Jones
Was Sent For, And Asked My Pardon On His Knees, Declaring On Oath To The
King That He Had In Every Thing Belied Me, And That He Now Made This
Declaration In A Voluntary Manner, As He Durst Not Return To His
Country.
The king chid him a little, saying to me that neither he nor
any good man could believe such a slanderer.
The prince grew angry, and
endeavoured to make Jones stand to what he had said formerly against me;
and as Jones refused, the prince basely desired him to restore the 150
rupees he had received for bearing witness against me. Jones promised to
return the money, for which purpose an under-treasurer was sent along
with him to the house in which he lodged, as I would not suffer him to
come to mine.
I was forced to seem content, having no way to seek redress, as I had no
presents to give, and the king never listens to any request unless well
backed, and will even demand it in plain terms, of which the prince
takes advantage, urging that the Portuguese bring rich jewels, rubies,
and pearls, and treating our English commodities with great scorn. On
the 29th of May the Portuguese were admitted to the king with a present,
and to sell a ballass ruby, which was said to weigh thirteen toles,
two and a half of these being equal to an ounce.[200] For this they
asked five lacks of rupees, but the king only offered one lack. Asaph
Khan also was an advocate for the Portuguese, who made him a present of
jewels. They had many rich rubies, ballasses, emeralds, pearls, and
other jewels, for sale, with which they so much gratified the king and
his great men, that we were for a time eclipsed. The prince and the
jesuit fell out about presenting them, which the prince desired, but it
had been promised before to Asaph Khan. I had formerly judged concerning
the credit of the Portuguese at court by report, but I now experienced
the difference between them and us; for they were sought after by all,
while they only bought our commodities as it were by way of giving us
charity. Besides, the Portuguese had an advantage over us in consequence
of their establishments in the neighbourhood, by which they could hinder
trade into the Red Sea, being always more at hand to do harm than we,
who are only entertained out of a little fear, while our trade and
commodities are little cared for.
[Footnote 200: This must be an enormous exaggeration, or error, as in
this case the ruby would have weighed 5 1-5th ounces. - E.]
Sec.2. Occurrences in June, July, and August 1616, from which the
Character and Dispositions of the Mogul and his Subjects may be
observed.
The 12th of June a resolution was taken that Sultan Churrum should go to
the wars in the Deccan, and a day was fixed for his setting out on his
journey, for which all the Bramins were consulted.
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