This Letter,
Dated At Mokha, The 25th Of Moharem, Ann.
1021 of the Hejeira, has the
following singular subscription:
Dus como bono amco,
Haydar Aga, aga de Mokha.
"This letter seems to have been inserted by Parchas, who informs us
likewise, that he possessed divers letters from Mami, captain of the
gallies at Mokha, to Captain Saris, which he omits, as he says, to avoid
prolixity, being similar to that of Haydar aga. In the Pilgrims he has
inserted figures of three of their seals, by way of novelty, stating
that these seals were stamps in ink, not on wax. He likewise adds a
piece of a letter in the Banian language and character, commonly used
in a great part of India, written to Captain Saris by the sabandar of
Mokha. He likewise gives a facsimile of the Grand Signior's seal, or
superscription rather, together with two lines and a half of the pass,
or licence, in the Turkish language and character, stating that, in the
original, all the larger strokes are gold, the rest being azure,
intermixed here and there with red, the whole very beautifully executed.
After which follows the letters patent, pass, or licence, rendered into
English, of which the following is the substance:"
"You, who are my most laudable, fortunate, wealthy, and great beglerbeys
or viceroys, both by sea and land, under the authority of my most happy
and imperial throne, &c. Hereby you shall understand, that the
ambassador of the king of Great Britain, residing at our most high
port, hath informed us by his supplications, that some of the subjects
of his master have discovered, with great cost and labour, a trade in
the East Indies, &c. We do therefore command and charge you all and each
of you, our before-mentioned officers and subjects, kindly to receive
and entertain the said merchants and subjects of the king of Great
Britain, coming to, or passing through, any of our dominions, intending
to trade, especially in our dominions of Yaman, Aden, and Mokha, and the
parts adjoining; assisting and relieving them, their men and ships, in
all things needful; and also freely to permit them, by land or sea, to
go or sail outwards or inwards, as their occasions may require, without
let, hindrance, injury, or molestation. And if, contrary to the
capitulations and league of amity between us and the king of Great
Britain, you offer them the least wrong, or any way molest and trouble
the said merchants in their traffic or otherwise in any respect, you
shall not only incur our high displeasure, but shall be punished for
example to others. Therefore, take care you carry yourselves conformably
to this our imperial command, and give entire credit to this our
imperial ensign. Given at our mansion in Constantinople, this 15th of
Zulhajjeh, in the year of the Hejirah, 1019."[413]
[Footnote 413: The abbreviated passages, marked in the text by inverted
commas, were too long for insertion in a note; and the circumstances
they detail appeared too long and uninteresting in the original for
being given at full length.
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