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64-580: Little is known of Soromenho. He was probably the same man as a Sebastian Rodrigues, a pilot on the Manila Galleon Santa Ana , which was captured by Thomas Cavendish in 1587 during his circumnavigation . Soromenho had a 200-ton ship. The Manila galleon San Agustin was sent from the Philippines to survey the coast of what became Oregon and California and then to complete the trip to Acapulco, Mexico . Carrying 130 tons of cargo,

128-480: A launch which had been brought from the Philippines was completed. Nearly 80 persons sailed in the launch, now named the San Buenaventura , on December 8. Seeking the fastest route south, the expedition failed to notice San Francisco Bay . They arrived at Puerto de Chacala, Mexico , on January 17, 1596. Thomas Cavendish Sir Thomas Cavendish (1560 – May 1592) was an English explorer and

192-558: A privateer known as "The Navigator" because he was the first who deliberately tried to emulate Sir Francis Drake and raid the Spanish towns and ships in the Pacific and return by circumnavigating the globe. Magellan 's- Elcano , Loaísa , Drake's, and Loyola 's expeditions had preceded Cavendish in circumnavigating the globe. His first trip and successful circumnavigation made him rich from captured Spanish gold, silk and treasure from

256-693: A royal charter to Raleigh in 1584, based in part from Gilbert's earlier patent; with this backing, he undertook the Roanoke expeditions, the first sustained attempt by the English crown to establish colonies in North America . Gilbert was the father of Ralegh Gilbert, who was to become second in command of the failed Popham Colony in Maine . Gilbert Sound near Greenland was named after him by John Davis . Certain contemporaries speculated that he

320-496: A Portuguese traveller familiar with China and a Spanish pilot ( navigator ). They loaded all the gold (about 100 troy pounds /37.3 kilograms or 122,000 pesos worth) and then picked through the silks, damasks , musks (used in perfume manufacture), spices, wines, and ship's supplies for what they could carry. Some in Mexico claimed that the total value of the cargo was about 2,000,000 pesos/50 tonnes of silver. After setting fire to

384-726: A battle against the Portuguese at the village of Vitória , today the capital of the State of Espirito Santo. One abandoned sailor, Anthony Knivet , later wrote about his adventures in Brazil. Cavendish set off across the Atlantic towards Saint Helena with the remainder of the crew, but died of unknown causes at age 31, possibly off Ascension Island in the South Atlantic in 1592. The last letter of Cavendish, written to his executor

448-488: A degree. He then entered Gray's Inn , London, and for the next several years maintained a lavish lifestyle, making connections in London society including the royal court. He also came to know Richard Hakluyt and others in his circle who were advocating for the English colonization of North America. Cavendish gained a reputation as a spendthrift and between 1583 and in 1585 he was taken to court for non-payment of debts. In

512-533: A few days before his death, accuses John Davis of being a "villain" who caused the "decay of the whole action". John Davis continued on with Cavendish's crew and ships and discovered the Falkland Islands before returning to England with most of his crew lost to starvation and illness. Humphrey Gilbert Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c. 1539 – 9 September 1583) was an English adventurer, explorer, member of parliament and soldier who served during

576-566: A force of 1,500 men, many of whom had deserted from Smith's aborted plantation in the Ards of Ulster. In the period 1572–1578, Gilbert settled down and devoted himself to writing. In 1573, he presented the Queen with a proposal for an academy in London, which was eventually put into effect by Sir Thomas Gresham with the establishment of Gresham College . Gilbert also helped to set up the Society of

640-517: A recall to England, citing "for the recovery of my eyes", but his ambitions still rested in Ireland and particularly in the southern province of Munster . In April 1569, he proposed the establishment of a presidency and council for the province and pursued the notion of an extensive settlement around Baltimore (at the southwest tip of modern County Cork ), which was approved by the Dublin council. He

704-605: A war which would culminate with the Spanish Armada and its threatened invasion of England in 1588. Cavendish determined to follow Sir Francis Drake by raiding the Spanish ports and ships in the Pacific and circumnavigating the globe . After getting permission for his proposed raids, Cavendish built a 120-ton sailing ship, with eighteen cannons, named the Desire . He was joined by the sixty ton, ten gun, ship Content , and

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768-497: Is thought Gilbert's reading material was the Utopia of Sir Thomas More , which contains the following passage: "He that hathe no grave is covered with the skye: and, the way to heaven out of all places is of like length and distance." Gilbert was part of a prominent generation of Devonshire men, who combined the roles of adventurer, writer, soldier and mariner. A. L. Rowse writes of him as, an interesting psychological case, with

832-487: The Caspian Sea ), argued the pivotal question of polar routes before Queen Elizabeth. Gilbert claimed that any northeast passage was far too dangerous: "the air is so darkened with continual mists and fogs so near the pole that no man can well see either to guide his ship or direct his course". By logic and reason a north-west passage was assumed to exist, and Columbus had discovered America with far less evidence; it

896-496: The Grand Banks of Newfoundland . Within weeks his fleet departed, having made no attempt to form a settlement, due to a lack of supplies. During the return voyage, Gilbert sailed on HMS  Squirrel . He ordered a controversial change of course for the fleet. Owing to his obstinacy and disregard for the views of superior mariners, the ship Delight ran aground and sank with the loss of all but sixteen of its crew on one of

960-681: The Inns of Chancery in London in about 1560–1561. Gilbert was present at the siege of Newhaven in Havre-de-Grâce ( Le Havre ), Normandy , where he was wounded in June 1563. By July 1566, he was serving in Ireland during the Tudor conquest of Ireland , under the command of Sidney (then Lord Deputy of Ireland ) against Shane O'Neill . He was then sent to England later in the year with dispatches for

1024-577: The Santa Ana , the Desire and Content sailed away on 17 November 1587 to begin their voyage across the Pacific Ocean. While burning, the Santa Ana drifted onto the coast where the Spanish survivors extinguished the flames, re-floated the ship and limped into Acapulco . The Content was never heard from again. The Desire tried to avoid conflict for the rest of her voyage. After crossing

1088-533: The crown prerogative in the matter of royal licenses for purveyance . In business affairs, he involved himself in an alchemical project with Smith, hoping for iron to be transmuted into copper and antimony, and lead into mercury. By 1572, Gilbert had turned his attention to the Spanish Netherlands , where he fought an unsuccessful campaign in support of the Dutch Sea beggars at the head of

1152-568: The 1580s, Cavendish looked for advancement under the patronage of Walter Raleigh . Raleigh and the Earl of Pembroke helped Cavendish to become a member of parliament representing the borough of Shaftesbury in 1584. In turn, he supported Raleigh's efforts to assume Humphrey Gilbert 's contract to colonize America. Cavendish also studied navigation under the direction of Thomas Harriot at Raleigh's Durham House in Westminster. In 1585, Cavendish

1216-461: The 600-ton galleon manned with over 200 men. After a several hour chase the English ships overhauled the Santa Ana —which conveniently had no cannons on board, in order to carry the added cargo. After several hours of battle during which Cavendish used his cannon to fire ball and grape shot into the galleon while the Spanish tried to fight back with small arms, the Santa Ana , now starting to sink, finally struck her colours and surrendered. Because of

1280-784: The Caribbean gathering supplies for the new colony. They were able to purchase supplies from the Spanish and Hispaniola and also seized two Spanish ships that they encountered along the way. In late June they reached the Outer Banks in present-day North Carolina where the Roanoke colony was established. Cavendish returned to England in August aboard the Tyger without profit from his investments but he did gain important experience and several close friends. By July 1586 Spain and England were in

1344-627: The Irish King Art Óg Mac Murchadha Caomhánach . In the summer of 1569, Gilbert was eager to participate, pushing westward with his forces across the River Blackwater and joined up with his kinsman to defeat Sir Edmund Butler, the Earl of Ormond's younger brother. Violence spread in a confusion from Leinster and across the province of Munster , when the Geraldines of Desmond, led by James FitzMaurice FitzGerald , rose against

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1408-574: The Irish. At this time, Gilbert had three vessels under his command: the 250-ton Anne Ager (named after his wife), the Relief , and the 10-ton Squirrell , a small frigate notable for having completed the voyage to America and back within three months under the command of a captured Portuguese pilot. Gilbert set sail in June 1579 after a spell of bad weather and promptly got lost in the fog and heavy rain off Land's End , Cornwall, an incident which caused

1472-683: The New Art with William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester , both of whom maintained an alchemical laboratory in Limehouse . The rest of Gilbert's life was spent in a series of failed maritime expeditions, the financing of which exhausted his family fortune. After receiving letters patent on 11 June 1578, Gilbert set sail in November 1578 with a fleet of seven vessels from Plymouth in Devon for North America. The fleet

1536-533: The Pacific Ocean, Cavendish and the Desire arrived at the island of Guam on 3 January 1588. There he traded iron tools for fresh supplies, water and wood, supplied by the natives. On further landings in the Philippines, Java and other islands, he traded some of his captured linen and other goods for fresh supplies, water and wood, and collected information about the Chinese and Japanese coasts. He hoped to use this information to augment existing English knowledge of

1600-577: The Pacific and the Philippines. His richest prize was the captured 600-ton sailing ship the Manila Galleon Santa Ana (also called Santa Anna ). He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England after his return. He later set out for a second raiding and circumnavigation trip but was not as fortunate and died at sea at the age of 31. Cavendish was baptized on 19 September 1560 in St Martin's Church, Trimley St Martin , Suffolk. He

1664-533: The Queen to doubt his seafaring ability. His fleet was then driven into the Bay of Biscay and the Spanish soon slipped past and sailed into Dingle harbour, where they made their rendezvous with the Irish. In October Gilbert put into the port of Cobh in Cork, where he delivered a terrible beating to a local gentleman, smashing him about the head with a sword. He then fell into a row with a local merchant, whom he murdered on

1728-562: The Queen. At that point, he took the opportunity of presenting the Queen with his A Discourse of a Discoverie for a New Passage to Cataia ( Cathay ) (published in revised form in 1576), treating of the exploration of a Northwest Passage by America to China. After the assassination of O'Neill in 1567, Gilbert was appointed governor of Ulster and served as a member of the Irish Parliament . At about this time, he petitioned William Cecil , Queen Elizabeth's principal secretary, for

1792-451: The area and for a possible second voyage. His crew of about 48 men replaced their worn out clothing and bedding with uniforms made out of silken damask . Cavendish attacked Arevalo , the capital of the Spanish settlement in Iloilo at the time in 1587 with the raid giving the town the distinction of being the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines to be attacked by a British pirate. It

1856-454: The campaign: The heddes of all those (of who sort soever thei were) which were killed in the daie, should be cutte off from their bodies and brought to the place where he incamped at night, and should there bee laied on the ground by eche side of the waie ledying into his owne tente so that none could come into his tente for any cause but commonly he muste passe through a lane of heddes which he used ad terrorem ... [It brought] greate terrour to

1920-611: The coast of Ecuador (probably Isla Puna ) but was repulsed with loss by local forces. A pilot from one of the captured Spanish ships revealed that a Manila galleon was expected in October or November 1587 and usually stopped at Cape San Lucas on the Baja California peninsula before going on to Acapulco . The Manila galleons were restricted by the Spanish Monarch to one or two ships/year and typically carried all

1984-406: The crown in 1578 was on the point of expiring, when he succeeded in 1583 in raising significant sums from English Catholic investors. The investors were constrained by penal laws in their own country, and loath to go into exile in hostile parts of Europe; the prospect of American settlement appealed to them, especially as Gilbert was proposing to seize some nine million acres (36,000 km ) around

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2048-446: The dockside. Gilbert became one of the leading advocates for the then-mythical Northwest Passage to Cathay (China), a country written up in great detail by Marco Polo in the 13th century for its abundance of riches. Gilbert made a case to counter the calls for a Northeast Passage to China. During the winter of 1566 he and a personal adversary of his, Anthony Jenkinson (who had sailed to Russia and crossed that country down to

2112-462: The forty ton ship Hugh Gallant . Thomas Cavendish with his three ships and 123 men set out from Plymouth, England on 21 July 1586. He anchored first at the island of Santa Magdalena near Punta Arenas , in the Strait of Magellan . There, in two hours, they killed and salted two barrels full of penguins for food. After extensive exploration of the many inlets, labyrinths, and intricate channels of

2176-482: The garrison and sacking the town for three days. Three years later FitzMaurice surrendered. In 1570, Gilbert returned to England, where he married Anne Ager, daughter of John Ager ( alias Aucher, etc.) of Otterden , who bore him six sons and one daughter. In 1571, he was elected to the Parliament of England as a member of parliament for Plymouth , Devon, and, in 1572, for Queenborough . He argued in favour of

2240-567: The goods accumulated in the Philippines in a year's worth of trading silver, from the Mints in Peru and Mexico, with the Chinese and others, for spices, silk, gold and other expensive goods. In 1587 there were two Manila galleons: the San Francisco and the Santa Ana . Unfortunately both encountered a typhoon on leaving the Philippines and were wrecked on the coast of Japan. Only the Santa Ana

2304-581: The great disparity in size the Content and Desire had to pick and choose what rich cargo they wanted to transfer to their ships from the much larger Santa Ana . One hundred and ninety Spaniards (including Sebastián Vizcaíno , later explorer of the California coast), and Filipino crewmen, were set ashore with food and some weapons in a location where they had water and food available. Cavendish kept with him two Japanese sailors, three boys from Manila,

2368-692: The incursion. Gilbert was then promoted to colonel by Lord Deputy Sidney and was charged with the pursuit of FitzGerald. The Geraldines were driven out of Kilmallock but returned to lay siege to Gilbert, who drove off their force in a sally during which his horse was shot from under him and his buckler transfixed with a spear. After that initial success, he marched unopposed for three weeks through Kerry and Connello , capturing thirty to forty castles. During this campaign, Gilbert's forces showed no quarter to all Irish people they came across, including women and children. Soldier and author Thomas Churchyard described an intimidation tactic implemented by Gilbert during

2432-489: The islands and broken lands of Tierra del Fuego and its environs they emerged from the strait into the Pacific on 24 February and sailed up the coast of South America. There on the Pacific coast he sank or captured nine Spanish ships and looted several towns of quantities of fresh food, supplies and treasure while intentionally sinking the ship Hugh Gallant to use her crew to replace crew members lost on his other ships. According to Hakluyt 's 'Voyages' he raided an island on

2496-486: The killing of them by the sword was the way to kill the men of war by famine." Once Ormond had returned from England and called in his brothers, the Geraldines found themselves outgunned. In December 1569, after one of the chief rebels had surrendered, Gilbert was knighted at the hands of Sidney in the ruined FitzMaurice camp, reputedly amid heaps of dead gallowglass warriors. A month after Gilbert's return to England FitzMaurice retook Kilmallock with 120 soldiers, defeating

2560-562: The lands 200 leagues to the north and south) for the English Crown on 5 August 1583. This involved the cutting of turf to symbolise the transfer of possession of the soil, according to the common law of England. The locals presented him with a dog, which he named Stella after the North Star . He claimed authority over the fish stations at St. John's and levied a tax on the fishermen from several countries who worked this rich sea near

2624-410: The many problems caused by their lawlessness, the fleet reached Newfoundland . On arriving at the port of St. John's , Gilbert was blockaded by the fishing fleet under the organisation of the port admiral (an Englishman) on account of piracy committed against a Portuguese vessel in 1582 by one of Gilbert's commanders. Once this resistance was overcome, Gilbert took possession of Newfoundland (including

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2688-412: The people when thei sawe the heddes of their dedde fathers, brothers, children, kindsfolke, and freinds... After the campaign, Gilbert retroactively justified his policy of attacking non-combatants by arguing that "The men of war could not be maintained without their churls and calliackes, old women and those women who milked their Creaghts (cows) and provided their victuals and other necessaries. So that

2752-678: The reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was a pioneer of the English colonial empire in North America and the Plantations of Ireland . He was a maternal half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh and a cousin of Sir Richard Grenville . Gilbert was the 5th son of Otho Gilbert of Compton , Greenway and Galmpton , all in Devon , by his wife Catherine Champernowne. His brothers, Sir John Gilbert and Adrian Gilbert, and his half-brothers Carew Raleigh and Sir Walter Raleigh , were also prominent during

2816-563: The reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James VI and I . Catherine Champernowne was a niece of Kat Ashley , Elizabeth's governess, who introduced her young kinsmen to the court. Gilbert's uncle, Sir Arthur Champernowne , involved him in the Plantations of Ireland between 1566 and 1572. Gilbert's mentor was Sir Henry Sidney . He was educated at Eton College and the University of Oxford , where he learned to speak French and Spanish and studied war and navigation. He went on to reside at

2880-513: The return of the Desire and the defeat of the Spanish Armada earlier that year. Cavendish sailed on a second expedition in August 1591, accompanied by the navigator John Davis . They went further south to the Strait of Magellan and then returned to Brazil , where they hid and reprovisioned in Ilhabela and looted Santos and São Vicente . Going further north, they lost most of the crew in

2944-794: The river Norumbega , to be parcelled out under his authority (although to be held ultimately by the Crown ). However, the Privy Council insisted that the investors pay recusancy fines before departing, and Catholic clergy and Spanish agents worked to dissuade them from interfering in America. Shorn of his Catholic financing, Gilbert set sail with a fleet of five vessels in June 1583. One of the vessels – Bark Raleigh , owned and commanded by Sir Walter Raleigh  – turned back owing to lack of victuals. Gilbert's crews were made up of misfits, criminals, and pirates, but in spite of

3008-510: The sandbars of Sable Island . Delight had been the largest remaining ship in the squadron (an unwise choice to lead in uncharted coastal waters) and contained most of the remaining supplies. Later in the voyage, a sea monster was sighted, said to have resembled a lion with glaring eyes. After discussions with Edward Hayes and William Cox, captain and master of Golden Hind respectively, Gilbert decided on 31 August to return. The fleet made good speed, clearing Cape Race after two days, and

3072-563: The ship displaced approximately 200 tons. Soromenho was appointed as captain for the voyage of the San Agustin based on his professional skill as a navigator. On July 5, 1595, the San Agustin sailed from Manila with its cargo, some passengers, and some soldiers. On November 4, 1595 it reached land between Point St. George and Trinidad Head in California. Soromenho followed the coast south to Drakes Bay , anchoring on November 7. He

3136-464: The stern of his frigate, reading a book. When Golden Hind came within hailing distance, the crew heard Gilbert cry out repeatedly, "We are as near to Heaven by sea as by land!" as he lifted his palm to the skies to illustrate his point. At midnight the frigate's lights were extinguished and the watch on Golden Hind cried out "the Generall was cast away". Squirrel had gone down with all hands. It

3200-508: The symptoms of disturbed personality that often go with men of mark, not at all the simple Elizabethan seaman of Froude 's Victorian view. He was passionate and impulsive, a nature liable to violence and cruelty – as came out in his savage repression of rebels in Ireland – but also intellectual and visionary, a questing and original mind, with the personal magnetism that went with it. People were apt to be both attracted and repelled by him, to follow his leadership and yet be mistrustful of him. He

3264-434: Was a huge success both financially and otherwise; Cavendish was not yet 28 at his return. The circumnavigation of the globe had been completed in two years and 49 days, nine months faster than Drake, although, like Drake, Cavendish returned with only one of his ships—the Desire with a crew of about 48 men. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England , who was invited to a dinner aboard the Desire . England celebrated both

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3328-556: Was also the first recorded British incursion into Philippine waters. By 14 May 1588 Cavendish reached the coast of Africa and returned to England by way of the Cape of Good Hope , stopping at the island of Saint Helena for supplies. On 9 September 1588 the Desire sailed into the harbour at Plymouth, England . Later she paraded up the River Thames through London, displaying her new sails of blue damask. Cavendish's first voyage

3392-607: Was appointed second-in-command to Richard Grenville on an expedition to establish Roanoke Colony in Virginia. He invested in the purchase and provisioning of the fleet that left Plymouth on 9 April 1585. The ships were scattered by a fierce storm but Cavendish's ship, Elizabeth , survived and reached the rendezvous point in Puerto Rico. Grenville was impressed with the navigational skills displayed by Cavendish on his first voyage. Grenville and Cavendish spent several weeks in

3456-479: Was found to be worthless – and a native Inuit . It was assumed that Gilbert would be appointed president of Munster after the dismissal of Ormond as lord lieutenant of the province in the spring of 1581. At this time Gilbert was a member of parliament for Queenborough, Kent, but his attention was again drawn to North America, where he hoped to seize territory on behalf of the English crown. The six-year exploration license Gilbert had secured by letters patent from

3520-537: Was greeted by the Native Americans in a manner similar to that offered to Francis Drake 16 years earlier, but there was an absence of the great fear and reserve exhibited on that occasion. In late November, the San Agustin was at anchor when a large storm blew in from the south or southwest. The ship dragged anchor and sank. Several people died (accounts vary between seven and twelve) and all goods (mostly silk, wax and porcelain) were lost. Construction on

3584-514: Was imperative for England to catch up, to settle in new lands, and thus to challenge the Iberian powers. Gilbert's contentions won support and money was raised, chiefly by the London merchant Michael Lok , for an expedition. Martin Frobisher was appointed captain and left England in June 1576, but the quest for a north-west passage failed: Frobisher returned with a cargo of a black stone – which

3648-563: Was involved with Sidney and Secretary of State Thomas Smith in planning the Enterprise of Ulster , a large settlement in the east of the northern province of Ulster , by Devonshire gentlemen. On 1 January 1570, Gilbert was knighted for his services by Sidney. Gilbert's actions in the south of Ireland played a part in the events that led up to the first of the Desmond Rebellions . Sir Peter Carew , his Devonshire kinsman,

3712-462: Was outstanding for his initiative and originality, if not for his successes, but it was in his efforts at colonisation that he had the most influence. In Ireland, Ulster and Munster were forcibly colonised by the English, and the American venture did eventually flourish. The formality of his annexation of Newfoundland eventually achieved reality in 1610. Perhaps of more significance was the issuance of

3776-455: Was over-gunned and unsafe for sailing. Nearly 900 miles (1,400 km) away from Cape Race, near the Azores , they encountered high waves of heavy seas, "breaking short and high Pyramid wise", said Hayes. On 9 September, Squirrel was nearly overwhelmed but recovered. Despite the persuasions of others, who wished him to take to the larger vessel, Gilbert stayed put and was observed sitting in

3840-618: Was pursuing a claim to the inheritance of certain lands within the Butler territories in south Leinster . The 3rd Earl of Ormonde , a bosom companion of Queen Elizabeth's from childhood and head of the Butler dynasty, was absent in England, and the clash of Butler's influence with the Carew claim fostered conflict. Carew seized the barony of Idrone (in modern County Carlow ), the residence of

3904-474: Was salvageable and after repairs resumed her voyage. Upon reaching the Gulf of California in October 1587 Cavendish and his two ships put in at an island above Mazatlan where they careened their ships to clean their bottoms and made general repairs. They had to dig wells for water. They sailed for Cape San Lucas on the Baja Peninsula and set up patrols to see if they could spot the Manila galleon. Early on 4 November 1587 one of Cavendish's lookouts spotted

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3968-411: Was scattered by storms and forced back to port some six months later. The only vessel to have penetrated the Atlantic to any great distance was the Falcon under Raleigh's command. In the summer of 1579, William Drury , Lord Deputy of Ireland, commissioned Gilbert and Raleigh to attack James FitzMaurice Fitzgerald again by sea and land and to intercept a fleet expected to arrive from Spain with aid for

4032-494: Was soon clear of land. Gilbert had stepped on a nail on the Squirrel and on 2 September went aboard Golden Hind to have his foot bandaged and to discuss means of keeping the two little ships together on their Atlantic crossing. Gilbert refused to leave Squirrel and after a strong storm they had a spell of clear weather and made fair progress. Gilbert went aboard Golden Hind again, visited with Hayes and insisted once more on returning to Squirrel , even though Hayes insisted she

4096-426: Was the third son of William Cavendish and Mary Wentworth. When his father died in 1572, Cavendish inherited a sizeable estate and was placed under the guardianship of Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth . Wentworth was required to ensure that the boy was prepared for a university education. In the spring of 1576 at the age of 15, he entered Corpus Christi College, Cambridge but left in November 1577 without taking

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