Beneath the Banner Part 8

"VALIANT AND TRUE."

THE STORY OF SIR RICHARD GRENVILLE.

One of the most glorious of the many battles of the British navy was fought on the 10th and 11th September, 1591, by Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Grenville, in his s.h.i.+p _The Revenge_, against a great fleet of Spanish vessels. The fight was described by the gallant Sir Walter Raleigh, from whose account (published in November, 1591) the facts given in the following narrative are taken.

If the story seems somewhat out of place amongst nineteenth century records, it is, nevertheless, such a unique display of stubborn heroism "under fire" that I have not hesitated to include it.

On the 10th of September, 1591 (31st August, old style), Lord Thomas Howard, with six of her Majesty's s.h.i.+ps, five victualling s.h.i.+ps, a barque and two or three pinnaces, was at anchor near Flores, one of the westerly islands of the Azores, when Captain Middleton brought the news that the Spanish fleet was approaching.

He had no sooner delivered his message than the Spaniards came in sight. The few s.h.i.+ps at Lord Howard's command were in a very unready state for fighting. Many of the seamen were ill. Some of the s.h.i.+ps'

companies were procuring ballast, others getting in water.

Being so unprepared for the contest, and so greatly outnumbered, the British s.h.i.+ps weighed their anchors and set sail. The last s.h.i.+p to get under weigh was _The Revenge_, as Sir Richard waited for the men left on the island, who would have otherwise been captured.

The master of the s.h.i.+p wanted him to "cut his mainsail and cast about, and to trust to the sailing of his s.h.i.+p"; but Sir Richard utterly refused to turn from the enemy, saying that he would rather choose to die than dishonour himself, his country, and her Majesty's s.h.i.+p, and informed his company that he would pa.s.s through the two squadrons in spite of them. He might possibly have been able to carry out his plan; but the huge _San Philip_, an immense vessel of 1500 tons, coming towards him as he was engaging other s.h.i.+ps of the fleet, becalmed his sails and then boarded him. Whilst thus entangled with the _San Philip_, four other s.h.i.+ps also boarded _The Revenge_.

"The fight thus beginning at three of the clocke in the after noone,"

says Sir Walter Raleigh, "continued verie terrible all that evening."

Before long, the _San Philip_, having received the fire of _The Revenge_ at close quarters, "s.h.i.+fted herself with all diligence, utterly misliking her first entertainment".

The Spanish s.h.i.+ps had a great number of soldiers on board, in some cases two hundred, in others five, and in some even eight hundred; whilst on _The Revenge_ there were in all only one hundred and ninety persons, of whom ninety were sick.

After discharging their guns the Spanish s.h.i.+ps endeavoured to board _The Revenge_; but, notwithstanding the mult.i.tude of their armed men, they were repulsed again and again, and driven back either into their s.h.i.+ps or into the sea.

After the battle had lasted well into the night many of the British were slain or wounded, whilst two Spanish s.h.i.+ps had been sunk. An hour before midnight Sir Richard Grenville was shot in the body, and a little later was wounded in the head, whilst the doctor who was attending him was killed.

The company on board _The Revenge_ was gradually getting less and less; the Spanish s.h.i.+ps, meanwhile, as they received a sufficient evidence of _The Revenge's_ powers of destruction, dropped off, and their places were taken by others; and thus it happened that ere the morning fifteen s.h.i.+ps had been engaged, and all were so little pleased with the entertainment provided that they were far more willing to listen to proposals for an honourable arrangement than to make any more a.s.saults.

As Lord Tennyson writes:--

And the sun went down, and the stars came out far over the summer sea, But never a moment ceased the fight of the one and the fifty-three.

s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p the whole night long their high-built galleons came,

s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p, the whole night long, with her battle-thunder and flame; s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p, the whole night long, drew back with her dead and her shame.

For some were sunk and many were shatter'd, and so could fight us no more-- G.o.d of battles, was ever a battle like this in the world before?

_The Revenge_ had by this time spent her last barrel of gunpowder; all her pikes were broken, forty of her best men slain, and most of the remainder wounded. For her brave defenders there was now no hope,--no powder, no weapons, the masts all beaten overboard, all her tackle cut asunder, her decks battered, nothing left overhead for flight or below for defence.

Sir Richard, finding himself in this condition after fifteen hours'

hard fighting, and having received about eight hundred shots from great guns, besides various a.s.saults from the enemy, and seeing, moreover, no way by which he might prevent his s.h.i.+p falling into the hands of the Spanish, commanded the master gunner, whom he knew was a most resolute man, to split and sink the s.h.i.+p. He did this that thereby nothing might remain of glory or victory to the Spaniards: seeing that in so many hours' fight, and with so great a navy, they were not able to take her, though they had fifteen hours in which to do so; and moreover had 15,000 men and fifty-three s.h.i.+ps of war against his single vessel of five hundred tons.

He endeavoured to persuade his men to yield themselves to G.o.d, and to the mercy of none else; that, as they had repulsed so many enemies, they should not shorten the honour of their nation by prolonging their lives by a few hours or days.

The captain and master could not, however, see the matter in this light, and besought Sir Richard to have a care of them, declaring that the Spaniards would be ready to treat with them; and that, as there were a number of gallant men yet living whose wounds were not mortal, they might do their country and prince acceptable service hereafter.

They also pointed out that as _The Revenge_ had six feet of water in the hold and three shots under water, but weakly stopped, she must needs sink in the first heavy sea; which indeed happened a few days later. But Sir Richard refused to be guided by such counsels.

Whilst, however, the dispute was going on, the master of _The Revenge_ opened communication with the Spaniards and concluded an arrangement fully honourable to the British, by which it was agreed that those on board _The Revenge_ should be sent to England in due course; those of the better sort to pay a reasonable ransom, and meantime no one was to be imprisoned. The commander of the Spanish fleet agreed to this readily, not only because (knowing the disposition of his adversary) he feared further loss to his own side by prolonging the fight, but because he greatly admired the valour of Sir Richard Grenville, and desired to save his life. The master gunner, finding Sir Richard and himself alone in their way of thinking, would have slain himself rather than fall into the hands of the enemy, but was forcibly prevented from carrying out his intention and locked in his cabin.

Being sent for by Don Alfonso Ba.s.san, the Spanish commander, Sir Richard made no objection to going, answering that he might do as he pleased with his body, for he esteemed it not. As he was being carried out of the s.h.i.+p he swooned, and reviving again desired the company to pray for him.

Though the Spaniards treated Sir Richard with every care and consideration, he died the second or third day after the fight, deeply lamented both by, the enemy and by his own men.

"Here die I, Richard Grenville," said he, "with a joyful and quiet mind; for that I have ended my life as a true soldier ought to do, that hath fought for his country, queen, religion and honour. Whereby my soul most joyfully departeth out of this body, and shall always leave behind it an everlasting fame of a valiant and true soldier, that hath done his duty as he was bound to do."

The reason the other British s.h.i.+ps did not take part in the contest was that it was altogether hopeless; and that, had the admiral ordered it, the entire fleet would probably have fallen into the hands of the Spaniards, seeing that they so greatly outnumbered the British s.h.i.+ps.

Six small s.h.i.+ps ill supplied with fighting men against fifty-three bigger ones filled with soldiers was too great a disparity of force to give even a hope of victory.

And, although Lord Howard would himself have gone into battle even against such odds as that, yet the other commanders were greatly opposed to so rash an enterprise; and the master of his own s.h.i.+p said he would rather jump into the sea than conduct her Majesty's s.h.i.+p and the rest to be a prey to the enemy.

Hence it was that _The Revenge_ fought alone on that September day the entire Spanish fleet, and has given us one of the most glorious pages in the annals of our national history.

ONE WHO LEFT ALL.

THE STORY OF BISHOP HANNINGTON.

Fancy Hannington, of all persons in the world, turning missionary, and going out to preach the Gospel to the blacks!

It is well-nigh incredible at first thought that such a light-hearted, rollicking, jovial fellow could have given up _everything_ for such a work as that!

He had plenty of money, hosts of friends, wife, children, any amount of useful work to do at home,--everything, in fact, that can make life worth living.

What could possibly make such a man as that go into the wilds of Africa to be tormented, tortured, and slain by savages?

I will try and show briefly how it came about.

At school Hannington was the veriest pickle, and was nicknamed "Mad Jim".

On one occasion he lit a bonfire in his dormitory, he pelted the German master with rejected examination papers, and in a single day was caned over a dozen times. Yet he fought the bullies, and kept his word; he was brave, honest and manly, and was a great favourite.

When about fifteen years old he was put into his father's business at Brighton. His life there was certainly not hard or trying. He was allowed to travel a great deal, and thus went over a considerable part of Europe, enjoying himself immensely when so doing. Still, he had no taste for the counting-house; and after six years gave it up to become a clergyman, and forthwith proceeded to Oxford.

Both at Oxford and at Martinhoe, in North Devon, where he spent some time during the vacations, Hannington preserved his reputation for fun and love of adventure. At Oxford he took part in practical jokes innumerable; at Martinhoe cliff-climbing and adventurous scrambles occupied some little of his time.

One day he went with two companions to explore a cave called "The Eyes". Adjoining this they discovered a narrow hole leading to a further cave, which was below high-water mark. Into this with great exertion Jim managed to squeeze himself. It was quite dark inside, and whilst he was describing it to his companions they suddenly noticed that the tide was fast coming in, and implored him to get out of his perilous position at once.

Easier said than done. The difficulty he had found in getting in was a trifle compared with the pa.s.sage out. He tried head first, then feet first, and whilst his friends tugged he squeezed. It was of no use.

The sea had almost reached him, and drowning seemed certain.

Then, quite hopeless of escape, he bade his companions good-bye. All at once it occurred to him to try taking off his clothes. This made just the difference required, and with a tremendous effort he got out of his prison-house in the very nick of time.

A little later comes an important entry in his diary: "---- opened a correspondence with me to-day, which I speak of as delightful; it led to my conversion".