i66 A. D. 1580. 



jewels, &c — Having now but one fliip left, in which all his treafure was 

 embarked, and it being probable that the Spaniards would intercept 

 him fhould he return through the Magellanic ftrait, he determined 

 to fail to the Moluccos, and return home (as the Portuguefe were ac- 

 cuflomed to do) by the Cape of Good Hope. Being obliged to fail as 

 far north as 48 degrees, in order to get a good wind, he difcovered Ca- 

 lifornia, which he named New Albion, fetting up a pillar and plate, 

 on which Queen Elizabeth's name, title, &c. were engraved ; the Spa- 

 niards having never as yet had footing here. At the Moluccos, and at 

 Java, Drake was well treated, and arrived in England (by the Cape of 

 Good Hope) in November 1580. 



On the complaint of the Spanifh ambaffador, the queen fequeflered 

 the treafure taken by Drake, or at lead a great part of it, for the king 

 of Spain's ufe ; but at the fame time alTeried the abfolute freedom of her 

 fubjeds to navigate the Indian feas as well as thofe of the king of Spain. 



The managers of the Ruflia company of England are undoubtedly 

 highly to be commended for their various attempts to difcover a north- 

 eaft paflage by fea to China and India, how unfuccefsful foever they 

 proved, and how much foever their ultimate views might center in 

 their own private intereft. In this year 1580, they fent out Pett and 

 Jackman with two barks, to try a paflage that way through the ftraits 

 of Waygatz. After many perils and diflicukies from the ice and intenfe 

 cold, one of them returned home unfuccefsful, but the other was never 

 heard of more *. 



In this fame year. King Philip 11 found means to unite the kingdom 

 of Portugal to that of Spain ; a very important accellion to the Spanifli 

 monarchy, had it been managed to the beft advantage. It remained,, 

 however, in this united flate till John duke of Braganza took the title 

 of king of Portugal, in the year 1640. 



The city (or rather the fuburbs) of London, being about this time 

 confiderably increafed, the queen publifhed a proclamation, forbidding 

 any buildmgs to be erctSed on new foundations within three miles of 

 the city gates, and that only one family lliould inhabit each houfe. 

 Here Mr. Rapin, in his Hiftory of England, fubjoins, ' it were to be 

 ' wifhed for England that this prohibition had been pundually executed 

 ' even to this day, fince the city is fo enlarged that it grows a monflrous 

 * head to a body of a moderate fize, to which it bears no proportion.' 

 Notwithflanding this obfervation, there are many perfons in modern 

 times who do not view this increafe in that bad light, and rather thmk 

 it advantageous, and folely owing to the increafe of our wealth and 

 commerce ; and that even this great increaie of the metropolis is at- 



* Plefcow, a city of Ruflia near ihi head o!" the from Perfia, Tartary, Sarmatia, Livonia, Germany, 

 lake Czuclfl<oc, is faid lo have been . lamous cm- Iritain, :rd other cuuntrics. \_Oderlormi Vila 'Tv- 

 porium at this time, and frequented by merchants unnh Bnjtlid'u, W'ltiha-g, 1585, /. R. 3.] M^ 



