, one of our most distinguished naval heroes, who flourished in the
, one of our most distinguished
naval heroes, who flourished in the reign of Elizabeth, was
the son of Edmund Drake, a sailor, and born near Tavistock, in Devonshire, in 1545, but some have said that
he was the son of a clergyman. He was, however, brought
up at the expence, and under the care, of sir John Hawkins, who was his kinsman; and at the age of eighteen
was purser of a ship trading to Biscay. At twenty he
made a voyage to Guinea; and at twenty-two had the
honour to be made captain of the Judith. In that capacity
he was in the harbour of St. John de Ulloa, in the gulph
of Mexico, where he behaved most gallantly in the glorious actions under sir John Hawkins, and returned with
him to England with great reputation, though as poor as
he set out. Upon this he projected a design against the
Spaniards in the West Indies, which he no sooner announced, than he had volunteers enough ready to
accorapany him. In 1570 he made his first expedition with two
ships; and the next year with one only, in which he returned safe, if not with such advantages as he expected.
He made another expedition in 1572, did the Spaniards
some mischief, and gained considerable booties. In these
expeditions he was much assisted by a nation of Indians,
who then were, and have been ever since, engaged in
perpetual wars with the Spaniards. The prince of these
people was named Pedro, to whom Drake presented a fine
cutlass from his side, which he saw the Indian greatly admired. Pedro, in return, gave him four large wedges of
gold, which Drake threw into the common stock, with
this remarkable expression, that“he thought it but just,
that such as bore the charge of so uncertain a voyage on
his credit, should share the utmost advantages that voyage
produced.
” Then embarking his men with all the wealth
he had obtained, which was very considerable, he bore
away for England, where he arrived in August, 1573.