He Enquired For Dogs, But I Could Say Nothing On That Subject.
He Then Asked For Jewels, But I Told Him These Were Dearer In England
Than In India, At Which He Rested Satisfied.
I durst not name the pearls
for many reasons, but chiefly as I knew our people in that case would be
way-laid by the prince, and it would have cost me infinite trouble to
get them back.
I thought they might easily be brought on shore, and so
to court, by stealth, and I thought they would be the more valued the
less they were expected: but my main reason of concealment was, that I
expected to make friends by their means; therefore; when Asaph Khan
pressed me on that head, I desired him to make the answer already
mentioned of their dearness, saying that I would speak to him farther
when alone. He readily understood me, and made my excuse accordingly.
Seeing the king to be well pleased, I thought it a good time to move
him again about our debts; and having my petition ready, I opened it and
held it up, as offering it to the king. He happened not to notice this,
and it being discovered by some others what was its contents, who knew
the king would be enraged that his order was neglected, one of them
stept up to me, and gently drew down my hand, requesting me not to
present that petition. I answered, that Arad Khan had absolutely refused
me justice, and I had no other resource. Arad heard this, being by, and
went in much fear to Asaph Khan, desiring him to hinder me from making
my complaint. I answered, that our ships were arrived, and we could
neither brook nor endure such delays and loss of time. Thereupon they
consulted together, and calling the cutwall, gave directions for him to
put the king's orders, into execution. The cutwall, accordingly, beset
the tents of our debtors that very night, and catched some of them; so
that we shall now have justice. I had many thanks from all the omrahs
for the protection given to the queen's ship, and the civility shown by
our people to the passengers. This they said they had properly
represented to the king, who took it kindly, and they all declared they
were obliged in honour to love our nation, and would do us every service
in their power; yet they all wondered we could not govern our own
people, and that any should presume to take ships out of the kingdom,
and to rob upon the seas without leave of our king.
When the king arose, Asaph Khan carried me with hint to his
retiring-place, where we first translated the inventory of our goods
into Persian, to shew the king an hour after. In this inventory I
inserted the money with some addition, that the king might see we
brought profit into his dominions by our trade. I next inserted the
cloths of different kinds, with the fine wares; and, lastly, the gross
commodities, concluding by praying his majesty to give orders for what
he wished to purchase, and then to give us liberty of selling the rest.
When this was finished, Asaph Khan asked why I wished to speak with him
in private, desiring me to speak my mind with freedom, bowing, and
protesting such friendship as I never could have expected.
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