Arrived at his highest point of north latitude, Drake announced his intention of seeking a passage home by the north-east, round America, into the Atlantic-one of the most daring and courageous proposals in the whole record of navigation:-a small and solitary bark, with a diminished and feeble crew, to be put upon an unknown and unexplored sea of ice, cut off from all civilized and, probably, from all human beings in any shape, and without the smallest chance (all other dangers excluded) of ever reaching Baffin's Bay by the only narrow channel which leads into it from the Polar Sea, and of which Drake knew nothing, exposed to the almost certainty of losing not only his own life, but those of his crew, and with them the whole of their property, procured by many toils, difficulties, and extreme dangers-when these things are considered, the attempt appears alike hopeless and desperate. But fortunately the extreme cold of the climate they had already reached, had such an effect on the minds and feelings of the men, that Drake found it prudent to abandon the project, and to bend his course homewards through the East Indian Archipelago, and round the Cape of Good Hope; this voyage being the second occasion, in which he was the first man to attempt what had never been done before by any of his countrymen. The notice bestowed on Drake, on his return, was worthy of the success of his unparalleled adventures. The Queen visited him in his own ship, and there bestowed on him the honour of knighthood. It was a joyful day at Deptford, nothing going on but music, and dancing, and feasting. The poets were not idle in supplying the Golden Hind with songs for the amusement of the crew. One very appropriate, but quaint, conceit is said to have been exhibited on the sign of the Queen's Head tavern :- "O, Nature! to old England still Continue these mistakes; Still give us for our King such Queens, 1585. The Queen having, in the course of this important year, sent considerable auxiliary forces to the assistance of Holland, to oppose any attempt of the Duke of Parma, on the part of Spain, against the Netherlands, was fully aware that, by so doing, she would immediately incur the increased hostility of Philip, and that, in order to meet the same, it was the best policy at once to declare open war. Sir Francis Drake was sent for by the Queen, and appointed to the command of a fleet, with orders to make reprisals on the shipping and possessions of the Spaniards in the West Indies. She appropriated four of her best ships for the purpose, which were made up to twenty sail by volunteer adventurers, who rushed forwards with the greatest alacrity; these ships, with the addition of the Queen's own, embarked about 3000 men. Among those who were desirous of volunteering with Drake was a very extraordinary personage, the amiable and accomplished Sir Philip Sidney, who proposed himself as commander of the land forces, and actually joined, to the utter dismay of Drake, knowing him to be one of the Queen's favourites, whose permission he had not obtained; but he was soon relieved from his embarrassment by a nobleman sent down by the Queen to take him back to court. The officers consisted of Sir Francis Drake, Admiral; Thomas Fenner, his Captain; Martin Frobisher, Vice-Admiral; Francis Knollis, RearAdmiral; Lieutenant-General Carlisle to command the troops, with the requisite officers. In September, 1585, they left Plymouth, took Porta Praya without. difficulty; proceeded to Dominica, inhabited entirely by aboriginal natives; thence to St. Domingo, where, by kindling a few fires, they obtained a ransom. Hence it was their intention to visit Nombre de Dios, and cross the Isthmus to Panama, but the "very burning and pestilent ague which had seized them" made it expedient they should proceed homeward. In their way along the coast of Florida they destroyed the rising town of St. Augustine, and another called St. Helena; came to the miserable colony of Virginia; embarked the Governor (Lane) and all his settlers, and arrived at Portsmouth in July, 1586. She 1587. Elizabeth now felt there was no safety for her crown but by following up the blow. was personally insulted by the Spanish ambassador, whose master had promised himself eternal renown, having already gained the paternal affection of the Pope, by his endeavours to unite the whole Christian world in the papal communion, the first step to which was considered to be the subjugation of England. Elizabeth again sent for Drake; told him that she knew the enemy was making vast preparations in the ports of Spain and Portugal for the invasion of England, and that she had selected him to take charge of an expedition to inspect their proceedings, and to destroy their preparations; told him he should have four of her best ships-the Elizabeth Bonaventure, the Lion, the Rainbow, and the Dreadnought. This squadron being increased by twenty Londoners, they assembled at Plymouth, where the Lord High Admiral of England, Lord Charles Howard of Effingham, put himself in communication with Drake, and afforded him every assistance. From a curious circumstance it may be inferred, that another favourite of the Queen had been offering himself as a volunteer with Drake-Robert Earl of Essex. An autograph letter of the Admiral to Essex, falling into the hands of Mr. Thorpe, the bookseller, was advertised in his catalogue, price eight guineas, at which it was immediately sold. The letter was dated Plymouth, 16th February, 1587, where Drake was then fitting out, and the following extract from it is printed in the notice: "Good my Lord, teare my letters, and hold my word a rock to build on. For as the Lord liveth, my Lord of Essex hath, and shall have, a great interest in Francis Drake; for my good Lord my conscience and soul beareth me witness, that there is some parte to be played in the Churche of God, by your honour and myselfe, if we can hold this secret, for secrecie at the beginning is the assurance of our Victorie, which God will bring to passe for his glorye." The Queen, however, found another and a different employment for Essex. Drake left Plymouth on the 2nd of April, and on the 19th dashed into the harbour of Cadiz, where he was fired upon by five large galleons close under the batteries, which he soon compelled to retreat. In the road, and protected by the fortress, were sixty large and a number of small ships. These and others, to the amount of about a hundred sail, he took, burnt, or destroyed. Among others was a large ship of Ragusa, of about 1000 tons, carrying forty brass cannon. Another, 1200 tons, belonging to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, was destroyed. In short, the whole number of vessels burnt, sunk, and brought away amounted at the least to 10,000 tons of shipping. Captain Fenner, who commanded the Dreadnought, gives by name nineteen merchant-vessels which accompanied the four Queen's ships, and which, together with these, amounted to 4895 tons. Drake on his return took three castles at and near the Cape St. Vincent, and |