THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



and Peele and many others. Without the Voyagers 

 Marlowe is inconceivable. His imagination is wholly 

 pre-occupied with the new marvels of the world and 

 his heart possessed by the new-found lust of power. The 

 tasks that Doctor Faustus assigns to his serviceable 

 spirits might have been studied from the reports of 

 travellers : 



* I'll have them fly to India for gold, 

 Ransack the Ocean for orient pearl, 



And search all corners of the new-found world 

 For pleasant fruits and princely delicates ; ... 

 I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring, 

 And chase the Prince of Parma from our land 

 And reign sole King of all our Provinces.' 



Gold again is the theme of the Jew of Malta, and con- 

 Tamburkine. quest and kingship the inspiration of Tamburlaine. The 

 Scythian conqueror, like Shakespeare's Italian gentlemen, 

 is at heart an Englishman. When he tries to tempt the 

 Persian general into his service, his persuasions savour of 

 the nautical pride of the English : 



* Both we will walk upon the lofty cliffs 



And Christian merchants that with Russian sterns 

 Plough up huge furrows in the Caspian Sea 

 Shall vail to us, as lords of all the lake.' 



Historical 

 parallels. 



In 1567 Hawkins fired on a friendly Spanish squadron 

 in Plymouth Sound, to compel the Admiral to lower 

 his flag, and in 1570 Lord Charles Howard of Effingham 

 exacted a like tribute in the open Channel from a Spanish 

 fleet of a hundred and thirty sail which was conveying 

 King Philip's bride-elect from Holland to Spain. Even 

 the name of the Caspian was reminiscent of English 

 adventure. ' Our nation,' says Hakluyt, writing in 1598, 

 * have adventured their persons, ships and goods, home- 



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