My British Empire

  Chapter 495 The Pacific Ocean is no longer Spanish

  Several pirate ships docked in Plymouth Harbor safe and sound. The pirates were diligently cleaning the deck with sackcloth, and their movements were swift.

  In the port where people come and go, merchants, sailors, tax officials, and even dock workers all turn a blind eye to the pirate ship and still do their own work.

  As the captain, Drake distributed some of the gold coins as soon as the ship docked. Some sailors looked at the ship and let others go to have fun.

Prostitutes and gambling, Drake is not interested in these, he paid the berthing fee, and then went to find a shipyard, ready to repaint the newly captured merchant ship, make some changes, and then become a skeleton A member of the Pirates.

  A 500-ton armed merchant ship is the largest one he has ever paid for. Drake has high hopes for it and plans to make it the flagship of the Skeleton Pirates.

  There are many shipyards in Plymouth. After finding a familiar shipyard and negotiating the price, the skeleton pirate group will grow stronger in a month.

   After going so smoothly, he rented a carriage and came to the Hawkins family mansion.

  Since John Hawkins started the slave trade and became the first person in England to eat crabs, the Hawkins family has more prestige throughout Plymouth and the southwest coast.

  The slave trade not only brought huge benefits to the Hawkins family, but also brought great prestige, becoming the leader of the slave trade in England.

   Therefore, John Hawkins also married Catherine Gunson, the daughter of Navy treasurer Benjamin Gunson, and became more powerful.

   And because of this, Drake once joined Hawkins' fleet, saw the real ocean, and became a real captain.

  After that, he left the fleet, bought a clipper with his savings, recruited a few familiar sailors, and started a pirate business.

  Drake seems to be born in the ocean. He has an indescribable talent for naval warfare. He has robbed merchant ships time and time again and harvested batches of spoils.

  Drake's father was a yeoman in the town of Tavistock on the back of Plymouth. In 1549, Cornish Catholics launched the "Prayer Book Rebellion", which caused him to live in Plymouth.

   All, at the time of his fame, Drake, who had no background, found a good backer—the Hawkins family.

  Although he is the cousin of John Hawkins, interests are interests, and he will never be delayed because of family affection.

   Every time Drake seized the spoils, he would sell the spoils to the Hawkins family at the market price of eight layers, and he would also be able to enjoy the protection of the Hawkins family, eliminating his worries.

   And this time, he just wanted to ask for support.

   "Sir, the Hawkins family is here!" The groom's voice sounded, disturbing Drake's memory.

   "En!" Drake reacted, and immediately got off the carriage.

"How much?"

   "Eight pennies, sir!"

  Drake handed eight pennies to the groom, and then hurried to the Hawkins mansion.

   Obviously, the people in the mansion knew his cousin of the lord. After waiting for less than five minutes, Drake was invited in by Mr. Hawkins.

  He was taken to his usual study, and Mr. Hawkins was sitting in a chair, reading a book.

   "Oh? Isn't this the famous skeleton captains? I heard that you captured a large merchant ship of 500 tons. Congratulations!"

  John Hawkins has not gone to sea often since he personally led the team to carry out two slave trades. Instead, he has started a family business. He looks a little rich at this time.

  At this time, he saw Francis Drake coming in, a surprise expression appeared on his face at the right time, and he said in an exaggerated tone.

   "John, you're really flattering me. I'm just doing some business that jumps between life and death. Over the years, I've been really scared!" Drake said inappropriately, with a wry smile on his face.

   "What? Captain Skeleton is scared, is he ready to start a business? Don't worry about this. With your level, you will definitely become a famous businessman!"

  Seeing that Drake looked uncomfortable, Hawkins made a joke, squinting his eyes and smiling.

   "Of course not, no matter how poor I am, I will not become a businessman who smells like money and deals with money all day long!"

   "So, come this time, my captain, what can you do?" Hawkins sat on the chair again, and asked in a low voice to Drake, his cousin who was standing.

   "John, this time, I hope you can sponsor me. I hope that, like Magellan, I can find a new route for the kingdom. The Pacific Ocean is no longer the sea of ​​Spain!"

  Since the Pacific Ocean was discovered by Magellan, the Spaniards who funded him used their huge sea power and the American colonies to declare: The Pacific Ocean is the sea of ​​Spain!

  Although not many people dare to repeat the dangerous route that Magellan took, Spain still said so.

  In this way, Drake decided to take the path of Magellan again, find that route, and greatly increase his reputation.

   "You want to cross the Pacific Ocean and travel around the world?" Hawkins asked in surprise.

   "No, I just want to find the route to the Pacific Ocean again, and open up a new route for the kingdom!" Drake said loudly, with his chest upright.

   "This, this, do you know the danger?" Hawkins asked tremblingly.

   "Of course, but I know better how big the benefits are! I don't know, Mr. John, the patriarch of the Hawkins family, will he have the guts to take a gamble!"

  Drake stared into Hawkins' eyes and asked word by word.

   "Haha! I, John Hawkins, have never been afraid of anything. This time, I will take it!" Resisting the excitement in his heart, and calculating the gains in detail, Hawkins said firmly.

   "Just, I hope you can come back safe and sound!" Hawkins said deeply.

   "Don't worry, I'm not interested in the Pacific Ocean!" Drake waved his hand and said indifferently.

   Subsequently, Hawkins sponsored a boat to Drake, five thousand pounds, and fifty sailors, so that Drake was well prepared.

  He prepared butter, bread, biscuits, wine, and various supplies, and took the barber, priest, navigator, and doctor.

  Five ships, the largest of which is 500 tons, was named "Pacific" by Drake, followed by 300 tons, which was sponsored by the Hawkins family, and the rest were only a few hundred tons.

In the summer of 1564, Drake set out from Plymouth with 190 sailors and five well-decorated ships, riding the wind, and embarked on a journey that will become famous in history, an extraordinary journey to Britain .

  (end of this chapter)