[Sidenote: The Carack called the Sanct Philip taken.] Our Generall thus
refused by the Marques, and seeing no more good to be done in this place,
thought it conuenient to spend no longer time vpon this coast: and
therefore with consent of the chiefe of his Company he shaped his course
toward the Isles of the Acores, and passing towards the Isle of Saint
Michael, within 20. or 30. leagues thereof, it was his good fortune to
meete with a Portugale Carak called Sant Philip, being the same shippe
which in the voyage outward had carried the 3. Princes of Iapan, that were
in Europe, into the Indies. This Carak without any great resistance he
tooke, bestowing the people thereof in certaine vessels well furnished with
victuals, and sending them courteously home into their Countrey: and this
was the first Carak that euer was then comming foorth of the East Indies;
which the Portugals tooke for an euil signe, because the ship bare the
Kings owne name.

The riches of this prize seemed so great vnto the whole Company (as in
trueth it was) that they assured themselues euery man to haue a sufficient
reward for his trauel: and thereupon they all resolued to returne home for
England: which they happily did, and arriued in Plimouth the same Sommer
with their whole Fleete and this rich booty, to their owne profite and due
commendation, and to the great admiration of the whole kingdome.

And here by the way it is to be noted, that the taking of this Carak
wrought two extraordinary effects in England: first, that it taught others,
that Caracks were no such bugs but that they might be taken (as since
indeed it hath fallen out in the taking of the Madre de Dios, and fyreing
and sinking of others) and secondly in acquainting the English Nation more
generally with the particularities of the exceeding riches and wealth of
the East Indies: whereby themselues and their neighbours of Holland haue
bene incouraged, being men as skilfull in Nauigation and of no lesse