d the immediate danger of a great combined attack on England
passed away than Elizabeth returned to Drake's plan for a regular raid
against New Spain, though it had to be one that was not designed to
bring on war in Europe. Drake, who was a member of the Navy Board
charged with the reorganization of the fleet, was to have command. The
ships and men were ready. But the time had not yet come.

Next year (1584) Amadas and Barlow, Sir Walter Raleigh's two prospectors
for the 'plantation' of Virginia, were being delighted with the summer
lands and waters of what is now North Carolina. We shall soon hear more
of Raleigh and his vision of the West. But at this time a good many
important events were happening in Europe; and it is these that we must
follow first.

William of Orange, the Washington of Holland, was assassinated at
Philip's instigation, while plots to kill Elizabeth and place Mary on
the throne began to multiply. The agents were executed, while a 'Bond of
Association' was signed by all Elizabeth's chief supporters, binding
them to hunt down and kill all who tried to kill her--a plain hint for
Mary Queen of Scots to stop plotting or stand the consequences.

But the merchants trading with Spain and Portugal were more than ever
for keeping on good terms with Philip because the failure of the Spanish
harvest had induced him to offer them special protection and
encouragement if they would supply his country's needs at once. Every
available ton of shipping was accordingly taken up for Spain. The
English merchant fleet went out, and big profits seemed assured. But
presently the _Primrose_, 'a tall ship of London,' came flying home to
say that Philip had suddenly seized the merchandise, imprisoned the
men, and taken the ships and guns for use with the Great Armada. That
was the last straw. The peaceful traders now saw that they were wrong
and that the fighting ones were right; and for the first time both could
rejoice over the clever trick by which John Hawkins had got his own
again from Philip. In 1571, three years after Don Martin's treachery at
San Juan de Ulna, Hawkins, while commanding the Scilly Island squadron,
led the Spanish ambassador to believe that he would go over to the
Spanish cause in Ireland if his claims for damages were only paid in
full and all his surviving men in Mexico were sent home. The cold and
crafty Philip swallowed this tempting bait; sent the men home with
Spanish dollars in their pockets, a