He Said He Spoke For No Ends, But For The King's Honour And
Justice, As He Owed Me Nothing, Nor
I him, and for the truth of his
words he appealed to me, who complained that our goods were taken
Away
from us by force, and that Rulph,[218] who began this two years ago,
would never pay us, and his officers continued the same procedure every
season. If the prince were weary of the English, he might turn us away;
but then he must expect that we would seek for redress at our own hands
upon the seas. He demanded whether the king or the prince gave me the
means of living, or, as they did not, at whose expence I was maintained?
saying, that I was an ambassador and a stranger, who lived in this
country and followed the progress of the king at great charges; and if
our goods continued to be taken from us by force, so that we could
neither get back our goods, nor yet their value in money, it would be
impossible for us to subsist.
[Footnote 218: On a former occasion, where this person is mentioned, it
has been said that his name, in the edition of this journal given by
Churchill, is written Sulph. From the circumstances in the context at
this place, it is possible that Sulpheckar Khan, or Zulfeccar Khan,
governor of Surat under Sultan Churrum, may be here meant. - E.]
This was delivered with some heat, and the king, catching at the word
force, repeated it to his son, whom he sharply reprehended. The prince
promised to see me paid for all that had been taken. He said likewise
that he had taken nothing, having only caused the presents to be sealed;
and, as his officers had received no customs on these, he desired to
have them opened in his presence. This I absolutely refused to consent
to, telling the king that I only did my duty to my master, in insisting
to deliver the presents free from duty, and that, when I had so done, I
should give the prince full satisfaction in all other things. At this
time, Etimon Dowlet, who had been made our friend by his son Asaph Khan,
whispered to the king, and read a clause or two from my master's letter,
on which the king made the prince stand aside. Asaph Khan joined in this
private conference, which they told me was for our good; and in
conclusion, the prince was commanded to suffer all the goods to come
quietly to me, and to give me such privileges for our trade as were fit,
and as should be proposed by Asaph Khan.
The prince would not yield the presents, unless Asaph Khan became his
surety that he should have a share, which he did, and we were then all
agreed on that point. The king paid me many compliments in words, and
even gave me two pieces of pawne out of the dish then before him,
desiring me to partake of what he was eating.
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