During This
Banquet, The King, Who Sat Aloft In A Gallery About Six Feet From The
Ground, Drank Often To
The general in the wine of the country, called
arrack, which is made from rice, and is as strong as
Our brandy, a
little of it being sufficient to set one to sleep. After the first
draught of this liquor, the general either drank it mixed with water, or
pure water, craving the king's pardon, as not able to take such strong
drink; and the king gave him leave.
After the feast was done, the king caused his damsels to come forth and
dance, and his women played to them on several instruments of music.
These women were richly attired, and adorned with bracelets and jewels;
and this was accounted a great favour, as the women are not usually seen
of any but such as the king will greatly honour. The king gave also to
the general a fine robe of white calico, richly wrought with gold: a
very fine girdle of Turkey work; and two crisses, which are a kind of
daggers all of which were put on him by a nobleman in the king's
presence. He was then courteously dismissed, and a person was sent
along with him, to make choice of a house in the city, wherever the
general might think most suitable. But at that time he refused the
proffered kindness, chusing rather to go on board the ships, till the
king had considered the queen's letter.
The letter from the queen was superscribed, To the great and mighty King
of Achem, &c. in the island of Sumatra, our loving brother,
greeting.[110] After a long complimentary preamble, and complaining
against the Portuguese and Spaniards for pretending to be absolute lords
of the East Indies, and endeavouring to exclude all other nations from
trading thither, it recommended the English to his royal favour and
protection, that they might be allowed to transact their business freely
then and afterwards in his dominions, and to permit their factors to
remain with a factoryhouse in his capital, to learn the language and
customs of the country, till the arrival of another fleet. It likewise
proposed that reasonable capitulations, or terms of commercial
intercourse, should be entered into by the king with the bearer of the
letter, who was authorised to conclude the same in her name; and
requested an answer accepting the proffered league of amity.
[Footnote 110: In the Pilgrims this letter is given at full length; but,
being merely complimentary, is here only abridged. - E.]
At his next audience, the general had a long conference with the king
respecting the queen's letter, with which he seemed well satisfied;
saying, if the contents came from the heart he had reason to think of it
highly, and was well pleased to conclude the proposed treaty of amity
and commerce. As for the particular demands made in the queen's name by
the general, respecting trade, the king referred him to two noblemen,
who were authorised to confer with him, promising that all which was
requested by the queen should be granted. With this satisfactory answer,
and after another banquet, the general departed. He sent next day to the
two noblemen appointed to treat with him, to know when they proposed to
meet, and confer with him. One of these was chief bishop or high-priest
of the realm,[111] a person in high estimation with the king and people,
as he well deserved, being a very wise and prudent person. The other
was one of the ancient nobility of the country, a man of much gravity,
but not so fit for conferring on the business in hand as the former.
[Footnote 111: As the grand Turk has his Mufti, so other Mahomedan
princes have their chief priests in all countries of that
profession. - Purch.]
After a long conference,[112] the general demanded that proclamation
might be instantly made, that none of the natives should abuse the
English, but that they might be permitted to follow their business in
peace and quietness. This was so well performed, that though there was a
strict order for none of their people to walk by night, yet ours were
allowed to go about by day or night without molestation; only, when any
of our people were found abroad at unlawful hours, the justice brought
them home to the general's house, and delivered them there.
[Footnote 112: A long train of formal particulars are here omitted, as
tedious and uninteresting. - E.]
At the close of the conference, the chief-priest required from the
general notes of his demands of privileges for the merchants in writing,
with the reasons of the same, that they might be laid before the king;
promising that he should have answers within a few days. With these
conferences, and much courtesy, and after some conversation on the
affairs of Christendom, they broke up for that time. The general was not
negligent in sending his demands in writing to the noblemen, as they
were mostly drawn up before coming ashore, being not unready for such a
business.
On his next going to court, and sitting before the king, beholding a
cock-fight, which is one of the sports in which the king takes great
delight, the general sent his interpreter with his obeisance to the
king, requesting him to be mindful of the business on which he had
conferred with the two noblemen. The king then made him draw near,
telling him he was careful of his dispatch, and would willingly enter
into a league of peace and amity with the Queen of England, which he
would truly perform: and that the demands and articles he had set down
in writing should all be extended in proper form by one of his
secretaries, which he should then authorise and confirm. Within five or
six days these were delivered to the general, from the king's own hands,
with many gracious words. It were too long to insert the entire articles
of this treaty; but the whole demands of the English were granted.
First, free trade and entry.
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