Storia do Mogor 210.3.3

210.3.3

It consists in what happened to the Chevalier Nouris (Sir William Norris), ambassador of England, this gentleman being on the point of starting from the port of Machhlipatnam on his way to court with four halberdiers with silver maces, men sent to him by the king to accompany him, and also a asbelocum (hasb-ul-hukm)—that is, a special order to all the viceroys, governors, and deputies to allow him passage, and to escort him to the frontier of each man's province. He made a start, but from the very first stage he was stopped by the faujdar, or king's deputy, who asserted that he must pay customs duty on what he was carrying. The man said the king's orders were worth nothing in this matter; the halberdiers wanted to intervene, but their protestations were equally without effect. The result was that the ambassador was forced to retrace his steps and sell all the animals he had, such as horses, camels, bullocks, etc., his carts, and other requisites for such journeys. This has caused him considerable loss through the great expense incurred, the whole of which was thrown away.