Why is the golden hind called the golden hind?

Answer 1

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When the ship left plymouth it was named the Pelican. tha name was actually changed a year into the 3-year voyage, in 1578. I have found the following explanation, which seems credible:-

The original name of the Golden Hind was the Pelican. It was unusual to change the original name of a ship half way through a voyage - so why did Francis Drake rename the Pelican to the Golden Hind? It is generally agreed that the Golden Hind was named in honour of Sir Christopher Hatton (1540-1591) who was the principle backer of the expedition and who had promoted the idea of the voyage and the suitability of Francis Drake as the leader of the expedition. The crest of Sir Christopher Hatton featured the image of a Hind (a female deer) from which the name 'The Golden Hind ' originated. Francis Drake also took Sir Christopher Hatton's motto `Virtue is the safest helmet` ( Latin: Cassis Tutis Sima Virtus) from the same coat of arms as the ship's motto. The name for the ship is therefore explained. The Pelican was renamed and christened 'The Golden Hind' on June 20th 1578, just before the voyage reached the Straits of Magellan.

The reason the original name of the ship was changed? Christopher Hatton was an important backer of the expedition - but other backers included Queen Elizabeth, Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, Sir Francis Walsingham, Sir William Winter and Drake's own cousin John Hawkins. Surely this was not the only reason the original name was changed? Perhaps Francis Drake needed to placate Sir Christopher Hatton in some way - to show him some specific favor? This could have been the reason the Pelican was renamed the Golden Hind. There had been some trouble on the voyage. The superstitious seamen had been stirred up and filled with mistrust by a man called Thomas Doughty. The dissent reached such a level that Thomas Doughty was put on trial for sedition and mutiny. Doughty was tried by jury, found guilty and sentenced to death and was duly beheaded. The ship's log entry regarding his execution also detailed the change of name to the Golden Hind: "Jun 20 1578: Thomas Doughty tried and executed for mutiny...Pelican renamed Golden Hind "

Thomas Doughty was an Elizabethan gentleman adventurer who had joined the expedition. Thomas Doughty was also the personal secretary of Sir Christopher Hatton! Perhaps Francis Drake was attempting to minimize any repercussions from having Doughty executed.