Pretence of treating for peace-Unworthy conduct of Spain-Predic- tions of triumph-Naval and Military forces-Lord High Admiral puts to sea-Correspondence of Lord C. Howard and Sir F. Drake with the Queen, Sir Francis Walsingham, and Lords of the Council 113 The Armada in the Channel-Anecdote of Drake-First attack-Spa- nish MS. Journal-Daily proceedings of the two fleets-The Armada is dispersed by fire-ships-Driven into the North Sea-Its disastrous condition-Letters from the Lord High Admiral, Sir Francis Drake, Summary of the Spanish losses-Libels of the late Spanish Ambassa- dor on the British Officers-Drake's reply-Public thanksgiving- Queen's procession to St. Paul's-Letters of the Lord High Admiral and Sir Francis Drake, relative to the late invasion-The fleet is Reasons for attacking Spain-Petition of Don Antonio, a candidate for the Crown of Portugal-Sir F. Drake and Sir J. Norris appointed to command the Expedition-Letters of Sir J. Norris and Sir F. Drake to Lord Burleigh-Attack on Corunna-Gallant conduct of a Female -Description of the attack by Norris and by Drake-Essex joins them-Arrival at Peniche-Norris marches for Lisbon-Drake sails for Cascais-Proceedings before Lisbon-Proceedings at Cascais- Embark at Cascais-The fleet is dispersed in a Storm-Arrive at CHAPTER XII. VOYAGE OF DRAKE AND HAWKINS TO THE SPANISH COLONIES. 1590-1596. Letter of Drake to Prince Henry de Bourbon, and his reply-A fleet Page • 167 LIFE OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. CHAPTER I. EXPEDITION OF HAWKINS TO THE WEST INDIES 1567-1568. The parentage and early life of Francis Drake-His sea-education-Voyage to the West Indies with his friend Captain John Hawkins-Treachery of the Spaniards and disasters in that voyage-Narrative of Miles PhilipsLetter from Hawkins to Cecil--Narrative of Job Horton. AMONG the number of distinguished characters which the reign of Queen Elizabeth produced, the name of SIR FRANCIS DRAKE must always hold a prominent place. Born of humble parents, and thrown upon the world, in early youth, as a common seaman, by honest industry, by perseverance and resolution in overcoming difficulties, and by unflinching courage, he gradually rose to the highest rank in the Naval Service, and to the honour of knighthood bestowed by the Sovereign; an honour which, in that illustrious reign, was the reward of distinguished merit only. "This Drake," says Camden, "(to relate no more than what I have heard from himself) was born of mean parentage in Devonshire, and had Francis Russell (afterwards Earl of Bedford) for his godfather, who, according to the custom, gave him his Christian name. Whilst he was yet a child, his father, Edmund Drake, embracing the Protestant doctrine, was called in question by the law of the Six Articles made by Henry VIII. against the Protestants, fled his country, and withdrew himself into Kent"-" for," says Prince, in his 'Worthies of Devon,' "the sting of Popery still remained in England, though the teeth thereof were knocked out, and the Pope's supremacy abolished." B Sir Francis Drake (the nephew) says, in the dedication to the 'Voyage Revived,' "Honest reader, without apologie, I desire thee in this insuing discourse to observe with me the power and justice of the Lord of Hostes, who could enable so meane a person to right himself upon so mighty a prince, together with the goodness and providence of God, very observable, in that it pleased him to raise this man, not only from a low condition, but even from the state of persecution; his father suffered in it, being forced to fly from his house (neere South Tavistocke in Devon) into Kent, and there to inhabit in the hull of a shippe, wherein many of his younger sonnes were born; hee had twelve in all, and as it pleased God to give most of them a being upon the water, so the greatest part of them dyed at sea; the youngest, though he were as far as any, yet dyed at home, whose posterity inherits that which by himself, and this noble gentleman the eldest brother, was hardly, yet worthily gotten." "After the death of King Henry," continues Camden, “he (the father) got a place among the seamen in the King's Navy, to read prayers to them; and soon after he was ordained Deacon, and made Vicar of the Church of Upnore upon the river Medway (the road where the fleet usually anchoreth). But by reason of his poverty he put his son to the master of a bark, with which he used to coast along the shore, and sometimes to carry merchandise into Zeland and France. "The youth, being painful and diligent, so pleased the old man by his industry, that, being a bachelor, at his death he bequeathed his bark unto him by will and testament." The account thus given by Camden, one of the ablest and most faithful of our old historians, and coming as it does from Drake himself, must be considered as settling the question of his parentage; and disproving the story of his father Edmund being merely a sailor. What indeed could a sailor have to do with the Six Articles, to make it necessary for him to fly his country? It is more probable that he was one of those who bore the title of Preacher or Minister, and had received holy orders, but was without church preferment, and engaged in giving instruction to the neighbouring people, and reading prayers to them. Be that as it may, he must have been a well-educated man, if it be true that he was ordained Deacon, and inducted to the vicarage of Upnore, on the river Medway. The cottage on the banks of the Tavy, in which Drake was born, remained unaltered until about thirty years ago. It was then demolished, and a stall for cattle now stands upon its site. The date of his birth is uncertain. There is an original portrait of him in Buckland Abbey, painted Anno Domini 1594; ætatis suæ 53: according to this he must have been born in 1541 but there is also a beautiful miniature portrait by Hilliard, sold lately at Strawberry Hill, and now in possession of the Earl of Derby, under which is written Etatis suæ 42; Anno Dom. 1581: which gives 1539 for the date of his birth. There is a doubt also as to the name of his father, which appears by the pedigree to have been Robert, and not Edmund, the third son of John Drake of Otterton. For some time young Drake continued to carry on the same business as his master had done. But the narrow seas were too confined a space for so large and aspiring a mind. He therefore sold his bark, and by the advice of Captain John Hawkins, a bold and adventurous seaman (who is called his kinsman), was induced to try his fortune with him on a venture to the West Indies, in which he embarked the whole of his little property. Captain John Hawkins had previously made two voyages to Guinea and the West Indies, purchasing Negro slaves at the first place, and selling them to the Spaniards at the latter;-a trade that was then carried on by virtue of a treaty, still sub sisting, between Henry VIII. and Charles V. So far was this traffic from being considered infamous, that every encouragement was given to it by Queen Elizabeth; who took Hawkins into her service, made him Paymaster of the Navy, and as a mark of her favour gave him a coat of arms, the crest of which was a demimoor, properly coloured, bound by a cord,-the very emblem which has since been used to stamp with infamy this inhuman trade. That the adventurous spirit of Drake should have induced him cheerfully to join a man who had always been kind to him, and who was engaged in large mercantile concerns, on a voyage to the West Indies, cannot be wondered at. "Nothing," says Dr. Johnson, "was talked of among the mercantile or adventurous part of mankind but the beauty and riches of this new world. Fresh discoveries were frequently made, new countries and nations, never heard of before, were daily described; and it may easily be concluded that the relators did not diminish the merit of their attempts, by suppressing or diminishing any circumstance that might produce wonder or excite curiosity." |