Introduction
Drake’s Drum is a snare drum painted with the arms of Sir Francis Drake, which went with him on his historic voyage around the world in 1577-80. It is said that before his death, he instructed his heirs to keep it safe at Buckland Abbey, his family home in Devon, and promised that if ever England were under threat the people should beat the drum, and he would return. The drum survives to this day.
Drake he’s in his hammock an’ a thousand mile away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin’ there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,*
An’ dreamin’ arl the time o’ Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder lie the ships,
Wi’ sailor lads a-dancin’ heel-an’-toe,
An’ the shore-lights flashin’, an’ the night-tide dashin’,
He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.
Drake he was a Devon man, an’ ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tha sleepin’ there below?),
Rovin’ tho’ his death fell, he went wi’ heart at ease,
An’ dreamin’ arl the time o’ Plymouth Hoe.
“Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder’s runnin’ low;
If the Dons* sight Devon, I’ll quit the port o’ Heaven,
An’ drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago.”*
Drake he’s in his hammock till the great Armadas come,
(Capten, art tha sleepin’ there below?),
Slung atween the round shot, listenin’ for the drum,
An’ dreamin’ arl the time o’ Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;
Where the old trade’s plyin’ an’ the old flag flyin’
They shall find him ware an’ wakin’, as they found him long ago.
Spelled as in West Country dialect.
From The Island Race (1898), by Sir Henry John Newbolt (1862-1938).
* Nombre de Dios is a town in Panama. After Drake died of dysentery in 1595, he was buried at sea while his ship was anchored off Portobelo a little further round the bend of Panama’s northern coast. For Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe, see The Voyage of the ‘Golden Hinde’.
* In this case, ‘Dons’ means Spanish nobility. Much of Drake’s career centred on England’s standing quarrel with Spain. King Philip II of Spain believed that as the widower of Queen Mary I of England, he should be King of England, but the crown went to Mary’s half-sister Elizabeth I. Elizabeth’s support for Protestant rebels in the Spanish Netherlands, and Drake’s harassment of Spanish ships in Central America, added fuel to the fire.
* A reference to the victory of the Royal Navy over the Spanish Armada in 1588. King Philip hoped his impressive fleet and the soldiers transported aboard them would allow him to conquer England, take the crown, and return the country to Roman Catholicism. Drake was one of the leading commanders of the successful English defence. See The Spanish Armada.
Précis
Recalling a popular legend, Henry Newbolt’s poem imagines a West Country sailor reminding his fellow Englishmen that if England’s coasts are ever threatened, they may call upon the spirit of Sir Francis Drake. Though now sleeping in death in Panama, Drake still dreams of Plymouth, and when they beat the drum he left them, he will come to their aid. (60 / 60 words)
Recalling a popular legend, Henry Newbolt’s poem imagines a West Country sailor reminding his fellow Englishmen that if England’s coasts are ever threatened, they may call upon the spirit of Sir Francis Drake. Though now sleeping in death in Panama, Drake still dreams of Plymouth, and when they beat the drum he left them, he will come to their aid.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, despite, just, must, otherwise, since, unless, until.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Flash. Shore. They.
2 Ago. Don. Sling.
3 Channel. Hang. Night.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
bnds (7)
abounds. bandies. bands. bends. binds. bonds. bounds.
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