The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 6.2
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 6.2
- Language
- English
6.2.1
.... You may thincke that I haue broken your order in desiring the Generall to pay me 200/1. beforehand, on my second yeares wages now currant; because he frugally for you made curious of yt, and yet curteously, when he saw reason, did yt it for mee. I desire to make this apologie for him : I did not thincke you held it reasonable I should land and goe a great journy without one penny in my purse for my priuatt vse ; for you all knew I carried none ; that you gaue mee and lent mee, I protest I disbursed, with additions of myne owne, for my preperation ; and I never ment to make vse of any of that allowed for my chardge for my particular, but to receiue yt and expend yt and giue an account of yt apart to a penny. . . . Besides, I haue required that my seruants halfe yeares wages behynd may be payed here the first yeare, for els they must goe naked, and I am not able to supply all wants. What is 50/li. for 15 Men — about 3/1. apeice, a poore allowance for such as must attend mee ; and it is not 50/1. more then you giue me that dischardges theyr wages ; so far I am from gayne. . . .
6.2.2
.... For my extraordinarye expence of goeing to Court and dyett, I haue vndertaken the Carriadge of the Presents and your seruants sent with them (wherof the Coach is extreame Cumbersome) and receiued 1,000 royalls of 8 ... . wherof you shall receiue by my first from Adgmere a just accompt .... I landed at Suratt, where I was esteemed an Imposture like my Predecessors (for the Jesuits diue deepe into your secrettes and blaze them) ; two before having taken the title of ambassador, Master Hawkins and Master Edwards, but so that they haue almost made yt ridiculous to Come vnder that qualetye. . . . Only I lett you for conclusion know the estate of the Portugall in all these parts. . . . He is on veary ill tearmes and with a little helpe would be vtterly broken heare. But his Majestie must be dealt with. It is good policye of state to sett foote on him now he is falling, and if I had authoritye to treate roundly with the Persian and to engage any helpe to the Mogull by sea, I could dissolue him quite in these parts.
6.2.3
Or if this may not be convenient to enterprice, yet if you will giue him one good blow, which you haue power and reason to doe : whensoeuer you will send sixe good shipes togither for this Place, vnder colour of safe conduct of those to returne hence, and so to take theyr Course for the Sowthward, they may ride in the roade and enforme themselues dayly of the Comminge in of the Gallions for Goa, which ariue alsoe in September, and lade in December for lisbone (the Peons of Suratt may and will goe to Goa for 30s. and bringe weekly aduise when they beginn to lade, for they halfe lade within the barr, vnder the fort, and then come out to take in the rest, where they ryde vnfitted for any defence, halfe their men ashoare with frigatts to fill them), and then four of your shipes may way and bee with them in so many dayes, and take what they please, almost without shooting a shootte, lade themselues and fire them ; and one prosperous assault vpon them would more disharten them, bring them to better termes (when they sawe your resolution to prosequute them), giue you more reputation and good booty, then twenty repulses euer in your owne defence. It is a rule in warr : the offensiue is both the nobler and the safer part. They make this vse of your sparing them : that their King dares doe any affront to you, because the King of England is a tributarye ;
6.2.4
but that you dare not Attempt them, but only defend your goods, least the King of Portugal should punish his Majestie for such bouldnes at home. It is thought requisite that you seeke trade in the Terretoryes of the Mogull in Bengale. I will enforme myselfe of the fittest port and procure a firman for residence of your factors. Since my arriuall at Bramport, beeing the 14 of Nouember 1615, I visited the Prince, which I rather did because ther was a purpose to settle a factory ther. ... I am heer visited by Godes hand with a terrible feauer, now sixe dayes, and brought veary weake; abused in my Carriadges, notwithstanding the Prince gaue order for me, and the Kings firman. The Cuttwall tooke my mony and made price as he pleased; and when I sawe his abuse, I sought abroad, but none would stirr without his leaue. So that I must suffer it, as I doe manyfould and infinite abuses, this beeing a generall Character : euery man will promise any thing, but to this hower I neuer found one man that euer held his woord in any one thing without beeing followed and sued too sixe dayes togither — no answere but " to-morowe." . . . The Cuntrye is all slauish. In this towne of Bramport, the ancient and Cheefe Cytty, except the Castle and some fewe ill howses of Commanders, your swyne lye better than any man ; and what I endure I best knowe. . . . Nouember 25. — Master Boughton dyed and I buried him by leaue early the Next Morning. Nouember 26. — Being enforced to take the Cutwalls, I laded.
6.2.5
Nouember 27. — In much weaknes, beeing Carried in a Pallankee, I Parted Brampore, and lodged that night at Raypora, 3 Course off. Nouember 28. — 15 Course to Burgome. This day I lost my Carriadges, and all my Company. Beeing very sicke I hastened away in my Palenkie to Burgome, but they not beeing able to Follow, we were afrayd one of another. I was without tent or prouision, and gott into a little open house, and soe rested in my Palenkie. I sent away a Peon who before Morning returned with Newes of one another. Nouember 29. — My Carriadges and Company Came to me ; and I rested this day, beeing soe sick as at night I was past sence and giuen ouer for dead ; but God raysed mee. Nouember 30. — In the Morning came a firman from Sultan Peruies for our entended factory at Brampore, which I dispeeded backe to Surat. At Noone I remooued 7 Course. December 1. — 10 Course to Bicangome. December 2. — 7 Course. December 3. — 5 Course. December 4. — To Ecbarpur, 11 Course. It standes on a goodly riuer, falling into the sea nere Baroch, and is doubtles nauigable. December 5. — Spent in passing the riuer called Narbodah, being forced to vnlade. December 6. — 8 Course; lodging in a wood, not farr from the Kings famous Castle of Mandoa, which standes on a steepe hill, walled round in circuit 14 Course. The Castle is faire and of woonderfull greatnes. December 7. — 10 Course. December 8. — 8 Course. December 9. — 10 Course. December 10. — 12 Course. December 11. — 16 Course.
6.2.6
December 12. — 14 Course. December 13. — 6 Course. December 14. — I rested to drye my tents and ease my selfe and Company. December 15. — 6 Course. December 16. — 6 Course. December 17. — 12 Course. Hence I sent Master Shalbancke to Adsmere to prepare for mee.
6.2.7
December 18. — 5 Course to Cytor, an ancient cytty, ruined, on a hill, but so that it appeares a toombe of woonderfull magnificence. Ther standes aboue 100 Churches all of Carued stone, many fayre towers and lanthornes Cutt thorough, many Pillars and innumerable houses ; but no one inhabitant Ther is but one ascent to the hill, it beeing precipitious, sloping vp, Cutt out of the Rocke, having 4 gates in the ascent, before one arriue at the Citty gate, which is Magnificent. The hill is in compasse at the top about 8 Course and at the S.W. end a goodly ould Castle. I lodged by a poore village at the foote of the hill. This Citty standes in the Country of one Ranna, a Prince newly subdued by this King or rather bought to Confesse tribute. The Citty was woone by Ecbar-sha, father to this Mogull. Ranna is rightly descended from Porus, that valient Indian ouercome by Alexander, soe that I take this Citty to haue been one of the ancient seates of Porus ; though Dely, much farther N., bee reported to haue beene the Cheefest, famooues now only in ruynes. Neere that standes a pillar erected by Alexander the Conqueror, with a greeke inscription. The Present Mogull and his Ancestors, descendants of Tamberlan, haue brought all the Ancient Cyttyes to ruine, having dispeopled them and forbidden reparation. I know not out of what reason, vnlesse they would haue nothing remembered of greatness beyond theyr beginnings, as if theyr famely and the world were Coeualls.