Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

344

They firft made a confeffion of their faults, and defired pardon, then that their Phir-maund, which was forfeited, fhould be renewed, and that the Sedee and his army*fhould be ordered off Bombay. Their fubmillion he accepted of, and pardoned theirfaults, on condition that Mr. Child fhould leave India in nine months, and nevercome back again, the Phirmaund to be renewed, on condition that fatisfaction Ihouldbe given his fubjedls on account of debts contracted, robberies committed, and Ioffesand damages made good, and, on fecurity given for the due performances of thefepremiffes, the Sedee and his army fhould be ordered off the iiland. In January Gene-ral Child died, which much facilitated their afFairs, but it was kept fecret at court,till they knew how the King would order the affair about, him. In March MeerMezamie died alfo, and, it was fuppofed, was poifoned by fome enemies contractedby his good fervices to. the Englifh. When he was given over by phyficians, our atn-bafladors fent to know what he had done with 50,000 rupees, he had received forfecret fervices. He anfwered, that he was forry that ever he had meddled in theirafFairs, for he had ferved them even with his life, and yet they were not contended,for what ufe that fum was put to, he durft not divulge.

When our afFairs were in fo bad circumftances at the Mogul’s court, the DutchCompany had one Mr. Baroon their ambaffador there, who defigned to impofe onAurengzeb, who, he thought was ignorant of European affairs. The news of therevolution in Britain being arrived in India , when he had an audience of Aurengzeb,he began to magnify the power and grandeur of his country, and vilify the Englifh.The Mogul feemed to be pleafed with his difcourfe, to encourage him to go on. Hetold, that the Englifh were but contemptible in comparifon of his fovereigns, for theywere forced to fend the Englifh a King to rule over them, and that if His Majeftywould exclude the Englifh from the trade of his dominions, the Hollanders wouldcarry it to a much greater height, and enrich his treafury, and the Englifh would notknow where to get bread. The Mogul gravely anfwered, that if his mailers were fomuch fuperior to the Englifh in power and riches, they might eafily drive them outof India , engrofs all the trade of his countries to themfelves ; and commanded him totell his mailers, that he expected it from them. Then the ambaffador excufed him-felf, and to I"!, that he could a£t nothing in that affair till he received orders fromHolland. Aurengzeb then reprimanded him, and fhewed him wherein he had lied jfor, fays he, about feventeen years ago, the King of France conquered mofl of yourcountry in a few days, and that it was the Englifh, and not the power of Holland,that repelled him, and that if England did not hold the balance of power, either theEmperor or the King of France could conquer it in one campaign,

‘ The ambaffador knew not how to anfwer to thofe truths: but, being fent to foli-cit fome indulgence in their trade, he could obtain none, and fo left the court dii-fatisfied.

After our ambaffadors had obtained pardon, they began to be refpecled, and hadliberty to take their diverfion abroad, till a new Phirmaund was drawing up, which,according to the method of the eaftern courts, took up fome time: however, orderswere fent to the Sedee to forbear hoflilities, and the Englifh had the fame orders, fothat frequent vifits paft between the Sedee’s people and ours. And, during the war,about 60 Europeans of feveral nations, had deferted from us, and took pay of theSedee. The reafon they gave for their defertion, was ill ufage they had received frontfome Irifh officers ; yet mofl of them returned after the war, on promife of pardon.

The Phirmaund being ready, and the required fecurity given, Sedee Yacoup leftBombay the 8th of June, 1690 j but he alfo left a peftilence behind him, which, in four

2 months