Red Dragon (1595)
Encyclopedia
Scourge of Malice or Malice Scourge or Mare Scourge was a 38-gun ship ordered by George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
. It was built and launched at Deptford Dockyard
in 1595. The Earl used it as his flagship during raids on the Spanish Main
, where it provided additional force to support his fleet. It was later renamed the Red Dragon and used by the East India Company
during at least five voyages to the East Indies
.
and was named by Queen Elizabeth I
as Scourge of Malice.
. However, the fleet had only travelled as far as Plymouth when he was recalled to London by the Queen. He returned, leaving the remainder of the small fleet to continue without him. On their return, he travelled out with them again; however on this voyage, the Scourge of Malice was badly damaged in a violent storm only forty leagues from England, her mainmast being damaged, and he was once more forced to return to seek repairs.
With the repairs completed, the Earl set sail once again on 6 March 1598, the Scourge of Malice now the flagship of a fleet numbering twenty vessels. After Sir Francis Drake
's defeat at San Juan in 1595
, the Earl of Cumberland was under orders to capture Brazil
from the Spanish. Following Drake's attack, the fort at San Juan
was left with 200 men and 150 volunteers, bolstered by a further 200 men when reinforcements arrived from Spain. By the time the Earl's fleet appeared off the coast of the islands on 16 June 1598, many of the Spanish soldiers had lost their discipline and turned to theft due to dysentery
and the lack of food. Two initial attacks by the English were fruitless, costing them lives without any gain; the Earl of Cumberland himself almost drowning trying to cross the San Antonio channel. Knowing that the Spanish were short of supplies, the English preferred to lay siege to the castle of El Morro
rather than destroy it, and on 29 June allowed the Spanish commander and troops to leave. During the attack on the town, the English had only lost 200 men, but over the next two months they lost 400 to an epidemic of dysentery, and after occupying the island for only 65 days, Cumberland abandoned the fort. Before they left, the English sacked the town, burning houses to the ground and stealing whatever caught their eye; items that included the cathedral bells and 2,000 slaves.
The fleet continued to torment the Spanish settlements in the West Indies
, achieving far more for Cumberland's country than his own wealth, from sale of his captures he only made about a tenth of the money that he had invested in the voyage. The fleet lost two vessels and over a thousand men.
's first voyage departed on 13 February 1601. The flagship of the five-vessel fleet was the Scourge of Malice, purchased from the Earl of Cumberland for £3700. On a more peaceful mission, the East India Company renamed the vessel the Red Dragon. The other vessels in the fleet were the Hector (300 tons), Ascension (260 tons), Susan (240 tons) and the Gift, a small victualler. In spite of their February departure, the fleet did not clear the English Channel
until early April due to delays from contrary winds. They landed at the Canary Islands
, and then, keeping too close to Africa
, fell into the Doldrums
, where they remained for a month. They replenished their provisions from a captured Portuguese vessel on route, but much of the fleet was affected by scurvy
by the time they arrived at Table Bay
on 9 September. Lancaster had managed to prevent his sailors from being so stricken by regularly dosing them with lemon-juice, and he was forced to send members of his own crew to help man the other ships. They stayed at Table Bay for seven weeks before departing, navigating along the eastern side of Madagascar
. Since leaving England, they had lost more than a fifth of their crew complement across the fleet, but those that remained were fit and healthy. Adverse wind conditions, and a second bout of scurvy forced the fleet to drop anchor in Antongil Bay
, where they remained from Christmas Day through until 6 March 1602. On the resumption of their journey, they reached the Nicobar Islands
after two months further travel, and took the opportunity to take on water and trim their vessels, staying for three weeks.
On 5 June, the fleet arrived in the road of Achin
, on the northern end of Sumatra
. There, Lancaster contacted the King, Ala-uddin Shah
, who was delighted at the prospect of trade with the English, and granted them an exemption from customs dues
. The goods at Achin failed to even fill one of the ships, and with the Susan having already been sent to Priaman
to try and procure pepper and spices, Lancaster decided to target Portuguese vessels in the Strait of Malacca
to increase his cargo. The mission was successful, with Lancaster capturing a vessel on route from San Thomé
(now part of Chennai
) and transferring a large load of calicoes and other produce onto the English ships. The fleet then returned to Achin on 24 October 1602 and collected King Ala-uddin Shah's reply to the Queen. The three ships left Achin on 9 November, and two days later the Ascension was despatched to return to England as it was fully laden. The Red Dragon and Hector sailed to Priaman, and Lancaster delivered instructions that when the Susan had finished loading her cargo of peppers and spices, she should set sail after the Ascension. Lancaster pressed his remained two vessels on towards Java
, arriving at Bantam
on 16 December. As in Achin, they presented a letter from Queen Elizabeth to the reigning monarch, and were granted permission to trade freely and "settle a factorie". They traded all of their remaining English goods for almost 300 bags of peppers and set up an addition factory in the Moluccas before leaving.
With a letter of reply from the King of Bantam, the two ships set sail on their return journey to England on 20 February. The return journey proceeded without incident until they had rounded the Cape of Good Hope
, when they were caught in a heavy and sudden storm. During the storm, the Red Dragons rudder
was broken off, leaving the ship at the mercy of the ocean. The ship's carpenter tried to build an improvised rudder to try and steady the ship's course, but in the rough seas it provided no relief. In spite of his crew's pleas to transfer to the Hector, Lancaster insisted that the crew remain on the Red Dragon, telling his crew that they would "yet abide Gods leisure." Despite the confidence his showed his crew, he ordered the Hector to leave them and return to England. When morning broke, the storm cleared as suddenly as it had appeared, and the Hector was not yet over the horizon; their captain having been reluctant to leave the Red Dragon while she was in distress. Another new rudder was made, this time using wood from the mizzenmast
, and the best swimmers and divers from the two ships hung it securely in place. After undergoing further repairs at St Helena
, the Red Dragon and Hector eventually arrived back in England on 11 September 1603, three months after the Ascension. Lancaster was knighted, most likely upon his presentation of the letters from the Kings of Achin and Bantam, for his duties, but the profits from the voyage were minimal, the sheer quantity of goods making them hard to find buyers for.
on 25 March 1604 during the night, but when they stopped at the Downs
, it was discovered that they were forty men short of their complement, and so had to wait for the remaining men. On 1 April, the Red Dragon took on twenty-eight men, and despite this, Middleton was determined to set sail to make use of the beneficial wind conditions. When a new muster of the men was taken, it was found that they were now twenty-eight men over their complement; and on contacting the other vessels, they found the same trend amongst them also. Angry that he had lost use of a fair wind waiting for men he had not needed, and now would have to lose further use of it due to having to deposit those same men back to land, Middleton ordered that they should sail on to Plymouth
and discharge the men there. Despite these delays, the fleet passed Cabo da Roca
on 7 April, and by 15 April had reached the Canary Islands. They anchored at Maio, Cape Verde
on 24 April, and set ashore in search of fresh food and water. The following day, Middleton did not go ashore, but sent the three other captains to keep their men from straggling, an order reiterated by Captain Stiles, and then by master Durham. They were due to set sail early the next morning, but before the anchor had been raised, Captain Stiles sent word to the Red Dragon that one of their merchants was missing; master Durham. A search party numbering 150 men was sent out to search for him, but after a day's hunting failed to find the missing merchant, Middleton resolved to leave without him.
The fleet crossed the equator
on 16 May, and sighted the Cape of Good Hope
just under two months later, the 13 July. By this stage at least eighty of the Red Dragons crew were suffering from scurvy, and although Middleton wanted to press on with the voyage and round the Cape, his crew protested and asked to put ashore to recover. The weather played against them, and it was six days before they could get their sick on land. Having landed at Table Bay, the company traded successfully with the local inhabitants, securing over two hundred sheep, a number of beeves
, kine and a bullock. On 3 August, the general (Middleton) took the Red Dragons pinnace
and a company of men in other boats to hunt whales in the bay. The first harpoon to take a solid hold came from the pinnace of the Susan, which was then dragged up and down the bay for half an hour until they were forced to cut the rope to ensure their own safety. The next shot that held came from the general's pinnace, and had this time struck a younger, littler whale. As with the Susans pinnace before it, the boat was towed back and forth the bay, while the larger whale stayed with them, harrying the boats with blows. One such blow on the general's pinnace broke the timbers, causing the boat to flood and Middleton to take refuge on another of the boats. With great difficulty, the pinnace was rescued and brought ashore where it took the ship's carpenters three days to repair. Eventually the larger whale abandoned its ward, which took until sunset to die from its wounds, after which it was dragged to shore. The oil from the whale was intended for their lamps, but a combination of the small size of the whale and bad casks provided the company with less than they would have liked.
Following attacks from the native population, the fleet's company returned to their ships on 14 August, and then, with fair winds, set sail five days later. On 21 December, the fleet anchored within the islands of Sumatra
, having lost a number of men to scurvy, and with a number of those that remained weakened. Due to illness, Middleton was unable to land and present the King of Bantam with a letter from King James I
until 31 December. It was then decided that the Red Dragon and Ascension would proceed to the Malucos
, while the Hector and Susan would return to England with their cargoes. The ships departed on 16 January, and just under a month later on 10 February made anchor off Ambiona
; having lost a number of men to flux
during their journey from Java. Here they gained permission from the Portuguese commander to trade on the island. Soon after their arrival however, a Dutch fleet arrived and took the fort by force, as a result of this the natives refused to trade with the English company until permission had been granted by the Dutch. Middleton was now troubled, the Dutch were cutting off his opportunities to trade, in addition to Ambiona, they had also beaten the English to the Banda Islands
, where they were offering the same commodities as the Red Dragon and Ascension had to offer. In view of this, Middleton declared that the only way they could acquire the necessary quantity of goods was for the two vessels to split up, with the Red Dragon doing its best to go to the Malucos, while the Ascension made for the isles of Banda. The decision was not well received among the crews of the two ships, due to the weakness they were suffering from due to dysentery, and the fact that travelling to the Malucos would mean sailing against both wind and current. Despite these issues, the plan was carried out, the Red Dragon sailing for a month before sighting the Malucos.
The company purchased fresh supplies from the people of Maquian
, but the natives refused to trade or sell any cloves without permission from the king of Ternate
. Duly, the Red Dragon sailed on towards Tidore
and Ternate, more eastward islands. On 22 March, they became involved in a small fracas between Tidore and Ternate. Two Ternate galleys were rowing at best possible speed, hailing the Red Dragon to wait for them, being chased by seven Tidore galleys. Middleton ordered the ship to slow and find out what was going on; they found that the galley contained the King of Ternate and three Dutch merchants. The Dutch pleaded with Middleton to rescue the second vessel, which contained more of their kinsmen who would be killed by the chasing Tidore. The Red Dragon fired at the Tidore galleys, but they maintained their course, and once within range, fired their own weapons at the trailing Ternate galley. They then boarded the vessel, killing all but three of the crew, those three having abandoned the vessel and swam to the Red Dragon. In the aftermath of the attack, the Ternate King endeavoured to talk Middleton out of trading with their enemies on Tidore, and promoted the idea of setting up a factory on Ternate instead. Middleton was set on travelling to Tidore to trade with the Portuguese, saying that if they would not accept peaceable trade, he would have just cause to join the Dutch in war against them. They arrived at Tidore on 27 March, and the following day met Thomè de Torres, captain of one of the Portuguese galleon. The Red Dragon traded successfully and remained at Tidore for the next three weeks, acquiring all but 80 baharsA unit in the trading system that stretched from the ports of China
, the East Indies
, India
and eastern Africa
. of the clove
s on the island. The remaining cloves were unavailable as they belonged to merchants of Malacca
.
Accordingly, on 19 April, the Red Dragon prepared to depart for Maquian; an island mostly sworn to the king of Ternate, with the exception of the town of Taffasoa, which was sworn to the king of Tidore. Already in possession of a letter from the Ternate king, the Tidore king also wrote a letter asking the town's governor to trade with the English. With a Dutch fleet closing in on the island of Tidore, intending to take the island from the Portuguese, the Red Dragon departed two days later, needing to sound her trumpets as she passed the Dutch fleet at around midnight to identify herself, in case the Dutch thought she was an escaping Portuguese galleon. Safely past the Dutch, the ship and her crew arrived at Maquian at seven the following evening. On their arrival, Middleton sent his brother along with two Ternatans that had remained with the ship to present the governor with the king's letters. After a public reading of the letter, the governor announced that the cloves on the island were not ripe yet, but that those that were the English could have the next day. When the next day came however, they were told that there were no ripe cloves on the island, and Middleton, suspecting Ternatan duplicity, decided to sail for Taffasoa. They were more forthcoming, and the English managed to acquire an amount of cloves for them before the Ternate attacked the town. With the town's governor informing them that there were no more cloves to be had, and receiving word from the fort on Tidore that the Dutch had burnt two galleons, the Red Dragon returned to Tidore on 3 May.
In addition to the Dutch fleet, the king of Ternate and all his caracoas were there, as part of the attack on their enemies. The Red Dragon received a cold reception from the Dutch, who claimed that a Guzerat
had told them that they had assisted the Portuguese during the last battle, a claim the English vehemently denied. The Dutch then described the battle ensuing, and their plans to attack the fort on the next day. That evening Captain de Torres came aboard and told Middleton that they (the Portuguese) were sure of victory against the Dutch, and would trade any remaining cloves with the English. At around one in the afternoon on 7 May, the Dutch and Ternate attacked, firing all their ordnance at the fort. During particularly heavy fire, the attacking forces landed men on the island, a little north of the town, who entrenched themselves there for the night. The attack continued the next morning, and the landed men were now within a mile of the fort and set up a large piece of ordnance to further bombard the fort. The morning of 9 May, the attack began before sunrise, and catching the Portuguese unaware, the Dutch and Ternate scaled the walls and raised their colours in the fort. During the ensuing battle, the Portuguese and Tidorean forces got the upper hand and drove their enemies from the fort, forcing them to drop their weapons and retreat into the sea. Just as the battle seemed won, the fort exploded, and the combined Dutch and Ternatan forces rallied. The Portuguese retreated once more, sacking the town as they did so, burning the factory with the cloves and leaving nothing of worth.
. According to surviving transcripts of the ship's commanding officer, William Keeling
, during their outward journey, they performed Hamlet
twice and Richard II
once. Journals from the voyage exist, that of John Hearne and William Finch is held in the British Library, while that of Keeling has been lost, but extracts have been variously published.
in September 1612, and two months later engaging a Portuguese fleet and driving them from the Gulf of Cambay
. By January of the following year, he had set up a factory at Surat and extended trade to Ahmedabad
, Burhanpur
and Agra
.
on 3 February 1615.
in 1637–38. In Jean Sutton's Lords of the East; The East India Company and Its Ships, no fewer than four ships named Dragon are listed, and none named Red Dragon. The first of these, listed as Dragon, 600 tons, 6 voyages, period of service: 1601–18 is almost undoubtedly the Red Dragon. The next ship chronologically is not until 1658, a vessel which undertook only one voyage, leaving the identity of the vessel noted in the 1637–38 voyage unknown.
George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
Sir George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, KG was an English peer, as well as a naval commander and courtier in the court of Queen Elizabeth I.-Background:...
. It was built and launched at Deptford Dockyard
Convoy's Wharf
Convoys Wharf, formerly called the King's Yard, is the site of Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Dockyards, built on a riverside site in Deptford, by the River Thames in London. It was first developed in 1513 by Henry VIII to build vessels for the Royal Navy. Convoys Wharf also covers most...
in 1595. The Earl used it as his flagship during raids on the Spanish Main
Spanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
, where it provided additional force to support his fleet. It was later renamed the Red Dragon and used by the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
during at least five voyages to the East Indies
Indies
The Indies is a term that has been used to describe the lands of South and Southeast Asia, occupying all of the present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and also Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, East Timor, Malaysia and...
.
Construction
In the 1590s, the Earl of Cumberland's passion for nautical adventure was at its peak. He lacked a vessel able to support his hired fleet; the only option he had to get a sufficiently armed vessel was to borrow from the Queen, something which would give her significant control over his actions. As a result, he declared that he would have his own ship built, 'the best and largest ship that had been built by any English subject.' The ship is variously recorded as being between 600 and 900 tonsLong ton
Long ton is the name for the unit called the "ton" in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used in the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries. It has been mostly replaced by the tonne, and in the United States by the short ton...
and was named by Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
as Scourge of Malice.
Raiding the Spanish Main (1595–1598)
Having had the Scourge of Malice built, the Earl then departed in his new ship, along with three smaller vessels, on another expedition to raid the Spanish MainSpanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
. However, the fleet had only travelled as far as Plymouth when he was recalled to London by the Queen. He returned, leaving the remainder of the small fleet to continue without him. On their return, he travelled out with them again; however on this voyage, the Scourge of Malice was badly damaged in a violent storm only forty leagues from England, her mainmast being damaged, and he was once more forced to return to seek repairs.
With the repairs completed, the Earl set sail once again on 6 March 1598, the Scourge of Malice now the flagship of a fleet numbering twenty vessels. After Sir Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
's defeat at San Juan in 1595
Battle of San Juan (1595)
The Battle of San Juan was a Spanish victory during the Anglo–Spanish War. This war broke out in 1585 and was fought not only in the European theatre but in Spain's American colonies.-Course:...
, the Earl of Cumberland was under orders to capture Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
from the Spanish. Following Drake's attack, the fort at San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
was left with 200 men and 150 volunteers, bolstered by a further 200 men when reinforcements arrived from Spain. By the time the Earl's fleet appeared off the coast of the islands on 16 June 1598, many of the Spanish soldiers had lost their discipline and turned to theft due to dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
and the lack of food. Two initial attacks by the English were fruitless, costing them lives without any gain; the Earl of Cumberland himself almost drowning trying to cross the San Antonio channel. Knowing that the Spanish were short of supplies, the English preferred to lay siege to the castle of El Morro
Fort San Felipe del Morro
Also known as Fort San Felipe del Morro or Morro Castle, is a 16th-century citadel located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.- Rundown :Lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico...
rather than destroy it, and on 29 June allowed the Spanish commander and troops to leave. During the attack on the town, the English had only lost 200 men, but over the next two months they lost 400 to an epidemic of dysentery, and after occupying the island for only 65 days, Cumberland abandoned the fort. Before they left, the English sacked the town, burning houses to the ground and stealing whatever caught their eye; items that included the cathedral bells and 2,000 slaves.
The fleet continued to torment the Spanish settlements in the West Indies
Spanish West Indies
The Spanish West Indies was the contemporary name for the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean...
, achieving far more for Cumberland's country than his own wealth, from sale of his captures he only made about a tenth of the money that he had invested in the voyage. The fleet lost two vessels and over a thousand men.
East India Company, First Voyage (1601–1603)
Formed on 31 December 1600, the East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's first voyage departed on 13 February 1601. The flagship of the five-vessel fleet was the Scourge of Malice, purchased from the Earl of Cumberland for £3700. On a more peaceful mission, the East India Company renamed the vessel the Red Dragon. The other vessels in the fleet were the Hector (300 tons), Ascension (260 tons), Susan (240 tons) and the Gift, a small victualler. In spite of their February departure, the fleet did not clear the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
until early April due to delays from contrary winds. They landed at the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, and then, keeping too close to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, fell into the Doldrums
Doldrums
The doldrums is a colloquial expression derived from historical maritime usage for those parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean affected by the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm...
, where they remained for a month. They replenished their provisions from a captured Portuguese vessel on route, but much of the fleet was affected by scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
by the time they arrived at Table Bay
Table Bay
Table Bay is a natural bay on the Atlantic Ocean overlooked by Cape Town and is at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, which stretches south to the Cape of Good Hope. It was named because it is dominated by the flat-topped Table Mountain.Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to explore this...
on 9 September. Lancaster had managed to prevent his sailors from being so stricken by regularly dosing them with lemon-juice, and he was forced to send members of his own crew to help man the other ships. They stayed at Table Bay for seven weeks before departing, navigating along the eastern side of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Since leaving England, they had lost more than a fifth of their crew complement across the fleet, but those that remained were fit and healthy. Adverse wind conditions, and a second bout of scurvy forced the fleet to drop anchor in Antongil Bay
Antongil Bay
Helodranon' Antongila , more commonly called Antongil Bay in English, is the largest bay in Madagascar. It is at the northern end of the east coast of the island and for administrative purposes it is within Analanjirofo Region. The bay is about 60 km long and 30 km wide, and is formed by...
, where they remained from Christmas Day through until 6 March 1602. On the resumption of their journey, they reached the Nicobar Islands
Nicobar Islands
The Nicobar Islands are an archipelagic island chain in the eastern Indian Ocean...
after two months further travel, and took the opportunity to take on water and trim their vessels, staying for three weeks.
On 5 June, the fleet arrived in the road of Achin
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
, on the northern end of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. There, Lancaster contacted the King, Ala-uddin Shah
Aceh Sultanate
The Sultanate of Aceh, officially the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam was a sultanate centered in the modern area of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, which was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long period of decline...
, who was delighted at the prospect of trade with the English, and granted them an exemption from customs dues
Duty (economics)
In economics, a duty is a kind of tax, often associated with customs, a payment due to the revenue of a state, levied by force of law. It is a tax on certain items purchased abroad...
. The goods at Achin failed to even fill one of the ships, and with the Susan having already been sent to Priaman
Pariaman
Pariaman is a coastal city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Pariaman has 72,089 inhabitants , an area of and a coastline. "Pariaman" means "safe area".-History:...
to try and procure pepper and spices, Lancaster decided to target Portuguese vessels in the Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 to 1511.-Extent:...
to increase his cargo. The mission was successful, with Lancaster capturing a vessel on route from San Thomé
Santhome
-History:The word Santhome or San Thome is derived from Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The local Christian belief is that the apostle came to India in A.D.52, was martyred in A.D.72 at St.Thomas Mount in the City and was interred in Mylapore. A church was built over his...
(now part of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
) and transferring a large load of calicoes and other produce onto the English ships. The fleet then returned to Achin on 24 October 1602 and collected King Ala-uddin Shah's reply to the Queen. The three ships left Achin on 9 November, and two days later the Ascension was despatched to return to England as it was fully laden. The Red Dragon and Hector sailed to Priaman, and Lancaster delivered instructions that when the Susan had finished loading her cargo of peppers and spices, she should set sail after the Ascension. Lancaster pressed his remained two vessels on towards Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, arriving at Bantam
Bantam (city)
Bantam in Banten province near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city, with a secure harbor on the Sunda Strait through which all ocean-going traffic passed, at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into...
on 16 December. As in Achin, they presented a letter from Queen Elizabeth to the reigning monarch, and were granted permission to trade freely and "settle a factorie". They traded all of their remaining English goods for almost 300 bags of peppers and set up an addition factory in the Moluccas before leaving.
With a letter of reply from the King of Bantam, the two ships set sail on their return journey to England on 20 February. The return journey proceeded without incident until they had rounded the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
, when they were caught in a heavy and sudden storm. During the storm, the Red Dragons rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
was broken off, leaving the ship at the mercy of the ocean. The ship's carpenter tried to build an improvised rudder to try and steady the ship's course, but in the rough seas it provided no relief. In spite of his crew's pleas to transfer to the Hector, Lancaster insisted that the crew remain on the Red Dragon, telling his crew that they would "yet abide Gods leisure." Despite the confidence his showed his crew, he ordered the Hector to leave them and return to England. When morning broke, the storm cleared as suddenly as it had appeared, and the Hector was not yet over the horizon; their captain having been reluctant to leave the Red Dragon while she was in distress. Another new rudder was made, this time using wood from the mizzenmast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
, and the best swimmers and divers from the two ships hung it securely in place. After undergoing further repairs at St Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, the Red Dragon and Hector eventually arrived back in England on 11 September 1603, three months after the Ascension. Lancaster was knighted, most likely upon his presentation of the letters from the Kings of Achin and Bantam, for his duties, but the profits from the voyage were minimal, the sheer quantity of goods making them hard to find buyers for.
East India Company, Second Voyage (1604–1605)
The Second Voyage of the East India Company to the East Indies was made by the same four ships that had made the previous voyage, with the Red Dragon now under the command of Henry Middleton. The fleet departed GravesendGravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
on 25 March 1604 during the night, but when they stopped at the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
, it was discovered that they were forty men short of their complement, and so had to wait for the remaining men. On 1 April, the Red Dragon took on twenty-eight men, and despite this, Middleton was determined to set sail to make use of the beneficial wind conditions. When a new muster of the men was taken, it was found that they were now twenty-eight men over their complement; and on contacting the other vessels, they found the same trend amongst them also. Angry that he had lost use of a fair wind waiting for men he had not needed, and now would have to lose further use of it due to having to deposit those same men back to land, Middleton ordered that they should sail on to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and discharge the men there. Despite these delays, the fleet passed Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca is a cape which forms the westernmost extent of mainland Portugal and continental Europe...
on 7 April, and by 15 April had reached the Canary Islands. They anchored at Maio, Cape Verde
Maio, Cape Verde
Maio is the easternmost of the Sotavento islands of Cape Verde. Maio is located south of the islands of Boa Vista and east of Santiago. The island is also known for its large forest, which is unusual for Cape Verde.-Geography:The island covers an area of 269 km²...
on 24 April, and set ashore in search of fresh food and water. The following day, Middleton did not go ashore, but sent the three other captains to keep their men from straggling, an order reiterated by Captain Stiles, and then by master Durham. They were due to set sail early the next morning, but before the anchor had been raised, Captain Stiles sent word to the Red Dragon that one of their merchants was missing; master Durham. A search party numbering 150 men was sent out to search for him, but after a day's hunting failed to find the missing merchant, Middleton resolved to leave without him.
The fleet crossed the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
on 16 May, and sighted the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
just under two months later, the 13 July. By this stage at least eighty of the Red Dragons crew were suffering from scurvy, and although Middleton wanted to press on with the voyage and round the Cape, his crew protested and asked to put ashore to recover. The weather played against them, and it was six days before they could get their sick on land. Having landed at Table Bay, the company traded successfully with the local inhabitants, securing over two hundred sheep, a number of beeves
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
, kine and a bullock. On 3 August, the general (Middleton) took the Red Dragons pinnace
Pinnace (ship's boat)
As a ship's boat the pinnace is a light boat, propelled by sails or oars, formerly used as a "tender" for guiding merchant and war vessels. In modern parlance, pinnace has come to mean a boat associated with some kind of larger vessel, that doesn't fit under the launch or lifeboat definitions...
and a company of men in other boats to hunt whales in the bay. The first harpoon to take a solid hold came from the pinnace of the Susan, which was then dragged up and down the bay for half an hour until they were forced to cut the rope to ensure their own safety. The next shot that held came from the general's pinnace, and had this time struck a younger, littler whale. As with the Susans pinnace before it, the boat was towed back and forth the bay, while the larger whale stayed with them, harrying the boats with blows. One such blow on the general's pinnace broke the timbers, causing the boat to flood and Middleton to take refuge on another of the boats. With great difficulty, the pinnace was rescued and brought ashore where it took the ship's carpenters three days to repair. Eventually the larger whale abandoned its ward, which took until sunset to die from its wounds, after which it was dragged to shore. The oil from the whale was intended for their lamps, but a combination of the small size of the whale and bad casks provided the company with less than they would have liked.
Following attacks from the native population, the fleet's company returned to their ships on 14 August, and then, with fair winds, set sail five days later. On 21 December, the fleet anchored within the islands of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, having lost a number of men to scurvy, and with a number of those that remained weakened. Due to illness, Middleton was unable to land and present the King of Bantam with a letter from King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
until 31 December. It was then decided that the Red Dragon and Ascension would proceed to the Malucos
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
, while the Hector and Susan would return to England with their cargoes. The ships departed on 16 January, and just under a month later on 10 February made anchor off Ambiona
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
; having lost a number of men to flux
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
during their journey from Java. Here they gained permission from the Portuguese commander to trade on the island. Soon after their arrival however, a Dutch fleet arrived and took the fort by force, as a result of this the natives refused to trade with the English company until permission had been granted by the Dutch. Middleton was now troubled, the Dutch were cutting off his opportunities to trade, in addition to Ambiona, they had also beaten the English to the Banda Islands
Banda Islands
The Banda Islands are a volcanic group of ten small volcanic islands in the Banda Sea, about south of Seram Island and about east of Java, and are part of the Indonesian province of Maluku. The main town and administrative centre is Bandanaira, located on the island of the same name. They rise...
, where they were offering the same commodities as the Red Dragon and Ascension had to offer. In view of this, Middleton declared that the only way they could acquire the necessary quantity of goods was for the two vessels to split up, with the Red Dragon doing its best to go to the Malucos, while the Ascension made for the isles of Banda. The decision was not well received among the crews of the two ships, due to the weakness they were suffering from due to dysentery, and the fact that travelling to the Malucos would mean sailing against both wind and current. Despite these issues, the plan was carried out, the Red Dragon sailing for a month before sighting the Malucos.
The company purchased fresh supplies from the people of Maquian
Makian
Makian is a volcanic island, one of the Maluku Islands in Indonesia...
, but the natives refused to trade or sell any cloves without permission from the king of Ternate
Ternate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....
. Duly, the Red Dragon sailed on towards Tidore
Tidore
Tidore is a city, island, and archipelago in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, west of the larger island of Halmahera. In the pre-colonial era, the kingdom of Tidore was a major regional political and economic power, and a fierce rival of nearby Ternate, just to the north.-Geography:Tidor...
and Ternate, more eastward islands. On 22 March, they became involved in a small fracas between Tidore and Ternate. Two Ternate galleys were rowing at best possible speed, hailing the Red Dragon to wait for them, being chased by seven Tidore galleys. Middleton ordered the ship to slow and find out what was going on; they found that the galley contained the King of Ternate and three Dutch merchants. The Dutch pleaded with Middleton to rescue the second vessel, which contained more of their kinsmen who would be killed by the chasing Tidore. The Red Dragon fired at the Tidore galleys, but they maintained their course, and once within range, fired their own weapons at the trailing Ternate galley. They then boarded the vessel, killing all but three of the crew, those three having abandoned the vessel and swam to the Red Dragon. In the aftermath of the attack, the Ternate King endeavoured to talk Middleton out of trading with their enemies on Tidore, and promoted the idea of setting up a factory on Ternate instead. Middleton was set on travelling to Tidore to trade with the Portuguese, saying that if they would not accept peaceable trade, he would have just cause to join the Dutch in war against them. They arrived at Tidore on 27 March, and the following day met Thomè de Torres, captain of one of the Portuguese galleon. The Red Dragon traded successfully and remained at Tidore for the next three weeks, acquiring all but 80 baharsA unit in the trading system that stretched from the ports of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and eastern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. of the clove
Clove
Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisines all over the world...
s on the island. The remaining cloves were unavailable as they belonged to merchants of Malacca
Malacca Town
Most tourist attractions are concentrated in its small city centre which encompasses Jonker Walk which houses Malacca's traditional Chinatown that exhibits Peranakan architecture. A Famosa Fort, St. Paul Hill are among the tourist attractions located in the Bandar Hilir, old city area. There are...
.
Accordingly, on 19 April, the Red Dragon prepared to depart for Maquian; an island mostly sworn to the king of Ternate, with the exception of the town of Taffasoa, which was sworn to the king of Tidore. Already in possession of a letter from the Ternate king, the Tidore king also wrote a letter asking the town's governor to trade with the English. With a Dutch fleet closing in on the island of Tidore, intending to take the island from the Portuguese, the Red Dragon departed two days later, needing to sound her trumpets as she passed the Dutch fleet at around midnight to identify herself, in case the Dutch thought she was an escaping Portuguese galleon. Safely past the Dutch, the ship and her crew arrived at Maquian at seven the following evening. On their arrival, Middleton sent his brother along with two Ternatans that had remained with the ship to present the governor with the king's letters. After a public reading of the letter, the governor announced that the cloves on the island were not ripe yet, but that those that were the English could have the next day. When the next day came however, they were told that there were no ripe cloves on the island, and Middleton, suspecting Ternatan duplicity, decided to sail for Taffasoa. They were more forthcoming, and the English managed to acquire an amount of cloves for them before the Ternate attacked the town. With the town's governor informing them that there were no more cloves to be had, and receiving word from the fort on Tidore that the Dutch had burnt two galleons, the Red Dragon returned to Tidore on 3 May.
In addition to the Dutch fleet, the king of Ternate and all his caracoas were there, as part of the attack on their enemies. The Red Dragon received a cold reception from the Dutch, who claimed that a Guzerat
Guzerat
Guzerat can refer to:* An alternate spelling for Gujarat* Guzerat_cattle...
had told them that they had assisted the Portuguese during the last battle, a claim the English vehemently denied. The Dutch then described the battle ensuing, and their plans to attack the fort on the next day. That evening Captain de Torres came aboard and told Middleton that they (the Portuguese) were sure of victory against the Dutch, and would trade any remaining cloves with the English. At around one in the afternoon on 7 May, the Dutch and Ternate attacked, firing all their ordnance at the fort. During particularly heavy fire, the attacking forces landed men on the island, a little north of the town, who entrenched themselves there for the night. The attack continued the next morning, and the landed men were now within a mile of the fort and set up a large piece of ordnance to further bombard the fort. The morning of 9 May, the attack began before sunrise, and catching the Portuguese unaware, the Dutch and Ternate scaled the walls and raised their colours in the fort. During the ensuing battle, the Portuguese and Tidorean forces got the upper hand and drove their enemies from the fort, forcing them to drop their weapons and retreat into the sea. Just as the battle seemed won, the fort exploded, and the combined Dutch and Ternatan forces rallied. The Portuguese retreated once more, sacking the town as they did so, burning the factory with the cloves and leaving nothing of worth.
East India Company, Third Voyage (1607–10)
In August 1608, the Red Dragon headed for JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. According to surviving transcripts of the ship's commanding officer, William Keeling
William Keeling
Captain William Keeling , of the East India Company, was a British sea captain. He commanded the Susanna on the second East India Company voyage in 1604, and he commanded the Red Dragon on the third voyage of 1607. He discovered the Cocos Islands in 1609 as he was going home from Java to England....
, during their outward journey, they performed Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
twice and Richard II
Richard II (play)
King Richard the Second is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to be written in approximately 1595. It is based on the life of King Richard II of England and is the first part of a tetralogy, referred to by some scholars as the Henriad, followed by three plays concerning Richard's...
once. Journals from the voyage exist, that of John Hearne and William Finch is held in the British Library, while that of Keeling has been lost, but extracts have been variously published.
East India Company, Tenth Voyage (1612–14)
Under the command of Thomas Best, the Red Dragon took part in the tenth voyage of the East India Company, securing trading rights for the company at SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
in September 1612, and two months later engaging a Portuguese fleet and driving them from the Gulf of Cambay
Gulf of Khambhat
The Gulf of Khambhat is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. It is about 80 miles in length, and divides the Kathiawar peninsula to the west from the eastern part of Gujarat state on the east. The Narmada and Tapti rivers empty into the Gulf...
. By January of the following year, he had set up a factory at Surat and extended trade to Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Burhanpur
Burhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
.
East India Company, Voyage (1615–17)
The Red Dragon was again commanded by William Keeling during a voyage that also included the Lyon, the Peppercorn, and the Expedition which sailed from TilburyTilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
on 3 February 1615.
Sinking (1619)
In October 1619, the Red Dragon, commanded by Robert Bonner, was attacked by a Dutch fleet and was sunk. Captain Bonner was mortally wounded and died on 9 October.Ambiguity
Records of the voyages of the East India Company, including those made at the time, often refer to the Red Dragon simply as Dragon, familiarity resulting in the shortened title. This however can make tracing the history of the vessel more difficult. Although Sainsbury and Boulger both record the sinking of the vessel in 1619, a later reference is made to a ship named Dragon, commanded by John WeddellJohn Weddell
John Weddell was an English sea captain who served for both the Muscovy Company and the East India Company.-Career:From May to August 1617 he was master or master’s mate of the Muscovy Company’s ship Dragon, which was vice-admiral of the whaling fleet sent to Spitsbergen...
in 1637–38. In Jean Sutton's Lords of the East; The East India Company and Its Ships, no fewer than four ships named Dragon are listed, and none named Red Dragon. The first of these, listed as Dragon, 600 tons, 6 voyages, period of service: 1601–18 is almost undoubtedly the Red Dragon. The next ship chronologically is not until 1658, a vessel which undertook only one voyage, leaving the identity of the vessel noted in the 1637–38 voyage unknown.