[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy) › [The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster) › 19.4 # The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 19.4 The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 19.4 - **Language:** English ### [19.4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.1) August 8. — I receiued lettres from Agra, which signifie that Indico is like to bee at good rates and Cheape : Cloth sells not att all ; hides for losse. Concerninge the debt of Mahamett Hassine left by Robert Young, vpon my lettre the Gouernor wrote to him to pay it ; who refusing, he sent for his officers and hurd the Cause and Judged the debt dewe to the English, and gaue sentence for payment. Yet ther was after abated about 90 rupies, of which Master Crowther frees himselfe. August 9. — This empty day of other busines enuites mee by the strangenes of the action to mention breefly a sentence of the king and execution accordingly. 100 theeues were brought Chayned before him and accused. Without farther Ceremony, as in all such Cases is the Custome, the king bad Carry them away and lett the Cheefe be torne with doggs, kyll the rest. This was all the processe and forme. The Prisoners were deuided to seuerall quarters of the towne, and openly in some street, as in one by my howse, wher 12 doggs tare the Princepall; and 13 of his fellowes, having their handes tyed downe to their feete, had their Neckes cutt with a swoord, but not quite off, and so left naked, bloody, and stincking to euery mans vew and incomodytie. August 10. — I receiued lettres from Amadavaz; with which a Copy newly arriued, from Master Kerridg to Jhon Browne, concerning a dutch shipp of 300 tunns at Ankar at the barr of Swaly. ### [19.4.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.2) She had been at Bantam, and laden with south Comodities, had dischardged most part at Moha in the redd sea, wher shee tooke Chickenes and royalls for her goodes, and with about 100 tunns of spices and that mony Came to Suratt, pretending to seeke trade. Her People seemed not willingly to disclose their purpose but that they expected a fleete from Holland and would ryde vntill the season, and accordinly declare. Her arriuall, it seemes, made our factors at Suratt much afrayd, eyther of their purpose to doe some spoyle on the Coast in reuenge of Certeine debts oweing, or of settling a factory in India, where they would both out-present, out-bribe, and out-buy vs in all things, ether of which would be very preiudiciall to our proceedings, especially if they should robb Sultan Caronns ship expected this season in returne from Moha. So that although I had not aduise particularly addressed to mee (of which I woonder) and this Comming casually, yet I went to visitt the king and enformed him of all my lealousyes, which were noe other then to begett some in him. Hee enquired what this ship brought ? which I declared according to relation : What the fleete was like to bring? If they intended trade? Or, if they were men of warr, vpon whom the storme were most probable to fall? ### [19.4.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.3) I answered that for their trade they Could bring nothing but Easterne Comodityes, from China or the Islands, for that their owne land yeilded nothing fitt for these parts, but that they liued upon transport of forraigne goodes, and seeking new trades, gayning by all Nations that needed others and had not vse of shipping : but that they most affected a footing in these stated that the ship was the Nassau, which left Bantam in the previous September, and, capturing on her way a Portuguese vessel laden with cinnamon, entered the Red Sea and anchored at Mocha ; after disposing of most of her lading to great profit, her commander, encouraged by some Gujaráti merchants, determined to visit Surat, after spending the monsoon at Socotra ; failing, however, to fetch that island, he was forced to proceed, in spite of the danger of approaching the Indian coast at this season. The governor, wrote Kerridge, was afraid either to entertain the Dutch or to drive them away, and so was temporising : he had refused them a house, though he offered to buy their cargo at current rates : and he was trying to frighten them away by representing their danger of shipwreck or of attack from Portuguese vessels. The English, it seems, entertained the Dutch merchants hospitably, but were evidently alarmed by the prospect of competition from this quarter ; ### [19.4.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.4) and Kerridge expressed a strong hope that the expected fleet from England would drive them away, "for such," he said, "is their practice against the English wher or whensoeuer they have power to effect it." Roe's reply, however, was : "concerning the Hollander I haue receiued instructions from England how to deale — not by force, as you intended ;" and, although he spared no pains to secure their dismissal, he was careful to avoid all show of hostility. For a fuller account the narrative of the Dutch commander, Pieter van den Broecke, published at Amsterdam in 1648, should be consulted. Therein he expressly says that "the English did their best with presents and bribes to cause our departure ;" and in his letter to the Directors at Amsterdam describing his voyage (I. O. Records : Hague Transcripts, Series i, vol. ii, No. 73) he specifies the amount thus given as 800 rials. He also mentions that there was an English ambassador at court with a large train of from twenty-five to thirty men. ### [19.4.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.5) Parts, and some hould and retrayt, both for the keeping in awe of those with whom they traded, and for a security for themselues from all violence or vnconstancy, which Course they had held in all parts to the South and East where they had any recourse, building forts for defence of themselves, wherby by little and little they became masters of the Port, wherof at Mesolapatan was a Neighbouring example : But I thought if they Came as men of warr, they would not attempt any thing on this Coast, especially in presence of our fleete, which wee expected as soone as they arriue, nor in any place where wee had residence, for reuerence to his Maiestie the king of England, to whom they did owe eauen that liberty wherby they molested others : But rather they would prosecute their Mortall quarrell against the Portugalls, eyther at Damon, Chaul, or perhapes at the head, Goa itself, for that if they came with such intent, they would doe somwhat woorthy their labour. The king was somewhat troubled at my relation ; but, as if all things were to little to concerne such mightines, it passed away without any resolution. August 11. ### [19.4.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.6) — I visited Asaph chan, and Cast new doubts into his head, pretending seruice and much affection to the Prince : that, because the Hollanders were in leauge with the English, I would not speake that openly to the king which I had reason to feare in behalfe of the Prince, whose shippes were now abroad, to whom all the Coast was now subiect : therfore I had reserued matter of most Consequence for his highnes, wherin if hee would bee pleased to heare mee and to follow my aduise, I would perhaps prevent that which would both trouble and dishonor him : in all which, seeing it proceeded out of an earnest zeale to doe his Highnes seruice, I hoped hee would Iudge of my good meaning and purpose, not according to euents, which were subiect to Casualties, which had often more force in execution of councells then the wisest and most aduised reasons. He gaue mee great thanckes for my Care and loue to them, desiering me to goe on the morowe to the Prince, whom hee would prepare that eueninge for a Conferance with mee; ### [19.4.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.7) withall admonishing mee (with deepe protestations that he spake it with the like affection and loue to mee that he saw I carried toward them by tymely warning) that I should by all meanes indeauour to prevent that the Dutch should neither robb the Princes ships nor spoyle the Coast, for that it would bee very ill taken of the king and dangerous for vs, in respect that he had often hard that they were a Nation, though not subiect, yett som way dependant vpon the king of England. I answered: though I had no reason to doubt the kings iustice and wisdom in discerning and doeing right, yet hee might see that I had their safety already in my Care, which made mee so farr wade into the busines almost against our frendes: yet the loue of Iustice compelled me to yt, for that wee were frendes to the dutch, but not to any of their vnlawfull attempts: that I could by noe means answer, nor by any equitye be required to yt, for what they should doe at sea: but after the arriuall of our fleete, or where wee were seated, I supposed they would offer no violence, and to that end I would both use my Creditt and authoritye, and also giue such dayly aduise and intelligence as came to mee: and that for prevention of what might happen at sea, I would deliuer my opinione to the Prince. Now though these doubts which I sowed (especially of any enterprise on the Coast) were not so vrgent as I pretended, yet they serued my turne for many purposes; ### [19.4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4.8) first, to imprint in the Prince an opinion of my desier to doe him seruice and good affection of our Nation toward. him, and hereby to procure a more familiarytie of discourse ; secondly, I would vnder that pretence lay such rubbs in the Hollanders way as should not easely bee remooued, a matter of no small consequence to this trade, by whose admittance wee were vtterly lost ; at least I would so farr norish Iealousy as to keepe them from any footing ; lastly, and which is not of least vse, I would tell my owne tale in the Hollanders person, seeing it is necessarie that the Prince know how wee wilbe reuenged if we continew to bee misused, and yet not convenient that I deliuer so much playnly, as our busines now standes. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.roe-embassy~en-foster.19.4) · Pramāṇa