On This,
Though Much Against The Wish Or Asaph Khan, My Italian Interpreter Was
Called In.
I then made him tell the king that I requested leave to speak
to him, to which he answered, willingly.
On this, the son-in-law of
Asaph Khan pulled away my interpreter by force, and that faction so
hemmed in the king, by gathering round him, that I could scarcely see
his majesty, nor could my Italian approach. Upon this, I ordered the
Italian to speak aloud, that I craved audience of the king; who
immediately called me before him, and the others made way. Asaph Khan
stood on one side of my interpreter, and I on the other: I to inform him
what to say, and the other to awe him by winks and signs.
I desired him to say, that I had now been two months at court, one of
which I had spent in sickness and the other in compliments, and had
effected nothing of all on which I had been sent by the king my master;
which was to conclude a firm and lasting treaty of peace and amity
between the two sovereigns, and to establish a fair and secure trade and
residence for my countrymen in his majesty's dominions. He answered that
this was already granted. I replied, it was so; but that it still
depended upon so slender a thread, and such weak conditions, as to be
very uncertain in its continuance. That an affair of so high importance
required an agreement dear and explicit in all points, and a more formal
and authentic confirmation than it now had, by ordinary firmauns, which
were merely temporary commands, and respected accordingly. He asked me
what presents we would bring him? To which I answered, the league was
yet new and weak; that many curiosities were to be found in our country,
of rare value, which the king of England would send; and that our
merchants would search for such things in all parts of the world, if
they were made sure of a quiet trade and secure protection on honourable
conditions, having been hitherto subjected to manifold wrongs. He asked
me what kind of curiosities I meant, and whether these were jewels or
precious stones? To this I answered, that we did not deem such things
fit to be sent back from Europe to India, of which he was the principal
sovereign, as they were common here in India, and of much higher price
with us in Europe: But that we would endeavour to find such things for
his majesty as were rare and uncommon in his dominions; such as
excellent specimens of painting, carving, enamelling, figures in brass,
copper, and stone, rich embroideries, stuffs of gold and silver, and the
like.
The king said that these things were all very well, but that he wished
to have an English horse. I answered, that this was utterly impossible
by sea, and that the Turks would not allow of any being sent by land. In
reply, he said he thought it not impossible by sea; and, when I
represented the dangers from storms, he said if six were sent in one
ship, one of them surely might live, and though it came lean, it might
be here made fat. I then told him, I feared it could not be done by so
long a voyage; yet, for his majesty's satisfaction, I should give due
notice of his desire.
He then asked to know what were my demands? I answered, That his majesty
would be pleased to sanction by his royal signature, certain reasonable
conditions which I should propound, in confirmation of a league of
peace and amity, and for the security of our nation in their residence
and trade in his dominions; as they had hitherto been often wronged, and
could not continue on their present terms, of which I forbore to make
any specific complaint, because I hoped to procure amendment from his
majesty. At these words, Asaph Khan offered to pull away my interpreter,
but I held him fast, while Asaph Khan continued to make signs to him not
to interpret my words. On this the king became suddenly very angry,
pressing to know who had wronged us, and seemed in such fury, that I was
unwilling to follow it out, and spoke in broken Spanish to my
interpreter, desiring him to say, That I would not trouble his majesty
with what was past, but would seek justice of the prince his son, whose
favour I doubted not to obtain. Not attending to what my interpreter
said, but hearing the name of his son, the king mistakingly conceived I
accused him; and hastily saying mio filio! mio filio! he called for
the prince, who came in great fear, humbling himself. Asaph Khan
trembled, and all those present were amazed.
He chid the prince roundly, and he excused himself. But as I perceived
the king's error, I made both the king and prince understand the
mistake, by means of a Persian prince who offered himself as
interpreter, as my Italian understood Turkish better than Persian. By
this means I appeased the king, saying that I in no respect accused the
prince, but wished to inform his majesty that I should appeal to the
prince's justice, in regard to the past wrongs our nation had suffered
in those places which were under his government. The king then commanded
the prince, that he should give as effective justice. In his
justification, the prince said that he had already offered me a firmaun,
which I had refused. The king asked me the reason of this. To which I
answered, that I humbly thanked the prince, but he knew that it
contained a condition I could not accept; and besides, that I wished to
propound our own demands, in which I would insert all the desires of the
king my master at once, that I might not daily trouble his majesty and
the prince with complaints.
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