DRAKE'S WAY
By A. L. ROWSE MANY people—the Government itself, to judge from some of its pronouncements—have been struck by the similarity of our situation today to that in 1587-8, that earlier and no less grave crisis in our history when we awaited the fruition of all the preparations throughout the Spanish Empire in Europe and America for a descent upon this island. At this comparable moment, in the same week as the Armada was brought to battle in the Channel, it is more than' interest- ing, it is exciting to listen to the views of Drake himself on the absorbing question of offensive versus defensive, whether it is better to await the enemy's blow in your own waters, on your own soil, or whether the best defence is not to carry the war into his.
Here are Drake's views, as I took them down some years ago from the actual letters he wrote from Plymouth to the Queen (now, alas, no longer to be seen, since present circum- stances have closed the Public Record Office) I seem still to see in my mind's eye the large folded pages covered with that firm, fluent, confident handwriting, the ink rather purplish in places as if some water had fallen upon it, the glisten of sand here and there as if it were not three hundred and fifty years ago that that hand scattered the sand upon the page. What memories it brings back! Memories of ceaseless watch- ing in the Channel and along the coasts, then, as now, of anxiety and courage in time of trial, of energy and spirit crowned with ultimate and deserved victory.
Drake's views are expressed at length and copiously ; none of your strong-silent-man nonsense with him ; he had the superb natural eloquence of the great man of action, like Nelson, like Cromwell, and he was not afraid to let himself go. The situation, it will be remembered, was that while Philip was completing his preparations in Lisbon, the cautious Burghley and Elizabeth were playing upon their second string, peace talks with Parma in the Netherlands. At the same time they wrote to Drake for his opinion as to the best way to break up the concentration of ships at Lisbon.
He declared hinanelf in general in favour of a descent upon the enemy's coast, a surprise attack upon his shipping and trans- ports, breaking up and destroying them so that there would be no invasion. And he had shown with brilliant success how it could be done the year before at Cadtz, "the singeing of the King of Spain's beard." Now, in the spring of 1588, he urged again and again a descent upon Lisbon to break up the still greater concentrations there, before they became too vast an armada to attack with impunity. For various reasons the Govern- ment hesitated, giving Philip the opportunity to draw his forces together, made up of the contingents from different parts of Europe under his control. They hesitated until in fact the Armada was assembled ; the invasion of England was possible, the issue doubtful.
To the Queen's inquiry what was now to be done, Drake replied: "Truly this point is hardly to be answered as yet, for two special causes ; the first for that our intelligences are as yet uncertain. The second is the resolution of our own People, which I shall better understand when I have them at sea. • . But if your Majesty will give present order for our proeding to the sea, and send to the strengthening of this flee' here four more of your Majesty's good ships and those sixteen sail of ships which are preparing in London, then shall Your Majesty stand so well, with God's assistance, that if the fleet come out of Lisbon, as long as we have victual to live witl- al upon that coast they sball be fought with, and I hope through the goodness of our merciful God in such sort as shall hinder his quiet passage into England." As for morale—that much:abused, but still useful, word— Drake wrote: "I assure your Majesty I have not in my life- time known better men and possessed with gallanter minds than your Majesty's people are for the most part, which are here gathered together voluntarily to put their hands and hearts to the finishing of this good piece of work, wherein we are all persuaded that God the giver of all victories will in mercy look upon your most excellent Majesty and us your subjects who for the defence of your Majesty, our religion and natural country have resolutely vowed the hazard of our lives."
(How Elizabeth tool the godly element in all this we do not know; in general she could 'not bear Protestant sermonising: she preferred to do her own. She once said of Hawkins, when he tried a little on her, "God's truth! This fellow went away a soldier and hath come home a prating divine.") Then follows a famous sentence which could not be bettered as summing up Drake's general conception of strategy: "The advantage of time and place in all martial actions is half a victory, which being lost is irrecoverable. Wherefore, if your Majesty will command me away with those ships that are here already and the rest to follow with all possible expedi- tion, I hold it in my poor opinion the surest and best course."
Still the Queen did not show her hand A fortnight later Drake returned to the attack: "Most renowned prince, I beseech you to pardon my boldness in the discharge of my conscience, being burdened to signify unto your Highness the imminent dangers that in my simple opinion do hang over us. That if a good peace for your Majesty be not forthwith con- cluded (which I as much as any man desireth), then these great preparations of the Spaniard may be speedily prevented, as much as in your Majesty lieth, by sending your forces to encounter theirs, somewhat far off and more near their own coast, which will be better cheap for your Majesty and people, and much the dearer for the enemy.. . . I will continually pray to God to bless your Majesty with all happy victories. From Plymouth this 23rd of April, Your Majesty's most loyal, Fra. Drake."
In the end, Drake's view was accepted, but permission for him to set sail was not given until too late; the Armada did indeed reach our coasts. Perhaps its ultimate destiny would have been the same.
Such were Drake's views. Not that one puts them forward as dogma to be followed in what may turn out to be very different circumstances. But at a time like the present it is inspiring to recall them, still more the.. man who held them and the memory of that great moment in our history when, an altogether smaller people with vastly inferior resources than we have today, we faced undismayed the greatest power in Europe and America.
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