The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 19.2
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 19.2
- Language
- English
19.2.1
After, the king fell to drincking of our Allegant, giuinge tasts to diuers, and then sent for a full bottle, and drincking one Cup sent it to mee: that it beegan to sower soe fast it would be spoyld before hee Could drincke all, and that I had none. So hee turned to sleepe ; the Candles were poppd out, and I groppd my way out of doores. This day a gentellwoeman of Normalls was taken in the kings house in some action with an Eunuch. Another Capon that loued her kylld him. The Poore Woeman was sett up to the Arme pitts in the Earth hard ramed, her feete tyde to a stake, to abyde 3 dayes and 2 nights without any sustenance, her head and armes bare, exposed to the sunns violence : if shee died not in that tyme she should bee pardoned. The Eunuch was Condemned to the Eliphantes. This damsell yeelded in Pearle, Jewelles, and ready mony 160,000 rupias. July 14. — I sent Asaph Chan a bottle of wyne, putting him in mynd to dispatch the sealing of our Priuiledges. Hee Called to his Secretarie for them and promised to send them seald with expedition.
19.2.2
July 15. — I sent to Zulpheckcarcon for mony. He desiered that I would forbeare 6 dayes ; for that his mony and the Princes was ready, but for som goodes deliuered to others there was difference : that hee had sent to Suratt for testemony against such as denyed and wee should be cleared with all togither. I gaue order to Master Fettiplace to returne that I was Content to forbeare tenn dayes for mony : but that I desiered he would firme the agreement in generall with his hand and seale, that I might be secure from any new cauelles ; which hee promised to doe the next day. July 16. — I Could not gett the brokar to goe, by whose Negligence all our busines was deferrd and delayd. I had not power to dismisse him, though hee did more hinder vs then all other letts togither ; neyther had the Merchanntes any will, for I mooued it often. So that I can doe no more. He offereth his bill for the mony, and that is a warrant for the Princes part, if they will fetch it ; if not, I am blamelesse. July 18. — I went to the Durbar to visitt the king, but could not yet gett a dispatch of my demandes.
19.2.3
July 19. — I sent to Socoralla for the Princes answer to my lettre concerning the farme of Coustomes. Hee said that it was referrd to Asaph chan and him : that they must meete and Conferr about yt and then I should receiue yt. At euening I sent to Asaph chan, desiering him to fauour my request for renting the Princes dues at Suratt, It beeing referrd to him and Socorolla, in which by a speedie answer hee should doe mee Curtesie, that I might tymely aduise therof to Suratt. He promised that hee would that night Consult about yt and giue me all assistance, and for my other busines in his hand it should bee ready in two dayes. Thus I was fedd with hopes and delayes to no effect.
19.2.4
July 22. — I receiued lettres from Bramport in answer of those to Mahobet chan, who at first granted my desier, making his firmaen to Baroch most effectuall, to receiue our Nation and to give them a house near the Gouernor : strictly Commanding no man to molest them by sea or land, nor to take any custome of them or any way trouble them vnder colour therof : finally that they might buy, sell, and transport any Comoditye at their pleasure without any molestation : Concluding that they should expect to heare no other from him and therefore they should be carefull in execution. I receiued with yt a lettre from himselfe (which was more Ciuilitye then all the Indyes yeelded mee) full of Curtesye and humanitie and great respect, protesting his desier to giue me Content and that what I had demanded I should make no doubt of performance: and if I had any other occasion to vse him, hee desiered me to write and it should bee performed.
19.2.5
The Coppies are woorthy the seeing for the rareness of the Phrase: the firmaen I caused to be sent to Suratt. So that Baroch is prouided for a good retraite from the Princes Iniuryes, and the Custom giuen, wherby 1,500li. per annum wilbe saued, besides all manner of searches and extortions. For the performance of this no man maketh any doubt, for that all men Confesse that hee neither Careth for the Prince, and soe feareth not, nor needeth any man, beeing the only beloued man of the king, and second person in his dominions, and in all his life soe liberall of his pursse and honorable of his woord that hee hath engrossed good reports from all others. And Concerning Custome, the king takes none; the Gouernors make it their proffitt; which hee professeth to scorne that hee should abuse the liberty of the kinges Ports. July 23. — I wrote to Mahobet chan complements and thanckes, and sent away lettres to Mesolapatan concerning a factory at Bengala. At night I solicited Asaph chan for my Articles. His answere was short: tary a whyle; which I vnderstand not. July 25. — I sent to Zulpheckcarcon at the Princes. He desiered the Merchanntes to come to his house and hee would dispatch them. July 26. — I sollicited Sacarolla for the Princes answer. He replied that Asaph chan and hee had not mett, and that I must moue him to yt, for that else it would bee forgotten. July 28.
19.2.6
— I went to the Durbar to visitt the king, who referrd me to Asaph chan, with whome I went home and with all earnestnes pressed the dispatch of my demandes and that hee would meete Sacarolla about the farme of our Customes. He answered me with many Complements of frendship and loue, but delayed mee with sentences and Morality : that kings were to be attended, and that things must come from them of their owne mynde, without importunitye : that patience would bring all to passe. I answered I had worne out all my store with so tedious delayes, and that, if I had not depended on his promise, I would haue some way at least procured a refusall and so departed : but that I hoped he would effect yt, for that the king my Master would impute the faulte to my negligence and I durst hardly see his face without a better account of that Committed to mee. He replied I must not vse such speeches, for the king could not blame me for anything out of my Power : that hee knewe the myndes of kings were in Godes handes only, and no man could rule them but himself : that hee spake not this with any purpose that I should not haue them, but to giue me content, least I should with impatience mistake his good meaning and affection towardes mee. I answered I was free from Ielousy of him, but if I were more importunate now, the Comming of the shipes enforced mee : that I was resolued noe goodes should be landed vntill I had some better assurance of our vsage.
19.2.7
Hee said all was past and that these Articles I should haue, but that the kingdome of Suratt was wholie in the Princes Power : the king would doe nothing to preiudice his authority : That I should visitt the Prince and giue him a Present, and make frendes among his seruants, for from him I must expect my best reamedy and our quiett residence. I answered I had no presents vntill their arriuall : that all other means I vsed to procure the fauour of the Prince, and the assistance of those neare him, but it became not mee to seeke to every body in that which was a free demand of leauge betweene Princes, which I thought they should as readily accept as the king of England should offer yt Concerning the farme of Customes hee promised to send for Socorolla and giue me answere. Many faire wordes were cast away on both Parts, and so I returned only with New promises. July 31. — I went to visitt the Prince and, because I would haue occasion to speake, as well as to follow Asaph Chans aduise, I presented him a very delicate Piece scrued, with a fier loock, made in Leige, that would Carrie Poynt blanck as farr as a Muskett and weighed not 4 li. He saw first all the qualetyes and after, as I suppose, sent for Zulpheckcarcon, whom I had not seen since his arriuall at Adsmere. When hee Came, the Prince poynted him to mee, wherat hee came and saluted mee. My enterpreter was Called for and hee asked mee why I was angry with him.
19.2.8
I replied the Cause was Publique: for many Iniuries offered our Nation, and for yet deferring any honest satisfaction. Hee replied with protestation that hee was my Frend: that what hee had done was by Commandement; poynting to the Prince confidently and Carelessly, Ther, saith hee, is hee that did it: but for his owne affection he swoore hee would doe mee any seruice, and that I should not refuse to bee his Frend: that hee would feast mee, and make any recompence, for that was not his owne faulte. I replyed that as long as the busines stood vnfinished I could not accept nor embrace his Frendship: hee had daylie promised to seale the agreement, and made the Merchanntes attend in vayne, which I tooke in great scorne. He answered if that were all betweene vs, that I should send this day: it should bee signed and the mony paied: that hee Cared not for such trifles: to doe me seruice hee would doe a thousand tymes more, soe that I would bee reconciled. I answered: when I saw his performance I would readilye embrace him, and both visitt him and invitte him to mee: and that if his harte were answerable to his professions, hee should for amendes of past wronges mooue the Prince to a better opinion of our Nation, and procure for us such Priuiledges as hee in his owne experience best knew were necessary for vs: this performed and our reckonings evened, I was very ready to exchange any curtesy with him.
19.2.9
Hee replied if I would come oftner to the Prince, he would effect all my busines and vse his best Creditt; and soe wee parted. The Prince harkened to this discourse, and many of the Principalls were gathered about vs, supposing wee would have Chidd, or at least expecting some better sport then wee made them (for they delight in contraversies as a Pastime), but his faire woordes prevented yt. This obseruance I made of him, that hee seemes to bee a free and good Naturd man, for that hee Confidently avowed the fault in his Master, & seemed as it were to scorne to have done such outrages of his owne disposition; and his professions appeared harty, his Carriadge to the Prince carelesse and familiar, vnlike all other men. At afternoone I desiered Master Fettiplace and Iadowe to goe make experience of his Promises.