terme it, sprang their luffe, and fell vnder the lee of the Reuenge. But the other course had beene the better, and might right well haue beene answered in so great an impossibilitie of preuailing.

Notwithstanding out of the greatnesse of his minde, he could not bee perswaded. In the meane while as hee attended those which were nearest him, the great San Philip being in the winde of him, and comming towards him, becalmed his sailes in such sort, and the shippe could neither way nor feele the helme: so huge and high carged was the Spanish ship, being of a thousand and fiue hundreth tuns. Who afterlaid the Reuenge aboord. When he was thus bereft of his sailes, the ships that wer vnder his lee luffing, vp, also laid him aborde of which the next was the Admirall of the Biscaines, a verie mightie and puysant shippe commanded by Brittan Dona. The said Philip carried three tire (tiers) of ordinance on a side, and eleuen peeces in euerie tire. She shot eight forth right out of her chase, besides those of her Sterne portes.

After the Reuenge was intangled with this Philip, foure other boorded her; two on her larboord, and two on her starboord. The fight thus beginning at three of the clocke in the afternoone, continued verie terrible all that euening. But the great San Philip hauing receyued the lower tire of the Reuenge, discharged with crossebarshot, shifted hir selfe with all diligence from her sides, vtterly misliking hir first entertainment. Some say that the shippe foundered, but wee cannot report it for truth, vnlesse we were assured. The Spanish ships were filled with companies of souldiers, in some two hundred besides the Marriners ; in some flue, in others eight hundreth. In ours there were none at all, beside the Marriners, but the Seruants of the commanders and some fewe voluntarie Gentlemen only. After many enterchanged vollies of great ordinance and small shot, the Spaniards deliberated to enter the Reuenge, and made diuers attempts, hoping to force her by the multitudes of their armed souldiers and Musketiers, but were still repulsed againe and againe, and at all times beaten backe, into their owne shippes, or into the seas. In the beginning of the fight, the George Noble of London, hauing receiued some shot thorow her by the Armados, fell vnder the Lee of the Reuenge, and asked Syr Richard what he would command him, being but one of the victulers and of small force Syr Richard bid him saue himselfe, and leaue him to his fortune. After the fight had thus without intermission, continued while the day lasted and some houres of the night, many of our men were slaine and hurt, and one of the great Gallions of the Armada, and the Admirall of the Hulkes both sunke and in many other of the Spanish ships great slaughter was made. Some write that Sir Richard was verie dangerously hurt almost in the beginning of the fight, and laie speechless for a time ere he recouored. But two of the Reuenges owne companie, brought home in a ship of Lime from the Islandes, examined by some of the Lordes, and others: affirmed that he was neuer so wounded as that hee forsooke the vpper decke, till an houre before midnight; and then being shot into the bodie with a Musket as hee was a dressing, was againe shot into the head and withall his Chirugion wounded to death. This agreeth also with an examination taken by Syr Frances Godolphin, of 4. other Marriners of the same shippe being returned, which examination, the said Syr Frances sent vnto maister William Killligrue, of her Maiesties priuie Chamber.

But to return to the fight, the Spanish ships which attempted to board the Reuenge, as they were wounded and beaten off so alwaies others came in their places, she hauing neuer lesse then two mightie Gallions by her sides, and aboard her. So that ere the morning from three of the clocke the day before, there had fifteene seuerall Armados assailed her ; and all so ill approued their entertainmeiit, as they were by the breake of day, far more willing to harken to a composition, then hastily to make any more assaults or entries. But as the day encreased, so our men decreased; and as the light grew more and more, by so much more grew our discomforts. For none appeared in sight but enemies, sauing one small ship called the Pilgrim, commanded by Jacob Whiddon, who houered all night to see the successe: but in the mornyng bearing with the Reuenge, was hunted like a hare amongst the many rauenous houndes, but escaped.

All the powder of the Reuenge to the last barrell was now spent, all her pikes broken, fortie of her best men slaine, and the most part of the rest hurt. In the beginning of the fight she had but one hundreth free from sickness, and fourscore and ten sicke, laid in hold vpon the Ballast. A small troupe to man such a ship, and a weake Garrison to resist so mighty an Army. By those hundred all was sustained, the voleis, bourdings, and entrings of fifteene shippes of warre, besides those which beat her at large. On the contrarie, the Spanish were alwaies supplied with souldiers brought from euerie squadron ; all manner of Armes and pouder at will. Vnto ours there remained no comfort at all, no hope, no supply either of ships men or weapons; the mastes all beaten ouer board, all her tackle cut asunder, her vpper worke altogither rased, and in effect euened shee was with the water, but the verie foundation or bottom of a ship, nothing being left ouer head either for flight or defence. Syr Richard finding himselfe in this distresse, and vnable anie longer to make resistance, hauing endured in this fifteene houres fight, the assault of fifteene seuerall Armadoes, all by tornnes aboorde him, and by estimation eight hundred shot of great artillerie, besides manie assaults and entries. And that himselfe and the shippe must needes be possessed by the enemie who were now all cast in a ring round about him ; The Reuenge not able to moue one way or other, but as she was moued with the waues and billow of the sea commanded the maister Gunner, whom he knew to be a most resolute man, to split and sinke the shippe ; that thereby nothing might remaine of glorie or victorie to the Spaniards; seeing in so manie houres fight, and with so great a Nauie they were not able to take her, hauing had fifteene houres time, fifteene thousand men, and fiftie and three saile of men of warre to performe it withall. And perswaded the companie, or as manie as he could induce, to yeelde themselves vnto God, and to the mercie of none else ; but as they had like valiant resolute men, repulsed so manie enimies, they should not now shorten the honour of their nation, by prolonging their owne liues for a few houres, or a few daies. The maister gunner readilie condescended and diuers others but the Captaine and the Maister were of an other opinion ; and besought Sir Richard to haue care of them alleaging that the Spaniard would be as readie to entertaine a composition as they were willing to offer the same and that there being diuerse sufficient and valiant men yet liuing, and whose woundes were not mortall, they might doe their countrie and prince acceptable seruice hereafter. And (that where Sir Richard had alleaged that the Spaniards should neuer glorie that they had so long and so notably defended themselves) they answered, that the shippe had sixe foote water in hold, three shot vnder water which were so weakly stopped, as with the first working of the sea, she must needes sinke, and was besides so crusht and brused, as she could never be remoued out of the place.

And as the matter was thus in dispute, and Sir Richard refusing to hearken to any of those reasons the maister of the Reuenge (while the Captaine wan vnto him the greater party) was conuoyde aborde the General Don Alfonso Bassan. Who finding none ouer hastie to enter the Reuenge againe, doubting least S. Richard would haue blowne them vp and himselfe, and perceiuing by the report of the maister of the Reuenge his dangerous disposition yeelded that all their liues should be saued, the companie sent for England, and the better sorte to pay such reasonable ransome as their estate would beare, and in the meane season be free from Gally or imprisonment. To this he so much the rather condescended as well as I haue saide, for feare of further losse and mischiefe to themselues, as also for the desire hee had to rccouer Sir Richard Grinuile (Grenville); whom for his notable valure he seemed greatly to honour and admire.

When this answere was returned, and that safetie of life was promised, the common sort being not at time end of their perill, the most drew backe from Sir Richard and the maistcr Gunner, being no hard matter to disuade men from death to life. The maister Gunner finding himselfe and Sir Richard thus preuented and maistered by the greater number, would haue slaine himselfe with a sword, had he not beene by force withheld and locked into his Cabben. Then the Generall sent manie boates abord the Reuenge, and diuerse of our men fearing Sir Richard's disposition, stole away aboord the Generall and other shippes. Sir Richard thus ouermatched, was sent vnto by Alfonso Bassan to remoue out of the Reuenge, the shippe being maruellous vnsauerie, filled with blood and bodies of deade, and wounded men like a slaughter house. Sir Richard answered that he might do with his bodie what he list, for he esteemed it not, and as he was carried out of the shippe he swounded, and reuiuing againe desired the companie to pray for him. The Generall vsed Sir Richard with all humanities, and left nothing vnattempted that tended to his recouerie, highly commending his valour and worthines, and greatly bewailing the daunger wherein he was, beeing vnto them a rare spectacle, and a resolution sildom approued, to see one ship turne toward so many ememies, to endure the charge and boording of so many huge Armados, and to resist and repell the assaults and entries of so many souldiers.