Storia do Mogor 292.5.1

292.5.1

Thus they laid before my eyes the great danger the English stood in of losing Madras. In so doing they somehow forgot that I, too, had been suckled in Europe as much as the English; that for the honour of my country and of all the other European nations, I was under greater obligation to them [the English] than I could possibly be to the Mahomedans. Under these circumstances I parted from them as civilly as I could, and on sufficiently good terms, in order to be able to advise the governor of what I thought best for his reputation and the defence of the town. Khwajah Ahmad remained behind at San Thome as agent, although to all appearance the Mahomedans [100] had little confidence in him. They said loudly that they must have Englishmen of the Council with whom to treat. To this demand they joined a good deal of invective, launched at that nation. Furthermore, they asserted they had a letter from Aurangzeb, which could be communicated to no one but those gentlemen [the English council]. The affairs referred to in it were of such importance that it was absolutely imperative for them and the English to confer on them. They added that the agent sent to them was a low and contemptible man — a personage, in one word, quite unsuited for the business in hand.