he went as far north as the Golden Gate, then passed
across the Pacific and round by the Cape of Good Hope, and so home, the
first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. Only Magellan's ship had
preceded him in the feat, and Magellan had died on the voyage. The Queen
visited the ship, "The Golden Hind," as she lay at Deptford and knighted
the commander on board.

Drake's further adventures were of almost 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 Act