The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 38: To Master Kerridge and assistants at Surat.
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 38
- Language
- English
To Master Kerridge and assistants at Surat.
38.1
(I. O. Records : O. C., No. 575.) The woods, 30 Course short of Amadauas, December 6, 1617. Yours Nowe receiued of the 21th Nouember mentioneth one of the 9th that neuer came to mee ; with this the Copy and Note in English and Persian of what deliuered to Asaph-chans seruant, the weight of Gould, and prises as by Invoyce. His payment is better then any Mans, though his prises hard made. By this I am sure I have saued Custome, contented a frend, and not borne the hazard of Portage. . . . . . . . Your bills for Agra are receiued and mony almost all invested ; 200 Camells on the way this 13 dayes ; cloth bartered ; Creditt for about 25,000 rupees 3 monnths ; The Proceede much enlardged, double to former years (as they write), in best Commoditie, and all things ther performed much to my Content, and (I hope) their Creditt and the Companyes Profitt ; the Number of Semians enlardged (a new sort of Cloth), and carpetts not yet gotten but in hand. Their day I will not faile on, nor haue they found difficultie, as wee supposed, in trust nor Prises hoysed out of reason ; and I make noe question, by this yeares and the Next Practise, to enter soe into good opinion as to buy on tyme for a leecke of goods, by which the ships shalbe supplied in tyme, and, if care taken to preserue the foundation, it shall prooue an advantage of better vse then to bee so good husbands as to venture Nothing.
38.2
. . . . A firmaen from [for ?] Bengala cannot be had while the Prince hath Suratt, vnles wee will quitt it and rely on the other only. Hee pretends that all our fine goods shall come thither and his Port beare the burthen of trash and hinder others. . . . . . . . For Priuat trade you know my orders, and I the Companyes Pleasure. The Prime Comoditie no man, I hope, will deale in vpon any pretence ; cloth, if they doe and consent to acquaynt the factors with it and remitt it to their Masters, it may Passe and by your and my aduise may bee fauored ; but for all such as are obstinate, I require execution of Commission to the vtmost, notice of their Names, and I will vse my Creditt to bring them to repentance by losses Master Steele hath satisfied him easely that loues not Contentions. But I can discerne woords and shawdowes from truth and substance. I hope well of all men, of him, and would not put my finger to the ruyne of any. I cannot so soone help a man as destroy him ; it is a tender thing in a mans conscience. Yet I am not soe easye as to bee abused much. You shall see I see both wayes and will choose the best.
38.3
.... Abulhassan pretends to bee sorrie for the Princes vsage of vs ; sayes hee dare not stur in his owne Prigony, but if hee weare remooued would make a New Suratt for vs at Swally. To Night, I will question with him of that dissimulation; but I knowe the Complaynt came to the Prince, by him to the King, and disputed before my face not long since ; to which Abulhassan sayd nothing nor seemed to bee concerned in yt. The King was not Pleased at the folly, but, after his Manner, gaue vs no satisfaction, but only bad his sonne vse strangers better. I Complayned of this New trouble before your lettres arriued ; am promised a lettre downe of New fauour, but on the way vnpossible to sollicite it. If that were the woorst, to take away their weapons and restore them, except they were more gouerned, itt matters not ; or if you would shew them in a glasse their folly. The Generall may disarme their boates and, beeing demanded reason, may say wee doubt they are bound for the Conquest of England and the taking of London.
38.4
.... Mesolapatan is a New question. I thought them soe bare as they Needed noe shipp to fetch any Proceede. They speake of some on Creditt ; I knowe not what it is, nor whether it be fitt goods [for one ship ?], much lesse two. In this Poynt I wish your due consideration ; for, if the factorie shalbe continued as Profitable, and that bee the Companyes intent, some supply they must haue, but whether from vs or Bantam I knowe not Custome. ... I thinck if the stocke were kept togither, and that disolued, it were better for the owners. But this must come from themselues ; I will goe noe further then Mogolls India. .... Your despatch for Persia I understand ; but sawe noe cause to spare two factors to Carry lettres, both, it seemes, soe sufficient as to doe all if the woorst happen. All I shall farther add in it is to putt you in mynde it is to mee his Maiestie hath referrd it, and the Company entrusted it. I cannot answere for England vntil the returne of this voyadge to any satisfaction. That therfore I expect the first sight and receipt of all that comes, except your priuat lettres and accounts of sales for the bookes perfecting; but relations, treaties, Priuiledges, Proiects and all of that qualetie, are noe mans to iudg off but myne ; and I shall either receiue them whole or not Meddle in them. ....
38.5
Thus I conclude answer to your lettre, wherin I fall into consideration of the Paynes by myne owne wearines. You may suppose I write not at ease in a house; remooue euery other day; forgett to answer none ; haue much to prepare for England, and no helpe. Therfore what is written in hast must not bee seuerly Censured. I am long in some instances ; it is to lett you see my motions come not at adventure without Consideration, though they bring not allway their reasons.
38.6
Nowe I come to our estate here. I haue recomplayned ; to night visitt the King with his Maiesties lettre translated ; deferred till Nowe for extremetie of wayes, that made all in confusion ; at which tyme I hope to dispute our owne Cause anewe. Asaph-chan remaynes the same ; hath feasted mee, and wee meete often. The Prince against his will shalbe left at Amadauaz ; hath that Gouerment geuen him and Cambaya. This is doubtles an ill signe that the King remooues him. It is out of doubt true. The good to vs is : Asaph-chan hath enformed hee quittes diuers small jaggers to the King, of which hee will procure Suratt may bee one, which hee will take ; and then I doubt not to see all amended. This will suddenly bee tryed, and vpon these changes the Prince will not haue cause of oposition. Asaph-chan then promiseth to procure the firmaen for Bengala (for hee suspects not vs to seeke it to betraye Suratt, but to encrease our trade) and all other my iust demands, and voweth hee will make Englishmen content and happy. Thus in New hopes I rest a tyme ; and so I must from writing, for I am not able scarce to write my Name. I Committ you all to Gods Mercy. December 10. — I visited Asaph Chan, hauing receiued aduice from Surat of a new Firman come downe to dis-arriue [disarme] all the English, and some other restrictions of their libertie ;
38.7
vpon a complaint made to the Prince, that we intended to build a Fort at Swally, and that our shippes were laden with Bricke and Lime for that end (which suspition arose only by bringing a few on shoare to found the ships bell) ; yet the Alarum came to Court so hot, that I was called to answere ; which, when I made it appeare how absurd the feare was, how dishonorable for the King, how vnfit the place for vs, without water or harbourage, yet the iealousie was so strongly imprinted, because formerly I had demanded a Riuer by Goya [Goga] for that end, that I could hardly perswade the Prince we intended not some surprise. By this you may iudge how easie it were to get a Port for our selues, if you affected it, which I can neither so profitable for you, nor a place tenable. Notwithstanding all remonstrances, this furnace must be demolished, and a Haddey of horse sent downe to see it effected. The disarming of our men, being all that our people stomacked (though it was only to leaue their weapons in the Custome-house, and that only of the ships company), though it were quieter for vs, except they were often more ciuill : yet I told Asaph Chan wee would not endure the slauery, nor I stay in the Countrey : that one day the Prince sent a Firman for our good vsage and grant of Priuiledges, the next day countermanded it ; that there was no faith nor honour in such proceedings, neither could I answere my residence longer.
38.8
He replyed at night hee would mooue the King, before the Prince, and giue me answere. [December] 13. — I reuisited Asaph Chan. He told me wondrous matters of the Kings affection to my Souereigne, to my Nation, and to mee: that hee had ventured the Princes disfauour for our sakes, and had full promise for a new reformation: but because he feared the Princes dealing, he gaue me this assurance, that he would take the Prigany of Surat, which the Prince must leaue, being made Gouernour of Amadauas, Cambaya, and that Territorie; and to giue me satisfaction that he had not dissembled with me, he desired me to come at night to Court, and bring the King my Masters Letter and the translation: the oportunitie was faire to deliuer it; vpon the occasion of which he bade me persist in my complaints, and offer to take leaue: I should then see what he would say for vs, and so I should beleeue my selfe. At euening I went to the King, it beeing a very full Court, and presented my Letter, which (the King sitting on the ground) was layd before him; and he, busie, tooke no great notice. Asaph Chan whispered his Father in the eare, desiring him to reade the Letter, and to assist vs, for that he might better begin that then himselfe. Etimon Dowlet tooke vp both Letters, gaue the English to the King, and read the translated;
38.9
to which when the King had answered many words of complaint, to that point of procuring our quiet Trade by his authoritie among the Portugals, he demanded if he [we ?] would make peace. I answered: his Maiestie knew long since I offered to be gouerned by him, and referred it to His wisdome, and had expected his pleasure. He replied: hee would vndertake absolutely to accord vs, and to make agreement in his Seas, which he would by answere to my Masters Letters signifie, and therein giue him content in all other his friendly desires. Notwithstanding, I demanded leaue to goe before to Amadauas to meet the Kings Presents and to prepare for my returne. Vpon which motion, the question grew betweene the King and the Prince, who complayned that he had no profit by vs, and that he was content to be rid of vs. Asaph Chan tooke the turne, and very roundly told the King that we brought both profit to the Port, to the Kingdome, and securitie : that we were vsed very rudely by the Princes seruants, and that it was not possible for vs to reside without amends : it were more honourable for his Maiestie to license vs [to depart ?] then to intreate vs so discourteously, for it would be the end. The Prince replyed very cholerickly that he had neuer done vs wrong, and had lately giuen mee a Firman at his entreatie.
38.10
He replyes : It is true, you gaue a Firman to his content, and in ten dayes sent another, in effect, to contradict it : that he stood surety between both : had vndertaken from the Princes mouth our redresse, but now he had the shame and dishonor of it : that he ought me nothing, nor I him : he spake for no ends but for the Kings Honor and Justice ; in that which he said that he did vs no wrong, he must appeale to me, who complayned that our goods were taken by force, that two yeeres past Rulph [Zulphercarcon] had begun it, would neuer pay vs, and his Officers continued euery shipping : that if the Prince were weary of vs, he might turne vs out, but then he must expect we would doe our owne Justice vpon the Seas. He demanded if the King or Prince gaue mee meanes to eate, or who did ? That I was an Ambassadour and a stranger, that liued and followed the King at great charge : that if our goods were forced, and after we could get neither goods nor money, how should I liue and maintayne myselfe ? This deliuered with some heate, the King catched the word, Force, Force, redoubling it to his sonne, and gaue him sharpe reprehension. The Prince promised to see me paid all : that he had taken nothing, but only caused the Presents to be sealed, because his Officers had no Custome, and desired to haue them opened before him. I absolutely refused it ; also I told the King I would only doe my dutie to my Master, in deliuering his Presents free : after I would giue the Prince all content.
38.11
Etimon Dowlet, who is always indifferent, and now by his Sonne made our friend, whispered with the King, and read a clause or two in my Masters Letter ; at which the King made his son rise and stand aside. Asaph Chan ioyned in this priuate conference (which they told me was for my good) and in conclusion the Prince was called, commanded to suffer all the goods to come to my hands quietly, to giue me such priuiledges as were fit, which Asaph Chan should propound. The Prince would not yeeld the Presents except Asaph Chan would stand surety that he should haue a share, which he did ; and then we all agreed vpon that point ; the King giuing mee many good words, and two pieces of his Pawne out of his dish, to eate of the same he was eating. Then I tooke leaue to goe to Amadauas to meet the Presents ; and so we parted. At night, I set on my iourney, leauing my Tents, supposing the next day to reach the Citie ; but I rode two nights, a day and a halfe, with one baite vpon straw, and the fifteenth at noone arriued at Amadauas.