Storia do Mogor 46.4.1678

46.4.1678

The Seahorse reached Swalley on January 6, 1655-56 [O.C. 2525, Swally Marine, January 19, 1655-56], and we have one more notice in a letter from Surat, dated January 29, 1655-1656, and signed by John Spiller, Henry Gary, Thomas Reynardson, and Anty Smith. ' . . . The L. Bellamont is in Surat where he hath taken a house, so it should seem yt hee intends to remain there for some time, wee wish yt his remove from Persia may be a meanes to free you from all trouble aboutt ye Customes and allso cause of a greater annuall inlargemt. . . .' [O.C. 2534.] At this point the Company's records become defective, so that we have no further official evidence of Lord Bellomont's proceedings in India. But Manucci's account of their stay in Surat and journey via Burhanpur and Agrah towards Dihli may be accepted with some confidence.
Something is to be found, however, in the Dutch archives. On February 6, 1656, H. van Gent (and others) wrote to Jean Maatsuycker (Maatzuiker), Governor-General and Council at Batavia, that the envoy from the young King of England, named Henrico de Bellemonte, had arrived. He had been to the Persian Court about a share in the Customs, but had failed. He had fallen ill (in Surat), and had asked for aid from the Honorable (Dutch) Company's surgeon. He had a cancerous sore in his cheek, but he could not trust himself to the English there for any help. The request was willingly accepted, but they feared it would be a difficult business to heal him, as the cheekbone was exposed. 'The said lord seems a very well-informed, modest, and courteous man, who is very afflicted over this accident that has happened to him.' Maatzuiker was Governor-General from 1653 to 1678.