The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 52
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 52
- Language
- English
Contents
52.1.1
ARTICLES PROPOSED TO THE PRINCE SULTAN CORONNE, LORD OF AMADAUAZ AND SURATT, BY THE AMBASSADOR, VPON THE BREACH WITH THE PORTUGALLS, AUGUST 15, 1618. (I. O. Records : O. C. No. 678.) I. That the Prince had receiued the English nation into his protection and favour, and had concluded peace and ametie with them, according to the command of the great kyng, and hereby doth giue notice to all his Governor, Lieutenant and other officers of Suratt and all his other Signories, to publish the same and to obey it. 2. In consideration of this treaty, and that the Portugalls are common enemies to their peace and traficque, it shalbe lawfull for the english to land with their armes and to pass with them for defence of their persons and goods ; and if the sayd Portugalls should attempt any thing by sea agaynst the sayd English or the ships of the King and Prince, that then the Governors of Suratt should deliuer to the English as many frigatts as they should need for their mutuall succor, and in all poynts of releeue and succour should assist them as frends and as the naturalls of these kyngdomes.
52.1.2
3. That it should bee lawfull for the english to buy or hyre any house in his ports, where they might quiettly dwell and no man to disturbe or displace them ; and therin house their goods sufficiently and safely; and that neyther Governor nor other officer should entermeddle neyther with them nor their goods, but, in case they were not or could not of them selues prouide sufficient housing, that then the Governor should assist them and procure for them a safe and quiett habitation. 4. That the Governor of Suratt and other officers should receiue and dispeed the English Ambassador with honor and curtesie, and see him well housed during his stay in Suratt, and that he [be ?] offered no force nor affront to him nor to any of his seruants, but they might liue, goe, and pass at their pleasure. 5. And if it should fall out that they could not agree with the owner for the house they now resided in, hauing paid mony before hand, the Governor should cause the remayner to bee repayd to the sayd English.
52.1.3
6. That it should bee lawfull for the sayd English to land any sort of goods and to relade, at their pleasure ; and vpon the land in any part to trade, traficque, buy and sell according to their owne will ; and that the judges and officers of the Alfandicaes should not deteyne their goods longer then to take account and to agree for customes as by former treaty and therin should giue them despatch, and in no sort nor vpon any pretence should stay or take by force or deteyne any of their goods contrarie to the owners will, nor should doe them any Injurie or violence whatsoeuer ; and that for Jewells, pearles and all sorts of that nature they should demand no custome nor duty ; and that vpon the wayes to and from their ports no exaction or duty should be taken nor demanded, but only at their port, according to custome. 7. That the sayd English might liue in their owne houses and among them selues according to their owne religion and lawes, and for that respect no Governor, Cazy nor other should doe them any affront nor in any sort trouble or molest them.
52.1.4
8. That if any quarrell or other controuersie whatsoeuer did arise among the english, that the Governors nor any other officer should not intermeddle, but leaue it wholy to the President of their owne nation ; and if any English did escape or flye away from their obedience and seruice, the Governors should assist to take and deliuer him into the hands and power of the English to doe in all things among themselues justice according to their owne lawes ; but that in case any difference of what kynd soeuer happened betweene the English and any moore or Banyan, the Governors and other officers in their place should take notice and doe justice according to the offence or complaynt of eyther syde. 9. That the Linguist and Brokars seruing the English should haue free libertye to speake and deliuer any thing in the behalfe of their masters, and should haue licence to bargayne, traficque, sell, or buy for them, and to doe them any other seruice ; and for such occasion should not bee subject to any question or account nor any way prohibited nor molested. 10. That all presents beeing showed at the Custome house, that the officers might avoyd deceipt, beeing chopped by both parts, should bee deliuered to the hands of the English to send to the Court at their pleasure.
52.1.5
11. That in all causes of complaynt or controuersie the Governors and Cazies of the place should doe them speedy justice and protect them from all Injuries or oppressions whatsoeuer, and should ayd and entreat them as frends with curtesie and honor ; for that so it is the command of the Great Kyng, who hath giuen them his securitie, and that therfore it pleaseth the Prince to make declaration and confirmation of the sayd treaty by this writing, agaynst which no man shall presume to doe contrarie. written vnder-neath : That which I demand is bare justice and which no man can deny that hath a hart cleare and enclined to right, and no more then the Lawes of Nations doth freely giue to all strangers that arriue, without any contract ; and in no case so much as the great kyng doth promise and command. If it please the Prince to Confirme these articles freely and without ill meaning or collusion and to command that they bee obeyed precisely, I shall rest content and shall giue satisfaction to my master and to my nation ; but if not, and that any part bee refused or written fraudulently, according to former experiences. Then I desire the Prince to take knowledge that I wilbe free of my woord giuen the great kyng in his presence and of all blame or inconuenience that may happen after it, hauing giuen promese vpon these conditions or els to bee at liberty.
52.1.6
After almost 3 yeares experience of the pride and falshood of these people, that attended only aduantage and were gouerned by priuat interest and appetite, I was forced to relinquish many poynts often insisted vpon, when I could gett nothing, and to make offer of these few as the most necessarie to settle a trade and which might giue the least offence and might pass with ease, leauing the rest to the Generall order of the kyng to receiue justice from our Procurador Generall; and therfore seemed content and deliuered it vp to the Princes Diuon for consideration and answere; who excepted almost agaynst all, or agaynst all that might serue to giue vs ease. But after many disputes I went to the Prince and had there read and discussed the articles as followeth: To the first, it was wholy agreed vnto.
52.1.7
To the second, to lend vs frigatts was agreed vnto, but more for the defence and bringing in of their owne ship then for good will to vs; yet it passed sufficient for both. But in no case would the Prince consent that wee might land or weare armes in Suratt. First, they offered mee and my seruants liberty; after, for ten merchants, and to more would not yeild, but that they should leaue their armes in the Custome house to bee deliuered at returne. They instanced the disorder and quarreling of our people, the offering to take Suratt, anno 1616, the erecting a bell, and many woords giuen out that the English would fortefie their house or surprise the Castle, with many more foolish jealousies arising from our owne faults. So that I consented, to cleare all, to the grant of ten at a tyme and the merchants residing, on condition that other articles were granted sufficient for our securitie, and that our people going in defence of their goods to any other Inland Cytty might pass with their armes for their guard agaynst theeues and exactions vpon the way.
52.1.8
To the third, it was absolutly refused vpon no conditions that wee should buy or build a house, nor hyre none neare the Castle or vpon the water; but that wee should haue giuen vs in the Cytty, in convenient place, a good, strong and sufficient house, one or more as wee needed, wher wee should liue for our rent, as wee could agree, and no man should putt vs out; and that the Governor should see vs furnished and prouided of such habitation to our owne liking. To the fourth, it was fully agreed vnto. To the fifth, it was agreed vnto; but withall they declared that that house of Coja Arab wee should not haue vpon any conditions; first, because our earnest sute gaue them suspition; next, because it was the ancient mynt; thirdly, because it stood agaynst their great mesquite, and offended the moores, especially our people pissing rudely and doing other filthines against the walls, to the dislike of the mahometans, who with reuerence reguard their holy places; lastly, because there was a rumor that wee ment to surprise the said mesquite and being of stone and flatt at the topp it was supposed that wee intended to make [it ?] our fort and to annoy the Castle therefrom; which, though it was a most friuoulous, Idle, impossible suspition, yet they averring it arose from som rash speeches of some of our owne, they would not yeild; and that, seeing they offered us the choyce of all the Towne, wee could show no materiall reason why only that house would serve us.
52.2.1
To the sixt, it was fully agreed vnto. To the seuuenth, it was [a]greed vnto. To the eight, it was agreed vnto that in causes of difference among ourselues it should wholy bee referred to the English; hut in case the controuersie were with More or Gentile, it should bee referred to the Governor or officers proper to doe justice. But to deliuer vp any english that fled, it was refused, vpon pretence if they turned moore they could not refuse them protection ; to which I replyed that wee would neuer consent that any should leaue his fayth, for under that coulor they might robb vs of all our goods. After much contention it was yeilded vnto, because I utterly refused all if that libertye were left to any ill-mynded person. To the ninth, it was fully agreed vnto. To the 10, it was agreed vnto, the presents beeing opened and scene, that vnder coulor of them the Prince should not bee deceiued of his rights, and, sealed, should bee deliuered to the English. But they added that if the sayd pretended presents were not giuen, that then in future tymes they should eyther pay custome or not bee deliuered to the English ; which, though most base, and in our power to giue any or none, I consented too ; but especially because ells I could haue nothing, for these presents trouble all our busines. To the 11, it was agreed vnto.
52.2.2
Hauing thus gotten what I could, a draught was made to this effect and giuen to the Secretarie writer of firmans to bee digested into forme, and was sealed and sent vnto mee. But comming to reade yt, I found prohibition to land with any sort of armes, nor no english in Suratt to weare swoord, dagger, or other weapon but a knife, my selfe only excepted and nine that I would nominate as my seruants, and in all other poynts with the like falshood and show of wicked cunning malice, not once mentioning free trade nor libertye vpon the way to pass without exactions, nor any other poynt faythfully sett downe according to meaning and good intention, but mixed with exceptions and Cauills to bring us into more danger and trouble. I had taken Leaue of Kyng and Prince and could not come to complayne without leaue, and they would also know or feare my intention that should aske yt, and so hynder mee. Whervpon I sent backe the firmaen, vtterly refusing it, and withall these reasons ensuing : First, that for this vnwoorthy suspition of our ill intents to disarme us utterly, it was a signe of no frendship, good meaning, nor fauour toward us, and for no respect I would take any so disho[no]rable conditions, but keepe our armes and vse them agaynst our enemies or any that should wrong us.
52.2.3
Neyther could I see the face of my soueraygne lord the Kyng of England and report to him I had made peace with the Ghehangier, who had giuen us full libertye of trade, and to that effect had written his lettres, and at the same instance bee contradicted by an vnder treaty with the Prince, for that one of these must needes seeme false and counterfayt; and the later most vnjust and such as our enemies could show no more malice; that eyther wee would be frends as wee ought to bee, or enemies declared. How could I command my countrimen to draw their swoords in defence of the Kyngs and Princes ships at sea, which I had promised, when the Prince will not suffer them to weare their armes for their owne defence ? That my Nation were men and reguardfull of their honor, and would neuer obey mee that had so neglected them, nor doe any seruice for them that so mistrusted and disgraced them. That in the tymes of peace with the Portugalls they neuer demanded nor offered any such condition ; nor yet did command the like vnto the Hollanders, who were crept in and offered no seruice nor assistance to the Kyng, and who in all parts sought to gett footing and to build forts, as was experienced in Mesolapatan, Belligate, the Moluccaes and other places, but that the English neuer desired nor needed any such retraicts, but came in peace to traficque in all these parts as merchants vnder the protection of the Kyngs or lords of the same.
52.2.4
That hereby wee were exposed vnto the power of all theeues and Robbers on the wayes ; wee passing yearly to Amadauaz and other parts with great summes of mony and Goods, could not keepe them, in a Countrie so ill gouerned, with kniues ; and that it was an infinite shame and scorne to the Prince to feare that a few men could surprise or take so populous a cytty as Suratt, and build forts in an hower, especially wee hauing many pledges of our fayth and good meaning in so many parts of Indya by the residence of our people and goods, one of whose liues wee would not loose for 1000 moors. Lastly, that all other poynts agreed vnto were left out or falsifyed utterly, which demonstrated ill meaning toward us ; and that it was more honorable to deale clearly and to prohibitt us all trade, giuing us license to depart ; which now I only desired, and I would soone contract our people, or settle them in Goga and Cambaya, vnder the Protection of the Kyng, whose gratious grants were to us sufficient securitie and vnder whom wee were assured to liue in safety ; for vpon no tearmes I would eyther accept this firman or stay in the port of Suratt, nor goe downe to yt, but seeke another way to ship my selfe, and after to doe that which was reason ; recalling the promise and woord I had giuen before the Kyng, and did make protestation that I was guiltless of all the euill that might succeed by this unfaythfull dealing.
52.2.5
To this I added a commission sent to the next fleete to disarme all the shipps and frigatts of the Princes ports (as appears by the Coppy), which I translated into Persian and sent with these former reasons and protestations to the Princes officers and the Originall to Suratt to bee published there ; and Xtiifirmaen and all these in the Hands of Afzulchan. A day after, new consultation was called ; and in the night I was sent for and had lardge dispute vpon all particulars, pronouncing that, if any woord were written of disarming us, I would refuse it and if all the mentioned conditions were not clearly granted I would proceed according to the declaration made. At last Afzull chan freely confessed the truth, that the firmaen was written with no good meaning, showing their feares more at lardge ; and wee came to agreement that the clause of disarming should bee left out on their parts, but that I should couenant that our people should not land in Hostile manner to annoy the peace, and many other articles which appears by my contract giuen ; which was vrdged in respect of the Ann in the red Sea, who had well followed directions, and was the only cause which drew these to agreement, showing them the way to seeke justice.
52.2.6
Vpon my agreement and Couenant to which articles demanded on their part, and after many Intricate and perplexed disputes, a new draught was made of all my demands, and anew agreed vnto, with promise that, now they had receiued satisfaction by my reasons and opening the course of our trade and intents, they would satisfy the Prince and procure confirmation with loyall and true meaning, and that, all jealousies layd aside and forgotten on both parts, wee should liue in full quiett and peace and bee receiued as frends, and justice done in all our occasions ; with many protestations of fayth and complements, not to bee hoped after in performance. The next day, Afzull chan sent to mee that he had acquaynted the Prince at lardge with this Conference and the Contract on my part, which had giuen him satisfaction, and that he had commanded to giue me a firmaen according to my desire, and professed fayth and good obseruance in all poynts ; desired that I would make ready that on my part vnder my seale ; and to show his true dealing had therwith sent me a draught of the new firmaen, which the Prince had yeilded too, with a warrant sealed to the Secretarie to pass it accordingly : and that now I might bee assured of good meaning. And it was the first tyme that euer I could gett sight of anay firmaen before it was passd, they alwayes giuing what they please.
52.2.7
I caused this draft to bee translated, and found it according to promise, effectuall in most poynts according to their formes and stile, and no materiall thing left out, and written clearly and rightly, only some clause inserted, not much to purpose, for which I was not willing to haue a new brawle, and the Prince gone. I tooke one coppy and sent the other to the Secretarie with warrant to pass yt.