The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 41.5
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 41.5
- Language
- English
41.5.1
.... I haue this yeare beene in the woods. By my returne I will bring you an exact survey of all the trafiques of India, and bee by you to answare any misinformation. Ther is no Complaynt by the Mogolls subiects that wee buy not their Comoditie, but Contrarie, that wee buy so much that their owne Merchants want for the Red Sea. I knowe it true. Wee haue raysd the Price of all wee deale in, and now wee feare the Dutch will make it woorse. .... I haue only two Poynts to touch. That these Seas beginn to bee full of Rouers, for whose faults wee may bee engaged. Sir Robert Rich and one Phillope Barnardoe sett out two shipps to take Piratts, which is growne a Common Pretence of beeing Piratts. They missed their entrance into the Red sea (which was their dessigne), and came for India, gaue Chase to the Queene Mothers Juncke, and, but that God sent in our Fleete, had taken and rifled her. If they had prospered in their ends, either at Mocha or here, your goods and our Persons had answered it. I ordered the seisure of the shipps, Prises, and goods, and converted them to your vse; and must now tell you if you bee not round in some Course with these men you will haue the seas full and your trade in India is vtterly lost and our liues exposed to Pledge in the hands of Moores. I am loath to lie in Irons for any mans faults but myne owne. I loue Sir Robert Rich well, and you may bee pleased to doe him any Curtesie in restitution, because hee was abused;
41.5.2
but I must say, if you giue way, you giue encouradgement. I had rather make him any Present in loue then restore any thing in right. For Barnardo, I doubt not you wilbe sencible of his Plott, and call him into question. Hee getts the Duke of Sauoyes Commission, but the faces are all English. Jhons, the Captain of the Lyon was a Proiector. The Mootams enveigled Sir Robert Rich and after Mutined, tore his Commission, disarmed his Captain, and are breefly villaynes woorthey to feede in the Marshalsy one yeare. Such an example would deter others; els you giue them both title and hart. The Captaine of the Francis, Master Newse, sett out by Sir Robert Rich, I will Commend to your fauour as an honest discreet gentleman, who neaver consented to your Iniurie, but was forced by his disordered Gyng; the rest I leaue you to deale with as in your Judgement you shall find requisite. But if you suffer Rouers in these seas, ther must bee noe traders. It is hard to prooue to these People the difference of Merchants and Piratts, if all of a Nation; or, if you could prooue it, I am vnwilling to lye for a Pawne vntill Certificatt came out of Europe.
41.5.3
The second is the Dutch. They wrong you in all Parts and grow to insuffrable insolencies. If wee fall foule here, the Common enemie will laugh and reape the fruict of our Contention. There must a Course bee taken at home, which, by his Maiesties displeasure signified, were not difficult, if he knew how they traduce his Name and Royall authoritie, robb in English Coulors to scandall his subiects, and vse vs woorse then any braue enemie would or any other but vnthanckfull drunckards that wee haue releeued from Cheese and Cabbage, or rather from a Chayne with bread and water. You must speedelye looke to this Maggat; els wee talke of the Portugall, but these will eate a woorme in your sides. I Neede not Counsell you which way; only aduise you neuer to joyne stock to profitt and losse, for their garrisons, Chardges, losses by Negligence will engage you to beare Part of their follyes for no Profitt. But your accord must bee by a stint at those parts common to you both, and agreement to what Ports you may resort without offence one to the other. If they keepe you out of the Moluccoes by force, I would beat them from Surat to requite it. In both these I haue beene lardge to Master Secretary and some of the Lords, that they may haue feeling of the Iniuries and bee assistant to you. This second february arriued with mee the footmen sent from Spahan by Edward Connaught with lettres of 8 Monthes date, directed to Master Kerridge and to noe other. I opened them.
41.5.4
In generall I fynd no more then the Coppies that came by the Bee; some Particulars by which I discouer more of their triumvirat faction and Priuatt plotts then matter of busines. In one I find a New character, which giueth mee some suspition; but I will vnderstand it before I accuse. In others I and you will find that ther was a resolution taken to conceale all the proceedures in Persia from mee; and the better to enter Creditt with you, the lettres I sent the King of Persia in february 1615 and January 1616, with diuers aduises to you, both reasons and obiections, the full declaration of our entents in pursuing this trade, all directed for deliuerie or Conveyance to William Robbynns, Connaught gott into his Power, opened, and suppressed them; and, not supposing I sent Coppies other wayes, out of myne makes his use and writes you these lettres of his propositions to the King. You may compare them Poynt to Poynt, the Phrase not altered. Reading them I knew myne owne, and, though not woorth the Challendging, yet you may see how these New Ambassadors and Agents Packd against mee. All coppies fitt for you, which I doubted others would Conceale, I send you; all which might informe, or did concerne, the factories I dispeeded the same Night, that no pretence of delay might hynder my present desiers for a little supply thither; wher if a trade may bee settled with securitie and Compassed with your fitt meanes, I shalbe gladder then all they who would haue kept mee in ignorance.
41.5.5
I can spare them the Creditt of yt that want yt; and my Manner of Prosecution shall giue both account of my affection to yt and your good and of my judgement in the Possibilitie and Profitt. Since the finishing of the former intent of supply for Persia I receiued full answere from the shipps that it was impossible to bee performed vntill the next Change of Monzone, and hereby wee are enforced to leaue it in imperfection. By your next fleete I doubt not wee shall vnderstand the resolution of our hopes and bee furnished to releeue the wants, and either to settle it or recall it. In the interim I will send to your factors such direction as is requisite, and to the Sha excuse of our fayling: that yet wee know not nor were agreed vpon the quanteties of goods nor Prises on both Parts. I receiued to day Newes from Ormus of a reuolt of all the Mahometans subiect to the Portugalls for the stealing an Aharon out of their Moschee; which the Sha takes alsoe for a breach of Peace, it beeing one of the Articles that the Moores should not bee offended nor Iniured in Poynt of their religion. Yf it bee not suddenly appeased, it may occasion the Sha to take the fort into his hands ; which by a little help might bee effected, and for him easy by our assistance ; without joyning, very difficult for either of vs. The New Pretended Spanish Ambassador is refused audience, beeing come as far as Cambaya, within 2 dayes of Court ; Principally because his Presents were not of great valew.
41.5.6
But the King, shaming to insist vpon soe base a reason, vsed for a full deniall a later Pretence, that hee was no right Embassador; having of mee demanded by Asaph-chan if I would avow him for one, to which I replyed if I saw his Masters lettres I was bound ; if not, I should not acknowledge him but as a messinger. The King demanded of the Iesuite if he had lettres, who replying truth: none from Spayne, and, to avoyd the affront, professed alsoe that hee came but from Damon, a Citty of the Portugalls, but soe suddenly as the New Vizeroy could neither prepare a fitt Present nor lettres : that his Comming was to congratulate in the Vizeroy and Cytties Name his approach into these Parts; at which hee had his full dismission, but with good tearmes : that if hee came to see him, hee should bee wellcome ; but if the Vizeroy would send him or any other with Presents and authoritie in the Name of the King of Portugall, hee would receiue him with Honor. The Iesuite is somwhat troubled ; and the Embassador, who came on in great Brauerie, takes himselfe scorned. They pretend to mee that another shall returne with ampler lettres and full Power to treat with mee, which Asaph-chan from the King gaue in Chardge. For my Part, I am not sorry for any distast begunn, and thinck not that the Portugall will stoope so farr as to send a Nother nor Presents vpon such a demand and affront ; neyther that if any come that hee shall bring authoritie to make you a secure Peace. The issue I attend.