Thomas Doughty (explorer) facts for kids

Thomas Doughty (born 1545, died July 2, 1578) was an English gentleman, soldier, and a smart person who worked for Christopher Hatton. He joined Francis Drake on a big trip in 1577. Their goal was to find and take treasure from Spanish ships.

However, this journey ended badly for Doughty. He was put on trial aboard the ship. He was accused of serious crimes like being disloyal and using magic. In the end, Doughty was executed.

Some people today still wonder if Doughty was truly guilty. They also question if Drake had the right to hold such a trial and carry out the punishment. But this event was very important. It helped establish a rule that a ship's captain has complete power over everyone on board. This was true no matter how important or wealthy the passengers were.

Why Did Conflict Start?

Doughty and Drake became friends during military actions in Ireland. In 1577, Drake, Doughty, and John Wynter left Plymouth, England. They told everyone they were going on a simple trip to Alexandria.

However, Drake's real secret mission was to bother Spanish treasure ships in the New World. It's still debated if Queen Elizabeth I knew about this plan. It's also unclear if Drake planned to sail all the way around the world from the start.

At first, the three men seemed to share control of the journey. But Drake soon took over as the main commander. This caused problems between Drake and Doughty, who came from a noble family.

Growing Problems at Sea

Doughty was put in charge of a captured Portuguese ship, which was renamed the Mary. The tension between Drake and Doughty grew worse. This happened when Doughty caught Drake's brother, Thomas Drake, stealing from the captured goods.

Drake then took command of the Mary himself. He moved Doughty to command his main ship, the Pelican. As they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, Drake's anger increased. His brother's complaints made things even worse.

Eventually, Drake lowered Doughty's rank. He made Doughty command a very small supply ship called the Swan. This was a big insult to Doughty. He started to complain a lot about "the Captain General," meaning Drake.

Serious Accusations Against Doughty

The Swan got separated from the rest of the ships during a bad storm. After this, Drake became sure that Doughty was using witchcraft. On May 17, 1578, when the ships met up again, Drake and Doughty had a final argument.

Drake hit Doughty and ordered him tied to the ship's mast. By June 3, both Doughty and his brother, John Doughty, were under house arrest. Sailors were told not to talk to them. Drake accused Thomas Doughty of being "a conjurer and a seditious person." He also called John Doughty "a witch and a poisoner."

Trial and Final Decision

The fleet arrived at Puerto San Julián, a natural harbor in Patagonia, Argentina, on June 20. Doughty's trial began on June 30. Drake accused Doughty of not just mutiny (rebelling against the captain), but also treason (betraying his country).

Doughty first asked to be taken back to England as a prisoner. He wanted to be tried there. But Drake said no. Doughty then demanded that Drake show a special paper from the Queen. This paper would prove Drake had the power to hold such a trial. Drake refused again.

A lawyer and friend of Doughty, Leonard Vicary, said, "This is not law nor agreeable to justice." Drake replied that he didn't care for lawyers or the law. He said he knew what he would do.

The main evidence against Doughty came from statements he made. These might have been said in anger. They could be seen as rebellious, but probably not as mutiny by a regular court.

However, there were two very damaging pieces of evidence. One was the testimony of Edward Bright, the ship's carpenter. Doughty strongly denied this accusation. The other was Doughty's own admission. He had told William Cecil, a powerful person who wanted to avoid trouble with Spain, about their secret mission. Drake said this was a betrayal of Queen Elizabeth.

Even so, the jury of crewmen only found Doughty guilty of mutiny. They did not agree with the treason charge. They only made this decision after Drake hinted that he might not seek Doughty's death.

The Execution of Thomas Doughty

After getting the guilty verdict, Drake gathered the jury again. He showed them papers from English noblemen who supported him. But he did not show a royal commission, saying he left it on his ship.

Drake argued that Doughty was a danger to his life and the whole trip. He demanded that Doughty be executed. The men eventually agreed, though some were hesitant. Drake then asked if there were any other solutions.

Doughty himself suggested he be set free once they reached Peru. But Drake refused. He claimed Doughty would tell the Spanish about their mission. John Wynter offered to keep Doughty prisoner on his ship, the Elizabeth. Drake first agreed, but then said that Wynter's ship would have to return to England. It would not get any share of the treasure. Wynter's crew quickly protested this idea. Doughty's fate was sealed.

Doughty asked to share a holy meal, called Communion, with Drake. A person who was there wrote that "after this holy repast, they dined also at the same table together, as cheerfully, in sobriety, as ever in their lives they had done aforetime." They cheered each other up and drank to each other, as if only a short journey was ahead.

On July 2, 1578, Thomas Doughty was beheaded. Soon after, Drake changed the name of his main ship from The Pelican to The Golden Hind. This was likely to honor Christopher Hatton, whose family symbol was a hind (a female deer). This change might have been an attempt to smooth over the sad incident with Doughty.