DRAKE, Sir FRANCIS (c.1510-96). An Eng lish admiral and navigator. born at Crowndale, near Tavistock. in Devonshire. He was appren ticed at an early age to a sea-captain and later engaged in the coasting trade for a few years. In 1565-66 Drake extended the field of his opera tions to Guinea and the Spanish Slain. In 1567-OS lie commanded a ship in the last ex pedition of Hawkins against the Spaniards. which ended so disastrously. After this he made two voyages to the West Indies, under taken for the purpose of obtaining informa tion preparatory to the exeention of a plan of revenge for Hawkins's ill-fated squadron. This done. Drake set out on a third voyage in 1572, having with him three ship; and seventy-three men, and with this force eaptured the Spanish town of Nombre de Dios, on the Isthmus of Panama, with an enormous store of treasure, took a Spanish galleon in the harbor of Carta gena. and burned the town of Porto Bello. Finally, the indefatigable adventurer, with eigh teen Englishmen and thirty Indians, crossed the Isthmus of Panama and saw the South Sea, pray ing God that lie "might sail once in an English ship in that sea." Laden with spoil, he sailed homeward, and readied Plymouth On Sunday, August 9, 1573. From 1573 to 1575 Drake served in Ireland: but in the latter year his thoughts turned to the sea. and in December, 1577. he sailed from Plymouth for the Spanish Main with a squadron consisting of hi; own ship, the Prfiran, of 100 tons, the Elizabeth, of 80 tons, and three smaller vessels. That this expedition against a nominally friendly power was imeouraged, if not sanetidied, by Queen Elizabeth, is undoubted. Drakfi sailed for Smith America. entered the Rio de In Plata. and went south to the straits of Ma gellan. Alter battling with the current; for six teen days, he entered tile Cavities A furious storm separated the fleet. The Etiviboth returned to England, another vessel W:1, 10,4 With all on board, and the Pctican—renanied the Gulden. Hind—was alone left to explore the unknown Pacific. The voyage was a series of successful exploits. The Spanish town; on the eoasts of Chile and Peru were sacked and a treasure ship was captured. Drake then steered for the northeast, hoping to find a passage back to the Atlantic, hut finding his crew unwilling to encounter the cold of the high latitudes, lie turned south and refitted his ships in a small harbor just north of the Golden (fate, receiving, the homage of the natives in the name of Queen Elizabeth. Ile then steered across the Pacific, touched probably at what are the Pelew Islands and at Ternate. in the Moluccas, and after many hazardous experiences anchored of the southwest coast of -lava on March 11), 1580. Thence he struck across the Indian Ocean. doubled the Cape of Good Hope on dune 15. and
finally arrived at Plymouth on September 26, 1580, laden with treasure and spices. Queen Elizabeth sanctioned Drake's 'reprisals,' visited the Golden Hind, and knighted her bold com mander.
Between 1581 and 1585 Drake was Mayor of Plymouth, and during a part of the year 1585 and the whole of 1586 he commanded a fleet of twenty one ships in a successful plundering expedition against the Spanish West Indies. From the Rest Indies and Florida Drake made his way up the coast to Virginia. whence he sailed for England. taking with him the disheartened Raleigh colo nists whom he had found at Roanoke. It is said that he brought back to England on this voyage both the potato and the tobacco-leaf. In the spring of 1587 Drake was sent with a tleet to raid the formidable Armada which Philip was col lecting for the invasion of England. He entered the harbor of Cadiz, destroyed the shipping in the roadsteads (10.000 tons) , secured much booty, and withdrew to plunder the coast towns, de stroying ships and fortifications as he went. From the Spanish coast he sailed for the Azores in the hope of meeting any homeward-bound ships, and fortunate enough to secure a Po• tuguese East lndiaman with a precious cargo, the first intimation England had of the vast possibilities in the East India trade. He strongly urged the Queen and her Ministers to follow up the blow already given Spain without al lowing it time to recuperate. and served as vice admiral under Lord Howard in the fighting which resulted in the destruction of the Arnmda (q.v.). The story is told that he kept Lord Howard from putting to sea until they had finished their game of how];, saying: "There's plenty of time to Will the game and thrash the Spaniards too." The wreck of the great Armada quieted all fears of invasion in England. and by way of reprisal a fleet was sent under Drake and Sir -John Norreys to the coasts of Spain and Portugal. in the spring of 1559. A large amount of booty was taken and the enemy's stores and shipping were so effeet flatly destroyed as to prevent all possibility of a future attempt against England. A few years of 111110 \Nun it Bowed. in 1595, by 7111 expedition to the West holies. The spaniards had received intelligence of the attt mph and the Englishmen were repulsed in an attack upon hurt and other places. Drake died id Porto Itello. January 1590. I Corhett. am/ the Tudor Aar!, (London. 1595i : id.. sir trennets 1 tenkt., in "English Alen of .Action (London, 'soul. The intensely inteiesting original narrations of Drake'- exploits may be found in the ilkillyt I London. Isfs. is 50, and 15651; in .1ther. .1.11 E)1 511i,11 Goners. 17th ell,. toingliain. 1550-531: and in the Ca/litica 1 bray, vol. V. 1 London,