The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 22.4
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 22.4
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- English
22.4.1
October 15. — I dispatched for Suratt the generallity of this, and my aduises to the Commanders ; but because I lately sent downe a firmane sufficient, I would not retard our busines, but signifyed this grace and fauour and if any thing yet wanted that in few dayes they should receiue this New promised Command. The Prince sent mee woord, wittnessed by two lettres from the Iudg of the Alfandica that I brake Couenant with him : that our People came ashore and by force would passe the Custome house, without showeing any goodes to the Gouernor according to my Promise : that his officers for feare of his displeasure had suffered them : but required my order in yt. I knew the Complaynt was false and to excuse the knauery of the Iudg, who had wronged vs and fearing Complaynt began first : yet I aduised roundly to the Commander and Cape Merchant, as my lettres will declare. I receiued from Mesolapatan that Captain Keeling had taken 2 Portugall barkes and a ship, one on the Coast of Cochyn, laden with tynn, the other fraighted from Bengala, which hee Carried to Bantam; That Sir Robert Sheirly was dismissd with disgrace from Goa, and that hee was on his way overland to Mesolapatan to seeke Passadge—vnprobable and I beleeue vntrue. October 16. — I went to Afzul chan, the Princes Secretary, to giue him satisfaction in the Complaynt, and there opened to him the abuse and falshood, requiring his highnes lettres according to the kinges order.
22.4.2
He tould [me?] he would informe the Prince and draw vs a Command to our full Content; and that, seeing wee thought the Iudg of the Alfandica vniust, hee desiered mee to name any one in Suratt to sitt in the Custome house to doe vs right and hee should be ioyned in Commission for our behalfe. I replyed I knew none more vpright then Abram chan, the Gouernor of the Towne, whom hee promised should haue such order to meete with the Customer in the office on our Part to moderate the abuses of the other, and that all other our Contentmentes should bee giuen in Chardge to him; that at night, if I sent, I should fynd these ready. Ther, as a secrett to engage the Prince, I tould him of the vnicorns horne, which I would not name to the king that his Highnes might buy it for a rarety to bestow on his father. I told him of the rich estimation and qualetyes: that it was esteemed among the Jewells of Princes: but that I had no Power to giue it, beeing of great valew: that the Merchanntes made it a secrett and intended not to suffer it come out of the ship, but that for his Highnes Content, if hee Pleasd to buy it and would giue order for mony at Suratt, I would procure his officers should see yt. This I hoped would both sett an extreame appetite on the Prince to passe it at a high Price, and would insinuate an extraordinary desire in mee to doe him seruice;
22.4.3
and if hee reuealed it to the king, I would answere: because it was not in my Power to giue his Maiestie I was ashamed to name yt, but had mooued the Prince to buy it for his vse. For this I had many thanckes and Complements. His Secretary mooued by his Highnes order to procure for him two Gunners out of our fleete to serue him in this yeares warrs for good Pay, which Curtesy hee would take very kindly and requite yt. I promised to effect his desier, and doubted not to procure them of the Commander, seeing ordinary ones in that art will exell here. I pressd the Clearing of Zulpheckcarcons account ; though I knew not what it was, for Master Kirridge aduised satisfaction of 9000 mamoodies for which I sent bills, and that of the 8000 remayning he had receiued content for two Clothes and a halfe, but not how much nor what rested. Yet I vrdged the vse of our mony now to employ, and showed his bill : that what was mistaken, wee would bee answerable for ; which hee promised Master Biddolph this day or the morow.
22.4.4
Abdala-chan came to visitt the Prince, so brauely attended as I haue not seene the like. To the Gate his drumms and musique a horsback, about 20, made noyse enough, fifty Peons with white flagges carried before him, and 200 souldiers well mounted in Coates of Cloth of Gould, veluett, and rich silkes, which entered with him in ranck ; Next his Person 40 targiteers in like liueryes. He made humble reuerence, and presented a black Arabian horse with furniture studded with flowers of gould enameld and sett with small stones. The Prince according to Custome returnd a Turbant, a Coate, and a Gyrdle. October 17. — The Prince Pursuing his Purpose of finishing the Decan warrs by his owne Person, and vndertaking to giue answere to the Ambassadors, giues none, but deteynes them vntill his approach. But, beeing to depart, he nor his Party thought not themselues secure if Sultan Corsoronne remayned in the handes of Annarah: that in his absence the king might be reconciled, and by his liberty all the glory and hopes of their faction would vanish and the Iniury and ambition hardly bee Pardoned. They newly assayle the kinges constancy to deliuer vp his Sonne into the handes of Asaph chan, as his guardian vnder Sultan Coronne.
22.4.5
They Pretend that it will fright Chan Channa and the Decanns, when they shall heare that this Prince is soe fauoured, who nowe comes to make warr vpon them, that the king hath deliuered vp his eldest Sonne, in that as it were the whole kingdome and hope of succession and the Present Power therof. The King, who had yeeilded himself into the handes of a woman, could not defend his sonne from their Practises. Hee either sees not the ambition or trustes it too farr in Confidence of his owne Power, and consentes: soe that this day hee was deliuered vp, the souldiers of Anna-rah dischardged, and a supply of Asaph chans planted about him, with assistannce of 200 of the Princes horse. His sister and diuers weomen in the Seraglia mourne, refuse their meate, crye out of the kinges dotage and Crueltye, and professe that if hee dye ther will 100 of his kindred burne for him in memorye of the kinges bloudines to his woorthyest Sonne. The king giues fayre woordes, protesteth no intent of ill toward the Prince, and promiseth his deliuery and sendes Narmahall to appease these enraged ladyes, but they Curse, threaten, and refuse to see her. The Common People all murmer; they say the king hath not deliuered his sonnes but his owne life into the handes of an Ambitious Prince and a treacherous faction: that Corsoronne cannot Perish without scandall to the father or rcuenge from him: therfore hee must goe first and after him his sonne;
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and so thorough their bloodes this youth must mount the Royall seate. New hopes are spread of his redeliuery, and soone alayed; euery man tells newes according to his feares or desires. But the Poore Prince remaynes in the Tygers Power, refuseth meate, and requires his father to take his life and not to lett it bee the triumph and delight of his enemyes. The whole Court is in a whisper; the Nobility sadd; the Multitude, like it selfe, full of tumor and Noyce, without head or foote; only it rages but bendes it selfe vpon noe direct end. The issue is very dangerous; Principally for vs, for among them it matters not who wynns. Though one haue right and much more honor, yet hee is still a moore, and cannot bee a better Prince then his father, who is soe good of disposition that he suffers ill men to gouerne, which is woorse then to bee ill; for wee were better beare Iniuryes of Princes then of their ministers. So that I may say of this tyme and the constitution of this state as Tacitus did of the Empire of Roome when it was contended for by Otho and Vitellius: Prope euersum orbem etiam cum de principatu inter bonos certaretur: vtrasque impias preces, vtraque detestanda vota, inter duos quorum bello solum id scires deteriorem fore qui vicisset.
22.4.7
And although the elder brother is not yet in Armes, nor so like (if he Preuayle) to Tyrannise, yet it is to bee feared, Rebus secundis eatiam egregios duces insolescere] I did aduise our little Common wealth to keepe close and neare togither, to attend the issue, to know no syde, to make few debtes, and to keepe as few residencyes as the necessitye of their affaires will suffer. October 18. — I Sollicited my New promised firmaen, but in these troubles and preperation of remooue I found slow dispatch.