The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 41.2
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 41.2
- Language
- English
41.2.1
What I haue done in reformation of particular wronges and recouering of debtes my journall will enforme; how my lardge demandes were reiected and my selfe tyed to obserue the Custome to make sute vpon New occasion. I haue done my endeauor, and though you will find many yet vnpayed, many yet vnreformed, notwithstanding it will appeare not my fault, for I neither spared labor nor meanes; and in many thinges the error hath beene our owne, by negligence or disorder. The substance is: I haue gotten many bribes restored, many debtes, many extortions, and Commandes to take noe more: that by little and little I shall ease all: now I am vpon best tearmes, and if the Court were settled would soone finish these my teadious labors. You shalbe sure of as much priuiledge as any stranger, and right when the subiect dares not plead his. The Troubles at Suratt depending vpon couetousnes of Curiosities to satisfie the Prince (for your grosse goodes passe with ease) I will reforme by yeilding him Content; but it is priuat men that make the broyle and then exclaime most, The aduise I gaue to procure a Place of securitie at the first face seemed good to mee, and I gaue it as I receiued it ; but you must excuse mee of recanting twenty thinges which I could not knowe but from others. Ther is none fit, nor to bee had.
41.2.2
The Bee sent to transport your goodes vp the riuer of Suratt, hath fully tried it and cannot performe it, for the many shiftes of sandes, without grounding, and then subiect to bee fiered. Wee must sticke to Swally Roade, and, if I can effect my purpose to prouide your ladinges ready, you shall not feele the other inconueniences. The renting your Customes I haue endeauoured, but as your seruantes in former yeares would neuer answere mee in the Poynt, soe these demand twise more then euer you payed ; supposing then wee would double our trades. ... A Peace with the Portugall here were the best seruice I could doe you. I made, as by enformation you know, an ouerture to the viceroy, which his Pride neuer answered. Since wee haue giuen them a knock or two, and at this instant I am vpon hopes of treatye. But, that you may vnderstand the true estate of this busines, you shall know the Passages. First, the attemptes made vpon your fleetes were not, as I collect, by expresse order from Spayne. The ould viceroy who came in Person, 1614, against Captain Dowton discontented the wisest of his councell and all the inhabitantes of Goa in yt ; his inprosperitie made his action the more hatefull and hee is now prisoner in the Castle, to bee returned to answere, I know not whither that hee did no more, or for doeing so much; but for that busines only. The New viceroy declares not himselfe, but prepares a fleete to supplant, as hee pretendes, the Dutch in Cormandell.
41.2.3
The Jesuite here, who much affectes an agreement, wisely foreseeing they maynteyne it more by stubbernes then reason, hath often mooued lately to mee a Peace, and to that end hath written to his superiors in Goa, but receiued no direct answere. I haue demanded to show mee a Power that the viceroy hath authoritie to Conclude it, but in the Poynt could not bee satisfied ; but that the Merchant, the Coaster, the Inhabitant, and the discreeter sort, all desired, only the Glorious souldier withstood it. Since, the arriuall of his Maiesties lettre, which in one Clause mooued the Mogoll by his authoritie to enforce the Portugalles, or to secure his owne Coast that wee might haue safe and quiett recourse vnto yt, hath ministred occasion. It seemes the Portugall stood vpon a Punto that he would not offer vs that which hee once would not answere ; but by that motion (which I signified to the Jesuite to show our desiers were sincere to accord with Christians) I drew from him that hee supposed theirs were the like, but that a third Person wanted to mooue it ; but that was happelie by the lettre offered, that the Mogol would bee meadiator betweene both ; to which end, after the lettrs deliuerie, the Padree followed it to Asaph Chan, as a man of Peace, for the quiett of the seas and to avoyd effusion of blood. On our Parts it was declared by his Maiestie, on theirs no way but by the Jesuite ;
41.2.4
and therfore, before the king would mooue it to bee refused, it was demanded if the Jesuite would vndertake the kinges desiers should vpon reasonable tearmes take effect, which hee could not promise but by aduise from Goa. Soe it rested ; only betweene vs some speech vpon what tearmes and how farr wee intended this treaty ; generall in the Indyes was improbable to effect ; for a Couple of shippes vpon all this Coast it might bee granted. At first I stood vpon no restraynt, to come as wee listed ; but after promised that when I saw Power to treat I would agree vnto conditions reasonable and honorable. Returne of these are not Come, in the direct poynt ; but, the King beeing neare the sea, the Viceroy (which neuer before was done) sent an Ambassador toward the Court to congratulate in the Name of the King of Spayne. He yet stayes at Baltasare, the Confines of this Territorie below Suratt. The Jesuitt mooued his admittance, and the King replied : if hee come with Presentes fitt for his Master to send and mee to receiue, he is wellcome : if not, I shall not acknowledge him for the Person hee pretendes nor giue him honor. This answere was strange ; but, getting noe better, it was returned, and as yet wee know not whither hee will proceed or not.
41.2.5
By him, as the Jesuite subtilly tells mee (for hee sayes hee cannot averr it for truth, hauing not receiued it authentically), is come some authoritie to enter into communication of Peace, if the King motion it, and that it is one of his endes. I haue answered : I can acknowledge no Ambassador from a viceroy to treat on equall tearmes, and that I must see Power from Spayne. Att last, this is the truth : the viceroy is woone by the inhabitantes to consent to a treaty, but hath noe Power to conclude it ; but, as his Masters deputie generally, he hath authoritie to doe much at his discretion ; and if wee can agree vpon fitt tearmes, to make a Conditionall truce for three years, with reference to the Confirmation of our Masters in Europe ; and this is all wee can hope for. If hee come, wee may proceed ; if not, they shall not coosen mee ; I am wher I was. I haue to Master Secretarie and some of the Lordes againe mooued this Poynt ; but the effecting and full aggreation must come from Spayne. The Viceroyes will for their glorie hardly enforme their true estate ; but make the King bee-leue they can woork woonders, vntill they haue lost India. If it were fully questioned at home whither they make this warr by expresse command or by a generall pretence of I know not what title to all the world, I thinck it would soone bring it to issue, at least to a declaration ; for I am perswaded the King of Spayne hath not giuen expresse Commission for yt and will disauow yt.
41.2.6
I am sure, were I in Spayne, I could make it euident to any Cast Viceroy that perswades the warr, that hee abuseth his Master and that Pride only and folly began and Continues it. In conclusion of this : I know how fitt a Peace or truce were for you. If I can, vpon safe and Honorable tearmes, effect it, I shall thinck it of good Meritt toward you. If it bee still war, the force of India will not wrong vs (except from the Manillas), but putt you to many inconveniences ; if greater strength prepared in Lisboa, you must discouer and prouide accordingly. To enforce the Portugall to Consent I haue tried many wayes and find the best by Chastising their neighbowrs for their sakes ; but the roundest is, if the King wilbe insencible of his Honor, to suffer his subiectes to pay for leaue to trade in his owne seaes (which he seemes not to care for), then must wee in the Red Sea force them alsoe to giue vs as much; for the Portugall hath noe other right but as lordes of the Sea, which it is euident now he is not, and therfore the tribute due to vs. Then eyther wee shall haue all the trade and the Portugall loose his Contract (for the Merchant will giue ouer), or the Mogol wilbe enforced to see it is necessarie for him to bring vs to accord, that both may giue ouer that quarrell and leaue the seas free for all. This I haue often vrdged, but they haue Pawnes and presume wee will not beginn.
41.2.7
For my part, it should bee my first woorke if I durst hazard your trade, which I suppose I could restore to perfection in 6 monthes. But, to minister occasion, I haue Pressed to your factors the employment of a ship to Mocha in Company, though at first wee haue no ease by the Guzerattes; my reasons are at lardge in lettres. But their resolutions I cannot gett, and will doe nothing alone. The feare of vs already makes them requier my Passe; which though I haue giuen to one ship (to satisfie her owner, whom I could not refuse, beeing in tearmes of Peace), yet the demand shall giue vs title to more if wee bee tyed to former inconvenience. The second way is by riding with our fleete at Goa the tyme wee spend at Suratt; which Captain Pring was willing to doe, but by the disaster of the James and absence of the Bee hee was both weakened and tyme lost.