John Drake (c. 1560–1600s) was an English privateer who attempted an ill-fated incursion against the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

on the shores of the

Río de la Plata The Río de la Plata (, "river of silver"), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and fo ...

. He was the nephew of

Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 (t ...

Biography

Around 1583, John Drake and his crew departed from the port of

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

to the south of the Atlantic Ocean. The ship under his command, The 40-ton

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

''Francis'', was part of the

Edward Fenton Edward Fenton (died 1603) was an English navigator, son of Henry Fenton and Cicely Beaumont and brother of Sir Geoffrey Fenton. He was also a publisher of diaries and journals. Biography He was a native of Sturton-le-Steeple, Nottinghamshi ...

expedition to the Pacific. After their victory at the

battle of São Vicente The Battle of São Vicente was a minor naval engagement that took place off São Vicente, Portuguese Brazil on 3 February 1583 during the Anglo–Spanish War between three English ships (including two galleons), and three Spanish galleons. The E ...

and the subsequent split of the English force, Drake headed to the Rio de la Plata. The ''Francis'' was wrecked on the mouth of the river, in a shoal later known in Spanish as ''Banco Inglès'' after this incident. He and his men were captured by

Charrúa The Charrúa were an indigenous people or Indigenous Nation of the Southern Cone in present-day Uruguay and the adjacent areas in Argentina ( Entre Ríos) and Brazil ( Rio Grande do Sul). They were a semi-nomadic people who sustained themselve ...

natives in today's Uruguayan coast, with whom they remained captive for some time. Only Drake and his second-in-command survived the ordeal to reach Buenos Aires where both of them were arrested by the Spanish authorities, being sent to the city of Santa Fe. They were interrogated there through the intervention of an English interpreter, before conqueror Don Juan de Torres de Vera y Aragón and the notary Don Francisco Pérez de Burgos. After his interrogation, John Drake was sent to

Asunción Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of ...

and then to

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

, where he was tried and sentenced to a lifetime of captivity. In 1587, a Portuguese pilot reported he was alive and well in Peru. Drake never returned to England. The last mention of John Drake in a Spanish official document was in 1595, during the trial of

Richard Hawkins Admiral Sir Richard Hawkins (or Hawkyns) (c. 1562 – 17 April 1622) was a 17th-century English seaman, explorer and privateer. He was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins. Biography He was from his earlier days familiar with ships and the s ...

and his companions, captured in San Mateo's Bay. A narrative of Francis Drake's circumnavigation was drawn from John Drake's interrogation by

Inquisitor An inquisitor was an official (usually with judicial or investigative functions) in an inquisition – an organization or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Literal ...

Antonio Gutiérrez de Ulloa at Lima.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drake, John (pirate) 1560s births 1600s deaths English explorers English people of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) Río de la Plata English prisoners of war English privateers Military personnel from Devon