SIR RICHARD GRENVILLE, of Bideford, in Devon, was one of the most noted
admirals in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Although he had large estates,
and was very rich, he liked better to go abroad to the new countries
just then discovered, or to fight for his country, than to stay at home.
From his wonderful courage and determination never to fly from an enemy,
however great the odds might be against him, he had the good fortune to
win glory in the most glorious sea-fight that has ever been fought.
In 1591 he was vice-admiral of a small fleet consisting of six line of
battle ships, six victuallers, and two or three pinnaces, under the
command of Lord Thomas Howard. In the month of August in that year, they
lay at anchor off the island of Flores, where they had put in for a
fresh supply of water, and to take in ballast, as well as to refresh the
crew, for many of them were sick.
Half of the crew of Grenville's ship were disabled and were on shore,
when news was brought that a Spanish Armada, consisting of fifty-three
ships, was near at hand.
When the admiral heard it, knowing himself to be at a disadvantage, he
instantly signalled to the rest of the fleet to cut or weigh their
anchors and to follow him out to sea.
All the commanders obeyed his summons but Sir Richard Grenville, whose
duty as vice-admiral was to follow at the rear of the fleet; he also
waited until his men who were on shore could rejoin him.
Meanwhile he had everything set in readiness to fight, and all the sick
were carried to the lower hold.
The rest of the English ships were far away, hull down on the horizon,
and the Spaniards, who had come up under cover of the island, were
already bearing down in two divisions on his weatherbow before the
'Revenge' was ready to sail. Then the master and others, seeing the
hopelessness of their case, begged Sir Richard to trust to the good
sailing of his ship, 'to cut his maine saile and cast about, and to
follow the admiral.'
But Sir Richard flew into a terrible passion, and swore he would hang
any man who should then show himself to be a coward. 'That he would
rather choose to dye than to dishonour himselfe, his countrie, and her
maiestie's shippe.'
He boldly told his men that he feared no enemy, that he would yet pass
through the squadron and _force_ them to give him way.
Then were the hundred men on the 'Revenge' who were able to fight and to
work the ship, fired with the spirit of their commander, and they sailed
out to meet the foe with a cheer.
All went well for a little time, and the 'Revenge' poured a broadside
into those ships of the enemy that she passed. But presently a great
ship named 'San Felipe' loomed over her path and took the wind out of
her sails, so that she could no longer answer to her helm.
While she lay thus helplessly, all her sails of a sudden slack and
sweeping the yards, she fired her lower tier, charged with crossbar
shot, into the 'San Felipe.' Then the unwieldy galleon of a thousand and
five hundred tons, which bristled with cannon from stem to stern, had
good reason to repent her of her temerity, and 'shifted herselfe with
all dilligence from her sides, utterly misliking her entertainment.' It
is said she foundered shortly afterwards.
Meanwhile four more Spanish vessels had come up alongside the 'Revenge,'
and lay two on her larboard and two on her starboard. Then a hand to
hand fight began in terrible earnest. As those soldiers in the ships
alongside were repulsed or thrown back into the sea, yet were their
places filled with more men from the galleons around, who brought fresh
ammunition and arms. The Spanish ships were filled with soldiers, in
some were two hundred besides mariners, in some five hundred, in others
eight hundred.
'And a dozen times we shook 'em off as a dog that shakes his ears when
he leaps from the water to the land.'
Grenville was severely hurt at the beginning of the fight, but he paid
no heed to his wound, and stayed on the upper decks to cheer and
encourage his men. Two of the Spanish ships were sunk by his side, yet
two more came in their places, and ever and ever more as their need
might be.
Darkness fell upon the scene, and through the silence the musketry fire
crackled unceasingly, and the heavy artillery boomed from time to time
across the sea. About an hour before midnight Grenville was shot in the
body, and while his wound was being dressed, the surgeon who attended
him was killed, and at the same time Grenville was shot again in the
head.