The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 35
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 35
- Language
- English
35.1
Instructions giuen to our louing freinds Edward Connocke, Thomas Barker, George Plea and William Bell, Employed in the Seruice of the Honourable Companie of East India, by the Port of Jasques or any other in the Coast of the Shabas. (I. O. Records : O. C, No. 545.) 1. You shall principally and first reguard the limitations of the Company sent to the Embassador, the copy wherof is your direction, and not enlardge nor swerve from them but in Cases expressed following. 2. You shall well way the obiections sent out of England, especially that which mentioneth a true [truce ?] of the Trade if the Grand Sinior and the Sha shall make peace but to haue the ould trade continewed, and soe wee shalbe made a stale and turned out. 3. You shall Judiciouslie consider whither the port of Jasques or any other bee fitt to receiue and secure our shipp vnder a fort, which admitted, you shall contract to haue such forts repayred and mayntayned at the chardge of the Sha, for which, if required, you shall consent to pay Custome for goods 3 per Cent, (or somewhat more rather then breake), for mony or Bouillon nothing, the import beinge sufficient profitt and noe wise prince demandinge that; outward you may insist to pay no Custome, the Sha takinge none at his confine townes of Turky.
35.2
4. You must alsoe well consider the Neigborhood and strength of Ormus, whither one shipp may safely trade or not, for that the Chardge of a fleete to defend her will not bee borne, least you fall into our incomoditie at Suratt; and this one thinge I feare aboue all other. The best preuention wilbe if your proceeds can bee readie to bee shipt in tenn daies, wherby no great preperation can be made against you. 5. This Custome beinge paid, you shall agree to passe freely too and froo with all your goods without any New or farther imposition to bee imposed, except it be some customes or toles of priuiledged townes that all subiects pay; which, if reasonable, cannot bee auoyded without trouble and discontent; the same to remayne in your owne power and Custodie without molestation or other pretence of any Gouernor. 6. You shall contract to haue a settled residence within one month Iourny at the farthest from your porte, wher you may reside and whither the silks may bee brought, that you bee not enforced to wander to seeke marketts. For this, Shyras, as I suppose, is most convenient and indifferent for both.
35.3
7. You shall article not only to haue liberty to sell your Cloth and Comoditie if you can (which I doubt not they will easely grant), but contract for so much of euery sort at such prises as are limited by the Company to be taken of yearly by the Sha or his marchantes; but for these prises you need not bee bound so strictly as not to sell somewhat vnder if you see it may bee raysed againe in the silkes bought more reasonable, and that it may bee a meane to vent and putt off yours; but in this you cannot fall much, and in barter nothinge, for that the silkes wilbee deare. 8. Whatsoeuer you can contract for, to sell at certeyntie, in English and sowtherne Comodities, it beinge two thirds, you shall condition to bring in one third more in mony of [or ?] Boullion, Gould or siluer; and without this proportion at least in goods may bee vented, it is not worth labor; neyther this proportion, except you can thus putt off of clothes and english Comodityes as one halfe of that two-thirds in goods, the other halfe to be supplyed in spices and Indyan goods, the other third in mony, whereby the retournes in silke may beare the Chardge; but for as much more in proportion as you can.
35.4
9. You must Contract for the price of your silke with the Sha or his merchants, for I am enformed that Comoditie is all the Kings. The price the Company hath limited ; but wheras they say they would receiue their silke at one Royall and halfe at watter side the pound, I suppose you may venture to giue that price, or 7s. 6d. sterlinge, accountinge your Royall at 5s. At Shiras this you must cast in your sales and in your Chardges downe, which I suppose is not great. 10. You must contract that any English dyinge in any parts of the Shaes dominion, that all his goods, bills and papers may bee free and beecome to the English suruiuing without any molestation or pretence of confiscation whatsoeuer ; and if no such English in Company, that the next Magistrat shall take all such goods, monyes and bills into his protection by Inventory and wittnes, and the same to deliuer vpon demand to the next english that shalbe authorised to receiue it ; and in Case of any imbezelment, the said magistrat to bee respondent. 11. You shall Article that in places of knowne danger you may at the Chardge of the Country haue sufficient guards to Conduct your goods, or in Case of losse the next towne to bee respondent. 12. That no English bee imprisoned for any debt except prooued by his bill wittnessed before the Caze or Ordinarie Notarie of the place where the debt was made. 13. That fresh victualls may bee supplyed to our shipps at reasonable rates and without Customes.
35.5
14. These Conditiones granted and signed by the Sha, you shall also haue power to contract one your parts yearly to send a shipp to bringe the said quantities of goods and monys contracted for, or more in proportion if required ; and the same monyes to bestowe in raw silkes or such other persian goods as shalbe most convenient for you. 15. That your most Royall Kinge of England will send his letters of Confirmation to make peace, leauge and Amety with the Shaw-bas, and the English nation be readie to doe him all seruice. Lastly you shall enforme your selues of the prises and requests of all sorts of goods, Jewells, druggs and other marchandiz, where to bee had, at what rates, and which way they passe most readely ; and study what Comodity may bee found to rayse a stocke, which is the mayne matter to encrease this beginning.