A little over four centuries ago, there came about a high degree of conflict and "skulduggery" concerning the ownership and management of Hilderston's silver mines -- involving some of the highest in the land, up to King James I himself. There was performed in London at that time, very briefly, a topical and satirical play about these goings-on: the King was offended, and this thing was speedily "knocked on the head" -- the text has not survived. Around the same time -- first decade of 17th century -- a bunch of plays were written (by different authors) and performed in London: once again, near-the-knuckle satire about the doings of the great; much dissension and "bother" ensued, with some of the perpetrators getting into serious trouble involving perceived disrespect-verging-on-treason. Three of these dramas were titled Eastward Ho ! ; Northward Ho ! ; and Westward Ho ! (all set in London, nothing to do with transatlantic exploration; and it seems that regrettably, there was no Southward Ho ! ). A good deal later in history, Charles Kingsley wrote the novel (historical, but on a different theme from the aforementioned), Westward Ho ! -- which name was of course taken and applied to a new North Devon seaside settlement.