Page:Voyages and adventures of the renowned Admiral Drake.pdf/16

16 coin. Leaving this coast, he sailed to the westward, and at length arriving at the Molluccas, he was kindly entertained by the king of Pernate, one of those islands. Sailing from thence, he pursued his course through those dangerous seas; but his ship striking upon a rock, stuck fast for 27 hours, which put all his men into despair: but when they had lightened the ship, by throwing over-board eight of her guns, and some merchandise, a bearing gale of wind fortunately took her in the quarter, and heaved her off.—Then touching at Java, where he received great civility from one of the Kings of the Island, he continued his course for the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to Rio Grande in Negroland, where he took in water, and then set out for England. On the 25th of September, 1580, he arrived safe at Plymouth; having, in less than three years, sailed round the globe, to the great admiration of all men!

Captain Drake’s success in this voyage, and the immense wealth he brought home, occasioned much discourse throughout the kingdom; some highly applauding, and some as loudly decrying him. The former alledged, that his exploits were not only honourable to himself, but to the nation; that it would establish our reputation, for maritime skill, in foreign nations, and raise an useful spirit of emulation at home; and that as to the money, our merchants having suffered deeply from the faithlessness of the Spaniards, nothing could be more just than that the nation should receive the benefit of Drake’s reprisals. The other party alledged, that he was no better than a pirate: That of all others, it least became a trading nation to encourage such practices: