ILLUSTRATIONS 



his possession * partly by the sworde, and partly 

 by other means to the number of 300 Negros at 

 the least, besides other merchandises which that 

 country yieldeth.' He then sailed for Hispaniola, 

 sold his cargo and loaded his three ships and two 

 other hulks with hides, ginger, sugar and pearls and 

 arrived home in September 1563. In 1564. he set 

 out with a larger fleet on the same route and coast- 

 ing along Florida he found Laudonniere's French 

 colony, which he relieved, winning ' the reputation 

 of a good and charitable man, deserving to be 

 esteemed as much of us all as if he had saved all 

 our lives.' He arrived at Padstow on the 20th 

 September 1565. On the 2nd October 1567 he 

 set out on his * third troublesome voyage,' during 

 which he was attacked by the Spaniards in the 

 harbour of San Juan d'Ulloa and very narrowly 

 escaped. After suffering great hardships on the 

 voyage home, * for hides were thought very good 

 meat, rats, cats, mice and dogs, none escaped that 

 might be gotten,' he arrived in Mounts Bay on 

 25th January 1569. In 1572 he was Member of 

 Parliament for Plymouth. On nth October 1573 

 he was stabbed whilst riding in the Strand and was 

 dangerously wounded, the Queen sending her own 

 surgeon to attend him. About this time he was 

 made treasurer and comptroller of the Navy, and 

 it was largely owing to his skill and experience that 

 the Navy was thoroughly equipped to meet the 

 Armada. Hawkins was third in command of the 

 English fleet on the * Victory ' during the struggle 

 with the Armada. He was in the thick of the 

 fighting and was knighted by Lord Howard of 

 Effingham for his bravery. In 1590 he, with Fro- 

 bisher, commanded a squadron sent to the coast 

 of Portugal. In November 1591 he was one of 

 the commissioners for the proper division of prizes 

 taken at sea. On 28th August 1595 he sailed with 

 Drake in the expedition ' chiefly pretended for 

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