Among the rest of those, whose state this chance had made very deplorable, was Don Fernando de Mendoza, Grand Captain and Commander of this Carrack: who indeed was descended of the House of Mendoza in Spain; but, being married into Portugal, lived there as one of that nation. A Gentleman well stricken in years, well spoken, of comely personage, of good stature: but of hard fortune.
In his several Services against the Moors, he was twice taken prisoner; and both times ransomed by the King [of Spain].
In a former voyage of return from [or rather, going to] the East India, he was driven [in August 1585] upon the baxos or "sands of India" [now called Bassas da India, and situated midway between Africa and Madagascar], near the coast of Cephala [Sofala]; being then also Captain of a Carrack [the San Jago], which was there lost: and himself, though escaping the sea danger, yet fell into the hands of infidels on land, who kept him under long and grievous servitude. [An account of this shipwreck will be found in Vol. III., pp. 25, 311-316.] Once more the King [Philip II.], carrying a loving respect to the man and desirous to better his condition, was content to let him try his fortune in this Easterly Navigation; and committed unto him the conduct of this Carrack [the Madre de Dios], wherein he went [in 1591] from Lisbon, General of the whole Fleet: and in that degree had returned, if the Viceroy of Goa, embarked for Portugal on the Buen Jesus, had not, by reason of his late Office, being preferred.
Sir John, intending not to add too much affliction to the afflicted, moved with pity and compassion of human misery, in the end, resolved freely to dismiss this Captain and the most part of his followers to their own country; and for the same purpose, bestowed them in certain vessels, furnished with all kinds of necessary provision.[7]
This business thus dispatched, good leisure had he to take such [a] view of the goods as conveniency might afford. And having very prudently, to cut off the unprofitable spoil and pillage whereunto he saw the minds of many inclined, seized upon the whole to Her Majesty's use; after a short and slender rummaging and searching of such things as first came to hand: he perceived that the wealth would arise nothing disanswerable to expectation; but that the variety and grandeur of all rich commodities would be more than sufficient to content both the Adventurers' desire and the soldiers' travail.[8]
And here I cannot but enter into the consideration and acknowledgment of GOD's great favour towards our nation; who, by putting this purchase [booty] into our hands, hath manifestly discovered those secret trades and Indian riches which hitherto lay strangely hidden and cunningly concealed from us: whereof there was, among some few of us, some small and unperfect glimpse only; which now is turned into the broad light of full and perfect knowledge. Whereby it should seem that the will of GOD for our good is, if our weakness could apprehend it, to have us communicate with them in those East Indian treasures: and, by the erection of a lawful Traffic, to better our means to advance true religion and his holy service. [Just at the time Richard Hakluyt printed this, 1600 A.D.; he and others were chartered by Queen Elizabeth, as the English East India Company.]