The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-05

bic actions against the ~Spanyards. with
praises unto God for all. set saile the
nineteenth of June. 1855. and arrived
In Plymouth the seven n twentieth
of July the same yeere."
Inc next year. in an exploit which
thrills our blood even at this day.
Drake reached the climax Of his dar-
ing and audacity. Cruising along
the coast OF Spain. he suddenly dashed
into the haroor OF cadiz. attacked
and sunk the men-of-war there on
guard. loaded his ships with the
spoiis Of Mexico and Peru. and calmly
set his sails for England. This work
he ~laughingly called "singeing the
kin OF SPANS beard" Philip. one
day. invited a lady of his court 10 go
on board his barge o the Lake OF
SegoSla. But the prudent lad de-
ciined. saying that she dared not trust
herself on water even with his majesty
Tor fear OF Sir Francis Drake"
1t was with their spirits chatting
at he insults but cowed by the daring
and skill of the English seamen that
the sailors and soldiers OF Spain set
sail in their Invincible Armada for the
conques of England. In that Won
derfui world-victory for freedom
which an eminent historian calls the
opening event in the history Of the
United States" the name OF Sir Fran
els Drake stands high on the roll of
~conQuerors.
Before taking leave OF Cavendish.
GrenVille and Drake. ! wish to say
just "a word in regard to the char
acter of the warfare which they
Waged. In the twentieth century We
should call those who engaged in such
exploits pirates. and their work piracy.
But we should do a grave injustice
to the memory OF those bold men who
opened the way TO the planting Of
English civilization in the New World
If we should so hin OF them. The
strict and well-defined principles OF
international law now prevailing
throughout the civilized world were
totally unknown during the sixteenth
century. A Spanish fleet massacred a
colony Of French Huguenots in Flor
ida and a French fitted out by a
private gentleman retalliated in full
measure at a time when the two coun-
tries We're nominally at peace with
each other. AS John Fiske says: "A
favour Of b~uccaneerinS pervades near
~ all the maritime operations Of hat
& and often leads modern writers to
misunderstood or misjudge them.
Thus it sometimes happens that so
excellent a man as Sir Francis Drake,
whose fame is forever a priceless pos
session for English-speaking people,
Is mentioned in popular books as a
mere corSair. q kind of gentleman
pirate. Nothing could show a more
hopeless confusion of ideas. In n
later generation the warfare charac-
~teristic of the abethan age de-
generated into piracy. and when
Spain. fallen from her greatness be-
came a prey to the Spoilcr, a swarm
of buccaneers infested the West In
dies and added another hideous chap
ter to the lurid history of those beau
tiful islands. They We're mere rob
hers md had n0fhin0 in cOrnm0n witt
the ~iizabetha heroes except cour-
age. From the deeds of Drake and
Hawkins to the deeds Of Henry Nor
gan, the moral distance is as great as
from slayino YOU antagonist in battle
to numbering your neighbor for his
purse Even England has on her
honor rolls of ten centuries no more
glorious deeds, no more honorable
names than those Of Walter Raleigh,
Richard Grenville and Francis Drake.
SO effectively did those daring men
do their work that Philip il. oDce
the mightiest and richest Of European
n4onarchs, lived 10 see his maritime
power shattered. his treasury empty
and his glory departed. Until this
work had been done there could be
no hope that English colonists could
be successfully planted in America.
Among those who accompanied
Lane to Roanoke in 1886 were John
White. the artist of the expedition
sent by Raleigh to make drawings
af the COUNTRY and its people. after
wards governor Of the Lost Colony;
and Thomas Harriet, the historian and
scientist Of the colony. To rone who
bore a part IN the efforts 10 plant
a colony on Roanoke Island. save TO
Raleigh alone, do we owe more than
to White and Harriet. The work of
these TWO earnest and true men
the splendid pictures Of the one and
the scholarly narrative Of the other
preserve for us the most valuable in
formation that we have Of 'ould Eir-
yinia.' They we're the intimate friends
of Raleigh whose love and LOYALTY
could be affected by no degree o
or i'll fortune. Raleigh
SAYS Henry Stevens. was blessed in
his household. or at his table ar I'm