Asaph
Khan Then Took Up The Discourse, And Plainly Told The King, That We
Brought Both Profit And Security To
The port of Surat and to the
kingdom, but were very rudely treated by the prince's servants, and that
we
Could not continue our trade and residence, unless matters were
amended; for which reason it would be more honourable for his majesty to
licence and protect us, than to treat us discourteously. The prince
angrily replied, That he had never wronged us, and had lately given us a
phirmaund at the desire of Asaph Khan. It is true, replied Asaph Khan,
that you granted him a phirmaund to his satisfaction; but in ten days
you sent down another, virtually to contradict and annul the former; and
as he stood as surety between both, and had undertaken our redress on
the prince's word, the shame and dishonour of this double procedure fell
upon him. He said he spoke for no ends, but for the king's honour and
justice, as he owed me nothing, nor I him, and for the truth of his
words he appealed to me, who complained that our goods were taken away
from us by force, and that Rulph,[218] who began this two years ago,
would never pay us, and his officers continued the same procedure every
season. If the prince were weary of the English, he might turn us away;
but then he must expect that we would seek for redress at our own hands
upon the seas.
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