Sir Richard Hawkins, Seaman and Geographer. page 4

Our hero had shown courage and generosity and kindness to natives and prisoners, but as a complete seaman his own words show him to have been deficient. He trusted his subordinates too much, and he kept rather loose discipline; but he was a man of the highest honour, and won the respect of the best Spaniards.

At Lima the Inquisition claimed the prisoners, but the Viceroy refused to give them up until he had heard from King Philip.

In 1597 Hawkins was sent to Spain and imprisoned at Seville; in September 1598 he escaped, but was retaken and thrust into a dungeon.

In 1599 he was taken to Madrid, although Don Beltran had indignantly protested against the violation of his solemn promise.

In 1602 he was released and sent home, as by this time Count Miranda, President of the Council, had come to the conclusion that formal pledges given by the King's officers must be kept, or else no other English would surrender.

In July 1603 Hawkins was knighted, became M.P. for Plymouth and Vice-Admiral of Devon, and had to scour the sea for pirates.

In 1620 he sailed under Sir Robert Mansell to put down Algerine corsairs in the Mediterranean, and returned home, after a failure, sick and weak in body. In 1622 he was carried off by a fit while attending the Privy Council on business bearing on his late command.

By his wife Judith he left two sons and four daughters.

His book, "Observations in his Voyage into the South Sea, a.d. 1593," was not written until nearly thirty years alter the events, and consequently bears traces of inaccuracy in details and dates; but it surpasses all other books of travel of those times in describing the details of nautical life, in scientific interest concerning the fauna and flora of the countries he visited, and in transparent candour and freedom from prejudice. He was no boastful discoverer, but a God-fearing, conscientious servant of the Queen, who, like so many others, tried to do his duty, and sometimes failed to reach the highest success.

But for all that, he was not the least among England's heroes; he was a worthy son of Sir John, and a man whom Devon may claim as one of her noblest and most generous sons.