Another gallant affair was the action fought by the Centurion, Turkey merchant, Robert Bradshaw, master, with five Spanish galleys, near the Gut of Gibraltar. Three vessels simultaneously tried to board her, but she drove them all off, and, after more than five hours, induced them to leave her. Bradshaw, whose crew consisted of forty-eight men and boys, lost four killed and ten wounded.[1]
Attempts against Spanish treasure and Spanish treasure ships remained for many years among the most attractive ventures for English seamen. One of these attempts[2] was organised in 1592 by Sir Walter Ralegh and his friends, with assistance from the queen's government. Ralegh's original plan seems to have been either to await the home-coming Spanish fleet in the Atlantic or to cross to the Isthmus of Darien and seize the town of Panama, where the Spaniards were accustomed to assemble treasure, prior to shipping it home by way of the East Indies. Sir Walter was at the time in a restless and dissatisfied condition, owing to the queen's favour for him having diminished, and he may have thought it necessary to achieve some new exploit in order to reinstate himself.
Two only of her majesty's ships, the Garland, of 700 tons, 300 men, and 45 guns, and the Foresight, of 300 tons, 120 men, and 37 guns, participated in this expedition. With them were associated thirteen armed merchant vessels. Sir Walter Ralegh, in the first instance, took chief command, but, as will be seen, returned ere the adventure had fairly begun, and was superseded by Frobiser. Captain Robert Crosse commanded the Foresight, and the land forces on board the squadron were under Sir John Burgh,[3] although he also exercised some kind of naval direction.
After two or three months' detention by contrary winds, the expedition sailed on May 1st; but on the day following, Sir Martin Frobiser, in the Lord Admiral's pinnace Disdain, overtook it, bringing from Elizabeth letters revoking Ralegh's command in favour of Frobiser, and commanding Ralegh to return. Sir Walter seems to have been hurt and disappointed, and to have determined to proceed in defiance of orders; but when, upon reaching the
- ↑ Hakluyt, ii. pt. ii. 168.
- ↑ Ib., ii. pt. ii. p. 194; Monson's 'Tracts'; Camden's 'Annales'; Oldys's 'Life of Ralegh,' 63-65.
- ↑ Sir John Burgh, a descendant of the famous Hubert de Burgh, was third son of William, fifth Baron de Burgh. He was killed in action on March 7th, 1595, being then in his fifty-third year, and lies buried in Westminster Abbey.
