Storia do Mogor 292.5.5

292.5.5

After an exchange of the usual compliments, Da,ud Khan began his reproaches about the English, whom he designated as over-proud and defiers of his king's orders. In reply, I laid before him several arguments, which I will not set forth, to avoid wearying my readers. All I will mention is that I showed to him the great harm being done to the king's interests by the way he was acting. For these nations, worn out by such continuous ill-treatment, must inevitably in the end leave the country and close their trade. But as soon as ever they got out to sea, they would capture every merchant vessel they came across. They would make descents on the ports upon the seashore, would carry off all they could find, would give quarter neither to rich nor poor, and wherever they landed would spread fire and desolation. To all this I added that if they declined to listen to these arguments, so important in the interest of their king, I would, being his (the king's) servant, go to the court myself and prove to him the innocence of the English and the injustice being done to all Europeans. No consideration was being paid to the fact that these merchants were neither the defenders nor the protectors of these pirates, from whom they also suffered, and it was this very cause that made it impossible for any of the European nations to suppress them, or give the king the undertaking that he demanded.