The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 26.2
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 26.2
- Language
- English
26.2.1
I will intreat your Honor to preserue my name in the Kingis memorie, not for any worthynes, but an humble desire to serue him: and that you wilbe pleased to accept of my endeauours, and esteeme mee such as I am, one that loues and Honors you, and that will pray to God, as the best expression of my affection, to encrease you in all woorthy Honor, and to blesse you with his Holy Spiritt. P.S.—I humbly desire your Honor to doe me the fauour, to thanck Sir Thomas Smyth in my behalfe, that he may fynde my gratitude in my frends. December 1.—I remooued 4 Course to Ramsor, wher the King had left the bodyes of 100 naked men slayne in the feildes for robbery; and the Carauan at midnight departed Adsmere. December 2. — 7 Course. December 3. — I rested, by reason of rayne. December 4. — 5 Course. I ouertooke in the way a Cammell laden with 300 mens heades sent from Candahar by the Gouernor in present to the King, that were out in rebellion. December 5. — 5 Course. December 6. — 4 Course. Wher I ouer-tooke the King at a walled towne called Todah, in the best Country I saw since my landing, beeing a faire Champion, at euerie Course a village, the soyle fruictfull in corne, Cotten, and Cattle.
26.2.2
December 7. — The King remoouing, I sent for the Iesuite and Communicated with him the lettrs receiued, who undertooke the Conveyance and brake open that directed to Xauier, as his sublegatt; which concerned only the recouery of goodes, prosecution of Justice, and Constitution of the factory vnder the sayd Ihoanni Galicio, and mentioned that the Consull of the English had vndertaken to procure my assistance, and to that end had sent lettres, which I neuer saw, and thought that, notwithstanding such promise made to his Partners, hee would neyther discouer himselfe to mee nor that hee durst not to them. But finding my Countriman interessed in yt, I resolved that Galicio should repayre to Court, and furnish himselfe with what testemony he Could concerning Bonellis estate; and in requiring Justice of the King, I would testefye with him his authoritye to prosecute the Cause, and giue him all fitt assistance. To this end I caused the Iesuite to dispatch a Currier with the Particular lettres to the said Galicio and other instructions fitt, leauing the Principall to bee copyed and translated by the Padre against his arriuall.
26.2.3
The king Passd only from on syde of the Towne to the other; which was one of the best built I euer saw in Indya, for that ther were some howses two storyes high, and most such as a Pedler might not scorne to keepe shop in, all couered with tile. It had beene the seate of a Raza Rasboot before the conquest of Ecbarsha; and stoode at the foote of a great rock, very strong, had many excellent woorkes of hewed stone about yt exellently cutt, many Tanckes, arched, vawted, and discents made lardge and of great depth. By it stood a delicat groue of 2 mile long, a quarter broad, Planted by Industry with Mangoes, Tamerins, and other fruictes, deuided with walkes, and full of little Temples and alters of Pagods and Gentiliticall Idolatrye, many fountaynes, welles, tanckes, and summer howses of Carued stone, Curiously arched; so that I must confesse a banished englishman might haue beene content to dwell there. But this obseruation is generall that ruine and distruction eates vp all. For since the Proprietye of all is come to the king, no man takes care for Particulars, so that in euery Place appeares the vastations and spoyles of warr without reparation.
26.2.4
December 7.—I receiued lettres from Adsmere that the Cutwall offered to turne the factors and our goodes out of the house giuen vs, which they resisted. I had not visited the king; but dispatchd a lettre to Asaph Chan for his prohibition, who was gone 3 Course to hunt, and a note from him would suffice. My messenger mett him, on the way riding in hast to the king, but [he] desiered mee at night to come to the Gushellchan, which I did, and was well vsed and entertayned; but first demanded what present I had at my New Comming, and answeering none, hee proceeded to ordinary questions of hunting. I found his Maiestie so neere druncke (which hee finished within halfe an hower), that I had not oportunitye to moue busines to him. He sate by a fier in furres by a Tancke syde. Here I mett the Persian Embassador, who telling mee a long tale in his language, I answered in English, much to our mutuall edification; but I putt into his hand a Copy of his masters Command for the commerce of our Nations, and at parting made him vnderstand I desird a Conference.
26.2.5
December 9. — In the morning I sent to him, that I would visitt him according to my offer and confer vpon some busines which concernd his Master, but that hee had neglected that Ciuilitye which I expected, or, if he durst not speake with mee, I would advise the Shabas of his fashion towardes mee. He returned answer hee had beene in noe faulte, but the incomoditye of the Iourny and the forme of this kingdome had hindered him to performe that was fitt; but entreated mee to come to his tents on the morow, which curtesye he would repay whensoeuer I called him, and hee would effect any desier of myne toward his master, and in all thinges further the ametye hoped for betweene our Soueraynges. I went to Asaph chan, and after mutuall Complementes and offering me a roome in his quarter (which I accepted off without purpose to vse yt, for that it is impossible to obserue limitts soe strictly as to avoyde quarrelles, which dayly happen about them), I desiered his warrant for the Continewance of our house in Adsmere, which hee instantly wrote and signed, and I dispeeded. I acquaynted him with the faire and Noble vsadge of his brother-in-law, the Gouernor of Cambaya, which hee tooke gratefully, assuring mee that all the Ports and officers in his Majesties dominions had order to entreat vs frendly, and to protect vs from Iniury, if wee dreew not occasion vpon ourselues by misdemeanor.
26.2.6
Returning I veiwed the Leskar, which is one of the woonders of my little experience, that I had seene yt finished and sett up in 4 howers (except some of great men that haue double prouision), the Circuitt beeing little lesse then 20 English mile, the length some wayes 3 Course, comprehending the skirtes ; and [in ?] the middle, wherin the streets are orderly, and tents Joynd, are all sorts of shopes and distinguished so by rule that euery man knowes readely were to seeke his wants, euery man of qualetye and euery trade beeing limited how farr from the kinges tentes he shall Pitch, what ground hee shall vse, and on what syde, without alteration ; which as it lyes togither may equall almost any towne in Europe for greatnes. Only a muskett shoot euery way no man approcheth the Atasckanho royall, which is now kept so strict that none are admitted but by name, and the tyme of the Durbar in the eueninge is omitted and spent in hunting or hawking on tanckes by boate, in which the king takes woonderfull delight, and his barges are remooued on Cartes with him, and hee sitts not but one the syde of one, which are many tymes a mile or two ouer. At the Iarruca in the Morning, hee is seene, but busines or speech prohibited. All is concluded at night at the Guzelchan, when often the tyme is preuented by a drowzines which poss[es]eth his Maiestie from the fumes of Backus.
26.2.7
Ther is now a great whisper in Court about a new affinitye of Sultan Corsoronne and Asaph chan, and great hope of his liberty. I will fynd occasion to discourse it, for that the Passages are very woorthy, and the wisdome and goodnes of the king appeares aboue the malice of others, and Normahall fullfills the obseruation that in all actions of Consequence in a Court, especially in faction, a woman is not only alwayes an ingredient, but commonly a Principall drugg and of most vertue; and shee showes that they are not incapable of Conducting busines, nor herselfe voyd of witt and subtiltye. It will discouer a noble Prince, an excellent wife, a faythfull Counceller, a Crafty stepmother, an ambitious sonne, a Cunning fauorite: all reconciled by a Patient king, whose hart was not vnderstood by any of all these. But this will requier a Place alone, and not to bee mingled amonge busines, which this day I receiued from Suratt, of extreame iniuryes offered our Nation and new broyles begunn to the hazard of our Peace; but as they only send mee Complaynts and deteyne the Presents which should enable mee to effect their redresse, so they mingle their owne greuances with confession of insufferable misdemeanors Committed by the disorder of themselues, which noe warning of myne I see can prevent when such liberty is giuen to all saylors and base rascalls to dishonor and disquiett vs.
26.2.8
Besides, I find not the Principall free from all blame and occasion, for by want of Iudgment and an opinion of liberty neyther granted nor fitt for them to vse, they incurr iust displeasur, and yt breakes out into fury on both sydes; for the officers as fast complayne of vs as wee of them, and desyer mee to send a sober discreet man to gouerne our Nation, which I haue noe power in; so that I cannot tell at what end to beginn. The Prince is abscent; our enterpreter cast off; myselfe without Presents or toong.