The Philippine Islands: A Political, Geographical, Ethnographical, Social and Commercial History of the Philippine Archipelago, Embracing the Whole Period of Spanish RuleForeman, John, F.R.G.S.
History
The Philippine Islands: A Political, Geographical, Ethnographical, Social and Commercial History of the Philippine Archipelago, Embracing the Whole Period of Spanish Rule
Foreman, John, F.R.G.S.
Philippines
When Elcano and his 17 companions disembarked, their appearance was
most pitiable--mere skeletons of men, weather-beaten and famished. The
City of Seville received them with acclamation; but their first
act was to walk barefooted, in procession, holding lighted candles
in their hands, to the church to give thanks to the Almighty for
their safe deliverance from the hundred dangers which they had
encountered. Clothes, money, and all necessaries were supplied
to them by royal bounty, whilst Elcano and the most intelligent
of his companions were cited to appear at Court to narrate their
adventures. His Majesty received them with marked deference. Elcano was
rewarded with a life pension of 500 ducats (worth at that date about
L112 10s.), and as a lasting remembrance of his unprecedented feat,
his royal master knighted him and conceded to him the right of using
on his escutcheon a globe bearing the motto, "_Primus circundedit me_."
Two of Elcano's officers, Miguel de Rodas and Francisco Alva, were
each awarded a life pension of 50,000 maravedis (worth at that time
about 14 guineas), whilst the King ordered one-fourth of that fifth
part of the cargo, which by contract with Maghallanes belonged to the
State Treasury, to be distributed amongst the crew, including those
imprisoned in Santiago Island.
The cargo of the _Victoria_ consisted of twenty-six and a half tons
of cloves, a quantity of cinnamon, sandal wood, nutmegs, etc. Amongst
the Tidor Islanders who were presented to the King, one of them was
not allowed to return to his native home, because he had carefully
inquired the value of the spices in the Spanish bazaars.
Meanwhile the _Trinidad_ was repaired in Tidor and on her way to
Panama, when continued tempests and the horrible sufferings of the
crew determined them to retrace their course to the Moluccas. In this
interval Portuguese ships had arrived there, and a fort was being
constructed to defend Portuguese interests against the Spaniards,
whom they regarded as interlopers. The _Trinidad_ was seized, and
the Captain Espinosa with the survivors of his crew were granted a
passage to Lisbon, which place they reached five years after they
had set out with Maghallanes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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