The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 23.1
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 23.1
- Language
- English
23.1.1
{AddLMS, 6115, f. 130.) Adsmere, October 30, 1616. May it please your Grace, The fraylty of Passadge betweene this Place and England, especially of my last lettre, that wandered ouer land and rather went vpon discouery then busines, aduiseth mee to send your Grace transcripts of them. Not that ther is conteyned any matter woorthy your honors leysure, but seeing you Commanded me to write, the relation of one to another will somwhat cleare the whole discourse. For broken and vndependant Peices and fragments haue little light in them, lesse Pleasure, and no proffitt; So that hee that would doe any thing in this matter should write a historic, and take it somwhat high, to show the beginninges and groweth of this Empire; what fortunes and what impedimentes it hath overcame; what frendshipes it hath needed and affected; the ambitions and diuisions in the Present state, that like impostumes lye now hidd, but threaten to breake out into the rending and ruine of the whole by bloody war; the Practises, subtiltyes, and carriages of factions and Court-secretts, falsly called wisdome, wherein I assure your Grace they are pregnant, and excell in all that art which the Diuell can teach them, and are behynd none in wicked craft, some Passadges wherof were not vnwoorthy nor vnpleasant to relate; their religions suffered by the King, and Practised without envy or Contention on any part; how the Portugalls haue Crept into this Kingdome, and by what Corners they gott in;
23.1.2
the enterance of the Jesuits, their entertaynment, Priuiledges, Practises, endes, and the growth of their Church, wherof they sing in Europe so loud Prayses and glorious successes; lastly, the arriuall of our Nation on this Coast, their fortunat or blessed victoryes ouer their enemyes, that not only sought to possesse these quarters by themselues, and to forbidd all others that which Nature had left free (as if God had Created the world for them only), but alsoe to abuse this People, as if they alone were the sonns of warr, they only trihumph, and that all other Europeans stroocke sayle to their fortune and valor; which now is brought so low in valew, that it is growne into a Prouerbe [one Portugall to three Moores, one Englishman to three Portugalls], so that the best foundation of their greatnes is absolutly ruined and blown vp. And our reception here stands on the same ground from which wee haue Cast them downe, which is Feare, an Honorable but vncertayne base of so great a Charge—for if either the Enemy once preuayle, or other misfortune happen to vs, our wellcome will turne round with yt; the Profitt and fittnes of this trade for England (while it may stand), not only respecting the Company now interessed, but the state, whither the Common-wealth in Generall loose or wynn. For often in trafiques Priuat men prosper by detriment of the Republique, as in all trades that mayntyne vanetye and sinne.
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This woorke and Method were woorthy some Paynes, and, as [it?] would require a good judgment and much tyme (both which are wanting to mee), so it would not be vnprofitable to reade, nor without some pleasure to view and meditate the diuers operations and woorkes of God, the variable Constitutions and dispositions of men and all things vnder their gouerment. But, seeing nature and Conueniency haue denyed mee abilitye and leysure to sett vpon soe great a labour, I haue Chosen one branch only to treat of to your Grace without other Meathode then by way of bare relation; which is, the estate of the Church heere, as well Christians, as of all other diffused sectes of Infidells. But to Continew (as in a Parenthesis) the aduise I gaue your Honor in my last, of our Constitution here, and the Newes of Persia. Breefly, I stand on very fickle termes, though in extraordinarie Grace with the King, who is gentle, soft, and good of disposition ; yet on Poyntes and disputes with an insolent and Proud Sonne of his, into whose handes he hath remitted all Power, which hee is neyther woorthy nor able to manage. Hee is Lord of our Port, and by his folly giues mee much trauell ; so sordidly ambitious, that he would not haue mee acknowledge his father King, nor make any addresses, nor deliuer any Presentes nor Complementes of honor, but to himselfe ; which I will neuer yeild too, and so I maynteyne my Creditt by Confidence on the Priuiledges of my qualetye and the Kinges goodnes.
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Yet an Ambassadour in this Court that knowes himselfe, and will not wrong his Master, shall oftner wynn enemyes then frendes. Their Pride endures no tearmes of equaletye, especially wher ther is no other honor nor title but what is measured by expence ; so that to maynteyne one that shall in his Equipage and life hould proportion with his qualety, in this Court will cost much more then the Profitt of the trade can spare ; and hee that liues vnder it, wronges his degree, and slides into Contempt. I doe my vttmost to hould vp with little Poore meanes ; but my opinion is, a meaner instrument would better effect busines of trafique, that might Creepe, and sue, and suffer some affronts, which my ranck may not endure. And I find the King of Spayne would neuer send any Ambassadour hither, out of greatnes, knoweing they are not receiued with proportionable honour; and with my small experience I could doe the Company better seruice by my returne, in aduise how to gouerne the whole.
23.1.5
Concerning Persia, the Turke hath only yet made a Brauado, and performed little; the Passages are stoppd, and the King, drawing his Armies into his borders to defende himselfe and finding no great woorke, tooke occasion to take in by force a reuolted Nation to the East of Babilon. The People are Called Coords ; how by the Ancientes, or the true Geographicall situation of their Cuntry, I am yet ignorant in. Sir Robert Shirly, by an ill Passadge to Goa, lost the oportunitye of the fleete for Lisbon, and is stayed there another yeare ; so that negotiation will not so speedily be aduanced as I feared. Wee shall haue breath and tyme to woork vpon yt, according as it shalbe requisite in the judgment of your Honors in England, or at least of the Merchantes, whom it first regardeth.
23.1.6
Her is arriued a Persian Embassador ; with little Newes, it beeing nine mounths since his departure from Spahan. He brought many rich Presentes, and did such obeysance, Prostrating himselfe and knocking the ground with his head, that I beleeue his Master will not approue it, except (as is supposed) hee be Commanded to vse all obsequiousnes and to flatter this monster of greatnes ; his arrand being to procure mony for ayd against the Turke, in which kind he findes often liberall supplyes and succors, which is not felt from this sea of treasure ; although to mediate a Peace for the Kinges of Decan be the Pretence, whose protection the Persian takes to hart, jealouse of the encrease of this empire. Yet I doubt not hee wilbe satisfied with siluer, and suffer his Allyes to bee ouer runne. He is not allowed so good rancke nor Presence in Court as I, which I gott by dispute, and haue kept it by Contention, to the displeasure of some ; neyther did the King doe soe much honour in reception of his Masters lettre, not vouchsafing once to giue any title of Maiestie to the Persian as of my Soueraygne Lords, which not a little Contented mee. Other aduantages he hath of language, neighborhood, and acquayntance, which are defectes, but no faultes, of mine. The King is now ready to March toward Decan ; whose Armie is Commanded by his sonne. And wee with much toyle shall hang in the sckirts.
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Our Fleet arriuing this yeare 1616, in the way mett the Admirall Carricke of Lisbon, bound for Goa, about Molalia, an Island in twelue degrees North latitude, and, haling her after the Curtesy of the sea, was requited with disgracfull language, and fiue great shott. Which occasion apprehended, shee was fought with three dayes ; at last put ashore, and fired her selfe. Shee was of burthen fifteene hundred tuns, and by Pregnant Circumstances the expected Viceroy sent for Goa Perished in her ; not one man was perceiued to bee saued of 600 ; which is one of the greatest disgraces and losses that euer happened to the Portugall in these Parts — the reward of their owne Insolency. In this fight the Cheefe Commander of the English was slayne, and the New-declared maymed ; little other losse. Thus your Grace hath some touch of our affaires ; and I will fall vpon my purpose of the Church, with your fauour and Patience. Before the invndation of Temar the great, the ninth Ancestor of this King, these Cuntries were gouerned by diuers Petty Gentile Princes, not knoweing any religion, but woorshipped after their seuerall Idolatryes all sortes of Creaturs. The descendants of him brought in the knowledge of Mahomett, but imposed it vpon none by the law of Conquest, leauing consciences at liberty. So that these Naturalls, from the Circumcision (which came in with the Moores), called them Mogolls or cheefe of the Circumcised.
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Among the Mogolls there are many strict Mahometans, many that follow Aly, his sonne-in-law, and other new risen Prophetts, which haue their Xeriffs, Mulas, and Preistes, their Mosquies, religious votaries, washings, Prayings, and Ceremonyes infinite; and for Penetenciaryes, no herecye in the world can show so strange examples, nor bragg of such voluntarie Pouertyes, Punishmentes, sufferinges and Chastismentes as these; all which are esteemed holy men, but of a mingled religion, not vpright with their great Prophett. The Gentilles are of more sortes, some valiant, good souldiers, drinking wine, eating hogges-flesh, but woorshiping the figure of a beast; some that will not touch that flesh which is not holy by imputation; others that will not eate any thing wherin euer there was any blood, nor kill the vermin that assaulteth them, nor drincke in the Cup with those that doe; superstitious in washing, and most earnest in their profession; but all of them ascribe a kind of Diuinitie to the Riuer Ganges, at which at one season of the yeare 4 or 500,000 meete, and Cast in gould and siluer for oblation. In like manner to a Piggs head in a Church near this Citty, and to all liuing Cowes, and to some other beastes and kindes. These haue their synogoages and holy Men, Prophetts, Witches, sooth-sayers, and all others the Diuelles impostures.
23.1.9
The Molaes of Mahomett know somwhat in Philosophy and Mathematiques, are great Astrologers, and can talke of Areistotle, Euclyde, Auerroes, and other authors. The learned toong is Arab.