In This
Opposition Sir Robert Shirley Had Been Implicated, Who Had Gone To
Europe In 1615, On A Mission From
The king of Persia, to form a contract
with the king of Spain, then sovereign of Portugal, not only to
Sell to
his subjects the whole of the Persian silk, but to grant them licence to
fortify the sea-ports of Persia for the protection of their shipping and
factories. Mr Connock, the English agent in Persia, under these
circumstances, recommended the necessity of applying to king James, and
submitting to his consideration the danger of allowing the Portuguese to
enjoy the exclusive possession of that trade, which would render them
the most powerful European nation in the East Indies. In the mean time,
he represented to the king of Persia the necessity of seizing the island
of Ormus from the Portuguese, under the protection of which the Persian
dominions could be supplied by the English with all kinds of Indian
commodities.
"In this critical situation of the company's agents at Ispahan, an
ambassador arrived from the king of Spain, in June 1617, authorised to
adjust and settle the contract which Sir Robert Shirley had projected.
The English agent, in consequence, urged the factory at Surat to
dispatch the whole of the company's ships to Jasques for the defence of
that port, as the Portuguese fleet had rendezvoused at Muscat, and had
determined to blockade the passage into the Persian gulf against the
English trade. These events induced Sir Thomas Roe to grant a
commission, and to give instructions to the company's agent at Ispahan,
authorising him to treat with the king of Persia, in the name of the
king of England.
"In 1618, Captain Shillings, of the company's ship Ann, went to Mokha,
and obtained a phirmaund from the governor, by which the English were
allowed free trade, and protection to their persons and property, on
condition of paying three per cent. on merchandize, and three per cent.
on the prices of all goods exported by them from Mokha. On receiving
information of this event, Sir Thomas Roe addressed a letter to the
governor of Mokha, requesting that these privileges might be confirmed
by the Grand Signior, and promising, on the part of the English, that
all kinds of European goods should be regularly brought to Mokha, and
that the English should defend that port against all enemies, and
particularly against the Portuguese.
"This appears to have been the last transaction of Sir Thomas Roe in the
East Indies. In his voyage home he touched at Saldanha bay [Table bay]
in May, 1619, where he met, and held a conference with the Dutch admiral
Hoffman, who commanded the outward-bound fleet from Holland of that
season. From this officer he learned that the respective governments in
Europe, alarmed at the commercial jealousies and animosities between
their subjects in the East Indies, had appointed commissioners to take
that subject into consideration. It was therefore, with a becoming sense
of duty, agreed between them that each should address a letter to the
chiefs of their respective factories in India, recommending to them to
abstain from any opposition or violence against each other, till each
had received specific instructions from their superiors, or should be
informed of the result of the conferences between the commissioners of
the two nations in Europe."
Sec.1.
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