I
Went Immediately On Board, And Put The Ship Into The Best Order I Could.
The People All Refused To Submit To Any Other Commander But Me:
Yet I
thought it a debasement to tread in the steps of my under-merchant,
wherefore I committed the charge to Mr Skinner, in hopes that he and the
rest would do every thing for the best, and returned myself to
Masulipatam.
I here found three persons, who said they were sent with
letters from Obiana, queen of Pullicatt, Jaga Rajah, the governor
of that place, and of St Thome, and Apa Condaia, secretary to the
great king Wencatad Rajah, in which they promised, if I would come
thither, that they would give me a place opposite the fort at Pullicatt,
with all the privileges I could wish, and many other fair promises. But
remembering how I and the James had been entertained there, I could give
little credit to these assurances; yet, at length, it was agreed, that
one of the messengers should remain with me while the other two went
back with one of my people, by whom I sent letters to the
before-mentioned persons, as also to the king, in which, after
recapitulating the bad entertainment we had formerly received at
Pullicatt, I offered that we would return to trade in the country, if
they would send us the king's caul, or safe conduct, in due form.
The 29th of July, four persons arrived as ambassadors, accompanied by my
man Wengali. These men came from Wencatad Rajah, the great king of
Narsiaga or Velore,[392] bringing me a caul, or safe conduct and
licence, with an Abestiam, which is a white cloth on which the king's
own hand is printed in sandal or saffron; as also a caul from the queen
of Pullicatt, together with letters from Jaga Rajah, Tima Rajah, Assa
Condaia, and others. The king's letter was written on a leaf of gold, in
which, after apologising for the former faults committed against us in
Pullicatt, he desired us to return into his country, and chuse a place
to our own liking, where we might build a house or castle according to
our own pleasure, with other privileges. He even gave me a town of about
400 pounds of yearly revenue, with a promise to do more for me at my
arrival. The Hollanders had wrought much against this; but their words
had not now so much force, and the inhabitants grieved to see the
English ships passing by every year without any profit to them, and
therefore, making their complaints to the king, had occasioned these
friendly offers. My man Wengali had been in the presence of the king,
and even had spoken with him, the king having laid his hand on his head,
and presented him with a tesseriffe.[393] I kept the ambassadors with
me, allowing their daily charges, till the ship might come into the
road, and that I had time to consider the proposals.
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