I Then Went To The King, And Told Him Of This Circumstance, Craving His Leave To Repair To Surat, With His Commission For Settling Trade At That Port, Which He Was Very Willing To Allow, Limiting Me To A Certain Time Of Absence, When I Was To Return Again To Agra.

When the king's chief vizir, Abdal Hassan, heard this, who was an enemy of all Christians, he told the

King that my going would be the occasion of war, and might occasion the ruin of one of his great men, who had been sent to Goa to purchase toys for the king. Upon this, the king signified his pleasure that I was to remain; but gave immediate orders to have the commission effectually written and sent off to the chief factor at Surat. In fine, the commission was written out in golden letters under his great seal, as fully, freely, and firmly, for our benefit as we could possibly desire. This I presently obtained, and sent it off to William Finch at Surat.

Before its arrival, news came that the Ascension was cast away, and her men saved, but were not allowed to come to Surat. I immediately communicated this intelligence to the king, who was much dissatisfied with the conduct of Mucrob Khan, my great enemy, and gave me another order for their good usage, and that every means should be used to save the goods if possible. These two royal orders came almost at the same time to Surat, to the great joy of William Finch and the rest, who much admired how I had been able to procure them.

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