The Great Expedition by Angus Konstam

Author:Angus Konstam
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Great Expedition: Sir Francis Drake on the Spanish Main 1585–86
ISBN: 9781780962337
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 2011-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

Back in Santiago, Drake had another problem to deal with. Captain Francis Knollys of the Galleon Leicester was a nobleman who saw Drake as a parvenu. As an in-law of the Earl of Leicester he imagined himself as beyond the reproach of Drake, and for months he had spread discord, questioning Drake’s actions and demanding a greater say in decision making. His diary shows how deeply he disliked both Drake and Carleill, and believed that the pair had deceived him by keeping plunder for themselves. In effect, he was accusing the two commanders of corruption, of robbing their fellow members of the expedition. The problem was brought out into the open on 20 November, when all captains were asked to swear loyalty to their sovereign, and to Drake as her appointed representative. Knollys refused to swear the oath, although he added that he would willingly declare his allegiance to the Queen. The following day – a Sunday – Drake’s chaplain Philip Nichols decried Knollys in his sermon, claiming that anyone unwilling to swear the oath was unworthy of the expedition.

That evening Knollys confronted the cleric at Drake’s dinner table, forcing the admiral to intervene. Drake railed at Knollys, accusing him of inciting sedition – even Drake balked at using the word ‘mutiny’. Knollys replied that it would be best if Drake let him sail off on his own. The following morning, Drake was rowed over to the Galleon Leicester, and called its crew together. He asked them if they preferred to leave the expedition with Knollys, or remain with Drake. All but 40 or so elected to stay. Drake then declared that Knollys and his small band of followers were exempt from further service, and would be given the small Francis to sail home in. First, though, Drake had to protect himself. He demanded a written letter from Knollys, stating that he was prepared to leave Drake’s expedition, and the service of the Queen, and return directly to England. Knollys agreed to two of the points, but refused to admit he was leaving the Queen’s service. That would leave him open to later charges of desertion.

This wasn’t good enough for Drake. He wanted rid of the aristocratic troublemaker, but he didn’t want Knollys undermining Drake’s position in the court. Instead he decided to keep Knollys with him on board the Elizabeth Bonaventure for the time being, where he could be watched. His men were distributed throughout the other ships of the fleet. Once again, Drake’s actions appear draconian, but he was sensitive to insubordination, especially after the Thomas Doughty incident during his Pacific expedition. The whole oath of loyalty was unnecessary, and if it was administered anywhere it should have been done in Plymouth, before the expedition ever set sail. Drake left Santiago within a day of the capture of Porto Praia, but before he did so he ordered the town of Santiago to be razed – a final message to the Spanish. On the last day of November, his ships then headed westward, out into the Atlantic Ocean.

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