Storia do Mogor 292.5.4

292.5.4

The reason for this order is that which I have already recorded (IV. 33)—namely, that the European pirates had in the previous year taken several Mahomedan ships belonging to Sūrat merchants, causing them very heavy loss; so much so that they had closed the doors of their warehouses and stopped their entire trade. This did great harm to Aurangzeb, who lost greatly by the stoppage of trade. The complaints and lamentations raised had come to his majesty's ears, and he had resolved to set matters right by forcing all the European nations to free the seas, and make them safe by hunting down the said pirates. He also required them to give compensation for the plundered merchandise. His majesty's will was that, after all possible efforts had been made to find out which nation the pirates belonged to, they [? the money compensations] should be divided among the merchants who had been robbed. However, Da,ud Khan and the diwan, having come to the conclusion that the English were quite resolved on resistance, that the town was fairly strong and very well provided with artillery, and had a garrison of eight hundred seasoned soldiers, decided to send a message asking the governor to send me to San Thome. They were ready to discuss matters with me and settle the dispute to the advantage of the Company. In spite of some time having elapsed without my having seen the one or the other of the parties, the governor lost no time in sending me.