Sir Humphrey Gilbert by Roger Pocock
Roger Pocock's work on Sir Humphrey Gilbert opens with a quotation attributed to Gilbert himself, asserting that no man worthy of the name should shrink from his country's service out of fear of death, words written by a man who once alone defended a bridge against twenty horsemen, killing one, unhorsing two, and wounding six. Gilbert is presented as a figure who earned the respect of enemies and friends alike through his wars and voyages, and whose writings contained the earliest vision of British colonies overseas. The culminating endeavor of his life was the command of a squadron dispatched to establish the first British colony in Virginia. On the outward passage the fleet called at the port of Saint Johns in Newfoundland, a land first rediscovered and claimed for Henry VII of England by John Cabot six years after Columbus's initial voyage. For nearly a hundred years the fishermen of Europe had worked that coast for cod, but the English had long held the smoking ports. In 1583 Gilbert assembled the fishermen there, English and foreign alike, and received from them the ceremonial delivery of a stick of timber and a turf of soil as tokens of possession, then raised the flag of England over what became her first colony, an act Pocock identifies as the founding of the British empire. Departing Saint Johns, Gilbert carried a secret that visibly delighted him and prompted hints of mysterious wealth. Whether his mining expert had mistaken pyrites for gold or glittering crystals for precious stones is left uncertain, but Gilbert's eagerness over the matter was so great that when his page boy failed to retrieve a parcel of specimens from aboard the Delight he received a severe thrashing for the omission. Disaster followed when the Delight, serving as flagship, was wrecked on Sable Island. A hundred men drowned and sixteen survivors went missing. Gilbert's grief was observed to fall more heavily on the loss of his secret cargo than on the loss of the ship or her people. Thereafter the suffering of the men aboard the ten-ton frigate Squirrel, who were ragged, hungry, and frightened, bore upon him, and he chose to leave his larger vessel and join them in order to raise their spirits. The Virginia voyage was abandoned and the ships turned for England. The passage was further unsettled when a walrus surfaced between the vessels and the mariners took it for a demon mocking their misfortunes. The Atlantic crossing was made in foul and worsening weather with great seas running. Those around Gilbert pleaded with him to quit the half-swamped Squirrel and return to the larger ship. His only reply was that he would not forsake his little company. The weather grew still more violent, and the strange electrical fires known as corposants, called Saint Elmo's fire, flamed from masts and spars, which the mariners read as an omen of worse yet to come. A green sea filled the Squirrel and nearly sank her, but as she cleared the water Gilbert waved across to the Golden Hind and called out that they were as near to Heaven by sea as by land. As night came on he was still visible sitting abaft with a work open in his hand. At midnight the frigate's lights vanished, and the vessel was swallowed by the sea, carrying Humphrey Gilbert out of the great unrest.
By Roger Pocock · First published 1906 · Genre: Biography, Historical Fiction, Adventure · 664 words
First lines
A. D. 1583
"He is not worthy to live at all, that for any fear of danger of death, shunneth his countrey's service and his own honor."
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Genres
- Biography — The work is a detailed narrative account of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's life, achievements, character, and death, focusing on historical facts and personal anecdotes that define his legacy.
- Historical Fiction — While based on real events and a historical figure, the narrative employs literary techniques, dramatic dialogue, and vivid descriptive passages that reconstruct scenes with narrative embellishment typical of historical fiction.
- Adventure — The work chronicles dangerous voyages, maritime exploration, military exploits, and perilous sea crossings that emphasize heroic action and dramatic encounters with natural and human threats.
- Maritime Literature — The narrative heavily features ocean voyages, naval expeditions, ship disasters, and seafaring experiences that are central to the plot and thematic development.
Tags
biography · exploration · maritime history · Renaissance · England · colonization · Atlantic Ocean · naval expeditions · Newfoundland · 16th century · historical figures · adventure
What this Textopian page supports
Sir Humphrey Gilbert is listed on Textopian as an article by Roger Pocock, dated 1906 CE.
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- Work type: Article
- Author: Roger Pocock
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Biography, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Maritime Literature, Colonial History
- Length: 664 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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