Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, an English navigator, born at
Tavistock, in Devonshire, in 1539 or according to some authorities in1545.
Five years afterwards Drake was again
attacking the Spaniards in the Cape Verd Islands and in the West Indies, and in 1588 particularly distinguished
himself as vice-admiral in the conflict with the Spanish Armada.
He served as a sailor in a coasting vessel, and afterwards
joined Sir John Hawkins in his last expedition against the Spaniards (1567), losing nearly all he possessed in
that unfortunate enterprise. From then on Drake, an ardent Protestant, hated the Spanish. Having gathered a number
of adventurers around him he contrived to fit out a vessel in which he made two successful cruises to the West
Indies in 157O and 1571.
Next year, with two small ships, he again sailed for the Spanish Main, captured the cities of Nombre de Dios and
Vera Cruz, and took a rich booty which he brought safely home. In 1577 Drake made another expedition to the Spanish
Main, having this time command of five ships.
On this the most famous of his voyages Drake passed the Straits of Magellan,
plundered all along the coasts of Chili and Peru, sacked several ports, and captured a galleon laden with silver,
gold, and jewels, to the value of perhaps £200,000. He then ran north a. far 48° N. lat., seeking a passage
to the Atlantic, but was compelled to return to Port San Francisco on account of the cold.
He then steered for the Moluccas, and holding straight across the Indian Ocean doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and
arrived at Plymouth 3d Nov. 1580, being thus being one of the early circumnavigators of the world. As there was no war between England and Spain the proceedings of Drake had a somewhat
dubious character, but the queen maintained that they were lawful reprisals for the action
of the Spaniards, and showed her favour to Drake by knighting him on board his own ship.
 |
 In 1593 he represented Plymouth in parliament. His later expeditions, that in 1595 against the Spanish West Indies and that to Pananoi, were not so successful, and his death, (1596) took place at sea off Porto Bello, hastened by disappointment. |
| 1579 Drake captures the Spanish treasure ship Cacafuego ' spitfire ' |
