Queen. Humph! Fellows have been knighted for less; he’s a hero!
Drake. Such are the men that England wants, my Liege.
Queen. And has, Drake, I am proud to say. (With eagerness) Come! Tell me about the great gold ship.
Drake. As we neared, one broadside brought down her masts, a volley from our longbows mowed her deck, like the scythe in standing corn; we shot up alongside of her, our men rushed aboard, Thomas Moon foremost.
Queen (laughing). Ha! Ha! The Plymouth boy, Abajo Perro! I shall never forget that. Ha! Ha! Ha! Well, well! Go on.
Drake. Well, my Liege! We cut away the wreck, towed her out to sea and took charge of the precious freight at our leisure.
Queen. That’s the way that British sailors do their work. You astonished the Spaniards.
Drake. Your Majesty knows the rest. Magellan’s straits were secured against me, and I was not going to surrender what I had got.
Queen. No, Drake was not the man for that.
Drake. So I decided to take my chance, on the great unknown ocean, and by the Cape of Good Hope.