CHAPTER I.

THE SEA KINGS.

PAGE

Tercentenary of the Discovery of America, 1792 1

The Abbé Raynal and his book 2

Was the Discovery of America a blessing or a curse to mankind? 3

The Abbé Genty's opinion 4

A cheering item of therapeutics 4

Spanish methods of colonization contrasted with English 5

Spanish conquerors value America for its supply of precious metals 6

Aim of Columbus was to acquire the means for driving the Turks from Europe 7

But Spain used American treasure not so much against Turks as against Protestants 8

Vast quantities of treasure taken from America by Spain 9

Nations are made wealthy not by inflation but by production 9

Deepest significance of the discovery of America; it opened up a fresh soil in which to plant the strongest type of European civilization 10

America first excited interest in England as the storehouse of Spanish treasure 11

After the Cabot voyages England paid little attention to America 12

Save for an occasional visit to the Newfoundland fisheries 13

Earliest English reference to America 13

Founding of the Muscovy Company 14

Richard Eden and his books 15

John Hawkins and the African slave trade 15, 16

Hawkins visits the French colony in Florida 17

Facts which seem to show that thirst is the mother of invention 18

Massacre of Huguenots in Florida; escape of the painter Le Moyne 18

Hawkins goes on another voyage and takes with him young Francis Drake 19

The affair of San Juan de Ulua and the journey of David Ingram 20

Growing hostility to Spain in England 21

Size and strength of Elizabeth's England 21, 22

How the sea became England's field of war 22

Loose ideas of international law 23

Some bold advice to Queen Elizabeth 23

The sea kings were not buccaneers 24

Why Drake carried the war into the Pacific Ocean 25

How Drake stood upon a peak in Darien 26

Glorious voyage of the Golden Hind 26, 27

Drake is knighted by the Queen 27

The Golden Hind's cabin is made a banquet-room 28

Voyage of the half-brothers, Gilbert and Raleigh 28

Gilbert is shipwrecked, and his patent is granted to Raleigh 29

Raleigh's plan for founding a Protestant state in America may have been suggested to him by Coligny 30

Elizabeth promises self-government to colonists in America 31

Amidas and Barlow visit Pamlico Sound 31

An Ollendorfian conversation between white men and red men 32

The Queen's suggestion that the new country be called in honour of herself Virginia 32

Raleigh is knighted, and sends a second expedition under Ralph Lane 32

Who concludes that Chesapeake Bay would be better than Pamlico Sound 33

Lane and his party on the brink of starvation are rescued by Sir Francis Drake 33

Thomas Cavendish follows Drake's example and circumnavigates the earth 34

How Drake singed the beard of Philip II. 34

Raleigh sends another party under John White 35

The accident which turned White from Chesapeake Bay to Roanoke Island 35

Defeat of the Invincible Armada 36, 37

The deathblow at Cadiz 38

The mystery about White's colony 38, 39

Significance of the defeat of the Armada 39, 40