The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 28.1.5

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.