In an expedition led by Lord Charles Howard in 1591 against the Spanish plate-fleet, Grenville was vice-admiral, and he opposed his ship single-handed against five great Spanish galleons, supported at intervals by ten others, and he fought them during nearly fifteen hours.

Then Grenville's vessel was so battered that it resembled rather a skeleton than a ship, and of the crew few were to be seen but the dead and dying.

Grenville himself was captured mortally wounded, and died uttering these words, "Here die I, Richard Grenville, with a joyful and quiet mind, for that I have ended my life, as a true soldier ought to do, fighting for his country, queen, religion, and honor."[10] Of the settlers at Roanoke during the winter after their landing nothing is recorded, but the prospect in the spring was gloomy.

Lane made extensive explorations for gold-mines and for the South Sea, and found neither.

The natives laid a plot to massacre the settlers, but Lane's soldierly precaution saved the colonists.