THE ISLANDS VOYAGE [2ND NOV
adventures , and hereupon the intent to attempt the high fort
was frustrated Meanwhile the proceedings in Fayal were by
Sir Gelly Memck related at large to the Lord General, and so
aggravated and wrested into an evil sense by him, Sir Christopher
Blount, Sir Anthony Shirley and others, by putting into my
Lord of Essex's head that these parts were played by Sir Walter
Ralegh only to steal honour and reputation from him, and to
set his own frowardness to the view of the world Which
intimation of theirs was an exception that they knew my Lord
of Essex is very apt of his own disposition to take hold of, being
a man that affecteth nothing in the world so much as fame, and
to be reputed matchless for magnanimity and undertaking, and
can hardly endure any that shall obscure his glory in this kind,
though otherwise he favour them never so much It was
besides alleged that the presumption and scorn to land such
forces without my Lord's leave was not to be passed over
without severe punishment, and a martial court fit to be called,
to censure the offence and breach of order and discipline
These and such other bitter arguments were used to aggravate
the General's wrath against all that were in this action, and
especially against the Rear-admiral, against whom they spared
not so far to inveigh as that he was well worthy to lose his head
for his labour So well did they persuade the General that all
the forenoon was spent in reprehending and displacing the land
officers that went in the action
Sir Walter was then sent for to answer before the Lord
General in his ship, but before the messenger came for him was
already gone in his barge to see my Lord, looking for great thanks
at the General's hands But when he was entered my Lord's
cabin, after a faint welcome, my Lord began to challenge TITTH
of breach of order and articles, in that he had knded troop
without the General's presence or his order To which Sir
Walter answered that there was an article that no captain should
land anywhere without direction of the General or other
principal commander, but that he himself was a principal
commander and therefore not subject to that article, nor under
the power of the law martial, because a successive commander
of the fleet nnder her Majesty's letters patent
Tliis dispute lasted some half hour and then the Lord General
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