It Was My Good Fortune At This Time, That A Great Captain
Belonging To The Viceroy Of Guzerat, Residing In
Amadavar,
[Ahmedabad,] was then at Surat, and was likewise invited to this feast,
which was held at the water-side,
Near which the Portuguese had two
frigates of their armada, which came there to receive tribute for the
ships about to depart, and likewise to procure refreshments. Out of
these frigates there came three gallants to the tent where I was, and
some forty Portuguese were scattered about the water-side, ready to join
in the assault on the first signal. These three gallants that came to
our tent, were armed in buff-coats down to their knees, with rapiers and
pistols at their sides, and, immediately on entering, demanded who was
the English captain? I presently rose, and told them I was the man; and
seeing some intended mischief by their countenances, I immediately laid
hand on my weapon. The Mogul captain, perceiving treason was meant
against me, both he and his followers drew their swords; and if the
Portuguese had not been the swifter, both they and their scattered crew
had come ill off.
Another time some thirty or forty of them came to assault me in my
house, having a friar along with them to animate their courage, and give
them absolution. But I was always on my guard, and had a strong house
with good doors. Many of the Portuguese at other times used to lurk for
me and mine in the streets; so that I was forced to complain to the
governor, that I could not go about my business on account of the
Portuguese coming armed into the city to murder me; and represented that
they were not in use at other times to come armed into the city. The
governor then sent word to the Portuguese not to come armed into the
city at their peril.
Mucrob Khan came to Surat accompanied by a Jesuit named Padre Peneiro,
who had offered him 40,000 dollars to send me prisoner to Damaun, as I
was afterwards certainly informed by Hassen Ally and Ally Pommory. On
his arrival I went to visit him, giving him presents, besides those
formerly given to his brother; and for a time, as already mentioned, I
had many outward shows of kindness from him, till such time as I
demanded my money, when he told me flatly he would not give me 20
mahmudies the vara, as had been agreed, but would rather give me
back my cloth. I dissembled my sense of this unjust procedure as well as
I could, entreating leave to proceed to Agra to wait upon the king;
telling him I meant to leave William Finch as chief in my place, who
would either receive the money or the goods, as he might please to
conclude. Upon this he gave me his licence and a letter to the king,
promising me an escort of forty horsemen; which promise he did not
perform. After I got this licence, Father Peneiro put into his head that
he ought not to allow me to go, as I would complain against him to the
king; thus plotting to overthrow my intended journey. Mucrob Khan could
not prevent my going, because I was sent by a king; but endeavoured to
prevail on my interpreter and coachman to poison or murder me by the
way; which invention was devised by the Jesuit. But God, of his mercy,
discovered these plots, and the contrivances of the Jesuit took no
effect.
Sec. 2. Journey of the Author to Agra, and his Entertainment at the Court
of the Great Mogul.
William Finch being now in good health, I left all things belonging to
our trade in his hands, giving him instructions how to conduct himself
in my absence. So I began to take up soldiers to conduct me in safety;
being denied by Muerob Khan. Besides some shot and bowmen whom I hired,
I applied to a captain of the Khan-Khana, to let me have 40 or 50
horsemen to escort me to the Khan-Khana, who was then viceroy of Deccan,
and resided in Bramport.[189] This captain did all in his power for
me, giving me a party of Patan horsemen, who are much feared in these
parts for their valour. If I had not done this I had surely been
overthrown, as the Portuguese of Damaun had induced an ancient friend of
theirs, a Hajah, who was absolute lord of a province called Cruly,
situated between Damaun, Guzerat, and the Deccan, to be ready with 200
horsemen to intercept me; but I went so well provided with a strong
escort, that they durst not encounter me; and for that time also I
escaped. Then at Dayta,[190] another province or principality, my
coachman having got drunk with some of his kinsmen, discovered that he
was hired to murder me. Being overheard by some of my soldiers, they
came and told me that it was to have been done next morning at the
commencement of our journey, as we usually set out two hours before day.
Upon this notice, I examined the coachman and his friends, in presence
of the captain of my escort. He could not deny the truth, but would not
reveal who had hired him, though much beaten; and cursed his bad luck
that he could not effect his purpose. So I sent him back prisoner to the
governor of Surat. My broker or interpreter afterwards told me, that
both he and the coachman were hired by Mucrob Khan, by the persuasion of
the Jesuit, the one to poison and the other to murder me. The
interpreter said he was to receive nothing till the deed was done, which
he never meant to perform, being resolved to be faithful. Thus God again
preserved me. This was five days after the commencement of my journey,
having left Surat on the 1st February, 1609.
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