Hawkins' Third Slavery Voyage

The syndicate that backed Hawkins’ third slavery voyage again included Queen Elizabeth. Hawkins used two navy ships, for the second time the Jesus of Lubeck, (700 tons, captained by Robert Barrett of Saltash and kinsman of Drake, mastered by William Saunders), and the Minion (300 tons, captained by John Hampton, mastered by John Garret, both of Plymouth). The Hawkins brothers supplied four other vessels: the William and John (150 tons, captained by Thomas Bolton, mastered by James Raunce); the Swallow (100 tons); the Judith (50 tons, on which Drake served) and the Angel (33 tons).

On 2 October 1567 the six ships, with over four hundred crew, left Plymouth. Within five days the fleet hit a storm that so badly damaged the already decrepit Jesus that Hawkins considered returning. However, after four days the storm died, and the fleet sailed on to Tenerife and then the Guinea Coast, arriving on 18 November.

Hawkins sailed along the coast and river estuaries, and by mid-January had captured about 150 Africans. He was then approached by the chief of one African community to launch a joint assault on Conga, a town of a rival African community with a population of about 8,000. Robert Barrett led a failed assault with one hundred men on the well-fortified town. Hawkins led a second, larger attack overland whilst Drake, now captain, fired cannon from the Judith after sailing up an adjacent river. The town was set alight and about 250 Africans were captured.

Shortly after this episode Hawkins sailed for the West Indies with between 400 and 500 slaves, now with his original fleet plus four other smaller vessels. Hawkins traded in Dominica and wherever else he could along the Spanish Main, where Drake was sent ahead to identify possible trading opportunities. If deals could be struck, Hawkins and the Spanish governors, who remained bound by the Asiento, dealt in secret.

At the end of July Hawkins prepared to sail home with a fleet of eight ships. It was the beginning of the hurricane season, and they sought refuge from one storm on the Florida coast. In mid-September further storms forced them west across the Gulf of Mexico to the port of San Juan de Ullua on the Mexican mainland. Here the Spanish ambushed the fleet, most of which, including the Jesus, was either lost or abandoned; only the Minion, the Judith and the William and John escaped.

With food and water running short, Hawkins left one hundred men, the remnants of the crew of the Jesus, on shore to be picked up the following year. Many were captured by indigenous natives; a small number were killed, some escaped, a few were set free, including Anthony Goddard who in 1571, returned to his native Plymouth where he became town treasurer during the 1580s.

Those who had been captured by the Spanish, either during the ambush or after, were put before the Inquisition, tortured and, for some, ironically, put into slavery. Robert Plinton from Plymouth, a 30-year-old seaman, was sentenced to 200 lashes and eight years in galleys. Most were kept in Mexico, including Miles Philips who escaped in 1581. Some were transported to Spain to serve their sentences; Job Hortop was freed after 23 years. Those that were sentenced to death were hanged or burnt at the stake, a fate suffered by Robert Barrett in Seville.

On the night of 22 January 1569 the Judith sailed in to Plymouth; the Minion limped into Mount’s Bay on 25 January, whilst the William and John reached Ireland in February. Of the four hundred men that left Plymouth, just seventy returned.

Learn more about slavery and abolition and the Plymouth connection:

John Hawkins

Slave Trade Triangle

Abolition

Conclusion

Glossary

Suggested reading

Slavery and abolition web links

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