New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-17

,rodern historical research has put new and far
loss glowing colors upon the age Of Elizabeth,
that period remains so rich in picturesque ana !
romantic brilliant and heroic action that IL can
afford to lose much without ceasing to he lascl-
mating To-day the chief difficulty Of the student
is in realizing the state Of Europe which called
forth the best energies of so splendid galaxy OF
statesmen soldiers sailors. poets and men of let
tiers. This difficulty is the greater because the
principal actors in the statcdrama OF that time
have completely exchanged positions and relhlofS
since To bear continually in mind the COM
narrative fccblcncss and insgnifcancc of England
and the overshadowng might and magnitude oil
Spain in the sixteenth century is one OF the iirst
necessities Of the case however, and unless ms
is remembered steadily half the significance OF the
work of men Ike Drake will he missed. The
truth is that soon after Elizabeth came 10 the
throne it looked II the ccarest-seeing and shrewd-
est men of the day though the Spanish power
were destined to become paramount throughout
Europc as though the cause of the Reformation
were already lost and the mass was certain 10 ne
re-estab lished everywhere, together with the IN
uusition and the Jcsuits
Professionalism in England was then by no means
10 he regarded as the faith either of the Nation
or of a majority. The state measures or rcpres-
sion undertaken against Catholicism proVoNei
serious revolts in many parts of the country, anu
in one of these the father Of Francis Drake,
stanch Reformation man, was forced TO 90 into
hiding TO escape the vengeance of the enraged
Catholic peasantry. His place of hiding was an
old hulk, and there the future scouree OF spain
was reared. imbibing at the same time love Of
salt water and decp-scated hatred of Rome ana
Philip Young Drake became an ocean advent
urer in the most natural course possible; but his
principles DISTINGUISHED him from the mob OF
corsairs who waced private for the lust oil
plunder and on the score of international emmy,
excused too often the most abominabe barharl'le>'
Not that Francis brakes memory is altogether
stainless in that respect. 1t can never DE loFgo'-
ten that he was joined with John Norreys IN the
massacre of Rathchir. when no one knows now
many Irish rebels with their women and chill
dren. were pitilcssly hunted down and slaughtered
until Norreys was able to inform his Royal mis-
tress that no living representative of the enemy
remained upon the island. Drake does not APP
near to have personally engaged in the butchery
He was busy burning pirates in the vicinity:
But he was Joined with Norreys in the expedition;
was consenting party in all that was done; ana
must share the accountability for an atroclouS
deed
II was the first and it seems also to have been
the only act of the kind in his career. when ne
came to be embarked in warfare against Phinp'
and was taking prizes right and left at sea, cap
turing harbors and forts and spreading consterna-
ton throughout the Spanish coasts, he was famed
for his clcmency The period was not given To
consderateness and the examples set by Spain
were we'll calculated TO carry her enemies far IN
the line of retaliation TorturinS and killing
prisoners was common. and when Christians,
whether Protestant Catholic, took one anOthers
towns neither hestated 10 plumber and burn the
churches and mOrnstic conventual establish
ments But Francis Drake would not avail him.
self of the broad license commonly taken. lie
neither tortured nor killed his prisoners, and he
would not allow churches to be pllla9cd or de-
stroycd. No doubt many of his followers blamed
what they regarded pitiful poverty of spirit;
but Drake was the last man to listen TO protests
or 10 tolerate insubordnaton, and his orders were
obeyed no matter how reluctantly. In the sketch
of that romantic career drawn by Mr. COrbctt the
usual glamour is very apparent The spirit with
which kingsley wrote Westward Ho!" perya''es
his pages and he echoes the fascination with
which Tie merchants and statesmen and mobiles
and people of England heard the news from the
Spanish Main and absorbed the marvellous stories
of brakes voyagings in the Pacific Ocean, and
thrilled at the recital of his bold deeds upon the
territory of a monarch who was then considered
almost omnipOtcnt.
Mr. CoIbett Las told The old story with deep
sympathy and warm appreciation, and he has
ures His point of view. moreover. strikes rs as
cmincntly sound namely, that one Of the most i'm
portant services rendered by Drake to his country
consisted in the proofs lie furnished OF SPANS
infcrorty upon the sea and her vulncrabIhty
both there and on her coasts. Again and again
tLc fiery adventurer was checked and bafcd by
Elizabeth, whose COURAGE and purpose seldom
remained at concert pitch twenty. -four hours To-
rcther, and who, for all her pretcnce of frmness
It,
worthy a sovereign as ever befooed her most
loyal and devoted sul jec'S In the case Of Drake
lcr feminine feelings pleaded for the gallant cor
sair while her greed was tickled Ivy his mag
nifcrnt tribute in The form OF plate and gold and
pearls wrestcd from the Spaniard Bot hcr fear
of Philip and the craft of Philips ambassadors
and agents was liable at any time to outweigh all
other considerations, and then her whom favor
lite must keep ont Of the way. The Virgin
Oueen did not hesitate to accept nine-tcnths Of
all brakes plumber when he captured the great
Spanish caIavel with several millions o. treasure
on board; but she was not ashamed, While doing
this. TO repudiate BRAKES actions and to visit
him with at least ostcnSible dis?easure The dis
persion OF tie Spanish Armada doubt fOrc.
innate for England end for the memory of Eliza
beth for il caused the fact to he overlooked, or
lightly estimated, that as far as IN hcr lay She
really did what possible to frdstrate the el-
forts Of her naval commanders: and that only the
change of weather defeated the Spanish plans.
OF the descent of the Armada Mr.. Corbctt has
given a spirited and graphic account, and he has
rightly paid much attention 10 that battle OF
Gravclnes, which if not altogether neglected
by most English historians. has seldom been rated
nj its true signfcance The battle OF Gravelincs
prevented the Duke of Medina Sdonia from join
ing hands with the Prince Of Parma; that Is 10
saw il prevented the invasion of England. This was
emphaticaly brakes battle, moreover. for Howard
either lost his head AT the outset committed an
error Of judgment which would have been fatal