Then the Englishman had the mortification of seeing his dear Dainty being rebaptized with all solemnity in the harbour, where she was shored up. Perhaps a sardonic smile curled his lip when, in the very midst of the ceremony, the props on one side gave way with a loud crash, and the reluctant ship heeled over, "entreating many of them that were in her very badly."
Here ends Sir Richard's account of his unfortunate voyage in his "Observations"; he had intended to write a second part, but deferred it too long.
Don Beltran was not allowed by his King to observe the terms he had offered; the crew were sent to serve in the galleys at Cartagena, Hawkins and twenty others Don Beltran took with him to Lima.
Our hero had shown courage and generosity and kindness to natives and prisoners, but as a complete seaman his own words show him to have been deficient. He trusted his subordinates too much, and he kept rather loose discipline; but he was a man of the highest honour, and won the respect of the best Spaniards.
At Lima the Inquisition claimed the prisoners, but the Viceroy refused to give them up until he had heard from King Philip.
In 1597 Hawkins was sent to Spain and imprisoned at Seville; in September 1598 he escaped, but was retaken and thrust into a dungeon.
In 1599 he was taken to Madrid, although Don Beltran had indignantly protested against the violation of his solemn promise.
In 1602 he was released and sent home, as by this time Count Miranda, President of the Council, had come to the conclusion that formal pledges given by the King's officers must be kept, or else no other English would surrender.
In July 1603 Hawkins was knighted, became M.P. for Plymouth and Vice-Admiral of Devon, and had to scour the sea for pirates.
In 1620 he sailed under Sir Robert Mansell to put down Algerine corsairs in the Mediterranean, and returned home, after a failure, sick and weak in body. In 1622 he was carried off by a fit while attending the Privy Council on business bearing on his late command.