The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 31.1

The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 31.1

Language: English

31.1.1

(Addl. MS. 6115, f. 258.) August 30, 1617. .... The Dutch at Suratt will Plant in spite of vs; but I know no reason why wee should not beate them off at sea. Their insolencyes would be requited, especially of this man, who hath robbd with english Coulors. If his ship bee yet aliue and by search such could bee found, shee would [should ?] bee fired, her goodes seased, and as many as you could take carried home to England to answer it. Howeuer charitye now Pittyes their estate of Nawfrage, enquire of Master Kerridge their Courses to the Sowthward and you will find they merritt noe Curtesye. Therfore my advice is to woorke vpon their necessitye; no way to releeue them, but to buy their Comoditie fitt for the Redd Sea, to fitt our selues if that attempt be thought on, or for Persia; if that last yeare they sould spices at such rate in Suratt as wee might well make profitt on .... it is wisdome to vse the Present to best advantage. Now I shall come to a more generall consideration of the whole estate of the Companies affaires, which wilbe very requisite well to ponder. I doubt not but you haue brought a greate fleete and vast bellyes to bee filled, and your stock and Cargoson but according to ordinarie and woonted aduise, for that the Company will relye on our helpes toward the Sowthard, which you will finde haue these former yeares beene very bare, and that this will spare you little toward soe great a lading.

31.1.2

Therfore first I will lett you see what last yeare was Complayned off: that this factorie deuoured all the rest, and Captain Pepwell went on with little hope to make any quick returne. Master Kerridge can informe you of the wantes before you. Mesolapatan will affoord you little or nothing; Priaman and Ticoe, by a New factory (if it stand) somwhat, but their stock soe small as it will not bee seene. Bantam is suckd drye, and the decay of the trade hastened home Captain Keeling, who, foreseeing the wants if hee should haue stayed out his tyme, saw hee should both fayle of hopes and beare the blame or ill fortune of that was not his fault; therfore wisely, first considering himselfe would returne loaden (for hee that comes full home is welcome for the Present, they that follow must stand to their fortunes), to lade him the Hector and all other were emptied, and shee found vnfitt and so broken vp, and all the factories so nere socked that ther is little left to supply the last [general], who carried 3 great ships: where to fill them I know not. You will fynd the estate so much woorse by how much later you are and the greater fleete, and therfore must foresee it for your owne Creditt and the Companyes benefitt. After you are Past Bantam the other factories are of small consequence; that in Spcadana is only for a box; the Moluccoes possessed by the Dutch and wee beaten out and they to strong for vs to requite yt;

31.1.3

Japan a jest or not woorth the thincking on, if any factory remayning. The Case standing thus, the wayes to meete these feares I will scamble at and deliuer my opinion. First, at the Place wher you are, I confesse it is now the fountayine and life of all the East India trade, and therfore Principally to bee respected: but not soe as to robb all others, except it could suffice to loade all your shipps; which, seeing it will, with the stock it hath, but compasse one (and that not the greatest), the emptie bellies must bee cared for; els it will prooue a deare bargaine. It is true the feare of the Portugalls will compell vs to arrest all for defence of this; but that may bee better borne if you after know how to dispose the rest. The factors at Suratt, as men respecting in the Principall place their owne estates, will drawe from you all they can, for that they shall haue the Creditt of this, and the misery of the residue they shall not feele, or not so soone; but wee reguard not Creditt singly, but profitt and Creditt vniuersally, in the Consideration of the whole voyadge. Therfore, as you must bee liberall in sparing whatsoeuer may bee spared for this, soe you must bee veary Circumspect to saue what you can for the Sowthward;

31.1.4

I meane Mony, for your Comodity (if as other years) is only fitt for this and is lost forward, so that you may dischardge of that as much as they will take, and Keepe that redy Comodity, coyne, for Bantam, wherin the Dutch are soe furnished that they will overlay you or make you buy at vnreasonable price. Persia, I feare, will demand some, for the King will neuer tast vs without yt, for that is his end, to vent his silkes to rayse a reuenew, for the silke is all his and the best part of his Income. His Ambassador tould mee hee might buy some cloth to pay his souldiers with, but no quantety, neyther would hee truck, nor wee effect any great woorke vnlesse wee resolued to bring two thirdes mony, the rest in spices and fine ware. Our Cloth is sould Cheaper in Spahan then heare; to my knowledg the Persians bring quantetyes, which lye now at their Seray, of the same sorts and best coulors, bought at Aleppo and not vendible at home, and here affoorded at a rupie and two in a Cobdee vnder ours. This will make you see what hope ther is of raysing that way a stock by Cloth. But, with the best husbandry you can vse, fitting this factorie as it wilbe requisite, you wilbe so fleeced as you cannot haue hope by all the remayner and the proceed of the others to take in to lade one of your greatest ships, or but one at most; and you shall fynd diuers before you attending to bee serued, like men at a founteyne in scarcety of water. What then is to bee done with your fleete?

31.1.5

First, I will propose to you the red sea. Though your stock bee not great, the returne may, beeing reimployed here, and so one ship may bee occupied and fitted; and you shall haue in your way these chances: the Dabull shippes, or of the Samorin, or any other where wee trade not. Beleeue me, Sir, to chasten any of these People makes not only them but any their Neighbors the better. If it bee doubted how the Mochars will take it or how admitt your trade, I answere to the last : very willingly, in Company of the Guzerattes. Necessitie will enforce them to giue you Content, least you molest others by whom they profitt ; and ther is noe great doubt, for the Dutch had trade last yeare and good vsage in our Names, and vpon that made this second attempt which is miscarried this yeare, as if oportunitye envited vs to that in our owne Persons which others did in our shadowes. Besides, the Treachery vsed to Sir Henry Middleton was the first apperance and notice of any of our forces in that Seas ; they tooke vs for Piratts, which now they better vnderstand, and dare not offend vs, because they know wee can bee revenged, if but by keeping others from trading with them. For the former, to deale with any others that may bee safe Prise, it may bee done after trade at the seas Mouth. It wilbe long before it bee knowne, and, when it is, it matters not ; the suffering the Guzurattes to come Peaceably is fauour enough, because they are the mayne traders on that Coast.

31.1.6

Concerning the rest of your fleete, you may keepe company on this Coast and take your hazard about Zeilan. If the King of Achin bee fickle and our factorie not flowrishing, hee must bee Chastised too, and this one way, by threatening him not to suffer the Guzerattes to supply him, whom yet you may not meddle with. From thence you may attend the Passadg of the Chineses and other traders in the Southeren streightes and Chandg with them at the best hand. If you stand so low as China or towards Mocaa itselfe, suerly all is Prise ; and this may either gett you a trade or at least serue the Present, and cannot leaue the whole in woorse estate then it is, for as good wee doe it as beare the envy for no profitt, for the Dutch practise it vnder our English Crosse. Japan I doubt you will not see ; or, if you doe, I feare you shall fynd cause enough to bidd you thinck nothing frye that abides in the nett. The Portugalles I neede not any way Mention ; their Iniuries and your owne Commission will guide you. Some will say this Course will in tyme ouerthrow all trade. I am of another opinion, considering the Nature of this People, that haue no sence of honor, but only Profitt. Wee shall in tyme teach them to know their superiors ; and if they will not giue vs trade, wee can yet choose whither they shall enioy it or no. Necessitye and feare will enforce them with whom no Curtesy nor reason can preuayle. Necessitye alsoe Pleades now for vs ;

31.1.7

for, were wee admitted trade, wee want meanes for soe great fleetes to vse it and the losse at hand wilbe heavie. The gaine by good bootye once Pursed will bare out the couldnes of trafique a yeare or two; and some kind of Springes are the fresher for Cropping. Thus you haue my opinion, which vse according to your discretion; for I do not decree but only propose. . . . And so blessing the gratious God of Mercy for your safety and all your Company, to whom I desire to remember my harty english wishes, I Committ you to God.