| Summary : 1543 wreck of cargo vessel which stranded on the Goodwin Sands, one of three lost while carrying the servants, horses, and general cargo or personal effects of the Duke of Najera from Brussels for Spain. Constructed of wood, she was a sailing vessel. For the other two vessels, see 1119409 and 1178431. For a later wreck associated with the end of the Duke's visit to England, see 1119176. A Portuguese vessel also reported lost on the Goodwin Sands in 1543 may be part of this group, although this is not necessarily conclusive: see 1119405. A piece of Portuguese ordnance said to be similar to a cannon of around 1520 was found in 1775 in the Gull Stream, among the Goodwin Sands, and may perhaps be associated with one of these four wrecks dated 1543 [see 1517639]. |
More information : The second of three ships lost in this incident:
'On St. Andrew's Day [30th Nov.] also last past, 3 ships were lost off the Goodwin Sands [la Godina], in which were some servants of the Duke [of Najera], who carried horses and various things sent to the Duchess. The people were saved, but everything else perished, so that not so much as a card was saved.' (1)
Source (2) gives the date of loss as 1544 and misspells the name of the Duke.
'On St. Andrew's Day last three ships were lost on Goodwin Sands, containing things sent by the Duke to the Duchess.' (3)
The Duke is known to have visited England in 1543-4. The chronology can be roughly reconstructed as follows, bearing in mind the fact that the English calendar at the time, before calendar reform in 1752, would have expressed dates between 1st January and 24th March as one year behind the modern reckoning, since the New Year was celebrated on 25th March. Thus his short visit was 1543-4 according to the contemporary English calendar but 1544 according to the modern calendar, and therefore it seems that the wrecks on 30th November were sent prior to the Duke's visit to England from Brussels for Spain. (6)
The Duke left Brussels on 29th December 1543, taking ship for England on 6th February 1544. (1) He arrived the evening of that day (1) and was described as having just arrived in London around the 18th of February (4). He left England on 29th March. (4)
' . . . and for this cause the Duke of Alburquerque has not yet been to do him reverence. The Duke has been here eight days ; and will not leave so soon as he [illegible from digitised transcript], because as yet he has been unable to obtain proper ships for his passage, and he will sojourn in this town until these are provided, especially to avoid the discomfort and trouble which the Duke of Najera has had, waiting for his ships at Plymouth, where he still remains, troubled, both by not finding necessary provision and because the people there are a little rough (brusque) and ill-conditioned . . . London, 30th March.' (5)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
BM.Add.MS.8219.F11 |