DRAKE (Sir Francis), the renowned English admiral, was the son of Edmund Drake a sailor, and born near Tavistock in Devonshire, in the year 1545. He was brought up at the expense and under the care of Sir John Hawkins, who was his kinsman; and, at the age of 18, was purser of a ship trading to Biscay. At 20, he made a voyage to Guinea; and, at 22, 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 not worth a groat. Upon this he projected a design against the Spaniards in the West Indies; which he no sooner published, than he had volunteers enough ready to accompany 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, wherein he 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, saying, That he thought it but just that such as bore the charge of so uncertain a voyage on his credit, should share the utmost advantage 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.
His success in this expedition, joined to his honourable behaviour towards his owners, gained him a high reputation; and the use he made of his riches, a still greater. For, fitting out three stout frigates at his own expense, he sailed with them to Ireland; where, under Walter earl of Essex, the father of the famous unfortunate earl, he served as a volunteer, and did many glorious actions. After the death of his noble patron, he returned into England; where Sir Christopher Hatton introduced him to her majesty, and procured him countenance and protection at court. By this means he acquired a capacity of undertaking that grand expedition which will render his name immortal. The first thing he proposed was a voyage into the South Seas through the Straits of Magellan; which was what hitherto no Englishman had ever attempted. The project was well received at court: the queen furnished him with means; and his own fame quickly drew together a sufficient force. The fleet with which he sailed on this extraordinary undertaking, consisted only of five vessels, small when compared with modern ships,
and no more than 164 able men. He sailed on the 13th of December 1577; on the 25th fell in with the coast of Barbary, and on the 29th with cape Verd. On the 13th of March he passed the equinoctial, made the coast of Brazil on the 5th of April, and entered the River de la Plata, where he lost the company of two of his ships; but meeting them again, and taking out their provisions, he turned them adrift. On the 29th of May he entered the port of St Julian's, where he continued two months for the sake of laying in provisions: on the 20th of August he entered the Straits of Magellan, and on the 25th of September passed them, having then only his own ship. On the 25th of November he came to Machao, which he had appointed for a place of rendezvous in case his ships separated; but captain Winter, his vice admiral, having repassed the Straits, was returned to England. Thence he continued his voyage along the coasts of Chili and Peru, taking all opportunities of seizing Spanish ships, and attacking them on shore, till his men were fated with plunder; and then, coasting America to the height of 48 degrees, he endeavoured to find a passage that way back into our seas, but could not. However, he landed, and called the country New Albion, taking possession of it in the name and for the use of queen Elizabeth; and, having careened his ship, set sail from thence, on the 29th of September 1579, for the Moluccas. He is supposed to have chosen this passage round, partly to avoid being attacked by the Spaniards at a disadvantage, and partly from the lateness of the season, whence dangerous storms and hurricanes were apprehended. On the 13th of October he fell in with certain islands inhabited by the most barbarous people he had met with in all his voyage: on the 4th of November he had sight of the Moluccas; and, coming to Ternate, was extremely well received by the king thereof, who appears, from the most authentic relations of this voyage, to have been a wise and polite prince. On the 10th of December he made Celebes; where his ship unfortunately ran upon a rock, the 9th of January following; from which, beyond all expectation, and in a manner miraculously, they got off, and continued their course. On the 16th of March he arrived at Java Major; and from thence he intended to have directed his course to Malacca; but found himself obliged to alter his purpose, and to think of returning home. On the 25th of March 1580, he put this design in execution; and on the 15th of June he doubled the Cape of Good Hope, having then on board 57 men, and but three casks of water. On the 12th of July he passed the line, reached the coast of Guinea on the 16th, and there watered. On the 11th of September he made the island of Tercera; and on the 3d of November entered the harbour of Plymouth. This voyage round the world was performed in two years and about ten months. Shortly after his arrival, the queen going to Deptford, went on board his ship; where, after dinner, she conferred on him the order of knighthood, and declared her absolute approbation of all he had done. She likewise gave directions for the preservation of his ship, that it might remain a monument of his own and his country's glory. This celebrated ship, which had been contemplated many years at Deptford, at length decaying, it was broke up, and a chair, made out of the planks, was presented to the university of Oxford; up-
Drake. on which the famous Abraham Cowley made the following verses: