Storia do Mogor 13.2.2

13.2.2

Paying a visit to François Martin at Pondicherry, eighty-six miles south of Madras, Manucci was dissuaded from returning to Europe, and was advised to marry. He was introduced to a Catholic widow, the daughter of Christopher Hartley and Aguida Pereyra. Her first husband, Thomas Clarke, had died on October 6, 1683. Manucci married her on October 28, 1686, and a son was born to them, but the child died in infancy. He resumed his practice as a physician, and much commends a cordial of which he had the secret, while his 'stones,' an imitation of the Goa stones of the Jesuits, had a great vogue. Almost immediately on his arrival at Madras Manucci's services were requisitioned by Governor William Gyfford (July 1681 to July 1687). Gyfford wrote to the 'Great Mogull' on February 17, 1686/7, and March 20, 1686/7, sending both letters by Manucci's messengers. Before the answer arrived from the court Gyfford had been superseded by Elihu Yale (July 1687 to October 23, 1692), and on September 16, 1687, the new governor ousted Manucci and made over the negotiation entirely to Khwajah Ibnus, alias Joan de Marke, an Armenian merchant at Gulkhandah, with whom the correspondence lasted until July, 1688. During Yale's (1687-1692) and Higginson's (1692-1698) governorships Manucci would appear to have remained out of favour. On the contrary, Thomas Pitt, governor from 1698 to 1709, seems to have liked and trusted Manucci — at any rate, he employed him a good deal.