He Dismissed Me With
More Signs Of Grace And Favour, If I Were Not Flattered By The
Christians, Than Ever Were Shewn To Any Ambassador From The Turks Or
Persians Or Any Other Nation.
[Footnote 196:
This place, formerly described as a window looking to the
esplanade in front of the palace, called jarneo in Purchas, is called
jarruco in Churchill. - E.]
On the 14th I sent to offer a visit to Sultan Churrum,[197] the third
son of the Great Mogul, but first in favour. Hearing that he was an
enemy to all Christians, I therefore feared some affront; yet he sent me
word that I should be received with all due respect, and should have as
much content as I had already from his father. This prince is lord of
Surat, our chief residence in the empire, and his favour, therefore, was
important for our affairs. I went accordingly to visit him on the 22d at
nine in the morning, at which time he sits in public, in the same manner
as his father, to dispatch his business, and to be seen of his
followers. His character was represented to me as naturally proud, so
that I was in some fear for my reception; but, on hearing of my arrival,
instead of coming out to his public durbar, he sent one of his principal
officers to conduct me into a good inner room, never before done to any
one. The officer here entertained me with discourse concerning my
mission for half an hour, till the prince was ready; who now came forth
and used me better than his promise. I delivered him a present, but not
in the name of his majesty, as it was too mean for that purpose; but
excused the omission, by saying, That my sovereign could not know of his
being lord of Surat, which had been so lately conferred upon him; but I
had no doubt the king of England would afterwards send him one more
suited to his high rank, the one now presented being only sent by the
English merchants, who humbly commended themselves to his favour and
protection. He received all in very good part. After stating some
grievances and injuries suffered by the English at Surat, from his
governors, and of which I had forborne to complain to the king from
respect to him, he promised me speedy and effectual justice, and to
confirm our security in any way I might propose. He professed to be
entirely ignorant of any past transactions there, as stated by me,
except as informed by Asaph Khan; and especially denied having given any
order for our dismissal, which the governor had falsely alleged, and for
which he should dearly pay. He then dismissed me, full of hopes to have
our decayed state and reputation rectified, making me a promise of an
effectual firmaun for our trade and secure residence at Surat.
[Footnote 197: In the Pilgrims, this prince is uniformly named Corone;
but the name in the text has been adopted from the authority of Dow's
History of Hindoostan. He succeeded to his father in 1627, when he
assumed the name of Shah Jehan; and was, in 1659, dethroned and
imprisoned, by his third son, the celebrated Aurungzebe, who assumed the
name of Alumguire. - E.]
The 24th, I went again to the royal durbar to visit the king; who, on
seeing me far off, beckoned with his hand, that I should not wait the
ceremony of asking leave, but come up to him directly, and assigned me a
place near himself, above all other men, which I afterwards thought fit
to maintain. On this occasion I gave a small present; as it is the
custom for all who have any business to give something, and those who
cannot get near enough to speak, send in or hold up their gift, which he
always accepts, be it only a rupee, and demands to know their business.
He held the same course with me; for having looked curiously at my
present, and asked many questions respecting it, he demanded to know
what I wanted of him. I answered that I wanted justice. For, on the
assurance of his firmaun, which had been sent to England, the king my
master had not only given leave to his subjects to make a long and
dangerous voyage to his dominions with their goods, but had deputed me,
as his ambassador and representative, to congratulate and compliment his
majesty on the amity so happily commenced between two so mighty nations,
and to confirm the same. Yet I found that the English, who were settled
at Ahmedabad, were injured and oppressed by the governor in their
persons and goods, being fined, subjected to arbitrary exactions, and
kept as prisoners; while at every town new customs were demanded for
their goods on their passage to the port, contrary to all justice, and
in direct contravention of the formerly conceded articles of trade, as
contained in his majesty's firmaun. To this he answered, that he was
sorry to hear of such things, which should be immediately rectified; and
he gave orders for two firmauns to be immediately extended according to
my desire. By one of these, the governor of Ahmedabad was commanded to
restore the money he had exacted from Mr Kerridge, and to use the
English in future with all favour. By the other, all customs required on
any pretence by the way were abolished, and all such as had been taken
was ordered to be restored. Finally, he desired me, if these gave not
speedy and effectual remedy, that I should renew my complaint against
the disobeyer, who should be sent for to answer for his conduct; and so
dismissed me.
The 1st of March, I rode out to see a pleasure-house belonging to the
king, two miles from Agimere, which had been given him by Asaph Khan. It
was situated between two vast rocks, by which it was so sheltered that
scarcely could the sun be any where seen.
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