It is suggested on another list that Admiral Sir Francis Drake was "cruel", "heartless", and "unrepentant" in his punishment of his sailors for breaking the rules while on duty in his ships.  The question is worth considering by all of us, and here is an answer - probably one of many.      

Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 10:55 AM
Subject: Sir Francis discussion


  ....All who study genealogy should remember that history is like a foreign country; they do things DIFFERENTLY there.  Such words as folks have been using in referring to those long dead - just, unjust, cruel, kindly, sorrow, delight, unrepentant, legitimate, illegitimate, improper, sad, happy, legal, illegal, morally correct, heathen - ALL are highly subjective, and are but reflections of how those writers would FEEL TODAY, were the same events to happen today and be seen on the evening news.

  Good genealogy has no place for such speculations/inferences based on how WE now feel about an event that happened centuries ago.  To say, "The Mother was deeply saddened when her second child died at age 5 in 1835" is simply foolishness; you can not know that!!  Why? 

  Even as late as that year, three of every 10 children died before age 10, hence mothers were raised to be full and well aware of that distinct possibility, quite unlike now, and gave birth knowing - even often expecting - that death might come to that child.  That such a mother had deep remorse is perhaps - PERHAPS - true, but even as to that you do NOT really know, and to suggest that she felt extreme sadness is quite beyond what you truly should infer as a family historian.    

  Similarly, in a 16th century World where seamen were required to obey orders without question, as were all foot soldiers, Drake's methods were NOT unusual, nor were such viewed then as "cruel".  If you wanted to go to sea and be paid, you did so knowing the rules.  You will search far and wide for more than a handful of complaints of cruelty among seafaring men or their families or even by writers of that day.  As with what we now view as the "cruelty" and "torture" administered by the Native Americans - and their white counterparts as well - that is how it was, PERIOD, and all knew and expected those results.

  You ancestors got along very well with THEIR ways and means and methods, thank you, and they do not now need our suggestions, judgments, or criticism by reason of what WE of 2004 consider unfair or improper or cruel or heartless or illegal, on and on.  Let those folks rest the balance of eternity, content in their accomplishments, perhaps sorry for their failures, but yet having served in THEIR ways over THEIR lifetimes and with THEIR expectations.

  The thought is easily illustrated if one but considers how silly it would be if our actions of today were to be judged as to "proper" or "improper" or "nice", or "naughty" or "evil" by those who will live 400 years from now, in the year 2404.  Remember, that is how long ago Drake lived.

    Paul

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