In the days of Queen Elizabeth I, English sailors first began to find their way across (= farsi strada)the seas to new lands, from which they brought home many strange, and rich, and beautiful things.
The Spaniards sailed across the seas too, to take gold and Silver from the mines (= miniere) in Mexico del male) to the enemies of England
Once, a small ship, called The Revenge, was sailing home to England
The captain of the Revenge was Sir Richard Grenville, and he had a great many sick men on board.
There was no time to escape from the Spanish ships, which soon surrounded the little Revenge. So there were only two ways which Sir Richard could take. One was to give up (= consegnare) his ship to the Spaniards; the other was to fight with them till his men were all killed, or his ship sank. (= affondata) |
Some of the sailors suggested him to take the first way, but the others, and all the sick men, said: “No, let us fall into the hands of God, and not into the hands of Spain
Sir Richard made up his mind to fight. It was afternoon when the firing (battle = combattimento) began, and all night long, until daylight carne, the little English ship kept (= tenne testa) the fifty Spanish vessels at bay. Then it was found that all the powder was gone (= era finito), and all the English were dead or dying. And then only was the flag of the Revenge pulled down (= ammainata), to show that she surrendered to her enemies.
The brave Sir Richard was taken on board a Spanish ship, where he soon died of his wounds (= ferite).
These were his last words: ” Here die I, Richard Grenville, with a joyful and quiet mind, because I have fought for my country and my queen, for honour, and for God.”