Sir Francis Drake Revived | Page 4

equal interest. Returning
from a raid on the Spaniards in 1586, he brought home the despairing
Virginian colony, and is said at the same time to have introduced from
America tobacco and potatoes. Two years later he led the English fleet
in the decisive engagement with the Great Armada. In 1595 he set out
on another voyage to the Spanish Main; and in the January of the
following year died off Porto Bello and was buried in the waters where
he had made his name as the greatest seaman of his day and nation.

TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY CHARLES THE FIRST, OF GREAT
BRITAIN, FRANCE, and IRELAND, KING, all the blessings of this,
and a better life.
MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN,
That this brief Treatise is yours, both by right and by succession, will
appear by the Author's and Actor's ensuing /Dedication/. To praise
either the Mistress or the Servant, might justly incur the censure of
/Quis eos unquam sanus vituperavit/; either's worth having sufficiently
blazed their fame.
This Present loseth nothing, by glancing on former actions; and the
observation of passed adventures may probably advantage future
employments. Caesar wrote his own Commentaries; and this Doer was
partly the Indictor.
Neither is there wanting living testimony to confirm its truth. For his
sake, then, cherish what is good! and I shall willingly entertain check

for what is amiss. Your favourable acceptance may encourage my
collecting of more neglected notes! However, though Virtue, as Lands,
be not inheritable; yet hath he left of his Name, one that resolves, and
therein joys to approve himself.
Your most humble and loyal subject,
FRANCIS DRAKE [BART.]

The Dedicatory Epistle, Intended To QUEEN ELIZABETH Written By
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, Deceased.
To The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, my most dread Sovereign.
Madam,
Seeing divers have diversely reported and written of these Voyages and
Actions which I have attempted and made, every one endeavouring to
bring to light whatsoever inklings or conjectures they have had;
whereby many untruths have been published, and the certain truth
concealed: as [so] I have thought it necessary myself, as in a Card
[chart] to prick the principal points of the counsels taken, attempts
made, and success had, during the whole course of my employment in
these services against the Spaniard. Not as setting sail for maintaining
my reputation in men's judgment, but only as sitting at helm, if
occasion shall be, for conducting the like actions hereafter. So I have
accounted it my duty, to present this Discourse to Your Majesty, as of
right; either for itself being the first fruits of your Servant's pen, or for
the matter, being service done to Your Majesty by your poor vassal,
against your great Enemy: at times, in such places, and after such sort
as may seem strange to those that are not acquainted with the whole
carriage thereof; but will be a pleasing remembrance to Your Highness,
who take the apparent height of the Almighty's favour towards you, by
these events, as truest instruments.
Humbly submitting myself to Your gracious censure, both in writing
and presenting; that Posterity be not deprived of such help as may

happily be gained hereby, and our present Age, at least, may be
satisfied, in the rightfulness of these actions, which hitherto have been
silenced: and Your Servant's labour not seem altogether lost, not only
in travels by sea and land, but also in writing the Report thereof (a
work to him no less troublesome) yet made pleasant and sweet, in that
it hath been, is, and shall be for Your Majesty's content; to whom I
have devoted myself [and] live or die.
FRANCIS DRAKE [Knight].
January 1, 1592 [i.e., 1593].

TO THE COURTEOUS READER
HONEST READER,
Without apology, I desire thee, in this ensuing Discourse, to observe,
with me, the power and justice of the LORD of Hosts, Who could
enable so mean a person to right himself upon so mighty a Prince;
together with the goodness and providence of GOD very observable in
that it pleased Him to raise this man, not only from a low condition, but
even from the state of persecution. His father suffered in it, being
forced to fly from his house, near South Tavistock in Devon, into Kent:
and there to inhabit in the hull of a ship, wherein many of his younger
sons were born. He had twelve in all: and as it pleased GOD to give
most of them a being upon the water, so the greatest part of them died
at sea. The youngest, who though he was [went] as far as any, yet died
at home; whose posterity inherits that, which by himself and this noble
Gentleman the eldest brother, was hardly, yet worthily gotten.
I could more largely acquaint thee, that this voyage was