The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 24.2
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 24.2
- Language
- English
24.2.1
The Comodityes you sell passe best in that quarter. The goods you seeke beeing principally Indico and Cloth, no one Place is so fitt for both ; and the lesse inconueniences are to bee Chosen. Of this you shall gather more at lardge my opinion and reasons in my Iournall and discourses to your factors. Perhaps some of them will contradict it. But I am not deceiued, nor haue Priuate ends, to keepe factories to imploy and aduance frends. The Places and Number of seruants I haue deliuered my Judgment in, and Could manifest the Past errours, but not mend them. Syndu is possesd by the Portugall ; or, if it were free, were no fitter then Suratt, nor safer ; as it is, it wilbe more subiect to Perill. Your factors sent me foure or fiue Clauses out of your Commission, that concernd Persia, a fort, a Plantation in Bengala, all which they knew were not of vse ; with no other purpose, proposition, or resolution they will acquaynt me. They cannot abyde I should vnderstand or direct them. If they resolue of any thing in their opinion for your profitt, and send to mee, I will effect the Court part ; but you will find in my lettres and Journall how they vse mee, which doubtlesse at first was sowed by some Jealousy of yours, which will cost you dearly.
24.2.2
For the settling your trafique here, I doubt not to effect any reasonable desier. My Creditt is sufficient with the King, and your force will alway bynd him to Constancy. It will not neede so much helpe at Court as you suppose ; a little Countenance, and the discretion of your factors, will with easy Chardge returne you most profitt. But you must alter your stock. Lett not your seruants deceiue you ; cloth, lead, teath, quicksiluer are dead Comodityes, and will neuer driue this trade. You must succor yt by Change, and you will find my opinion discussed in lettres. I haue this yeare passd many difficultyes by the Peruersenes of Sultan Coronne, Lord of Suratt ; but by Gods direction I haue ouercome them. Articles of treaty on equall tearmes I cannot effect ; want of Presents disgraced mee. But yet by Peices I haue gotten as much as I desird at once. I haue recouered all bribes, extortions, debts made and taken before my tyme till this day ; or at least an Honorable composition. But when I deliuer the Next guiftes to the Mogoll, in the Princes absence, I will sett on anew for a formall contract. The Presentes sent are to few to follow examples ; they will scarce serue the first day. The rule is at euery arriuall of a fleete the Mogol, [and] the Prince during his signory in our Port, will expect a formall Present (and lettres from the King our sollicitor) from you, which neede not bee deare if well Chosen.
24.2.3
Your Agent must be furnished with a China shop to serue little turnes, for often giuing of trifles is the way of preferment. It cannot bee auoyded, and I haue beene scorned for my Pouerty in that kind. Particulars I haue sent of such as I suppose will please. At my deliuerie of the first sent by mee Contentment outwardly appeared, but I will acquaynt you with the Cabinettes opinion, by which you may Judg. Three exceptions were taken and disputed by the King and his Priuadoes. First, it was censured to name Presentes in a Kinges lettre to bee sent by a Principall man his Ambassador and such poore ones deliuered, meaner and fewer then when they came with lesse ostentation ; that if they had not beene named as from a Monarch it had beene lesse despiceable ; for such is the Pride that although the Coach for the forme and for a Modell gaue much Content, yet the matter was scornd, and it was neuer vsd vntill two other of rich stuff were made by it and that couered with Cloth of gould, harnes and furniture, and all the tynn Nayles headed with siluer or hatched, so that it was nine Monthes a repayring ; when I sawe it, I knew it not. Secondly, it was excepted against that his Majestie did write his Name before the Mogoll ; but it matters not for that dull Pride.
24.2.4
Thirdly, that his Maiestie in his lettre intimated that honor and profitt should arise to this Prince by the English or their trade, which hee so much despiseth to heare of that hee will willingly bee ridd of it and vs if he durst. The forgetting to send mee lettres diminisheth my Creditt, which is to bee maynteyned by all Ceremonyes ; and Sultan Coronne expected one as an Honor to him. . . .
24.2.5
First, Concerning Persia. . . . What my Judgment is you will find by my relations and lettres ; how your factors haue proceeded I hope they will aduise. I sent a Fatmar, whom they kept a Month without answer now in the heate of busines, because they would resolue the settling a factory at Jasques without my knowledge. I know they vnderstand not the Place, nor haue any ground for what they did ; and, besides the neglect of mee, I feare haue sent a dead vnvendible stock. I shalbe most glad if I bee in an errour ; but I know, if I err, it is vpon better foundation then they can prosper in. If it had beene fitt to settle in that Place, if once they had acquaynted mee with the Purpose, I would haue geuen them lardge aduise and much assistance from the Persian Ambassador resident at Court, who offered mee his Councell ; but now, as they beginn against my Consent, they may proceede without my assistance. ... Sir Robert Shirly by Contrary wyndes lost his Passadge for Lisbon last yeare and remaynes at Goa for the Present returne of the fleete. His negotiation continewes full of hope to bring the Spaniard in to joyne with the Portugall. I haue sent transcripes of my opinion which I first apprehended, and am Constant to yt ; and God hath prevented him one yeare and giuen you leasure for the future.
24.2.6
Next, I hould it woorthy your Consideration to resolue somwhat for your safety and quiett in the road with the Portugall. Ther are but two wayes, a Peace or a compulsion. The first I haue anew vndertaken by the Mediation of a Jesuite, who foresees their ruine ; but I despayre of any successe, both that the viceroy wantes authoritie or is to Proud to vse yt. The Next is force, which is allway to disaduantage when you only defend. My opinion is that you give order to all your fleetes to make Price of them, and that, as you Nowe ride at Swally roade to protect one ship, that you would send that guard next yeare to ride before Goa to braue them or burne them, at least to stop them that they durst not Putt to sea in December. So you shall enforce them to loose their seasons ; one or two returnes hindered would vndoe them. On my woord they are weake in India and able to doe your fleete no harme but by supplyes from Lisbon, which aduertisement you must harken after and accordingly accommodate your strength. You will add much reputation to your Cause, and force them to that which their Pride will neuer suffer them to see they want more then you, which is, a quiett trade. My third Proposition is for your trafique into the redd sea. It is more important then all other proiectes.
24.2.7
My Councell is that one of your smallest shipes, with the fittest English goodes and such other as this Country yeildes, yearly goe in Company of the Guzerattes and trade for them selues for mony, which is taken in abundance, and returne in September with them, to supply this Place. The Profitt exceedes all the trades of Indya and will driue this alone. The danger is rather a Jealousy then substanciall. When the turckes betrayed Sir Henry Middleton, our factoryes and Courses in these Partes were vnknowne to them, and doubtlesse wee, beeing strangers in that sea, were mistrusted for Pirattes. Experience of vs hath made them know better, and in Company of the Guzerattes, for their sake (whom they cannot spare) wee should bee admitted. The King would write to the Admirall to entertayne our consortship, and they would be glad of it, and it were one of the best securityes of our frendship. The Dutch haue Practised it this yeare to great aduantage and wer well receiued. Our owne warines might secure vs. They must ride six monthes for wyndes, tyme enough to send all the goodes ashore by parcelles, and neuer to trust aboue one or two factors and little comoditye at once. They will not declare their treachery for trifles ; and I doubt not you might procure the Grand Signiors Command to meete them. If I haue any judgement ther is not any matter for your profitt of such importance. Port Pequnua in Bengala you are misinformed in. Ther is no mart nor resort of Merchauntes.
24.2.8
It is traded by the Portugalles from Pegu with rubyes, topasses and Saphiers ; and returnes Cloth, which is fyne, but you may bee furnished nearer hand. But if your factors require it I will send a firmaen, I would long since haue done yt, but was discouraged by the Consultation at Suratt.