Book Review: The Queen's Slave Trader: John Hawkyns, Elizabeth 1, and the Trafficking in Human Souls by Nick Hazlewood (NY 2004)

The history of John Hawkins has undergone what I call the "mystification process." For whatever reasons, ---ignorance, incompetence, or just the plain intent to "teach the poor lies," ---individuals (10%) have misled the masses (85%) under their control with false information, and the easily led just ran with it. It has always been the duty of the true 5% to teach right and exact. John Hawkyns was born in Plymouth, England in 1532. There is no "Hardy" in his name, and no validity in its addition to his name. The best explanation for its inclusion in his name is that some idiot put it in a Plus Degree and the 85% ran with it. The ridiculous excuses made for its inclusion are beyond the realm of intelligence. Hawkyns' (the actual spelling) history is well-documented in English and Spanish archives for anyone interested in research. Hawkyns' history can be found in any library's reference section, or encyclopedia. There's no mystery about him; there's always some book currently in print about him. John Hawkyns was one of Queen Elizabeth's "sea dogs," as was his cousin, Francis Drake. Queen Elizabeth 1, of England, actually bankrolled, and provided Hawkyns with the ship, the "Jesus of Lubeck" for his slave-catching expeditions which were very profitable. Hawkyns' diaries are still available for a blow-by-blow account of his exploits in his own words. There is another glitch in the mystification process: the dates of Hawkyns' voyages. Note; that in historical research, two elements are integral\ to research: chronology and geography. Queen Elizabeth did not ascend the throne until 1558. John Hawkyns, born in 1532, was only 23 years old in 1555. His first slave-taking voyage took place in October 1562, and between then and 1568, he kidnapped approximately 1,500 to 2,000 Africans from the coast of West Africa. So, the chronology placing his major voyage in 1555 simply does not compute. Elizabeth 1 was in no position to aid him in 1555, and that date (1555) originates in the tradition of the Nation of Islam as promulgated by Elijah Muhammad. Hawkyns is a person of historical note on the world stage, and figures prominently in the traditions of both the Nation of Islam and the Rastafarians. The Rastafarians, while cognizant of Hawkyns' impact on British colonial and African history, do not assign a 1555 date for his voyage. The chronology of the N.O.I. however, relying on the assorted biblical prophecies, among them the 400 year period in which the descendants of Abraham were "strangers in a strange land." (How the progeny of a sub-Saharan people who genetically predate the mythical Abraham is possible, is another matter). The 1555 date was allocated to fit (in 1934) the 400 year period, due in 1955. That date, as many others (1914, 1984), came and went, as most prophecies come and go. John Hawkyns, knighted by Elizabeth had an interesting history beyond his slave-taking exploits. He was involved in the Ridolfi Plot of 1571. Roberto Ridolfi, an Italian banker and papal spy was involved in the Spanish conspiracy to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and place Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne. Elizabeth, a Protestant, and Mary, a Catholic. Of course the Spanish were neck-deep in the plot, and Hawkyns was in communication with the Spanish ambassador to the English court. His communications are still archived in Spain and present evidence that Hawkyns was instrumental in the conspiracy. Spain had promised him nobility and other things. Hawkyns was determined to be a willing participant by the Spanish even after the plot was discovered, and arrests, torture, and death were meted out to participants. Hawkyns was not arrested. It was claimed that he was either an undercover intelligence agent for England, or, a double agent playing both ends against the middle. The Spanish, even after all was done, perceived him as their man in London. Not mentioned in most histories of the Ridolfi Plot, is that Hawkyns' son had been captured by the Spanish and released subject to Hawkyns' agreement of work with them. Was Hawkyns a traitor to England? Hawkyns' first historical record after birth was his killing of John Whyte in 1552 when he was 20 years old. He was pardoned; his father was the Mayor of Plymouth. Hawkyns' history, viewed cumulatively, does not place him in a high moral position. The Hawkyns' family coat of arms shows a "bound Moor."