Should Sultan Cuserou Prevail In
Procuring His Rightful Inheritance, This Empire Will Become A Sanctuary
For Christians, Whom He Loves
And honours, being a patron of learning,
and an encourager of true valour and just government, abhorring all
covetousness, and
Despising the base custom of accepting bribes and
presents, in use among his ancestors and the nobility of this empire.
Should Sultan Churrum ascend the throne, it will be a great loss to us,
as he is a rigid adherent to the superstition of Mahomet, a hater of all
Christians, proud, subtle, false, and barbarously tyrannical.[206]
[Footnote 206: From this paragraph it appears that the journal of Sir
Thomas Roe was addressed to the Governor and Committees, or Directors of
the East India Company. - E.]
The king returned from hunting on the night of the 13th October, and
sent me a wild pig. An ambassador is daily expected here from Shah
Abbas, king of Persia. This day I received advice of the arrival of four
of our ships in safety at Swally roads, and at the same time received
letters from England. The fleet, originally consisting of six ships,
left England on the 9th March, 1616, losing company of the Rose about
the North Cape, in foul weather. The other five arrived safely in
Saldanha bay on the 12th June, where the Lion was waiting for a wind,
homewards bound, her officers and people all in good health. After
staying some time at the Cape without news of the missing ship, they
dispatched the Swan for Bantam, and sailed on the 29th June with the
other four ships for Surat. On this passage, on the 6th August, when in
lat. 12 deg. 50' S. near the Comora islands, they got sight of a carrack of
1500 tons burden, and 600 men, being the admiral of a fleet for Goa. The
Globe fetched her to windward, and after the usual salutations of the
sea, the carrack commanded her to leeward, and seconded this order with
five shots through her hull, to which the Globe replied with eighteen,
and then luffed off. The admiral of the English got now up with all his
ships, and demanded satisfaction for the injury, which was replied to
with scorn. On this an engagement ensued, in which the commander,
Benjamin Joseph, was soon slain, but his successor continued the battle.
Towards evening the carrack ran herself ashore on the rocks of
Angazesia. Our fleet came to anchor in the offing to wait the event,
and sent a boat to offer fair terms of battle. But about midnight the
carrack was set on fire, and continued to burn all next morning. The
English sent their boats to give assistance, but could not approach, and
they had reason to believe that not one man was saved.[207] The new
viceroy of Goa was in this ship, by whose obstinacy the death of all the
rest was occasioned. Our fleet came to anchor off Swally on the 24th
September, 1616.
[Footnote 207: It was afterwards known that some few escaped with life
and poverty. A more particular account of this fight will be found in
the subsequent journal of Alexander Child. - Purch.]
The 14th October I waited on the emperor, to whom I imparted his
majesty's salutations, which were courteously received, but he
immediately began to enquire what presents had been sent to him. I
mentioned our late fight and victory, at which he seemed to rejoice, and
applauded the valour of our nation; but he immediately shifted the
discourse, asking what our king had sent him. I answered, that he had
sent many tokens of his love and affection; but knowing that his majesty
was lord of the best portion of Asia, and the richest monarch of the
East, my sovereign was satisfied the sending of rich gifts to his
majesty were to cast pearls into the sea, their common mother and
storehouse; but that my master, together with the warmest assurance of
his love, had sent him many curiosities, which I hoped would give him
entire satisfaction. He urged me to mention particulars, some of which I
named. He asked me for French muffe or velvet, to which I answered,
that all my letters were not arrived. He then enquired if there were any
dogs. To which I answered, that some had been slain in the battle at
sea, but that two were preserved for him, at which he seemed much
rejoiced. He then said, if I could procure him one of our great horses,
such as I had described, being a roan or Dutch horse, he would value
it more than an additional kingdom. I answered, that I should use my
best endeavours to satisfy his majesty, but much feared it could not be
effected, owing to the length of the voyage. He said he would willingly
give a lack of rupees for such a horse. I then desired he would be
pleased to give an order for the transmission of the presents without
being searched, and for the good usage of our people. He answered, that
the port belonged to his son, but sent for him, and publicly gave orders
for what I required; that the presents should not be searched, nor pay
any custom, but should be sent up safe to me with all expedition, that I
might distribute them at my discretion. He likewise commanded the prince
to give orders for the good usage of our people, and that I should be
satisfied in all my demands. This order did not extend to the grant of a
fort, as Asaph Khan had absolutely refused to deliver in that clause.
This charge was very round and hearty on the part of the king, and a
great grace to me. The prince called Asaph Khan forwards in my presence,
and promised, before his father and the whole court, to give me all
reasonable satisfaction. All this was on the strength of the new
presents.
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