The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 4.p2

4.p2

The Injuryes you haue offered me, Contrary to the fayth giuen by your King, to all Ciuilitye and law of Nations, beeing a free Ambassador, and Contrary to your owne honor and promise, forceth me to send you woord I am resolued not to endure yt. I come hither not to Begg, nor doe nor suffer Injurye. I serue a king that is able to reuenge what soeuer is dared to be done against his subjects. I am come vnder assurance, of the Great Mogulles firman and letter sent vnto the King of England my Master, promising all loue and frendship to him, and therfore I am confident that no man dare presume to wrong mee. Under which Confidence I lett you knowe that, without seeking farther frendship from you, that haue ransacked my Chests, taken by violence the Presents sent your Kyng, Cruelly whipt a seruant of the Merchaunts for doeing his duty, abused with Contempt all the English, notwithstanding they haue both sought in good sort your fauour and haue sundry tymes presented you: and to leaue all in your handes to goe with speede and desire Justice against you, that you may appeare to answere before your King to my face for these wrongs; when I doubt not (so great fame I heare of the Royall disposition of his Majestie) to haue Honorable and speedy redresse. I am sorry for nothing but that euer I vouchsafed to send you any remembrance of mee, of whom in loue you might haue receiued any thing; but by this course of me nor my Nation I am resolued you shall neuer gett one Pice; assuring you I am better resolued to dye vpon an enemye then to flatter him, and for such I giue you notice to take me vntill your master hath done me Justice.
October 17. — I wrote in the Generalls name to the same purpose and sent yt by Captain Harris, who was then with mee. (The Coppy is also registred.) He gaue faire woordes and promised all things should be dispatchd, but nothing was effected; yet desiring Captain Harris to make him and me frendes, repeating to him the refusing of his oliphant and my not Comminge to his howse.
October 18. — I entreated Captain Harris to returne with a Ciuill message to him, which he tooke in good part At which instant came a lettre from the Prince, which he read thear. The Contents were, that the English should dischardge one ship and haue a Monthes staye, in trade, but no residences in the Towne. Wherat the Gouernor perswaded to land no more goodes, and gaue order to take vp all that was come to the Custome house; desiering that I might hasten to procure a residence here, or otherwise wee must depart. Yet he would doe nothing to farther me; but deliuered some few of the things I desiered, but sealed and directed to the Mogull The Chests sent ashoare, wherout I was to Choose such presents as should lye bye to serue all occasions were deteyned. Whervpon, our residence here standing on so fickle tearmes, I resolued to goe vp with more hast and lesse carriadge, with only presents for one or two audiences, in which if I could procure fitt Conditions for our stay and securitye for our farther trade, I would signifye I had left many things behynd by reason of the doubtes cast into me by the Princes lettre: desiring both the firma to such articles as I had propounded, and a warrant for the passing vp of all such things as I would send for without the impeachment of the Gouernor. In refusall, I did purpose to returne to our shipes with expedition, having aduertised the Mogull That as he was Lord of his owne land and might doe his pleasure, and had forsaken the amytie of a Prince who had desired yt in fayre and Honorable tearmes, for the Portugalls who made him tributary, to his eternall dishonor. So he would fynd by experience the king my Master would be lord of all these seas and Ports to the prejudice of his subjects, in spight of those in whom he now trusted and should not dare to releeu them. To this purpose I wrote the Generall, with my opinion and resolution at lardge; and sent the Merchants aboord to conferr of these businesses and to deliuer me in writting all their demands and greauances. At Captain Harris parting with the Gouernor, he was veary kynd, sending the Generall a very good present, and giuing him another of good valew.
October 19. — All the Merchants beeing at the fleete, nothing was done at the Custome howse. I receiued advise by a Persian whom I vsed, that the souldiers of Damon & Chaule and the land of the Portugalls were drawn downe to Goa, vnder Coulor of sending a fleete for the releefe of Ormus, from which the Persian had taken all supplyes : That the new Viceroy was arriued with three Carickes. Wheron doubting whether the preparation might be diuulged for Ormus but fall vpon our fleete, I wrote a lettre to the Viceroy signifying our desire of peaceable trade without theyr prejudice, his Majestie resolution to mayntayne his subjects in theyr honest Course of trafique, and offer of Comprisure in the treaty now negotiated with the Mogull and to endeauour to procure an open free trade on all sydes ; which I sent in Portugall & English, limitting a tyme for answer. The Coppy is registred.