They Were At Last
Informed Of Certain Dutchmen Who Dwelt With The Archbishop, And Were
Advised To Send For Them, At Which They Greatly Rejoiced, And Sent For
Me And Another Dutchman, Desiring Us To Come And Speak With Them, Which
We Presently Did.
With tears in their eyes, they complained to us of
their hard usage, explaining to us distinctly, as is
Said before, the
true cause of their coming to Ormus, and praying us for God's sake to
help them to their liberty upon sureties, declaring themselves ready to
endure whatever could be justly ordained for them, if they were found to
be otherwise than they represented, or different from other travelling
merchants who sought to profit by their wares.
Promising to do our best for them, we at length prevailed on the
archbishop to deliver a petition for them to the viceroy, and persuaded
him to set them at liberty and restore their goods, on condition of
giving security to the amount of 2000 pardaos, not to depart the country
without licence. Thereupon they presently found a citizen who became
their surety in 2000 pardaos, to whom they paid in hand 1300, as they
said they had no more money; wherefore he gave them credit for the rest,
seeing that they had great store of merchandise, through which he might
at any time be satisfied, if needful. By these means they were delivered
out of prison, on which they hired a house, and began to open shop; so
that they sold many of their goods, and were presently well known among
the merchants, as they always respected gentlemen, especially such as
bought their wares, shewing them much honour and courtesy, by which they
won much credit, and were beloved of all men, so that all favoured them,
and were ready to shew them favour.
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