In His Conduct As A Naval
Commander He Was Skilful And Valiant, Just To His Owners, Kind To His
Seamen, Loyal To His Sovereign, And Merciful To His Enemies After
Victory.
His many glorious exploits justly entitle him to high fame; and
he died, at fifty-five, in the ardent pursuit of glory, in the cause of
his queen and country.
* * * * *
The fame of this Voyage round the World, with the wealth brought home by
Sir Francis Drake, and the desire of rivalling him in riches and
reputation, inspired numbers of young men of all ranks with the
inclination of trying their fortunes at sea. Men of rank and fortune
fitted out ships at their own expence, manning them with their
dependants. Others, in lower situations, hazarded their persons as
subaltern officers in these ships, or in men-of-war belonging to the
queen. This spirit grew to such a height, that honest John Stowe informs
us that there were many youths, from eighteen to twenty years of age,
towards the close of Queen Elizabeth's reign, who were capable of taking
charge of any ship, and navigating to most parts of the world.
So alarmed were the Spaniards by the courage and conduct of Sir Francis,
and his maritime skill, that they ordered that no draughts or discourses
should be published of their discoveries in America, lest they might
fall into his hands. What most surprised them was, that he should find
his way so easily through the Straits of Magellan, which they had
hitherto been unable to perform.
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