He Received The Cap, But
Returned The Gloves, As Useless In This Country, And Requested To Have
Some Alicant Wine, Which I Sent Him Next Night.
Aganor, whose diligence
now gave me great hope of success in my desires, sent his Banian
secretary to inform
Me that he had orders for the dispatch, of the
merchant goods, and that his man should attend Mr Bidulph to finish that
business; that the patterns should be sent me, and that the Mogul meant
to give me a robe, and money to bear my charges in going to wait upon
the prince. I returned for answer, that I had no need of a garment or of
money, but begged his majesty would graciously consider the injuries of
which I had complained, and of which I had already given an account in
writing, and that he would please to give me a letter to the prince,
with some of our own presents which were intended for him, or else state
my excuse in writing, that his majesty had intercepted and appropriated
the whole. This was all I wished, as instead of gifts from the king, I
only required justice.
The 21st I discovered that the Mogul suspected that I meant to steal out
of the country. These doubts had been insinuated by the prince, either
as a cover for his own guilt, or out of fear, or perhaps as a cunning
pretence to cover his own designs. He had informed the king that the
English meant next year to surprise Surat, and retain possession of that
place. Indeed, their own folly gave some colour to the idea; as lately,
upon one of the usual brawls at that place, our people had landed 200
musqueteers, with whom they marched towards Surat; and, during their
march, some of the jovial tars gave out to all they met that they meant
to take the place. This was a most absurd bravado, for a handful of men
to march twelve miles against a walled town that was able to oppose them
with 1000 horse, and as many foot armed with match-locks, and having
besides to pass a river which could be defended by a handful of men
against an army. It gave, however, just occasion both of scorn and
offence; and the prince, perhaps to serve some ends of his own, took
occasion from it to strengthen the fortifications of the town and
castle, and to send down ordnance for their defence; perhaps a good
precaution to have an open door to flee to in case his brother should
live, and have the means of checking his ambitious views. But this
information concurring with my discontents here, and some free language
on that occasion, and my pressing demands to be allowed to go to
Burhanpoor, together with flying reports that we had taken Goa, and were
preparing a great fleet in England, raised suspicions in the mind of the
king, though he concealed them as well as he could from me. By my
explanations, however, I satisfied the king thoroughly, though I was by
no means so, having been fed only with words, and knew well that our
residence was only permitted out of fear. The complaints I was enforced
to make at this court against the misconduct of its officers towards us,
greatly offended all the great men, as being in some sort their own
case; for they all live by farming the several governments, in which
they all practise every kind of tyranny against the natives under their
jurisdiction, oppressing them with continual exactions, and are
exceedingly averse from any way being opened by which the king may be
informed of their infamous proceedings. They grind the people under
their government, to extract money from them, often hanging men up by
the heels to make them confess that they are rich, or to ransom
themselves from faults merely imputed with a view to fleece them. Thus
my complaints against exaction and injustice made me hated of all about
the court, as an informer.
The 25th I received a letter from Captain Pepwell, then in Dabul roads,
stating, - That, according to advice, he had stopped the junk bound for
Mokha; but having well weighed the caution I had given him respecting
the correspondence between that prince and Masulipatam, where the
Solomon then was, he had freed her without spoil. By this courtesy he
had procured such good entertainment as is seldom had in the Indies,
being allowed free trade, with a promise of taking 300 pieces of
broad-cloth yearly, and had sold a good quantity of lead for ready
money, besides some ordnance. This part of his procedure I do not like
much, as tending to arm the Indians, and the Portuguese, their friends,
against the Moguls. If these courtesies proceeded not from the junk
being still under his command, they give good prospect of an yearly sale
at that port. However, the freeing of this junk gives me good assurance
that Captain Pepwell will do nothing prejudicial to the Company, and
will deliver himself honestly from the jealousies entertained of him at
Dabul. He signifies his intention of proceeding to Calicut, and if that
factory be not likely to succeed, he proposes transferring it to Dabul.
The 27th, by a foot-post from Masulipatam, I received advice that the
Solomon had put to sea, and that the Hosiander was arrived from Bantam,
with the bad news of the loss of the Hector and Concord, while careening
in the roads of Jacatra, in the island of Java; but with the good news
that the Dragon, Clove, and Defence were laden homewards from Bantam. I
took the opportunity of this post to convey a letter to the governor of
Dabul respecting the overture made by him of trade to that port; and,
though I had no great opinion of the place, I would neither have it
entirely neglected, nor would I encourage the next fleet to proceed
there, unless on better assurance than a forced friendship, and offers
made when their junk was in our power.
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