The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 19.6
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 19.6
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19.6.1
I am loath to omitt any Curtesie done me — I had so fewe — and because this was one of the greatest and for the manner new and from a person of so great qualety, I cannot but in gratitude confesse it. His name is Gemal-Din-Vssin, a man of 70 yeares, vizeroy of Patan and lord of four Cittyes in Bengala, one that hath beene often Embassador, and of more vnderstanding and curtesye then all his Countriemen, and to be esteemed hospitable and a receiuer of strangers, not secrettly ambitious. Hee often made meanes that I would come to his house, which at last I did, and was receiued with extraordinary familiarity and kindnes ; offering me a /eeck of rupias and such other Curtesyes so great that they beespake their owne refusall. His fauour with the king, his Creditt, his councell, all was offered that could fullfill Complements. And this I must confesse that from a person reuerent in yeares it seemed more cordiall ; and for in some discourse speaking so playnly of his fellowes in Court truthes in myne owne experience, I resolued hee was a good-Natured and right-harted ould man.
19.6.2
Hee tould mee much of the Customes of this Countrie, of their seruitude, of their want of lawes, of the encrease of this empire, wherin hee had serued 3 Princes in grace and fauour (of which tymes hee showed mee a booke or Annall of all memorable Actions, which hee had daylie Committed to record and had nowe composed them into a historye, the Copy wherof hee offered mee, if I could procure it translated), concerning the kings reuenew and the manner of raysing it, besides Confiscations, guifts, and Cuttings vpon great men: that the Gouerment of euery Prouince did yearly pay a rent, as for his Gouerment of Patan only hee gaue the king 11 leeckes of rupies (the rupe starling is 2 shillings 2 pence): all other profitts were his, wherin hee had regall authoritye to take what hee list, which was esteemed at 5,000 horse, the pay of euerie one at 200 rupies by yeare, wherof hee keept 1,500 and was alowed the surplase as dead pay; besides this the king gaue him of Pension 1,000 rupies a day and some smaller gouerments ; yet hee assured mee ther were diuers that had double his entertaynment, and aboue 20 equall. Hee praysed the good Prophet Jesus and his lawes, and was full of very delightfull and fruictfull discourse. This visitt was past some few dayes, and I thought that his curtesye had beene at an end, but this day he had borowed of the king his house and Garden of Pleasure Hauaz Gemall, a mile out of towne, to feast mee in ;
19.6.3
and ouer night earnestly inuiting mee, I promised to Come. At Midnight he went him self and Carried his tents and all furnitur and fitted vp a Place by the tancke side very handsomly. In the morning I went. At my Comming hee came to meete mee and with extraordinary Ciuilitye carried me into his roome prepared, wher hee had some Company and 100 seruants attending two of his sonnes (beeing a father to thirty). Hee entertayned mee with showeing the kings little Closetts and retyring roomes, which were Paynted with Antique, and in some Panes Copyes of the French kings and other Christian Princes ;
19.6.4
wanting no Courtship : That he was a poore man, slaue to the king : That hee desiered I should receiue some content, and that therfore hee had drawen mee to a slight banquett, to eate bread and salte togeither to seale a frendshipp, which hee desiered mee to accept : that ther were many great men able to showe mee more Curtesye, but they were proud and falce : wishing mee to trust to none, for that if I had businesess to the king of any weight, eyther concerning the Portugalls or any other, they would never deliuer truth who were my enterpreters, but only what eyther pleased them selues or would Content in the relation : That therfore I should neuer be rightly vnderstood, nor effect my busines without abuse, nor neuer clearly know my estate, vntill I had an Englishman that could speake Persian, and that might deliuer my mynd without passing the toong of another, which the king would grant mee if I could fynd any, for that hee had conceiued a good opinion of mee, and the last night at the Gusselchan, having brought before him the Iewells of Sheck Ferid, Gouernor of Lahor, lately dead, hee remembred me of him selfe, and seeing a Pickture of his owne that pleased him he deliuered it to Asaph chan, commanding him to send it mee to weare for his sake, with many woordes of fauour towardes mee, which would make all the great men respect mee. In this tyme came in dinner ;
19.6.5
soe sitting on Carpetts a Cloth was layed and diuers banquetting sett before vs, and the like a little apart for the gentellmen that Companied him, to whom hee went to eat, they houlding it a kynd of vncleannes to mingle with vs. Wherat I tould him Hee promised wee should eate bread and salt togither: that without his Company I had little appetite. Soe hee rose and sate by mee, and wee fell roundly to our victualles. The substance was made dishes of diuers sorts, reasons, amondes, Pistachoes and fruict. Dinner ended, hee playd at Chesse, and I walked. Returning, after some discourse I offered to take my leaue. Hee answered hee had entreated mee to come to eate ; that what was passed was a Collation ; that I must not depart till I had supped ; which I easely agreed too. About an hower after cam to visitt him the Ambassador of one of the Decan kings, whom hee presented to mee, vsing him with Ciuilitye, but in a much inferiour manner in respect of his fashion toward mee. Hee asked me if his Maiestie my Master would not take in scorne the offer of seruice from so poore a man and if hee would vouchsafe to accept of a Present from a stranger : for that hee would send a gentellman with mee to kysse his Maiesties handes and to see our Countrye. I answered him as became ciuilitye and good manners.
19.6.6
So he sent for one Presently and questioned him if hee would venture the Iourney, who seeming willing hee presented to mee, and said hee would prouide some toyes of the Cuntrye for his Maiestie and send him in my Company. By the manner this seemed to me to be earnest. While wee thus spent tyme our Supper came, two Clothes beeing spread as in the morning, and before me and my Chaplayne and one Merchant were sett diuers dishes of salletts and meate rost, fryed, boyld, and diuers rises. He desiered to bee excused : that it was their manner to eate among themselues : his Countrymen would take it ill if hee eate not with them. So hee and his guests, I and my Company solaced our selues with a good refreshing. The meate was not amisse, but the attendance and order much better, his seruants beeing very diligent and respectfull. Hee gaue me for a present, as is the manner when one is envited, 5 Cases of sugar Candy dressed with muscke, and one lofe of most fine sugar white as snow, about 50 li. weight desiering mee to accept of 100 of such against my goeing. Which, sayd he, you refuse of mee, thincking I am poore, but it costs me nothing : it is made in my Gouerment and Comes gratis to mee. I answered hee had too far already obliged me : that I would not refuse his Curtesye when I was ready to depart. Hee replyed hee might be then vnfurnished, and therfore desired I would nowe speake, that hee might not loose his offer and labour too.
19.6.7
Thus professing himselfe my father and I his Sonne, with Complements I tooke my leaue. August 14. — I receiued lettres from Suratt, beeing nothing but a bundell of contradictions to whatsoeuer motion I made in my opinion for the advancement of the Companys affayres, wherin I saw they tooke more pleasure to Argue then to execute, and to showe their witt and authoritye then to yeild to anything not of their owne propounding, their reasons beeing a mist of errors; with which they sent a formall resolution of Councell to abyde the Iniuryes and not to dissolue the factorye, presupposing neyther restitution of extortions, reparation of wronges, Payment of debt, nor confirmation of priuiledges. Contrary to their owne motions seuerally made, which beegatt the question, which they now interpreted they intended that the Princes shipps should be taken, and I att Court; but that indiscret motion I could not tast. With these I receiued a confirmation of the Hollanders arriuall, with their opinions to haue me procure their disgrace (wherby I was sure they would seeke revenge, and the blame and hazard lye on vs) or els to consent that the expected Generall should beate them out, contrary to that profession I euer made in Comparison of the Portugall that wee sought open and free trade without purpose to wrong any. What was fitt to be done I had not neglected before this aduise, and found no reason to alter it. Want of Power saued mee much labour, but disadvantaged much our busines.