Preface & Contents:

Sir Francis Drake: With a Portrait

by

Walter J. Harte

London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (1920) 70pp.

Prepared by Michael Steer

This small book (which has no index), was written by a well-published Devon historian shortly after the First World War and is one in a series intending to eulogise those credited with developing the British Empire. The most famous of all English seafarers, Drake earned his fame and fortune through his skilful seamanship and outstandingly successful piracy. His circumnavigation of the globe from 1577-81 involved a number of very profitable raids on Spanish ships and ports. His increasingly frequent and serious attacks during the 1580s were an important factor contributing to Philip II's decision to launch the Armada against England in 1588. Drake served as vice-admiral of the English fleet that defeated the Armada. An original copy of the text is held at the University of Toronto Library and a complete electronic copy may be accessed at:
https://archive.org/details/sirfrancisdrake00hartuoft
Microsoft (MSN) has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

PREFACE

This little book does not pretend to provide any new matter for the story of Drake's life. All that it attempts is to provide as clear a narrative as possible, and to offer an unbiassed presentation of his character, and a reasonable estimate of his position as one of the Pioneers of the British Empire.
 

My thanks are due to Mr. H. W. Hodges of the R.N.C., Dartmouth, for his suggestions and criticisms on Chapters VI. -VII.

SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Camden Society. Miscellany. Vol. V.

Clowes, Sir W. Laird. The Royal Navy. Vol. I.

Corbett, Sir Julian. Drake and the Tudor Navy.

Corbett, Sir Julian. Drake (English Men of Action).

Dictionary of National Biography.

Drake, Lady Eliott. The Family and Heirs of Sir Francis Drake.

Froude, J. A. English Seamen in the Sixteenth Century.

Hakluyt. Vols. VI., IX., X., XI.

Hume, Martin. The Great Lord Burleigh.

Masefield, J. On the Spanish Main.

Pollard, A. F. The Political History of England. Vol. VI.

Raleigh, Sir Walter. English Voyages in the Sixteenth Century.

Social England. Vol. III.