The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 28: The Journal continued from "Purchas his Pilgrimes" (vol. i, p. 564).
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 28
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- English
Contents
The Journal continued from "Purchas his Pilgrimes" (vol. i, p. 564).
28.1.1
And so resolued to dissemble that I hope to repay. When I came, with base flattery worse then the theft, or at least to giue me some satisfaction, because trouble was in my face (for otherwise it is no iniury heere to bee so vsed), he beganne to tell me he had taken diuers things that please[d] him extreamely well, naming two Cushions embroydered, a folding Glasse, and the Dogges, and desired mee not to bee discontent, for whatsoeuer I would not giue him, I should receiue backe. I answered : there were few things that I entended not to present him, but that I tooke it a great discourtesie to my Soueraigne, which I could not answere, to haue that was freely giuen seazed, and not deliuered by my hands, to whom they were directed : and that some of them were entended for the Prince and Normahall, some to lye by me, on occasions to prepare his Maiesties fauour to protect vs from iniuries that strangers were daily offered, and some for my friends or priuate vse, and some that were the Merchants, which I had not to doe withall. He answered that I should not be sad nor grieued that hee had his choyce, for that hee had not patience to forbeare seeing them : hee did mee no wrong in it, for hee thought I wished him first serued : and to my Lord the King of England hee would make satisfaction, and my excuse : the Prince, Normahall and he were all one : and for any to bring with me to procure his fauour, it was a THE REV. EDWARD TERRY. (/rom /»*« " Voyage to East India ").
28.1.2
ceremony and vnnecessary, for he would at all times heare me: that I should be welcome emptie handed, for that was not my fault, and I should receiue right from him: and to go to his Sonne, he would returne me somewhat for him, and for the Merchants goods pay to their content; concluding I should not be angry for this freedome: he entended well. I made no reply. Then hee pressed me whether I was pleased or no. I answered: His Maiesties content pleased me. So seeing Master Terry, whom I brought in with me, he called to him: Padre, you are very welcome, and this house is yours, esteeme it so: whensoeuer you desire to come to me, it shall bee free for you, and whatsoeuer you will require of mee, I will grant you. Then he conuerted himselfe with this cunning vnto me, naming all particulars in order: The Dogges, Cushions, Barbers case, you will not desire to haue backe, for that I am delighted in them ? I answered : No. Then, said he, there were two Glasse chestes : for they were very meane and ordinary, for whom came they ? I replyed : I entended one for his Maiestie, the other to Normahall. Why then, said hee, you will not aske that I haue, being contented with one ? I was forced to yeeld. Next he demanded whose the Hats were, for that his women liked them. I answered : Three were sent to his Maiestie : the fourth was mine to wear. Then, said he, you will not take them from me, for I like them, and yours I will returne if you need it, and will not bestow that on me ;
28.1.3
which I could not refuse. Then next he demanded whose the Pictures were. I answered : Sent to me to vse on occasions, and dispose as my businesse required. So hee called for them, and caused them to be opened, examined me of the women, and other little questions, requiring many iudgements of them. Of the third Picture, of Venus and a Satyre, he commanded my Interpreter not to tell me what he said, but asked his Lords what they conceiued should be the interpretation or morall of that. He shewed the Satyres hornes, his skinne, which was swart, and pointed to many particulars. Euery man replyed according to his fancie ; but in the end hee concluded they were all deceiued : and seeing they could iudge no better, hee would keepe his conceit to himselfe, iterating his command to conceale this passage from me ; but bade him aske me what it meant. I answered : An Inuention of the Painter to shew his arte, which was Poeticall, but the interpretation was New to mee that had not seene it. Then he called Master Terry to giue his iudgement, who replying hee knew not, the King demanded why hee brought vp to him an inuention wherein hee was ignorant ; at which I enterposed that he was a Preacher, and medled not with such matters, nor had charge of them ; onely, comming in their company, hee was more noted, and so named as their conductor. This I repeate for instruction, to warne the company and him that shall succeed me to be very wary what they send may be subject to ill Interpretation ;
28.1.4
for in that point this King and people are very pregnant and scrupulous, full of iealousie and trickes. For that, notwithstanding the King conceited himselfe, yet by the passages I will deliuer my opinion of this conceit, which (knowing I had neuer seene the Picture, and by Ignorance was guiltlesse) hee would not presse hard vpon me ; but I suppose he vnderstood the Morall to be a scorne of Asiatiques, whom the naked Satyre represented, and was of the same complexion, and not vnlike ; who, being held by Venus, a white woman, by the Nose, it seemed that shee led him Captiue. Yet he reuealed no discontent, but rould them vp, and told me he would accept him also as a Present : for the Saddle and some other small Toyes, he would fit me with a gift to his Sonne, to whom he would write according to promise, so effectually that I should need no Sollicitor in many [my ?] businesses; with as many complements, excuses, professions and protestations as could come from any very Noble or very base minde in either extreame. Yet he left not, but enquired what meant the figures of the beasts, and whether they were sent me to giue to him. I had vnderstood they were very ridiculous and ill shaped ordinary creatures, the varnish off, and no beauty other then a lumpe of wood. I was really ashamed, and answered: It was not my fault: those that seized them must beare the affront: but that they were not entended to him, but sent to shew the formes of certaine beasts with vs.
28.1.5
He replyed quickly: Did you thinke in England that a Horse and a Bull was strange to mee? I replyed: I thought not of so meane a matter: the sender was an ordinary man in good will to mee for Toyes, and what he thought, I knew not. Well, said the King, I will keepe them, and onely desire you to helpe me to a horse of the greatest size: it is all I will expect, and a Male and Female of Mastiffes, and the tall Irish Grey-hounds, and such other Dogges as hunt in your lands; and if you will promise me this, I will giue you the word of a King, I will fully recompence you, and grant you all your desires. I answered: I would promise to prouide them, but could not warrant their liues, and if they dyed by the way, onely for my discharge, their skinnes and bones should bee preserued. Hee gaue extraordinary Bowes, layd his hand on his heart, and such kind of gestures as all men will witnesse he neuer vsed to any man, nor such familiarity, nor freedome, nor profession of loue. This was all my recompence, that he often desired my content to be merry: that the wrong he had done me he would royally requite, and send me home to my Countrey with grace and reward like a Gentleman. But seeing nothing returned of what was seized, but words, I desired his Maiesty to deliuer backe the Veluets and Silkes, being Merchants goods : that they were sent vp among mine by his Maiesties command, for that by that pretence they escaped the rauine of the Princes Officers.
28.1.6
So hee gaue order to call Master Biddolph to agree with him, and to pay for them to content. Then I deliuered a Letter I had ready written, contayning my desire for Priuiledges and Justice ; otherwise, I should returne as a Fayzneane and disgraced to my Soueraigne; and desired some Justice for Sulpheckarkons Debt lately dead. He replyed he would take such order with his Sonne for Surat as I should haue no cause to complaine, and that he should cleere it ; for which he gaue instant order. For other places, he would giue me his commands, and euery way shew how much he loued me : and, to the end I might returne to my Master with honour, Hee would send by me a rich and worthy Present, with his Letter of my behauiour filled with many prayses ; and commanded me to name what I thought would be most acceptable. I answered : I durst not craue: it was not our custome, nor stood with my Masters honour : but whatsoeuer he sent, I doubted not would be acceptable from so potent a King and so much loued of my Lord. He replyed that I thought he asked in iest, to please mee, and that he saw I was yet discontent, but he coniured me to beleeue he was my friend, and would at conclusion proue so ; and vowed by his head hee spake heartily concerning Presents, but I must not refuse for his instruction to name somewhat. This earnestnesse enforced mee to say: If his Maiesty pleased, I thought large Persian Carpets would be fittest : for gifts of cost and value my Master expected not.
28.1.7
He answered he would prouide of all sorts and sizes, and added to them what hee thought was fit, that your King may know I respect him. Next, hauing Venison of diuers sorts before him, he gaue me halfe a Stagge, with these words: Hee killed it himselfe, and the other halfe I should see bestowed on his wiues; which was presently cut out, in small pieces of foure pound, and sent in by his third sonne and two women that were called out, to diuers such Mammockes as if it had beene a dole to the poore, and carryed by the Prince bare in his hands. Now I had as much satisfaction and so abundant grace as might haue flattered me into content; but the iniury was aboue words, though I were glad of these, and of colour to dissemble, for hee sent as a conclusion to know if I were pleased, and did not depart discontent. I answered: His Maiesties fauour was sufficient to make mee any amends. Then, said he, I haue onely one question to aske you, which is, I wonder much, now I haue seene your Presents two yeares, what was the reason why your King sent a Merchant, a meane man, before you with fiue times as many, and more curious Toyes that contented all, and after to send you his Ambassadour with a Commission and his Letter mentioning Presents, and yet what you brought was little, meane and inferiour to the other: I acknowledge you an Ambassadour, I haue found you a Gentleman in your vsage, and I am amazed why you were so slightly set out.
28.1.8
I would haue replyed, but he cut me off: I know it is not the Kings fault, nor yours, but I will let you see I esteeme you better then they employed you: at your returne I will send you home with honour, with reward and according to your qualitie: and, not respecting what you brought me, will like a King present your Lord and Master: onely this I will require from you, and not expect it from the Merchants, to take with you a patterne of a Quiuer and Case for my Bow, a Coat to weare, a Cushion to sleepe on of my fashion (which was at his head), and a paire of Boots, which you shall cause to be embroydered in England of the richest manner, and I will expect and receiue them from you, for I know in your Countrey they can worke better then any I haue seene: and if you send them mee, I am a King, you shall not lose by it; which I most thankfully vndertooke, and he commanded Asaph Chan to send me the patternes. Then he demanded if I had any Grape Wine. I could not denie it. He desired a taste next night, and if hee liked it he would be bold; if not, he desired me to make merrie with it. So spending this night onely on me, he rose.
28.2.1
March 3. — Wee came to Mandoa, into which the King entred in state. But no man was suffered to goe in before hee was set, by the aduice of his Astrologers; so that wee all sate without, attending a good houre. March 6. — I came into Mandoa, hauing sent before and found a faire Court well walled, and in that a good Church, one great Tombe. It was taken vp by one of the Kings Seruants, but I got possession and kept it, being the best within all the wall, but two mile from the Kings house, yet so sufficient that a little charge would make it defensible against raines, and saue one thousand Rupias; and for Aire very pleasant vpon the edge of the hill.
28.2.2
March 11.—At night I went toward the Court, but the King, vpon newes of a Lion that had killed some Horses, was gone to hunt; so that I had leisure to seeke some water. For we were brought to a hill with a multitude of people (so great is the foresight, and so good the Policie) where was no water, that men and Cattle were like to perish. That little that was in Pooles some great men possessed, and kept by force. I could get none; the poore forsooke the Citie, and by Proclamation many were commanded away, all Horses and Cattel forbid, and so those who were now in hope to rest were forced to seeke new Dwellings, who departed some two, three and foure Course off, to the extreame trouble of all men, and the terrible rising of prouisions. I knew not what to doe; my Roome and House was good, and though I were farre from Markets, yet it was a lesse inconuenience then to sit in the fields without house or shelter; onely I wanted water. So I rode my selfe to seeke some, and found a great Poole possessed by Chan, which was giuen by the King, I sent to desire him leaue to draw, who granted me foure load a day; which satisfied me in such sort that with selling away some of those Iades that were put vpon me from Surat and putting off my Cattell, I had hope to liue, to which purpose I sent two with them to lye out of Towne. There was not a misery nor punishment which either the want of Gouernment or the naturall disposition of the Clime gaue vs not. [March] 12.
28.2.3
— I went to the King, and carried a New-yeares gift, a paire of very faire Kniues of my owne, and sixe Glasses of yours. The excuse I made was well receiued, and the King vsed mee with all grace ; this onely was my comfort. He said whatsoeuer came from my hands was present sufficient : he accepted my loue, and it was his part now to giue me. I found a gainer by him, who had so farre performed his promise that I perceiued the King instructed in my desire, and gaue present order to an Officer to send for Master Bidolph to pay him to his content for such things as he claymed, and all the others were acknowledged to be receiued by name ; and that when I went to the Prince, the King would write ; but was loth to part with any thing, of which the best sweetbagge lay before him. I replyed : I was as loth to goe emptie-handed ; so it rested. The King commanded I should come vp and stand within, on the degrees of his Throne by him, where I found on one side the Persian Ambassadour, on the other the old King [of] Candahar, with whom I ranked, and he presently fell to begge a Knife, which next day I sent. The King called for the Persian to come downe, to whom he gaue a Iewell and a young Elephant, for which he kneeled and saluted the ground with his head. The Throne was the same vsed the last yeare, and all the other furniture.
28.2.4
At the vpper end was set the King my Soueraignes Picture, the Queenes, my Lady Elizabeths, Sir Thomas Smiths and some others, two pieces of good and fine Tapistrie below them that came from Persia ; a Throne of Gold set all ouer with Rubies, Emeralds and Turqueis ; and the old Musicke of singing Whores. This day I dispatched to Surat my aduice of the Persian businesse and the new Ambassadour, and some remembrance to Abram Chan the Gouernour, from whom I receiued a Letter that in his absence our Nation had beene wronged, against his knowledge, but that, his power being augmented by the Prince, he desired me to be confident in him : that while he liued in authoritie we should neuer suffer any such abuses, but we should liue in all freedome.
28.2.5
[March] 13. — I sent a Complement to Asaph Chan, a faire wrought Night-cap of mine owne, and a rich paire of Gloues, which he returned as vselesse in this Countrey ; the Cap he receiued, and desired some Alegant Wine, which I sent the next day at night. Aganor (whose diligence now gaue me great hope and ease) sent a Bannian his Secretary to tell mee hee had order for the dispatch of the Merchants goods, and that his man should attend Master Biddolph to finish it : that the patternes should be sent me home: and that the King would giue me a Coat, and money to beare my charges to the Prince. I returned answere that I had no vse of a Babylonish Garment, nor needed money : if his Maiestie were pleased to consider the iniuries offered, of which the Paper testified remayned in his hands, and to giue me his Letter to the Prince with some Presents or else to write in my excuse, it was all I would desire : but for his gifts I expected none but Justice. [March] 21. — I yet could not at instant presse it further ; only I discouered the Kings doubts, for he suspected my stealing out of his Countrey, and breach with our Nation ; for the Prince, either out of guiltinesse or feare, or perhaps cunning, to make vs the pretence of his owne dessignes, had newly enformed the King that next yeare the English purposed the taking of Surat and keeping it, of which our owne folly gaue some colour;
28.2.6
for lately vpon one of their ordinary brabbles they caused two hundred Musketers to land and march toward Surat, and being met by diuers the ioyfull Mariners gaue out they went to take it. This absurde brauado (for a handful of men to passe twelue mile to a walled Towne, able to put out a thousand horse armed and as many shot, a Riuer to passe which a few men would defend against a good Armie) gaue iust occasion of scorne and offence; and which the Prince apprehended for some other his owne ends, to refortifie the Castle and Towne, and to send downe Ordnance for the defence: a good prouision to keepe a doore open to flie out, if his Brother liue to correct his ambition. But this information occurring with my discontents heere, and some free language, my pressure to goe to Brampore, and flying newes that we had taken Goa and were preparing a great Fleet in England, did cause some suspition in the King, which, though he concealed it, yet hee thought to discouer by the former Discourse, with which hee rested fully satisfied, but I did not. I had beene long fed with words, and knew as well as the heart that trembled, that feare of vs only preserued our residence.
28.2.7
March 29. — This complaining of Officers is a tune so new, so odious in Court that it troubleth all great men, it beeing their owne case, who, liuing vpon farming Gouernments in which they vse all tyrannie to the Naturals, are loth to suffer a way open to the Kings vnderstanding of their practice, who ordinarily hang men by the heeles, to confesse money or to ransome themselues from no fault: this made all men enuie my imployment, and auoid me as an Informer.
28.2.8
April 2. — I receiued from Dabull road from Captain Pepwell that according to aduise he had stayed the Iuncke bound for Mocha, but, weighing the caution giuen by mee to consider well what correspondence were betweene that Prince and Mozolapatam (in whose Territorie the Solomon was and could not get to sea), finding both alliance and friendship, he freed her without spoile (alleaging the refusall of Trade to Middleton), which courtesie procured him so good entertainment as the Indies affoords seldome: free Trade and promise to take three hundred Clothes yearely, a good quantitie of Lead sold for money, and some Ordnance (which I like not: to arme the Indians, and the Portugals friends, enemies to the Mogoll) and all other courtesies, which (if this kindnesse proceeded not for that the luncke was yet vnder command) giues me good hope of some Trade in sale yearely at the Port. Howeuer, the freeing of the luncke assures me the Commander will doe nothing by catching preiudiciall to the Company, and deliuer himselfe honestly from the iealousies cast vpon him from Dabul. Hee signifies his intent to proceed to Callicute; and if that Factorie be not worth supplyes to transmit it to Dabul.
28.3
[April] 27. — By the Foot-post I receiued from Mesolapatam that the Salomon was got to Sea, and the Hosiander from Bantam arriued, who brought the ill newes of the losse of the Hector and Concord, careening in the Roade of Iacatra, on Iaua: in recompence, that the Dragon, Clove, and Defence were homeward laden from Bantam. I tooke this occasion to conuey a letter to the Gouernour of Dabul ouer-land, to apprehend the ouerture newly made by him of the trade. Though I had little opinion of the place, yet I would not neglect that, nor encourage the next Fleet to proceed but vpon better assurance then a forced friendship and offers made while their luncke was in our power. The effect was to signifie the causes of our staying their goods for refusing trade to Sir Henry Middleton: but now finding in him a better inclination, and a desire to receiue vs and to establish a friendship and league, a promise to take cloth in good quantitie, I required, if these motions were hearty and such as befitted a man of honour, that he would write to the King his Master to procure his Firman with such priuiledges as were fit for Merchants, and his promise to buy our goods and to fulfil all the friendly offers made by him his Officer, vnder his Seale, and with expedition to send it mee to the Court of the great Mogoll whereby I might receiue assurance and encouragement that they entended faith; and on such reception I did vndertake on the behalfe of the King of England a good and firme Peace toward his Master, his subiects free passage in the seas from any oppression by our Fleets, and that yearely I would either send a ship to his Port for trade or (if it so required) leaue and establish a residence in his Gouernment. I doubt not but yearely, for feare or loue, some good trade by sales may bee made; but for enuestments it will not be worth it; only I proceeded as I would haue wished all men, not with too seeming eager a desire, nor to swallow any offers and conditions hungerly; for strict care in the first setling is the best aduantage, and ifor misery of ensuing times, it being a generall rule neuer to mend your first estate, often to empaire it. Euery mans best houre is when he is new, a stranger, and at first seene; after, the naturall lenitie [leuitie?] of these Barbarians finds all that brings not change fastidious. This dispatch I committed to Master Bangham, and desired him to make diligent enquiry of the commodities, aduantages, inconueniences, humours and affections of these Decannies towards vs.
[April] 30. — The time that he brought me the excuses of the Persian Ambassadour for failing in taking his leaue of me, which he would not send by a seruant, but vttered the truth that the Ambassadour was not sicke, as he pretended, but receiuing no content from the King in his businesse, he suddenly tooke leaue; and hauing given thirty faire horses at his departure, the King gaue in recompence three thousand Rupias, which he tooke in great scorne; whereupon the King prized all that the Ambassadour had giuen him at meane rates, and likewise all that the King had returned since his arriuall, euen to slaues, Drinke, Mellons, Pines, Plantanes, Hawkes, Plumes, the Eliphant and whatsoeuer at extreme high rates, and sending both Bils made it vp in money. This base vsage and scorne caused him to excuse his not seeing Asaph Chan and Etimon Dowlet on a Feuer, which hauing done hee could not come through the Towne to mee without discouerie, but desired him to acquaint me with the truth, and to make all excuse and profession that hee would recompence this discourtesie by double friendship to my Countrimen in Persia; with some bitternesse against the King, which Aganor as freely deliuered, and I seemed as vnwilling to heare. I presented them with some Aligant and Kniues, and we parted.
May 12. — I receiued newes of a great blow giuen the Persian by the Turkes Army, so that Tauris was rased, and the Shabas not able to keepe the field.