The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 58.1
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 58.1
- Language
- English
58.1.1
25 September, 1619. — Sir Thomas Roe hauing bene with his Maiestie and giuen account of his Embassage, It was made knowne that he doth purpose likewise to come and giue satisfaction to this Court of his procedings and seruice perfourmed and will delyver vpp some Iornalls and accounts which he hath in his custodye. Sir Thomas Roe hauing taken a survey of all the seuerall dispositions of the Companies factors at Surat and those parts, with the bad and yell [ill ?] qualities of many of them, some of which he hath delyuered very sparingly, and remytted many wrongs comitted by them against him ther (as by the sequell he hath manifested in preferring some of them aboue their merit before others of better parts). It was found notwithstanding that some of them haue most baseley and iniuriouslye requited him by traducing him in their lettres and wrighting most bitterly and most inuectiuely against him; amongst which Iohn Browne and VVilliam Biddulph are noted to excede in the highest measure, putting vppon him as much as malice can possibly inuent, with all the spitefull disgrace that may be, most of the factors ther being ioyned in a confederacy amongst themselues, being ielous that any strange eye should obserue or looke into their accounts, being growne to great matters in estate, many of them being worth a thowsand pounds apeece (as is said), gayned by lending and exchanging the Companies monyes and by such other courses as they do practise.
58.1.2
The Companie thought it necessary therfore to seeke to preuent those mischeifes in tyme and to consider of some perticlers of greatest consequence, take the examinations of as many as can be gotten, to be iustified viua voce, that if any falshood can be proued or base and disgracefull tearmes vsed by them of the Companie (as is enfourmed) they may be punisht and some seuere course put in execution against them without fauour, to the example of others ; appointing Master Ellam to drawe the heads of all those complaints into a booke that they may be the more readie to charge them with hereafter, and amongst other things to looke out Furslands lettre, who wrights they kepe a comonwealth amongst them selues; but for the persons themselues it was held fit and so resolud to gleane out the most culpable and to send for them home by degrees vntill all shall be weded thence, and to be carefull that they be not permitted to get those their estates out of the Companies hands vntill they may receiue satisfaction for their honest gaining of them.
58.1.3
28 September, 1619. — Sir Thomas Roe hauing brought home Sundrye papers and accounts with other consultations, which do concerne the Companie, himself and some other men. He was willing to leaue them, desiring only to haue them put into a Chest by themselues and kept apart without any others to be mingled amongst them, that, if occation be, they may be sene apart at any time. The motion was approved and ordered to be so put vpp, with notice taken of them, written vppon and numbered. 6 October, 1619. — Sir Thomas Roe, desiring to giue the Company satisfaction of his procedings since his goeing into the East Indies, first gaue to vnderstand in what a desperate case he found the factoryes at Surat, Amadauaz and elswher in the Mogores Countrye : proclamations out against them to prohibite them of all trade and to depart the land, which at his coming to Court he caused to be reuokt and procured fermaens to commaund their acceptaunce and frendly entertaynment, prouing against the Prince himself that those things had bene done without aucthoritye from the King and by wicked subornation to haue overthrowne the trade of the English ; Assuring the Company that now by a faire and gientle course held and good correspondencie and obseruation of the Gouernour in some reasonable sort they may haue as faire a passage of their buysines as can be expected or desired;
58.1.4
Making it appeare what a profit may be hoped for and had by the trade into the Red sea, wher articles are confirmed with priuiledges for trade and fredome thereof and capitulations set downe with the Gouernour of Sinan and of Moha, that for any comodities which may be caryed thether (wherof he hath intelligence of the particlers vendible) ther may be raisd of the worst centum pro cento ; which comodityes to serue those parts may be furnisht to the valewe of 10,000li. for [from?] Surat without preiudice to the Prince his shippe, and 30,000li. worth from Dabul and the Ports therabouts ; At which place of Moha Captaine Shilling acknowledgd that he was most kindly vsed ther, affirming that ther is as much securitie ther for their goods as can be expected, which they dare not go about to infringe or attempt any thing to giue distast. And seing those of Surat cannot trade saufely thether without the Company of the English into the Red sea, wher it is said that Trade is for two Millions yearely, they wilbe glad of the companie of the English for many reasons delivered; which shippe of theirs retourning is of very great valewe, hauing 1000 of their people in her, wilbe as a pawne and assurance for the good vsage of our people at Surat.
58.1.5
And this trade in tyme may be enlarged by the English as other comodityes may be gotten from sundry other places of the Indies, and wilbe the life of the Surat and Persia Trade to supply both those places with monye: which trade being brought to good perfection, he hopeth they wilbe carefull to preserue and contynue it notwithstanding any discouragment that may be obiected by the factors at Surat, who are vnwilling to haue that Trade prosper (as is collected by many circumstances). Lastly, he made knowne that he recouered all the extortions which had bene exacted by sundry vniust Gouernors that yeare and the yeare before and had left all matters in a good, setled and peaceable course, drawing out 21 Articles, most of which he procured the King to confirme and got sundry firmaens graunted for Friggots to be delyuered furnisht to the English for ther defence against the Portugalls (who, as was delyuered, were preparing an Armado against the English), Together with many other priuiledges which he thought as much in generall as he could expect or desire; And recouered all debts, leauing none in the Countrye but only one of a Banyan who was the kings prisoner; And yet for him he hath the kings promise to force him to pay the said debt or else to delyuer the partie dead or aliue vnto their hands.
58.1.6
And last of all he caused a list to be red, which he had drawne, of the remaynders in the Countrye at his coming away, both mony in specie at the seuerall factoryes, what good debts and comodityes that would drawe in so much mony within the compase of such a tyme, and what of those things were appointed to make prouisions readie for the Lyon against the next yeare; Together with a note of the remaynders of all the generall goods in the Country, And what is ordered to be prouided for the Southwards, Persia and Moha. And hauing made this generall relation (which gaue very good content and satisfaction), The Company intended to meete at some speciall tymes with him to viewe all his notes and wrightings, sort them, endorse them, and put them to be kept in their seuerall places, wher they may be found hereafter vppon any occation to vse them.
58.1.7
18 October, 1619. — Sir Thomas Roe motioning to haue an end of matters by degrees betwixt the Company and him, desired to haue it first seene and knowne what seruice he hath perfourmed in setling some Trades and Factoryes at Moha [in] the Red Sea and in the Mogores dominions at Surat, Amadauaz and other parts, which may best be discernd by the consultations that haue bene had about those matters, which he desired might now be red. The Company were willing to lay by all other matters to heare the same, And entreated those Comittees that were formerly desired to confer with Sir Thomas Roe, to see his accompts, audyt and perfect them, And the said Comittees to sit with him at some conuenient tymes, heare his opinion of the estate of their affaires abroad, take notice of all his wrightings brought home, sort them and endorse them and put them in seuerall boxes according to former order, and whatsoever else may be necessarye and conuenyent to be vnderstood for the generall good of the Trade.
58.1.8
Sundry Consultations being red out of a booke by Sir Thomas Roe held at Surat and elswher concerning many matters of seuerall natures and qualities. In one of them it did appeare what care he tooke to saue and preuent a great charge they formerly ranne into by sending vpp mony by Conuoye vnto Amadauaz, but caused retournes to be made therof by Bills, wherby much hazard and daunger shalbe preuented and great charge saued that formerly was wastfully expended ; As also how the Persian trade was to be supplyed, Together with many other matters of great consequence.