At The First Gate There Was A Good Guard
Of Armed Soldiers; At The Second Were Two Great Pieces Of Cannon On
Carriages.
After passing this gate, we came into a spacious court yard,
twice as long as the Exchange at London.
The soldiers discharged their
pieces at this gate, and placed themselves, among many others there
before them, on the two sides, leaving a lane for us to walk through. Mr
Femell and I alighted at this gate, and placed ourselves on one side
along with our men, but he and I were soon ordered to attend upon the
pacha, it being their divan day, or meeting of the council. At the
upper end of the court-yard, we went up a stair of some twelve steps, at
the top of which two great men came and held me by the wrists, which
they griped very hard, and led me in this manner to the pacha, who was
seated in a long spacious gallery, many great men standing on each side
of him, and others stood on each side all along this gallery, making a
good shew, the floor being all covered with Turkey carpets.
When I came within two yards of the pacha, we were commanded to stop.
The pacha then, with a frowning and angry countenance, demanded of what
country I was, and what brought me into these parts? I answered, that I
was an Englishman and a merchant, a friend to the grand signior, and
came to seek trade. He then said, it was not lawful for any Christian to
come into that country, and he had already given warning to Captain
Sharpey for no more of our nation to come hither. I told him Captain
Sharpey was cast away on the coast of India, and did not get to England
to tell us so; which, if we had known, we had never put ourselves to the
trouble we were now in; that Regib aga had imposed upon us, saying, we
were welcome into the country, and that we should have as free trade as
in any part of Turkey, with many other fair promises; and, contrary to
his word, had assaulted us with armed soldiers, had murdered several of
my men, and made me and others prisoners. He said Regib aga was no more
than his slave, and had no power to pass his word to me without his
leave, and that what had befallen me and my people was by his orders to
Regib aga; he having such orders from the grand signior so to chastise
all Christians that dared to come into these parts. I told him we had
already received great harm, and if it pleased him to let us return to
our ships, what we had suffered would be a sufficient warning for our
nation never to return again into his country. He answered, that he
would not allow us to depart, but that I should write to the ambassador
of our nation at Constantinople, and he would write to the grand
signior, to know his pleasure as to what was to be done with us, or
whether he chose to permit us to trade or no.
The pacha then dismissed me, desiring me to go to the lodging that was
appointed for me, taking four or five of my people with me at my choice.
These men and I were conveyed to the jailor's house, while all the rest
were committed to the common prison, where they were all heavily ironed.
At the time when I was taken before the pacha, one of our youths
fainted, thinking I was led away to be beheaded, and that his turn would
soon follow. He sickened immediately, and died shortly after. The 6th, I
was sent for to breakfast with the kiabya, or lieutenant-general of the
kingdom, and after breakfast, I gave him a particular account of the
vile treachery that had been practised against me by Regib aga. He
desired me to be of good cheer, not thinking of what was past, which
could not be remedied, as he hoped all would go well in the end, for
which his best endeavours to do me good should not be wanting. Shermall,
the Banian at Mokha, had made this man my friend. The 7th, I was sent
for again by the kiabya to his garden, where he feasted Mr Femell and
me, telling me that I and my people should be soon set at liberty, and
sent back to Mokha, where all my wrongs should be redressed, as he was
resolved to stand my friend. This declaration was made before many of
the principal persons, both Turks and Arabs, his only inducement being
for God's sake, as he pretended, but I well knew it was in hopes of a
reward. The letter of Hamet aga to this man did us much good.
At this time there came to Zenan a Moor of Cairo, who was an old
acquaintance of the pacha, and had lent him large sums at his first
coming from Constantinople very poor. This man was our next neighbour in
Mokha at the time when we were betrayed, and had a ship in the road of
Mokha, bound for India, which he feared our ships would have taken in
revenge of our injuries, but as she was allowed peaceably to depart, he
became our great friend. He wrote a letter in our behalf to the pacha,
blaming him for using us so ill, and saying he would destroy the trade
of the country by such conduct. On coming now to the pacha, he repeated
what he had written and much more, urging him to return me all my goods,
and to send me and my people away contented. His influence prevailed
much; as when the pacha sent for us, it was his intention to have put me
to death, and to make slaves of all the rest. Of all this I was informed
by Shermall and Hamet Waddy, who were both present when the letter was
read, and at the conference between the pacha and him.
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