Drake, Sir Francis

Sir Francis (1539-1595), an English navigator. He is one of the great captains whose exploits brought renown upon the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and gave England command of the ocean. He was a native of Devonshire, but his boyhood was spent among sailors. As a lad he made numerous voyages to France and the Netherlands. In 1570 he was sent to the West Indies in command of a small fleet. He enriched himself and his queen with the plunder of Spanish ships. The queen was so delighted with his exploits that seven years later she sent him out again with five vessels. This time he roved along both coasts of South America, crossed the Pacific Ocean, and returned home by way of the Cape of Good Hope, his vessel laden with treasure plundered from the Spaniards. In 1587 Spain was making ready her famous Armada. Drake was dispatched with a fleet to do as much damage as possible. He entered the harbor of Cadiz with thirty sail, destroyed a hundred Spanish vessels, captured a number of returning merchantmen, and returned home as before with an immense amount of gold and silver. This exploit he termed "singeing the king of Spain's beard." During Lord Howard's encounter with the famous Armada in the English Channel, Drake gave a good account of himself. From the Spanish point of view Drake was a wild sea rover,--a pirate who plundered ships for the sake of their gold and silver; but in the eye of England, he was a bold naval commander who struck terror into the hearts of her enemies and brought home great treasure. He died finally at sea and was buried in the ocean. A chair made from some timbers of his ship, the Golden Hind, in which he circumnavigated the world, was presented to Oxford University, where it may still be seen.

Who is that short, sturdy, plainly dressed man who stands with legs a little apart and hands behind his back, looking up with keen gray eyes into the face of each speaker? His cap is in his hands, so you can see the bullet head of crisp brown hair and the wrinkled forehead, as well as the high cheek bones, the short square face, the broad temples, the thick lips, which are yet as firm as granite. A coarse, plebeian stamp of man; yet the whole figure and attitude are that of boundless determination, self-possession, energy; and when at last he speaks a few blunt words, all eyes are turned respectfully upon him,--for his name is Francis Drake.--Charles Kingsley.