The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 14.1.3

14.1.3

Therfore I drew them anew according to my owne mynd, altering those clauses and reseruing the substances, and, to avoyd more messages too and fro, I sealed them, and sent them with this answere, that the Articles propounded to mee were suspitiously expressed: that I only had made them playne and keept the substance; which I had there signed and sent, wherof if he would accept, I desired the firmaen, and that resolutely: I would loose no more tyme in treatyes nor firme any other. Both he and Asaph Chan read them, and answered they liked them well: that the Alterations were not prejudiciall to their meaning; and soe deliuered the firmaen, which that night I gott translated, that I might know what I had laboured for. This day I sent the secretary a present, but it is not his Custome to receiue any thing. March 7. — I found the firmaen very effectually reapeating my Complaynts, mentioning the Injuryes in particular, and Commanding all manner of redresse; but in the end a Conditionall clause poysoninge all the rest, that which I had so often refused, that the Portugalles should haue free liberty to Come to Suratt at his Pleasure, and that wee should not molest them, take their goodes nor persons, without any promise or intimation that they should not offend nor assayle vs. Now to grant them peace in a roade of another Prince wher they are equally licenced with vs may seeme reasonable;