Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595) was the second son of William Hawkins, an English sea captain who sailed between Africa and the Caribbean and helped institute the “Triangle Trade” in African Slaves. In this account, he tells the story of a voyage that ended with his defeat at the Battle of San Juan de Ulúa. He was later commissioned as a privateer by Queen Elizabeth I and later, as treasurer of the Royal Navy helped redesign English ships to be more seaworthy and carry larger guns. This helped England defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588. Hawkins was the mentor of Sir Francis Drake. A freebooter is a pirate or lawless adventurer.
