Travels in India (Tavernier) 66.1

66.1

The least of the servants of your Highness, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Frenchman, prays God for the prosperity of your person, you who are the Lieutenant of the King, the channel by which his favours are distributed, of whom the title is venerable and full of respect, who are the near relative of the King, the Governor-General of his Kingdoms, to whom he refers the accomplishment of all matters of importance. You who are the Prince of Princes, I the servant of your Highness present this petition. Having arrived in this country in obedience to your orders, I have wholly trusted in your favour ; and when I believed myself to be most laden with your bounty, I fell into the nets of Mirza-Arab, Governor of Surat, for, having received the latest orders of your Highness, I went to take leave of him to go to make my salutation to you. He replied that he had written to the King in reference to my person, [and that in consequence he could not give me permission to depart till he had received the reply of his Majesty. I represented to him that, having nothing with me, and that at my arrival in this port, not having been found possessed of any merchandise of importance passing through the customs, I was astonished that he had written to the King in reference to my person]. Disregarding all my arguments he did not alter his decision, and refused to give me permission to leave Surat.