merry together with the captain, master, and company, which was the last
meeting, and continued there from morning until night. During which
time there passed sundry discourses touching affairs past and to come,
lamenting greatly the loss of his great ship, more of the men, but most
of all his books and notes, and what else I know not, for which he was
out of measure grieved, the same doubtless being some matter of more
importance than his books, which I could not draw from him: yet by
circumstance I gathered the same to be the ore which Daniel the Saxon
had brought unto him in the Newfoundland. Whatsoever it was, the
remembrance touched him so deep as, not able to contain himself, he
beat his boy in great rage, even at the same time, so long after the
miscarrying of the great ship, because upon a fair day, when we were
becalmed upon the coast of the Newfoundland near unto Cape Race, he sent
his boy aboard the Admiral to fetch certain things: amongst which, this
being chief, was yet forgotten and left behind. After which time he
could never conveniently send again aboard the great ship, much less he
doubted her ruin so near at hand.
Herein my opinion was better confirmed diversely, and by sundry
conjectures, which maketh me have the greater hope of this rich mine.
For whereas the General had never before good conceit of these north
parts of the world, now his mind was wholly fixed upon the Newfoundland.
And as before he refused not to grant assignments liberally to them
that required the same into these north parts, now he became contrarily
affected, refusing to make any so large grants, especially of St.
John's, which certain English merchants made suit for, offering to
employ their money and travail upon the same yet neither by their
own suit, nor of others of his own company, whom he seemed willing to
pleasure, it could be obtained. Also laying down his determination
in the spring following for disposing of his voyage then to be
re-attempted: he assigned the captain and master of the _Golden Hind_
unto the south discovery, and reserved unto himself the north, affirming
that this voyage had won his heart from the south, and that he was now
become a northern man altogether.
Last, being demanded what means he had, at his arrival in England, to
compass the charges of so great preparation as he intended to make
the next spring, having determined upon two fleets, one for the south,
another for the north; _Leave that to me_, he replied, _I will ask a
penny of no man. I will bring good tiding unto her Majesty, who will
be so gracious to lend me 10,000 pounds_, willing us therefore to be
of good cheer; for _he did thank God_, he said, _with all his heart for
that he had seen, the same being enough for us all, and that we needed
not to seek any further_. And these last words he would often repeat,
with demonstration of great fervency of mind, being himself very
confident and settled in belief of inestimable good by this voyage;
which the greater number of his followers nevertheless mistrusted
altogether, not being made partakers of those secrets, which the General
kept unto himself. Yet all of them that are living may be witnesses of
his words and protestations, which sparingly I have delivered.
Leaving the issue of this good hope unto God, who knoweth the truth
only, and can at His good pleasure bring the same to light, I will
hasten to the end of this tragedy, which must be knit up in the person
of our General. And as it was God's ordinance upon him, even so the
vehement persuasion and entreaty of his friends could nothing avail to
divert him of a wilful resolution of going through in his frigate;
which was overcharged upon the decks with fights, nettings, and small
artillery, too cumbersome for so small a boat that was to pass through
the ocean sea at that season of the year, when by course we might expect
much storm of foul weather. Whereof, indeed, we had enough.
But when he was entreated by the captain, master, and other his
well-willers of the _Hind_ not to venture in the frigate, this was his
answer: _I will not forsake my little company going homeward, with whom
I have passed so many storms and perils._ And in very truth he was urged
to be so over hard by hard reports given of him that he was afraid of
the sea; albeit this was rather rashness than advised resolution, to
prefer the wind of a vain report to the weight of his own life. Seeing
he would not bend to reason, he had provision out of the _Hind_, such
as was wanting aboard his frigate. And so we committed him to God's
protection, and set him aboard his pinnace, we being more than 300
leagues onward of our way home.
By that time we had brought the Islands of Azores south of us; yet we
then keeping much to the north, until we had got into the height and
elevation of England, we met with very foul weather and terrible seas,
breaking short and high, pyramid-wise. The reason whereof seemed to
proceed either of hilly grounds high and low within the sea, as we see
hills and vales upon the land, upon which the seas do mount and fall,
or else the cause proceedeth of diversity of winds, shifting often in
sundry points, all which having power to move the great ocean, which
again is not presently settled, so many seas do encounter together,
as there had been diversity of winds. Howsoever it cometh to pass, men
which all their lifetime had occupied the sea never saw more outrageous
seas, we had also upon our mainyard an apparition of a little fire by
night, which seamen do call Castor and Pollux. But we had only one,
which they take an evil sign of more tempest; the same is usual in
storms.
Monday, the 9 of September, in the afternoon, the frigate was near cast
away, oppressed by waves, yet at that time recovered; and giving forth
signs of joy, the General, sitting abaft with a book in his hand, cried
out to us in the _Hind_, so oft as we did approach within hearing, _We
are as near to heaven by sea as by land!_ Reiterating the same speech,
well beseeming a soldier, resolute in Jesus Christ, as I can testify he
was.
The same Monday night, about twelve of the clock, or not long after, the
frigate being ahead of us in the _Golden Hind_, suddenly her lights were
out, whereof as it were in a moment we lost the sight, and withal our
watch cried _the General was cast away_, which was too true. For in that
moment the frigate was devoured and swallowed up of the sea. Yet still
we looked out all that night, and ever after until we arrived upon the
coast of England; omitting no small sail at sea, unto which we gave
not the tokens between us agreed upon to have perfect knowledge of each
other, if we should at any time be separated.
In great torment of weather and peril of drowning it pleased God to
send safe home the _Golden Hind_, which arrived in Falmouth the 22 of
September, being Sunday, not without as great danger escaped in a flaw
coming from the south-east, with such thick mist that we could not
discern land to put in right with the haven. From Falmouth we went to
Dartmouth, and lay there at anchor before the Range, while the captain
went aland to enquire if there had been any news of the frigate, which,
sailing well, might happily have been before us; also to certify Sir
John Gilbert, brother unto the General, of our hard success, whom the
captain desired, while his men were yet aboard him, and were witnesses
of all occurrences in that voyage, it might please him to take the
examination of every person particularly, in discharge of his and their
faithful endeavour. Sir John Gilbert refused so to do, holding himself
satisfied with report made by the captain, and not altogether despairing
of his brother's safety, offered friendship and courtesy to the captain
and his company, requiring to have his bark brought into the harbour; in
furtherance whereof a boat was sent to help to tow her in.
Nevertheless, when the captain returned aboard his ship, he found his
men bent to depart every man to his home; and then the wind serving to
proceed higher upon the coast, they demanded money to carry them home,
some to London, others to Harwich, and elsewhere, if the barque should
be carried into Dartmouth and they discharged so far from home, or else
to take benefit of the wind, then serving to draw nearer home, which
should be a less charge unto the captain, and great ease unto the men,
having else far to go. Reason accompanied with necessity persuaded the
captain, who sent his lawful excuse and cause of this sudden departure
unto Sir John Gilbert, by the boat of Dartmouth, and from thence the
_Golden Hind_ departed and took harbour at Weymouth. All the men tired
with the tediousness of so unprofitable a voyage to their seeming, in
which their long expense of time, much toil and labour, hard diet, and
continual hazard of life was unrecompensed; their captain nevertheless
by his great charges impaired greatly thereby, yet comforted in the
goodness of God, and His undoubted providence following him in all that
voyage, as it doth always those at other times whosoever have confidence
in Him alone. Yet have we more near feeling and perseverance of His
powerful hand and protection when God doth bring us together with others
into one same peril, in which He leaveth them and delivereth us, making
us thereby the beholders, but not partakers, of their ruin. Even so,
amongst very many difficulties, discontentments, mutinies, conspiracies,
sicknesses, mortality, spoilings, and wracks by sea, which were
afflictions more than in so small a fleet or so short a time may be
supposed, albeit true in every particularity, as partly by the former
relation may be collected, and some I suppressed with silence for their
sakes living, it pleased God to support this company, of which only
one man died of a malady inveterate, and long infested, the rest kept
together in reasonable contentment and concord, beginning, continuing,
and ending the voyage, which none else did accomplish, either not
pleased with the action, or impatient of wants, or prevented by death.
Thus have I delivered the contents of the enterprise and last action of
Sir Humfrey Gilbert, Knight, faithfully, for so much as I thought meet
to be published; wherein may always appear, though he be extinguished,
some sparks of his virtues, be remaining firm and resolute in a purpose
by all pretence honest and godly, as was this, to discover, possess, and
to reduce unto the service of God and Christian piety those remote and
heathen countries of America not actually possessed by Christians, and
most rightly appertaining unto the crown of England, unto the which as
his zeal deserveth high commendation, even so he may justly be taxed of
temerity, and presumption rather, in two respects. First, when yet there
was only probability, not a certain and determinate place of habitation
selected, neither any demonstration if commodity there _in esse_, to
induce his followers; nevertheless, he both was too prodigal of his own
patrimony and too careless of other men's expenses to employ both his
and their substance upon a ground imagined good. The which falling, very
like his associates were promised, and made it their best reckoning, to
be salved some other way, which pleased not God to prosper in his first
and great preparation. Secondly, when by his former preparation he was
enfeebled of ability and credit to perform his designments, as it were
impatient to abide in expectation better opportunity, and means which
God might raise, he thrust himself again into the action, for which he
was not fit, presuming the cause pretended on God's behalf would carry
him to the desired end. Into which having thus made re-entry, he could
not yield again to withdraw, though he saw no encouragement to proceed;
lest his credit, foiled in his first attempt, in a second should utterly
be disgraced. Between extremities he made a right adventure, putting all
to God and good fortune; and, which was worst, refused not to entertain
every person and means whatsoever, to furnish out this expedition, the
success whereof hath been declared.
But such is the infinite bounty of God, who from every evil deriveth
good. For besides that fruit may grow in time of our travelling into
those north-west lands, the crosses, turmoils, and afflictions, both
in the preparation and execution of this voyage, did correct the
intemperate humours which before we noted to be in this gentleman, and
made unsavoury and less delightful his other manifold virtues. Then
as he was refined, and made nearer drawing unto the image of God so it
pleased the Divine will to resume him unto Himself, whither both his and
every other high and noble mind have always aspired.