William Richard Drake

Persona

Capt. Drake and one of his Captains Ryszard Czarnecki

William Richard Drake was born in 1552 in Plymouth, England. His parents, Gareth and Anna, are merchants who travel extensively. William was educated in history, mathematics, poetry, geography, and taught to read and write, by his parents, in English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Latin. At the age of twelve William joined his cousins Francis Drake and John Hawkins at sea, and learned the ways of shipboard life. His intelligence and education served him well and by the age of 21 he was captain of his own ship.

William and his Son Alasdair

His first voyage was to Italy, Greece, Jerusalem, and Egypt. He studied with Italian Rapier Masters that he had worked with during voyages under other Captains, traded for Italian goods and spices, Greek oils and foods, silks and other fabrics from Jerusalem, and inks and various goods from Egypt. He gained enough wealth to purchase the ship he was captaining and have her refit. While sailing north to Scotland one year later, the ship he was in command of, belonging to a partner of his, was caught in a storm and smashed against the rocks of Northern Scotland. He was discovered on the beach by members of the Clan MacAoidh, who took him to their village. While he was nursed to health by the Clan Chief’s niece, Serice, they fell in love. At her request William was adopted into the clan and they were married. After the birth of their son, William decided to abandon life at sea and stay in Scotland. Things changed when his wife was killed during a raid from a rival clan, three years later. In a fit of rage William killed as many of the raiders as possible. When all was over he went into a deep depression, and all that kept him alive was the love of his son.

HL William Drake's Arms

Taking leave of his adopted family William returned to England and to his family there. William returned to a life at sea taking his son with him, when his ship was attacked by the Spanish and his son almost killed in the attack he vowed to do whatever was necessary to destroy their hold on the seas. Traveling to many lands in his efforts to defeat the Spaniards, and to trade, William learned to fight with the Rapier from Italian Masters, learned the way to the Pacific from his Cousin and traveled there and to Japan. He traveled to France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Jerusalem and Egypt; anywhere the seas would take him, teaching his son all he could in the process. Drake commissioned a new ship, the Flashing Rapier, to be built for him in 1579. Upon it’s completion he set sail with her toward Bremen where he met a fencing master who learned from the Italian Masters, this man took Drake on as a student and taught him much. Will makes regular visits to his teacher whenever he can. On his way out of Bremen he came across a Spanish ship attacking a smaller English vessel. The English ship was listing to port and sinking. Taking advantage of the Spaniard’s tactical disadvantage he attacked them and captured their ship. While removing goods from the Spaniard’s hold and searching the ship he came across a beautiful Italian woman who had been sent by the English Crown to sing in Bremen. He found her captivating and, having fallen in love with her, claimed her as his “cabin girl” until they could be married. He put the Spanish ship under the command of the English captain whose ship had been sunk, and went on his way with his prize.

William with his wife Serena at QRC 2010

William continued his journeys to various locales, including Denmark, Poland and Sweden, for the next year before returning to England. While there he commenced repairing his ships and prepared for a journey to the Pacific on the other side of the new world. He set sail on his voyage in 1581 and sailed from England to Africa where he found a new flexible hardwood for his ship’s masts. From there they sailed to the Americas through the straights of Magellan to the Pacific. He attacked Spanish shipping along the west coast of the Americas until he set out across the Pacific for the orient. After stopping in Japan for several months and re-supplying and refitting his ships with Silk rigging and sails he sailed on to India and Africa, finally returning to the Atlantic via the Cape of Good Hope, north along the coast of Africa and back to England in 1584. His prizes and the goods he traded for made him a very wealthy man. He spent some time visiting his family and bought a house in London and another in Plymouth, so that his new love could stay on shore if she wished while he traveled. They were married as soon as it could be arranged and he began making his forays at sea shorter so that he could spend time with his new love. William continues to harass the Spanish shipping and is operating under a Letter of Marque from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, with the recommendation of his cousin Sir Francis Drake.

SCA

William Drake started in the SCA in 1989 in the Kingdom of Ansteora. He moved a couple years later to the Barony of Loch Salaan, in what was at the time the Kingdom of Atenveldt. He spent the next ten years playing there learning to fence and helping with whatever he could. He took some time off when he got married and when his son was born. After his 1st wife died he moved to An Tir with his son and began getting involved in the SCA again. He played in the Shire of Rivers Bend from 2001 until he moved to Glymm Mere in 2009. He currently resides in the Barony of Glymm Mere with his wife, Serena Zane and his son Alasdair Conner Drake. He is the Captain of the Flashing Rapier, A 16th century private man-of-war (ship) household which he heads with his wife's help. He is also Cadet to HE Don Wolfgang von Bremen, a member of the Order of the Goutte de Sang, Gallant to the Baroness of Glymm Mere, and the permanent Rapier defender of the Shire of Rivers Bend, where he also is a member of the Fellowship of the Cattail at the 2nd level.

William Killing his former XO at Rivers Bend Defender Tourney 2009

1989 - First event in Barony of the Steppes, Ansteora

1993 - Name and Device passed, Barony of Loch Salaan, Atenveldt(later Artemesia)

2005 - Rapier Defender - Shire of Rivers Bend

2006 - AOA, Cadet to Don Wolfgang von Bremen, Rapier Defender - Shire of Rivers Bend

2007 - Cattail 1st Level(Shire of Rivers Bend), Rapier Defender - Shire of Rivers Bend

2008 - Cattail 2nd Level, Baroness' Favor (HE Kara of Glymm Mere), Rapier Defender - Shire of Rivers Bend

2009 - Goutte de Sang, Gallant of Glymm Mere, Rapier Defender - Shire of Rivers Bend

2010 - Crystal of Glymm Mere, Baron's Favor (HE Godric ap Rhys of Glymm Mere)