New History of the Marathas v1.c10.43

v1.c10.43

Such a time was not long in coming. The English grenades were fired at Panhālā in July 1660, and Shivaji appeared at Rājāpur in the following March with the double object of punishing the English traders and bringing under his sway the whole of the southern Konkan, then belonging to Bijapur. On arrival at Rājāpur he invited the factors to pay him a visit, and they too out of curiosity, as if in utter ignorance of their conduct at Panhālā, called on him, when six of them Randolph Taylor, Richard Taylor, Gifford, Ferrand, Richard Napier, and Samuel Bernard were immediately put under restraint, their goods confiscated, and they themselves were removed to different places and confined, some at fort Songad near Mahād, and some at fort Wāsotā. Shivaji stationed a competent officer, Rāoji Somnāth, to manage the affairs of Rājāpur and look after the comforts of the six factors in confinement. In a few days Rāoji Somnāth informed the factors that they would be set at liberty and amply recompensed for their losses, if they would readily help Shivaji in his projected campaign against the Siddis of Janjira, but that if they refused, they would have to pay ransom for their release. The factors flatly rejected this offer. Many Muslim and Hindu traders and bankers of Rājāpur were similarly dealt with. Shivaji urged that he was in open war against Bijapur, and whoever opposed him would have to suffer the consequences.