Hope was a galleon

Galleon

A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...

 of the English

Kingdom of England

The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

 Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, built in 1559. She was rebuilt in 1583 "into the form of a galleass

Galleass

The galleass developed from large merchant galleys.Converted for military use they were higher and larger than regular galleys. They had up to 32 oars, each worked by up to 5 men. They usually had three masts and a forecastle and aftcastle. Much effort was made in Venice to make these galleasses...

", and then again rebuilt from 1603 to 1604 when she was renamed Assurance.The "HMS" prefix was not used until the middle of the 18th century, but is sometimes applied retrospectively.

Following her first rebuilding, she was mentioned in the Paris archives as part of Elizabeth I's fleet in 1588 in A Statement of the two fleets possessed by the Queen of England, with numbers and names of the ships, in which she was listed as "400 tons, 17 pieces each side, four pieces at the prow and the same at the stern." Her complement was 250 comprising 150 mariners, 30 gunners and 70 soldiers. The ship was under the command of Drake

Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...

 in 1588 - "Drake has also six large ships of the Queen's, namely :—the Revenge, the Hope, the Nonpareil, the Swiftsure, the Aid and the Advice, with 45 of the best merchant ships they could select, at the Isle of Wight."

In 1603-04 she was rebuilt a second time as a great ship (or second rank), and renamed Assurance. Now of 451 tons, she carried 34 primary guns (2 cannon periers, 10 culverins, 12 demi-culverins and 10 sakers) and 4 smaller and more anti-personnel weapons (fowlers).

She was sold out of the navy in late 1645.