But God, Of His Mercy,
Discovered These Plots, And The Contrivances Of The Jesuit Took No
Effect.
Sec. 2.
Journey of the Author to Agra, and his Entertainment at the Court
of the Great Mogul.
William Finch being now in good health, I left all things belonging to
our trade in his hands, giving him instructions how to conduct himself
in my absence. So I began to take up soldiers to conduct me in safety;
being denied by Muerob Khan. Besides some shot and bowmen whom I hired,
I applied to a captain of the Khan-Khana, to let me have 40 or 50
horsemen to escort me to the Khan-Khana, who was then viceroy of Deccan,
and resided in Bramport.[189] This captain did all in his power for
me, giving me a party of Patan horsemen, who are much feared in these
parts for their valour. If I had not done this I had surely been
overthrown, as the Portuguese of Damaun had induced an ancient friend of
theirs, a Hajah, who was absolute lord of a province called Cruly,
situated between Damaun, Guzerat, and the Deccan, to be ready with 200
horsemen to intercept me; but I went so well provided with a strong
escort, that they durst not encounter me; and for that time also I
escaped. Then at Dayta,[190] another province or principality, my
coachman having got drunk with some of his kinsmen, discovered that he
was hired to murder me. Being overheard by some of my soldiers, they
came and told me that it was to have been done next morning at the
commencement of our journey, as we usually set out two hours before day.
Upon this notice, I examined the coachman and his friends, in presence
of the captain of my escort.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 368 of 815
Words from 99566 to 99867
of 221842
