Which,
in the text, we have changed to three; yet a little farther on it
would appear that four per cent. had been agreed for. - E].
The 20th January, 1612, Cotobara, king of Badaya, or
Lollingana,[378] and Masulipatam, died, and great disturbances were
apprehended; but Mir Masunim wisely prevented any troubles, by
immediately proclaiming Mahmud Unim Cotobara, a young man of great
hopes, son to a brother of the deceased king, who had left no sons. His
uncle had submitted to the authority of the Persians,[379] but the new
king evinced a spirit of independence, and disgraced Mir Sumela, the
fountain of tyranny and oppression.
[Footnote 378: These titles are inexplicable, but in the sequel he
appears to have been king of Golconda. - E.]
[Footnote 379: The Moguls are probably here meant, named Persians by
Floris, because they used the Persian language. - E.]
The governor dealt fraudulently with me in regard to a bargain of cloth
and lead, pretending that he had agreed with me only for 4000 pagodas,
meaning by this dishonesty to have increased the customs from four per
cent. which had been settled, to twelve: and when I insisted upon our
agreed terms, he told me roundly, that he, being a mir, or descendant
of Mahomet, would be believed before any Christian. Being at a loss how
to deal with this dishonest rogue, and not having time to send to the
new king at Golconda for redress, I had at one time resolved to right
myself by force, as there seemed no means of bringing him to reason in a
friendly manner; but, at last, by the intervention of some others of the
Moors at Masulipatam, we came to a kind of an agreement.
Having thus concluded our affairs at Masulipatam, and those at
Pattapilly being likewise ended, and the monsoon being favourable, we
departed for Bantam, where we arrived on the 26th April, 1612. We there
found the Dutch about to remove to Jacatra, in consequence of new and
heavy exactions established by the governor of Bantam, with whom, as we
had no factory there at this time, we made an agreement to pay three per
centum for customs, yet not without some contest. By order of Captain
David Middleton, a factory had been established at Succadania, on the
coast of Borneo, which was continued by Mr Spalding; but, as matters
were carried on there, it seemed more calculated for private interest
than the public advantage of the company. The 1st of June we set sail
from Bantam, and came into the road of Patane on the 22d, where we found
the Bantam, a ship of Enkhusen; from the people of which we were
informed of the manners and customs of the country. We landed on the
26th in great state, taking with us a present to the value of 600
dollars, to accompany our king's letter. We were well received,
according to the customs of the country, the letter being laid in a
basin of gold, and carried by an elephant, accompanied by a band of
music, a numerous guard of lances, and many small flags.
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