ELIZABETHAN age was a period distinguished for the geniuses who made England the greatest nation of the earth. It was the age in which Shakespeare dramatized, and Bacon philosophized, and Johnson wrote, and Goldsmith sang, and such heroes as Raleigh, Drake, and Cavendish explored. It was a period of immense mental energy in a wise direction, during which the great Elizabeth, by sagacious selection and direction of her courtiers, as well as by her influence and example, aroused public spirit to its utmost and inspired a thirst for glory that redounded to the national advantage in every channel. Learning was apotheosized, adventure, discovery, and colonization encouraged, until true greatness was measured by performance, and accident of birth or fortune was in such small esteem that the purse of the rich was open to those who proposed enterprises that might reflect honor upon the promoter.

It was this thirst for glory that led many men of wealth and position into foreign fields to endure the perils as well as hardships inseparable from a search for unknown lands. It was this patriotic impulse that sent Raleigh to the little known land of America to plant a colony, that induced Drake to prey upon Spanish commerce, and sweep around from coast of continent to shore of island, to battle with galleons on the high sea, and to brave the hostility of savages. And it was the glory to be thus acquired that prompted Thomas Cavendish to seek fame by emulating their deeds, if not by surpassing them.

Like Drake, Cavendish was the son of a gentleman of considerable fortune, whose estates lay in England near Ipswich, which, in the time of his youth was a maritime town of no small importance. Unfortunately, his father died when Thomas was in his teens, and being the eldest son, he came directly into possession of a large patrimony, a greater part of which he speedily squandered by riotous living and in imitating the gallantries and dissipations of the Court. Being presently reduced to the necessity of earning a living by nobler pursuits than destiny seemed at first to have marked him for, and having an early passion for the sea, with what means were still left him he equipped a vessel at his own expense, and in 1585 accompanied Sir Richard Greenville on an expedition to Virginia, with the intention of planting a colony; but the venture was profitless and a decided failure.

EQUIPMENT OF THE EXPEDITION.

But though Mr. Cavendish had been unsuccessful in his first adventure at sea, he had made a considerable tour among the West Indies, which increased his desire for further enterprises among the unknown regions of the earth; and in six months after his return from Virginia, with the part of his fortune which still remained to him he equipped a small squadron and projected a voyage into the South Sea, in emulation of the services that had been performed by his immediate predecessor, Sir Francis Drake. It was through the recommendation of Lord Hunsdon that he procured the Queen's commission, and sailed from Plymouth on the 21st of July, 1586. His fleet consisted of the Desire, a vessel of 120 tons, the Content of 60 tons, and the Huge Gallant, a light bark of 40 tons, scarcely any one of which was suitable to perform a voyage across the ocean. He had a crew of 123 soldiers and seamen, the most of whom had seen service in previous expeditions, and all were enthusiastic, chiefly under the prospect of acquiring fortune by wresting it from Spanish merchantmen. England being still at war with Spain, his course lay directly for Sierra Leone, where he first touched, in expectation of meeting with a Portuguese vessel, which was said to be in the Guinea waters, laden with considerable treasure. But on his arrival there he found that the ship had departed several days previously, and his disappointment so angered him that he landed with 70 of his marines and made an unprovoked attack upon the town, plundering and burning 150 houses. The negro occupants fled without making any defence, until being pursued to the woods they shot poisoned arrows from the shelter of trees and succeeded in killing one of the soldiers and wounding several others. Departure was made from the African coast on the 6th of September, and on the 16th of December following the squadron landed on the coast of Patagonia and discovered Port Desire, which is a harbor at the mouth of Desire river, named in honor of the ship in which Cavendish sailed as admiral. A stay of several days was made here, to give opportunity for a large slaughter of seals and a great number of sea-birds, which from the description given by Cavendish, must have been penguins.

DISCOVERY OF THE SKELETONS OF GIANTS.

While lying in this harbor a boy belonging to the crew of the Content was suddenly surrounded by about fifty Patagonians intent upon his capture. But several of Cavendish's men hastened to his rescue and drove the natives into the country for three or four miles; but no casualty is reported to have occurred. They discovered here footprints which Cavendish alleged were eighteen inches in length, and also skeleton remains of a most extraordinary size; the dimensions, however, Cavendish neglects to mention. Le Maire and Schouten visited Port Desire in December, 1615, with a fleet of two vessels, and finding an old cemetery opened several of the graves and removed therefrom many skeletons, which they declared were ten to eleven feet in length, the skulls being large enough to cover the Dutchmen's heads as helmets, being more than twice the size of the skulls of Europeans. From this fact, more than from recent investigations, has arisen the claim that the Patagonians were a race of giants; for the people, as they have since been met with by such scientists as Darwin, are found to be but little more than the height of the ordinary European, their average stature being about six feet. If Le Maire and Schouten really discovered skeletons of the size which they report, they must have been of a pre-historic race, and it is therefore the more to be deplored that none of these human relics were taken to Europe and brought under scientific examination.

INCREDIBLE SUFFERINGS OF A SPANISH COLONY.

Leaving Port Desire, Cavendish sailed directly towards Magellan Straits which they entered on the 6th of January, anchoring a few miles within the western entrance. At night, signal lights were observed to the north side of the strait and a boat was, sent off in the morning to discover the cause. To their profound amazement they found three men who were the surviving representatives of a wretched Spanish colony that had passed through misfortunes and sufferings of the most melancholy character. This colony had been planted some years before by Sarmiento, an enthusiastic Spaniard who set out with a powerful armament of twenty-three ships and 3500 men, destined for different parts of South America, with the ambition of planting the people at various points, which would enable Spain to monopolize the trade of that region. But on the outset five of the ships were wrecked in a violent gale and 800 men perished. This sad disaster caused the fleet to put back to Spain. But they embarked a second time, in which, however, misfortune continued to follow them until their arrival at Rio Janeiro, where the remnant wintered. In the following spring sickness broke out among the colonists which carried away several hundred more, while the bottoms of their ships were attacked by worms, and in sailing to a point of Patagonia the largest and best vessel of the fleet went down at sea carrying 330 men with her. From this time on one disaster after another followed every effort of Sarmiento until the last wreck of the unfortunate expedition was met on the bleak shore of Magellan Strait, as just described. As these few survivors of the expedition refused to embark with Cavendish on account of their distrust of all English heretics, as the Spaniards persisted in calling them, he continued through the strait, meeting with none of the natives until the 22d, when a considerable party was seen on shore and an effort was made to communicate with them. But they appeared hostile and Cavendish, without sufficient provocation, discharged a volley of muskets at the natives by which a dozen or more were killed, and the others took hasty flight.

A BLOODY FIGHT WITH SPANIARDS.

After a very tedious passage of nearly a month, the fleet of Cavendish accomplished a passage of the straits, and entered the South Sea under a favorable wind. Thence he proceeded along the coast northward for nearly a month, until he was compelled to put into the Bay of Quintero, twenty miles north of Valparaiso, and to go on shore for a supply of fresh water. While a party was engaged filling the casks, they were surprised by a body of 200 Spanish horsemen, who came down upon them with such fury that twelve of the party were cut off, half of which number were killed, and the rest made prisoners. In an effort to rescue their companions the English made an assault, in which twenty-four of the Spaniards were slain, and the rest driven off. It was afterwards ascertained that, instead of making slaves of those thus captured, as was almost invariably done, the Spanish, in revenge for the loss of their companions, carried their prisoners to Santiago, and there executed them as pirates, notwithstanding the fact that they had sailed under the Queen's commission.

Leaving Quintero, Cavendish proceeded to another point on the coast called the Brown Mountain, where, on landing, he met with a number of Indians who were slaves of the Spaniards, and who were employed at small recompense to carry a supply of water and wood on board the vessels. These slaves are represented to have been a very degraded race, almost as low in the scale of civilization as the Terra del Fuegans. Their dwellings were of the simplest character, made of a few sticks placed across two posts sunk in the ground, on which a few boughs were carelessly laid, serving little or no protection against rain or inclement weather. Skins, however, were spread on the floor, which gave some appearance of comfort, though their food consisted of raw and generally putrid fish. Their fishing canoes, on the other hand, were constructed with great ingenuity of skins sewn up and inflated like bladders. Each canoe was composed of two of these skins, and in addition to being water-tight, was so buoyant as to carry a considerable weight. But they were illy qualified for propulsion through the water.

On the 23d of February, 1587, Cavendish fell in with a small Spanish vessel having a cargo of wine, which he captured and temporarily added to his squadron. Directly after, he captured another large ship, but it had already been abandoned by the crew, and proved to be a worthless prize. A third and a fourth vessel were likewise captured in the same bay, but being of little or no service they were burned, and on the 26th the fleet bore away from Arica.

TORTURE OF PRISONERS.

On the following day a small vessel, which had been despatched from Santiago with intelligence to the Viceroy that an English squadron (probably Drake himself) was upon the coast, was captured. Believing that the officers had dispatches of great importance, Cavendish resorted to every expedient to compel the bearers to deliver them up, but instead they threw them overboard while the English were in chase; nor could any torture, to which Cavendish afterwards subjected them, compel a surrender of their secrets. An old Fleming, whom he threatend to hang and actually caused to be hoisted up, gave not the least sign of betrayal, declaring that he preferred death to perjuring himself or in any wise compromising his country. The mode of torture employed by Cavendish was most revolting, and is the one great shame that attaches to his name. One of the crew that accompanied him declares that he tormented the prisoners with their thumbs in a winch, and continued this at several times until the agony threw the poor wretches into unconsciousness.

Thereafter a number of other small Spanish prizes were taken, but not one of them contained any considerable wealth, which disappointment so angered Cavendish that when on the 2oth of March he landed at Paita with seventy of his men he assaulted the town, drove out the inhabitants and pursued them to a considerable distance and until he found where they had stored their principal goods. But his booty consisted of only twenty-five pounds of silver, with a few other costly commodities. He then set fire to the two hundred houses of the place, which were burned to the ground with their contents, all of which was valued at about $30,000. He also burned a ship lying in the harbor and sunk a Spanish sloop of 250 tons.

A SPANISH QUEEN.

After committing these depredations Cavendish continued northward and next anchored at the Island of Puna, which was in a splendid harbor, but which the historian of the expedition neglects to definitely locate. Upon landing, Cavendish went directly to the palace of the cacique, or chief, who was found living in a style of great magnificence. His house was on the outskirts of the town by the water's edge, and contained many handsome apartments, while it was surrounded by porches commanding fine prospects both towards the sea and land. The chief had married a beautiful Spanish woman, who now occupied the position of queen of the island, and in many respects was regarded as superior to her husband. She never set foot upon the ground, considering it too low a thing for royalty to do, but was carried everywhere she desired to go in a palanquin on the shoulders of slaves, and was attended by native ladies and principal men of the island. The cacique did not remain to receive Cavendish, for having already some intimation of the rapacity of his visitors, he and his queen fled on the first approach of the English, carrying with them valuables estimated at $50,000. The palace, however, was dismantled, and a considerable quantity of valuable hangings of Cordovan leather, richly painted and gilded, and a variety of small valuables were taken by the English, not for their value, but as curiosities. Though Cavendish burnt a great part of the houses and rifled the chtirches, he found many things about the place which invited him to make his stay several days in this pleasant harbor; for the country abounded with cattle and poultry, on which his crew feasted in the greatest extravagance. He also improved the time to beach his principal ship and overhaul her bottom.

ANOTHER BATTLE WITH SPANIARDS.

But after being again prepared for sea, on the day preceding his intended departure a party of seamen returned to the town to make another forage for provisions. Report, however, had gone through the country of the presence of the English, and a hundred armed Spaniards reached the place while the scattered seamen were chasing pigs and poultry, least anticipating any peril. In a moment they found themselves the object of attack, and having no time or opportunity for defence, seven were killed outright, three were made prisoners, and two were drowned who had leaped into the sea in a vain effort to escape their pursuers. Cavendish as quickly as possible landed the remainder of his force and attacked the Spaniards and Indians, forty-six of whom fell before the well-directed aim of his trained marines. Having driven the remainder out of the place, he set fire to every house in the town, destroyed four ships which were then building, and committed every possible depredation upon the plantations and orchards thereabout. He then set sail on the 5th of June, but put in again fifty miles to the north at Rio Dolce. Here he sunk the Hugh Gallant, his crews not being large enough to man all the vessels, while the Gallant was scarcely longer sea-worthy, and was very small and a poor sailer at best. On the 9th of July they captured another ship of 120 tons, which, after appropriating her ropes and tackles, they burnt. In this vessel was taken a Frenchman who gave Cavendish information of a ship from Manilla which was then expected. This was a prize worth contending for, and Cavendish was so fortunate as to intercept a small bark which had been sent out to give warning to the approaching vessel. But while awaiting the arrival of this anticipated prize, Cavendish set about inflicting as much injury upon the Spaniards of the coast as was possible. He burnt two ships at Puerto de Navidad, and took from the people such provisions as he had need of.

The prize not arriving at the time expected, on the 24th of September Cavendish put into the Bay of Mazatlan and there he careened his ships for an overhauling, rebuilt the pinnace and took on another supply of water. From this place he sailed to Cape St. Lucas, where he lay in wait, cruising about the headland until the 4th of November, on the morning of which date the lookout from the mast-head described a sail bearing towards the Cape. Chase was immediately given, and continued for several hours, when Cavendish came up with the Santa Anna, a Spanish galleon, who, refusing to strike her flag was treated to a broadside and a volley of musketry. The ships were now brought together, and the English made an attempt to board, but were repulsed by the gallant Spaniards who killed two and wounded five of the boarding party, although their most formidable weapons were stones, which, from behind protecting barricades, they Hurled upon the English. Cavendish now thought proper to separate the ships and to stand off and rake the Spaniard with his ordnance, while keeping up a fire of small shot by which several of the Spaniards were killed. But they still held out resolutely, refusing to yield on any terms. This unequal combat continued for more than an hour, and until the Spanish ship was upon the point of sinking, having been pierced in several places below the water-line, so that, in the last extremity, the captain sent a flag of truce with a plea for mercy, offering to surrender up the cargo of his ship if the lives of himself and men were spared. The ship was then brought into shore to prevent it from sinking, and rifled of her valuable cargo of 700 tons, the property of the King of Spain. This cargo was composed chiefly of silks, satins, damasks, wine, preserved fruits, musk, etc., to the value of $100,000. The crew of the Spaniard consisted of 190 persons, among whom were several females who were courteously cared for by Cavendish. But being unable to take them on his voyage, he left them on shore, where there was a great abundance of water, fish, fowl, and game, and presenting them with a part of the ship's store and wine, he assisted them in dismantling the Santa Anna, which furnished wood to erect comfortable shelter for the unfortunates.

Cavendish having thus provided for the captives whom he was about to abandon, after a day of general gayety and festivity the Desire and the Content bore away for England. But directly after their departure the Content lagged astern and, strange enough, was never again seen by her consort. The commentator on this voyage of Cavendish makes the following observation with regard to the singular disappearance of the Content: "No trace of this ship remains in any contemporary relation, so far as we have seen. It is imagined that the company, who were dissatisfied with Cavendish, might have resolved to desert him and return by the straits, and that they might have perished in the attempt. Another, and equally probable conjecture, was, that they had attempted the north-west passage. This last, as we afterwards incidentally learned, seems to have been the opinion of the Spanish pilot, who was compelled to return to the Indies in the Desire."

Cavendish's party, having thus been reduced to a single ship, as the Golden Hind had done before her in Drake's expedition, started across the Pacific, and on the 3d of January, 1588, came in sight of the Ladrone Islands. This voyage had been an unusually pleasant one, since for forty-five days they had enjoyed fair winds, and made a distance of nearly six thousand miles. As they came in sight of Guahan, one of the principal islands of the Ladrone Group, fifty or more canoes filled with natives came off to meet the ship, bringing such articles as they had been in the habit of supplying to the Spaniards, such as fish, potatoes, plantains, and cocoas, which they were glad to exchange for pieces of iron. But the traffic was plied so eagerly that the natives became unbearably familiar, and as Cavendish was easily irritated, he unwisely ordered a party of his marines to fire upon some of the too persistent natives. But it is not reported how many of the number were injured by this hasty action. The Desire finally came to anchor in a strait known as St. Bernardino, in a bay of the Island of Capul, one of the Ladrones.

AN EXECUTION GROWING OUT OF AN EFFORT TO SUPPLANT THE SPANISH.

Manilla had by this time become a flourishing Spanish settlement, and a place of great wealth and commercial importance, though it had been established by the Spanish only a few years before. The place was zealously guarded, and Cavendish was compelled to exercise the greatest prudence to avoid conflict with the Spanish authorities, who naturally looked with jealous eye towards every action of the English, with whom Spain was at that time at war, Cavendish was therefore careful to take every means to prevent a knowledge of the arrival of his ship at the Ladrones from reaching Manilla, and fortune came singularly to his aid to keep his presence at the islands a secret from his enemies. This fortune consisted in a revelation made to him by a Portuguese, who had been suffered to accompany Cavendish after the capture of the Santa Anna, that the Spanish pilot, who was employed on the Desire, had prepared a letter, which he had intended to secretly convey to the governor at Manilla, giving information of the presence of the English ship and assurances that it would not be difficult to surprise and capture her. The letter also contained the admonition that if the English vessel was permitted to escape, the English might in the following year take possession of the rich city of Manilla, which they had the audacity to approach so near with a small force. This crime, in the eyes of Cavendish, or active patriotism as it would be regarded by the Spaniards, was proved against the pilot, who, indeed, could not and did not deny having written the letter. So, on the following morning, upon the order of Cavendish, he was hanged at the yard-arm.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DEVIL.

Cavendish remained in the Bay of Capul for nine days, during which time his ship's company received a large store of refreshments, and amused themselves with the natives who never tired of showing them every possible courtesy and generosity. Cavendish visited several of their villages, and was surprised to find that all the natives practised circumcision, esteeming it of an importance as great as that which the Jews attach to the ceremony. Instead of worshipping gods, they paid their devotions to the devil, and declared that they oftentimes had conversed with him, when he always appeared to them in the most ugly and monstrous shape.

On the day preceding his departure, or the 23d of January, 1589, Cavendish ordered the seven chiefs of the island, and, as he declares, a hundred islands more, to appear before him, and from them he exacted a tribute in hogs, poultry, and other productions of the islands, and thereupon, with much ceremony, he informed them of the greatness of the country from which he had sailed, and raised the banner of England to the mast-head and caused the drums and trumpets to be sounded, so as to produce an effect upon the islanders which must redound to the advantage of any other Englishmen who might appear in those waters. This having been done, and possession of the islands taken in the name of England, the natives acknowledged their submission to the new representative of that government, whereupon, Cavendish returned to the chiefs the value of the tributes which he had exacted.

KING OF A HUNDRED WIVES.

Cavendish now weighed anchor, and ran along the coast of Manilla, meeting with no resistance, and by the middle of February passed the Moluccas, but for some reason he did not call at those islands. On the 1st of March, continuing on the way towards home, the Desire passed through the straits between Java and Sumatra, and on the 5th came to anchor in a bay at the west end of Java. A negro who accompanied Cavendish, and could speak Arabic, was found to be able to converse with some natives who were seen fishing near the shore, and through his communication with the chief of a considerable town near by, a large quantity of provisions, consisting of fowl, eggs, fish, oranges, and limes was obtained. Directly after, the King's secretary visited Cavendish, and brought as a present a wine which was represented to be as strong as aqua-vit�. The secretary was received on board, and was treated in the most hospitable manner, with purpose of impressing him with the magnificence of the English. Wines and preserves taken from the prizes were produced at a banquet which was tendered the secretary, and a band of English musicians exerted their skill to give him entertainment. Some Portuguese merchants were also found on the island, who had established themselves in a profitable trade with the natives, and when they learned from Cavendish that he had been preying upon Spanish commerce in the South Seas they were particularly delighted, as the rivalry for the commerce of the Pacific Islands was chiefly between Spain and Portugal.

Cavendish banqueted the Portuguese merchants, and related to them the most recent political intelligences that he had, and in turn they described to him the riches of Java and the remarkable customs observed by the natives. From them Cavendish learned that the reigning king, or rajah, was named Bolamboam, and was reputed to be 150 years of age. He was held in the greatest veneration by his people, none of whom would dare to trade with any nation without his license, on pain of death. Old as he was said to be, the King still maintained a hundred wives, while his son had half that number. So great was the obedience of the Javanese to their rajah, that whenever he commanded, however dangerous or desperate the undertaking, no one would dare shrink from executing it, since their heads would be the forfeit of their disobedience. But they were distinguished as being the bravest race in the south-eastern parts of the globe, at times seeming to court death; in order to please their king. The men were of a dark color, and were generally naked, but the women were invariably clothed, and of complexion very much fairer. According to the customs of the Javanese, when their king died his body was burnt, and the ashes preserved. "Five days afterwards, his principal wife threw from her a ball which was provided and kept in the royal palace, and wherever it ran, thither all the wives repaired. Each turned her face eastward, when, with a dagger as sharp as a razor, she stabbed herself to the heart, and, bathed in her own blood, fell upon her face and thus died." Fortunately such shocking tragedies were not often enacted, as the government was not only stable, but the kings appeared to be favored with exceedingly long life, if assertions of the Javanese are to be credited.

RETURN OF CAVENDISH.

The Portuguese entertained the wild ambition of setting up an empire in the archipelago which should include the Moluccas and the Philippines, and argued that Ceylon and China might be easily added, if Don Antonio, king of Portugal, could be induced to enter upon the proposed conquest, which they solicited Cavendish to use his influence to bring about. But, without promising to undertake such commission, or giving them to believe that he would refuse, lest in either event he might compromise English interest, on the 16th of March Cavendish bade adieu to the Portuguese merchants, and after a tempestuous voyage of nine weeks passed Good Hope, and on the 9th of June anchored in a harbor at St. Helena. This island, which had now been held by the Portuguese for a period of eighty years, had been well stocked with partridges, pheasants, ducks, goats, and wild hogs, and had become a stopping place for all vessels sailing between Europe and the Spanish Main for the South Seas. The greatest abundance of refreshments of nearly every kind were procurable, and, though it was a rock-infested shore and appeared unfavorable for the raising of any kind of vegetation, had nevertheless grown to be the most important island in either the Atlantic or Pacific. Cavendish, therefore, remained at St. Helena until the 2oth, and, having refreshed himself and overhauled his vessel, departed again for England. While enroute, on the 3d of September he met a Flemish hulk from Lisbon, which informed him of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. But the same terrible storm which destroyed the Spanish fleet came near proving fatal to Cavendish, for his vessel was storm-driven for a period of several days, and until the crew had despaired of ever reach land again. Fortunately, the wind abated at a time when the vessel was leaking badly and would have undoubtedly gone to the bottom had she been compelled to endure the storm a few hours longer. He had the good fortune, therefore, to return to Plymouth on the 9th of September, 1588, after an absence of two years and fifty days in which time he had made a complete circuit of the globe.

WEALTH AMASSED BY THE EXPEDITION.

Cavendish's voyage had been attended throughout with unexampled success, for having sailed under the Queen's commission at a time when England and Spain were at war, he had letters of marque, which permitted him to prey upon Spanish commerce, and thus he was so successful that he brought back with him wealth great enough, as was said, to buy an earldom. It is recorded by historians, that when he returned to Plymouth the sails of his vessel were of silk, and that his cargo consisted of vast quantities of gold, silver, and rich fabrics. But an exaggerated idea of the vast wealth which he thus accumulated may have been obtained from the fact that, his old sails having become no longer serviceable, he was compelled to use some of the damask which he had captured to supply their places, and, seeing a vessel riding into the harbor with silken sails after an expedition which in the outset seemed to promise great riches, it was the most natural thing, for the times, to believe that he had acquired really fabulous riches. It has also been stated (though without reliable authority) that upon his return Queen Elizabeth knighted him, as she had Drake, a report, however, which probably obtained some credence from the letter which he wrote to his principal patron, Lord Hunsdon, extracts from which are most excellent reading, as follows: "It hath pleased Almighty God to suffer me to circumpass the whole globe of the world, entering in at the Strait of Magellan, and returning by the Cape de Buena Esperanca; in which voyage I have either discovered or brought certain intelligence of all the rich places of the world, which were ever discovered by any Christian. I navigated along the coast of Chili, Peru, and New Spain, where I made great spoils. I burnt and sunk nineteen sails of ships small and great. All the villages and towns that ever I landed at I burned and spoiled. And had I not been discovered upon the coast, I had taken great quantity of treasure. The matter of most profit unto me was a great ship of the king which I took at California; which ship came from the Philippines, being one of the richest of merchandise that ever passed the seas. From the Cape of California, being the uttermost part of all New Spain, I navigated to the islands of the Philippines, hard upon the coast of China, of which country I have brought such intelligence as hath not been heard of in these parts: the stateliness and riches of which I fear to make report of, lest I should not be credited. I found out by the way homeward the island of Santa Helena, where the Portuguese used to relieve themselves; and from that island God hath suffered me to return to England. All which services with myself, I humbly prostrate at her majesty's feet, desiring the Almighty long to continue her reign among us; for at this day she is the most famous and victorious princess that liveth in the world."