334

Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

the terms he had agreed on, and (hewed the money and poifon. Mr. Boucher com-mended the cook’s fidelity, and told him, that he would give him 600 rupees to behoneft, and a maintenance during life. And Mr. Boucher being bred a druggift in hisyouth, prefently knew the poifon, and carried it to the Cautwal or Sheriff, and fhewedit. The Cautwal ui’ed his utmoft endeavours to catch the Banyan, but he could neverbe found there.

Mr. Boucher had been fourteen months foliciting to procure his phirmaund; buthis repeated petitions to the fecretary had no effect : but he had an Englifhman, oneSwan, for his interpreter, who often took a large dofe of arrack. Aurengzeb one dayhad ordered his camp to remove to another place, and had got on horfeback. Swantook hold of that opportunity, and got pretty near the King, holding his petition orrocca above his head, and cried with a loud voice in the Perfian language, that hismafter wanted juftice done him. The Mogul feeing him in an European garb, orderedhim to be brought to him, and afked the caufe of his complaint. He anfwered, thathis mafter had been fo long at court about procuring a phirmaund to become a fubjeClof His Majefty’s, to be freed from the oppreflions of the Englifh Company, who weregrown intolerable by the connivance of His Majefty’s governors of Surat , and there-fore conjured His Majefty, as he fliould anfwer before God at the great day, to do hismafter juftice, and grant him a phirmaund. The King was ftartled at the bold expref-fions, ordered his fecretary to get one ready for the feal againft the next day, whichwas accordingly done, and Mr. Boucher had it delivered to him as foon as it wasiigned, and then took his leave of the court.

While Mr. Boucher was at court, Mr. Petit made fome voyages into the Gulf ofPerfia, and going thither once, met with fome Sanganian pirates, who attacked him.He defended himfelf bravely, and beat them off; but his gunner firing a blunderbufsout of one of the gun-room ports, blew the fhip up, and the Sanganians took up thofethat were faved by fwimming, among whom was Mr. Petit himfelf.

The Sanganians carried their prifoners to Baet on Guzerat, and laid a ranfom onthem, which Mr. Petit agreed on, and fent letters to his friends at Surat to pay themoney : but general Child hearing of Mr. Petit’s misfortune, and where he was, dif-patched a Banyan to Baet, to perfuade the pirates not to part with their prifoner under25,000!. fterling, and they hearkening to the Banyan, would not ftand to the ftipu-4 ated ranfom of 5000I. Mr. Petit flayed about fix months their prifoner, and thendied through grief, and the ill treatment he had received by Mr. Child ’s perfuafion ;but the pirates getting no ranfom, curfed the general for his counfel.

In anno 1683, the Dutch difpoffeffed the Englifh Company of their factory of Ban-lain, on the weft end of Java ; and the Englifh having a mind to regain it by force ofarms, built feveral fhips between 60 and 70 guns, fo that in anno 1685, they had afleet ready victualled, and manned with 7 or 8000 men, to the number of 23 fail ofthe line of battle fhips, which expence, and the continual craving of the court, broughttheir flock very low 5 yet fince the maw of the court was not enough crammed, theKing laid embargoes on the fleet from time to time, for nine months, and then theDutch ambaffador had orders to prefent His Majefty with 100,000]. if he would com-mand the Company not to ufe violence. He fnapped at the bait, and defeated the de-ft gn to all intents and purpofes.

Chap.