In the second volume of Mr. Ticknor's admirable _History of Spanish
Literature_ will be found an English translation of the Spanish ballad
referred to by your correspondent L. H. J. T. I am not quite sure
whether the Spanish ballad is given by Mr. Ticknor or not; but the
following is a part of the English translation:--
"And Bartolo, my brother,
To England forth is gone,
Where the Drake he means to kill;
And the Lutherans every one,
Excommunicate from God.
Their Queen among the first
He will capture and bring back,
Like heretics accurs'd:
And he promises, moreover,
Amongst his spoils and gains,
A heretic young serving-boy
To give me, bound in chains;
And for my lady grandmamma,
Whose years such waiting crave,
A little handy Lutheran,
To be her maiden slave."
These stanzas are cited by Mr. Ticknor to illustrate the state of public
feeling which prevailed in Spain respecting Sir Francis Drake and his
countrymen. Lope de Vega was also, it will be remembered, the author of
a poem on Drake's last expedition and death, entitled _La Dragontea_.