Cavendish in the Philippines

We road for 9 days around this Island of Capul, where we had diuerse kinds of fresh victualls, with excellent fresh water in euery bay, and great store of wood.

The people of this Island go almost all naked, and are tawny of colour.

The men weare onely a stroope about their wastes, of some kind of linnen of their owne weauing, which is made of Plantan-leaues, and another stroope comming from their backe vnder their twistes, Which couereth their priuy parts, and is made fast to their girdles at their nauels; which is this.

Euery man and manchild among them, hath a nayle of Tynne thrust quite through the head of his priuie part, being split in the lower ende, and riuetted, and on the head of the nayle is as it were a Crowne: which is driuen through their priuities when they be yong, and the place groweth vp ag tine [sic], without any great paine to the child: and they take this nayle out and in as occasion serueth; and for the truth thereof, we our selues haue taken one of these nayles from a Sonne of one of the Kings, which was of the age of tenne yeeres, who did weare the same in his priuy member.

This custome was granted at the request of the women of the Country, who finding their men to be giuen to the fovvle sinne of Sodomie, desired fome remedie against that mischiefe, and obtained this before named of the Magistrates.

Moreouer all the males are circumcised, having the foreskin cut avvay.

These people wholly worship the Devil and oftentimes have conference with him which appears to them in most ugly and monstrous shape."

In this island Cavendish announced their nationality to the natives—whom he had made pay tribute in “Hogges, Hennes, Potatoes, and Cocos”—and their hostility to the Spaniards.

The natives promised “both themselues and all the Islands thereabout, to ayde him, whensoeuer hee should come againe to ouercome the Spaniards.”

Their tribute money was returned to them in token of the Englishmen’s hostility to the Spaniards.

January 24 the English coasted along Luzón, and ran northwest between that island and Masbate.

January 28 7am riding at an anchor betwixt two Islands, we spied a Frigate under her two Coarses, comming out betweene two other Islands, which (as wee imagined) came from Manila, sayling close aboord the shore, along the maine Island of Panama.

Here we rode at anchor all that night, and perceiued that certaine Spaniards (which came from Manilla to Ragaun, to fetch a new shippe of the Kings, there builded) had disperfed their Band into two or three parts, and kept great Watch in seuerall steedes, with Fires, and shooting off their Pieces.

This Island has much plain ground in it, in many places, and many faire and straight Trees doe grow vpon it, fit for to make excellent good Masts for all sorts of shippes. There are also Mynes of very fine Gold in it, which are in the custodie of the Indians.

To the South-ward of this place, there is another very great Island, which is not subdued by the Spaniards, nor any other Nation.

The people which inhabit it, are all Negros, and the Island is called the Island of Negros.

It is almost as big as England, standing in 9 degrees.

Most of it is very low Land and seems very fruitful.

January 29 6am we set sail to through a strait, between two Islands of Panay and Negros.

Around 16 Leagues off, we saw a fair opening, trending South-west and by South.

Then our Boat came aboord, and our General sent commendations to the Spanish Captaine, which we came from the Euening before, by a Spaniard which wee had taken, and willed him to provide a good store of Gold

He meant for to see him with his company at Manilla within few yeeres; and that hee did but want a bigger Boat to haue landed his men; or else hee would haue seene him then; and so caused him to be let on shore."

Thence the expedition passed through the Moluccas.

At one of the islands where they reprovisioned two Portuguese came to inquire of “Don Antonio their King, then in England.”

These Portuguese declared “that if their King Don Antonio, would come vnto them, they would warrant him to haue all the Malucos at commandment, besides China, Sangles, and the Isles of the Philippinas, and that he might be assured to have all the Indians on his side that are in the countrey.”

On May 16, the Cape of Good Hope was sighted.

August 23, the Azores Islands hove in sight

On September 9, they put into Plymouth.

A letter from the commander contains the following:

I took a great royal ship from the Philippinas at California. It was one of the richest of merchandize that euer passed those Seas, as the Kings Register and marchants accounts did shew.

It did amount in value to * in Mexico to be sold.

Which goods (for that my Ships vvere not able to containe the least part of them) I vvas inforced to set on fire.

From the Cape of California, being the vthermost part of all Nueua Espanna, I nauigated to the Islands of the Philippinas, hard vpon the Coast of China; of which Countrey I haue brought such intelligence as hath not been heard of in these parts.

The statlinesse and riches of vvhich Countrey I feare to make report of, least I should not be credited: for if I had not knovvn sufficiently the incomparable vvealth of that Countrey, I should haue beene as incredulous thereof, as others vvill be rhat [sic] haue not had the like experience." [166]