John Marchant (seaman)
Encyclopedia
Captain John Marchant served under Sir Francis Drake
from 1585 to 1595, thus participating in some of the most important seafaring expeditions and naval encounters of the day. He lost his life near Nombre de Dios
, Panama, a few weeks before Drake's own death.
Captain Marchant served aboard the Hopewell during the 1585-86 expedition, in which Sir Drake captured from the Spanish A) Santiago, in the Cape Verde Islands west of Africa; B) Santo Domingo, in Hispaniola
; and C) Cartagena, in Colombia. After this string of victories, Drake and Marchant sacked and burned St. Augustine
, Florida. On the way back up the Atlantic Coast, Drake and Marchant stopped at Roanoke Island
, where a colony begun by Sir Walter Raleigh
the year before had fallen on hard times. The colonists (all of them lonely men) decided to return with Drake to England.
was amassing through 1587, preparing for an all-out assault on England. Drake raised 24 ships and headed to Cadiz
, Spain, for a preemptive strike. By this time, John Marchant was Sergeant-Major in Drake's navy, serving on the Golden Lyon. Drake's forces routed the ships in Cadiz Harbour; Drake then decided to take the Castle of Sagres
, near Cape St. Vincent. His second-in-command, William Borough
, was an older naval officer who considered Drake to be not much more than a glorified pirate. He refused to help Drake take Sagres, and was arrested for his insubordination and held aboard the Golden Lyon. Captain Marchant thus came into command of this ship.
After Drake captured Sagres, his ships were separated by a storm. He soon discovered that the Lyon had deserted; Capt. Marchant was found aboard the Spy, having had to evacuate the Lyon. Marchant reported that Borough had inspired a mutiny aboard the Lyon., and although the ship was on its way back to England and out of his reach, Drake called a court-martial and sentenced Borough to death. Borough was eventually tried and found not-guilty, blaming the whole affair on Capt. Marchant:
“Mr. Marchant used no resistance by force and violence to withstand their purpose (which he ought to have done). . . the authority of government was wholly committed to the said Captain Marchant. . .”
(Sp.: “Name of God”), near the modern-day Panama Canal
, hoping to intercept the Spanish bringing gold from Peru over the isthmus
. On January 2, 1595/96, Drake's forces marched up a hill only to discover at the last minute that the Spanish had hidden a fort on top of it. Twenty-some Englishmen were killed, including “Quarter-master Generall” Marchant.
Three weeks later, Sir Francis Drake
himself succumbed to dysentery, and was buried at sea, in a lead coffin. Capt. Marchant was likely buried at the site of his death, in Panama.
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...
from 1585 to 1595, thus participating in some of the most important seafaring expeditions and naval encounters of the day. He lost his life near Nombre de Dios
Nombre de Dios
Nombre de Dios is a city on the Atlantic coast of Panama in the Colón Province.Founded as a Spanish colony in 1510 by Diego de Nicuesa, it was one of the first European settlements on the Isthmus of Panama. It is the oldest continually populated town in Panama and the America mainland...
, Panama, a few weeks before Drake's own death.
Birth and Marriage
John Marchant is said to have been born on July 18, 1540, in Yeovil, Somerset, England. He was married to Eva Cominge in July, 1568, in Yeovil. His son, John Marchant II, was born in Yeovil in September of 1571.Early Adventures with Drake (1585-86)
In 1585, Captain John Marchant, along with Anthony Platt, was listed as one of ten Captains of companies serving under Sir Francis Drake in the expedition of that year. “Platt and Marchant became staunch adherents of Drake, the latter [Marchant] being Sergeant-Major to the Cadiz expedition in 1587, and both perished in the expedition of 1595.”Captain Marchant served aboard the Hopewell during the 1585-86 expedition, in which Sir Drake captured from the Spanish A) Santiago, in the Cape Verde Islands west of Africa; B) Santo Domingo, in Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
; and C) Cartagena, in Colombia. After this string of victories, Drake and Marchant sacked and burned St. Augustine
St. Augustine
-People:* Augustine of Hippo or Augustine of Hippo , father of the Latin church* Augustine of Canterbury , first Archbishop of Canterbury* Augustine Webster, an English Catholic martyr.-Places:*St. Augustine, Florida, United States...
, Florida. On the way back up the Atlantic Coast, Drake and Marchant stopped at Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
, where a colony begun by Sir Walter Raleigh
Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England....
the year before had fallen on hard times. The colonists (all of them lonely men) decided to return with Drake to England.
Raid on Cadiz (1587)
The Spanish ArmadaSpanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
was amassing through 1587, preparing for an all-out assault on England. Drake raised 24 ships and headed to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Spain, for a preemptive strike. By this time, John Marchant was Sergeant-Major in Drake's navy, serving on the Golden Lyon. Drake's forces routed the ships in Cadiz Harbour; Drake then decided to take the Castle of Sagres
Sagres
Sagres Point , is a windswept shelf-like promontory located in the southwest Algarve region of southern Portugal. Only 4 km to the west and 3 km to the north lies Cape St. Vincent which is usually taken as the southwesternmost tip of Europe. The vicinity of Sagres Point and Cape St...
, near Cape St. Vincent. His second-in-command, William Borough
William Borough
William Borough was a British naval officer and the younger brother of Stephen Borough. He participated in the British attack on Cádiz in 1587...
, was an older naval officer who considered Drake to be not much more than a glorified pirate. He refused to help Drake take Sagres, and was arrested for his insubordination and held aboard the Golden Lyon. Captain Marchant thus came into command of this ship.
After Drake captured Sagres, his ships were separated by a storm. He soon discovered that the Lyon had deserted; Capt. Marchant was found aboard the Spy, having had to evacuate the Lyon. Marchant reported that Borough had inspired a mutiny aboard the Lyon., and although the ship was on its way back to England and out of his reach, Drake called a court-martial and sentenced Borough to death. Borough was eventually tried and found not-guilty, blaming the whole affair on Capt. Marchant:
“Mr. Marchant used no resistance by force and violence to withstand their purpose (which he ought to have done). . . the authority of government was wholly committed to the said Captain Marchant. . .”
Last voyage with Drake (1595)
Marchant accompanied Drake on his ill-fated voyage in 1595, in which both lost their lives. After failing in an attempt to seize a Spanish treasure ship in Puerto Rico, Drake moved on to Panama and took the town of Nombre de DiosNombre de Dios
Nombre de Dios is a city on the Atlantic coast of Panama in the Colón Province.Founded as a Spanish colony in 1510 by Diego de Nicuesa, it was one of the first European settlements on the Isthmus of Panama. It is the oldest continually populated town in Panama and the America mainland...
(Sp.: “Name of God”), near the modern-day Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, hoping to intercept the Spanish bringing gold from Peru over the isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
. On January 2, 1595/96, Drake's forces marched up a hill only to discover at the last minute that the Spanish had hidden a fort on top of it. Twenty-some Englishmen were killed, including “Quarter-master Generall” Marchant.
Three weeks later, 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...
himself succumbed to dysentery, and was buried at sea, in a lead coffin. Capt. Marchant was likely buried at the site of his death, in Panama.