Trading howeuer report may wrong our Reputation Our Generall or cheife Commander an vnderstanding Gentleman Captaine Nicolas Downton whose religious Orders besides the honorable Companies both for diuine duties and ciuill societie publisht and hung vp in euery shippe with his owne good Example no doubt preuented many grosse offences which vsually happen in promiscuous multitudes Our Marchants or Factors were many well nigh thirty and most of them men of Experience as euer the Company imployed any Linguists and Residents in forraigne Countryes as Turki◅ Barbarie Spaine and Italy with other places of best cōmerce whereof foure were Principals and had each his seuerall charge and respect next vn◅o the Generall saue in Marine affaires wherein the Masters onely commanded theyr names Master William Edwards Master Nicolas Ensworth Master Thomas Elkington and Master Edward Dodsworth he alone more bred a Gentleman then a Marchant and our Gover◅ours Kinsman Our ordinarie meanes to stirre vp mens affections to goodnesse as Prayer and diuine Seruice twice a day on the Sabbaths especially and choyce of good Bookes in common of the Companies prouiding to that end to the comfort of all were not wanting besides a Preacher in his monthly visites for Instruction and Ministration of the Sacrament Our places of refreshing were three the first Cape boon Speranc◅ which affoorded vs plenty of Booes and Baas or Beeues and Sheepe for small pieces of Copper whereof the Saluages make themselues Rings and Bracelets they goe all naked saue onely before a little flappe and feed as they looke and smell most nastily subtill they are theevish and very treacherous their Houses are like Bee-hives and many together make a Towne wherewith vpon occasion of changing theyr heards to fresh pastures or the sight of two or three Muskets wherat they tremble away they skuddle euery one his Castle on his back posting to a new Plantation From hence hauing repayred our Flee◅e refresht our selues and strecht our limbes he that listed to the verie tops of the highest Mountaines and craggie Rocks which for our paines discouered vnto vs a goodly Country extending farre in length and breadth in lower Hils and greene Vallies running on together pleasant to behold yet alwayes in company more or fewer and with our Armes least the Baboones out of some Thicket or bush should sodenly surprise vs at the end of three weekes or thereabouts wee set sayle agayne and not long after came to an Anker at Saint Lawrence Iland in the Bay of Saint Augustine Here wee landed and traded three dayes with the people and had large and fat Oxen for fiue shillings an Oxe most curious Darts and of diuers fashions as Art could make and bright as siluer for halfe a Ryall or Three-pence but without siluer wee could haue nothing which they knew from counterfeit as well as any wee saw no Towne nor house they had though doubtlesse better then the Soldanians prouided by good coniectures for theyr carriage had a glosse of humanity a tincture of vnderstanding theyr persons full of proportion and comely feiture tall straight strong and sturdy fierce of Countenan◅ admirable ma◅kesmen at the Dart and actiue verie faire and blacke as Iett for the blackest they count the fairest and all naked as the former perhaps but seruants to theyr Lords and Masters many were desirous to haue made some discouery into the Country but we durst not contradict our Orders nor hazard the danger of a thicke Wood whereof wee knew no end which of necessitie must haue bin past Our last touch was at Socato◅ where wee found a King not a Natiue but of the royall blood of the antient Kings of Barbarie who got this small Iland by Conquest and held the Natiues in great seruitude whome our Generall presented and would haue entertained aboord the Shippes but he refused it yet for three or foure dayes space came downe daily to the water side from his Castle with his guard of soldiers borne in a Palanquine and after the Moorish fashion crosse-legged sitting in state vnder a rich Cannopie vppon Turky Carpets spread on the ground and as richly clad in cloth of Gold conuerst in the Arabeck and Portugall tongues with the Generall Marchants and Masters both of Marchandizing and Nauigating affaires himselfe being a Marchant as likewise all the Kings of those Easterne parts who trade by theyr Agents and Factors of whom wee bought a good quantity of Aloes Socatrina euen his whole store and in the Art of Nauigation Astronomie with other branches of the Mathematickes by report of those that vnderstood verie iudicious hauing celestiall and terrestriall Globes his Instruments and Astralabe about him to shew vs which he had gotten bought or presented of former Fleets and euery yeare increasing his stocke by English Dutch Portugals and Spanish that came that way A man of a liuely countenance and well fauored about fourtie yeeres of age as full of Courtesie and affability as might stand with his Maiestie and as full of Maiestie respecting his Commodity as might be for he was a Kingly Marchant and a Marchant-like King at parting he gaue amongst v◅ to some in particuler abundance of Dates in heapes lumpes which made our Guisados our brothes and Dumplins so much the sweeter whom agayne we gratified from the ships with our Seamusicke great Gunnes and Trumpets And thus weying and setting sayle agayne with starbord and larboord port and helme al◅e we steered on our Course till with the helpe of God and our constant Monsoone or westerly trade winde we verie happily but hardly recouered the Rendeuous to S◅rat and came to an Anker in the Roade of Swall◅e about the tenth of Nouember and of our great Company thankes bee to God lost onely one man who came sicke of an Ague out of England but here quickly they began to dye faster of Fluxes and Feauers Vpon aduise of our arriuall by a dispatch to Surat some eight miles vp into the Countrey Mr. Thomas Aldworth the Companies chiefe Agent there an vnderstanding Gentleman and once Sheriffe of the Citie of Bristoll came downe to vs a ioyfull man and for many enterchangeable causes was as ioyfully receiued and with him Coach and horse for conuoy of the Marchants to the City for now the Terme or vintage rather after our long Vacation approaching wee must leaue the ships a a while and apply our selues to Land-seruice In our short Iourney vpon the way euery thing almost seemed new vnto me the people with theyr customes especially not the Moores for I had seene of them before in Spaine and Barbarie but the antient natiues of the Country called Banians who notwithstanding theyr different Religions liue ciuillie neighbour-like one among another in Cities Townes and Villages but not in Houses together whom in Concourse wee first saw at Swallie the first myle from the water side where the Mocodam or Constable receiued vs profered vs his owne with the Townes seruice and performed it in such necessaries and complements of prouision as
wee required or would accept off Bread Wine Plantines Taddie and such like Regalos y ◠scanty place affoorded wherewith more delighted thē refresht as with nouelty and variety we set onward through an euen and a solitary way till we came in sight of Surat and of a Nauigable riuer which ran close under the Towne walls vpon which within stood a Castle a good ornament to the place and fortified with men and munition This Riuer wee past and landed right before the Alfondica or Custome house and so along through many streets humming like Bees in swarmes with multitudes of people in white Coates men and women close bodied and full of gathering to the mid-leg with breeches and stockings in one ruffling like bootes and all of one single Callico this being their Generall and most neate or Angelicall habite which sparkles of their kinde of starching like siluer spangles vntill almost smothered with clouds of heat and dust wee c◅me to the English house a day or two after Master Aldworthes returne from the Shippe◅ with the prime Marchants where wee found our selues as at home in all respects well accommodated saue lodging which with breuity was very commodiously supplyed by taking another house with an Orchard and pleasant walkes vpon the roofe after the Spanish and the Moorish building to our rich content hauing Chambers Dyet Seruants Coach and Horse with attendance of Indians called Peones for the way and all at our honourable Masters charge except our Apparell wherein alone and by our sallaries we differd from common Prentises onely yet ingeniously acknowledging a precedencie in our little Common weale for a kinde of representation to prevent confusion But now before I proceed being called upon by order I am willing for more variety to entertaine a while my Courteous Reader with a short discourse of my selfe and another being not a whit impertinent but r◅ther a good Compliment if not a comely ornament to the History it selfe how that in few dayes I here suddenly fell sicke of a burning Fever and thankes be to God as sodainly recovered for fearing the extremi◅y of that raving and uncomfortable Sick◅esse against his will I prevayl◅d wi◅h our Ch◅rurgion to let me bleed till I fainted againe as fore-seeing it to be my remedy appl◅ed all comfortable things to my h◅ad tooke my bed and full of perplexity to dve sencelesse I comme◅ded my selfe to God after some idle talke to my friends about me I fell into a slumber but quickely wakened by a desire to ease my stomacke and had at least a dozen vomits naturally which gave mee a most comfortable night turned my great sorrowes into the greater reioycings at the lively apprehension of Gods infinite mercies made me forthwith an instrument of comfort to another that shortly after of a bloudy Fluxe sickened and dyed by such words and warrants from the word of t◅uth and my own experience of inward Coelestiall Ioyes beyond expression to honest hearts and heavenly mindes that wonne me his earnest attention to his and my owne advantage for I applyed him the closer which took so deepe an impression in him that it left him not to his last breath To mention all circumstances and passages of his sixe dayes sicknesse would seeme a needlesse curiositie which in comparison of some then languishing and repining under the same Crosse he suffered with singular patience and spent it most in abstinence silence and meditation the night before his death in private conference watching with him he told me after his accustomed mildnesse he had thought of my former talke and should finde my Words true the next morning vpon my perswasion he r◅ceived the Sacrament after he had made his Will in the presence of another Marchant and my selfe one Master Edward Hamden wherein in effect having his memory perfect to the last he would more then once or twice have given me his whole E◅tate being of some value I remember but excusing my selfe with thankes for his love I refused it as not expedient for my selfe me thought in regard of the worke in hand though lawfull I knew for another least Religion should suffer and my labor of love bee thought merc◅narie whereof God knowes I was exceeding iealous to prevent occasion or the least preiudice in any the sicke man especially After all this having tasted some comfortable broth I caused to bee made for him by our English Cook he presently fell into aswound thinking all he had beene dead but after a while reviving raysed himselfe up and looked earnestly round about the Chamber being full of good Company Marchants and others whereof our Preacher was one at least a dozen with some Strangers as our Indian Doctor c. and fixing his eyes vpon me beckened me to him with his hand I went and sate close by him on his Bed hee presently caught me in his Armes and hugg'd me not like a dying man with such strength and vnutterable expressions of Ioy between ◅peech and speechlesse that moved passion in all but my selfe especially to drowne him in teares as Ah my Friend my Friend my true my happy my faithfull friend and ah the ioyes the ioyes the ioyes Aah Aah Aah and the like flung away his things about him wherein he sayd he had taken too much delight in token how slightly hee now valued them or the whole world reached forth his hand to all the company lifting his eyes on high with an overjoyed countenance where his minde in silence had beene long before And thus in a blessed peace about 9. of the Clocke on a Wednesday morning being the 23. of November 1614. he tooke his last farewell of this wretched life and changed it no doubt for a better his name Master Timothy Wood a yong man and once a Mercer I thinke in Cheap-side but then a Factor for the Honourable East India Company What I haue written I feare not to be censured because God knowes this my Relation in substance to bee true and not for mine but for his owne glory the only blessed Author of all goodnesse have I now at length penned it and for the good of any that can make vse thereof My sad Storie of a Ioy Tryumphant being ended and the Funerals performed I am called vpon to a further relation of our Iourney up within the Country to make provision of goods for best and speediest returnes home unto our honorable Masters to which end it was ordayned in Consultation that by a distributiō of our Company into foure Squadrons the prime Cities or Marts for Commoditie Trade and Commerce of that rich Kingdome should be invested by us as Baroch and Brodera Amadavaz and Cambaya each in distance at least a dayes iourney one from another our Commodities were divers as sundry sorts of Stones Aggate Cupps of curious Art◅ Quilts Conserves Drugges Cotton Wools and for bulke or grosse lading Indicoes and Callicoes Our first Iourney or place of rest from Surat was Baroch being three dayes on the
way much toyled with heate and dust in regard of our slow proceedings with our heauy carriages and the toylesome passage of two Riuers with ladings and reladings of our goods interruptions and stayes being worse then a continuall progresse but here wee were well refresht at the English house for Master John Oxwicke a Spanish Marchant being appointed chiefe for that place and of a weekes antiquity before had made good prouision for our comming as well for our persons as the dispatch and clearing our charge of the Custome-house From hence within a day or two weâ—… set forth and by slow Iournies as before came to Brodera a dryâ—…r place by a great Riuer but the greater Citie and all a plaine and pleasant Country Baroâ—…h espâ—…cially for Orchards Tankes or Ponds verie spacious and artificially made in forme for worke and workemanshippe not vnlike our Bathes for generall vse and vses Tombes and Piramides many in open Fields and priuate Gardens about which are to be seene certaine Penitentiaries or votariâ—…s they say but Lunatickes and men I thinke really possest with Deuils as in the Gospell is mentioned theyr bodies naked cut and lanced with kniues or stones staring and stalking to and fro no lesse wofull then dreadfull to behold as was also the sight of a Pagot or a Cell of deuotion descending into a Vault vnder ground where being desirous of discoueries wee saw an vgly Idoll against a wall representing it seemes theyr God or theyr feare but a plaine Deuill as wee call it in like forme paynted or graven whom a certaine Sect of Banians doe worship whereof there are many Sects but of this no more Purchase Pilgrimage from relation of exact Travellers hath them lively set forth In this City as all others throughout both Asia's and Afrique wee were lodged in the Ceraglâ—… a spatious place made of purpose for all Travellers Natives as else for they have not the vse of Innes as in Christendome with commodious Ware-houses round about of one Story foure Square in the manner of Galleries and under them dry walkes and places to feed their Coach-oxen Camels Elephants and Horses but in the middle all open like our Exchange It being supposed that euery Marchant Gentleman or Nobleman hath his Tent or Coach to sleepe in if neyther they make the best shiâ—…t they can and for their provision they bring it with them or buy it in the Towne Here it was determined by a Consultation for causes or supposals moving them being before appointed for Cambaya that my selfe should goe backe to Barâ—…ch to assist Master Oxwicke there in that mayne investment of Câ—…licoes having a Commission given mee beyond my expectation or desire that in case of the least cause by unequall carriage in our Masters businesse or in particular toward my selfe being perswaded as they told mee that if he would take the matter well or live peaceably with any I was the man a word from my hand should displace him such an opinion they all seemed to have of my Integritie and he no lesse on the other side assured of me for concealing whatsoever might move passion or incite him to Iealousie I applyed my selfe to him by Complements of love and friendly 〈◊〉 till he became so well possest of me both for Iudgment and Honesty upon some experiences of them both that in effect he made me his Secretary and would not write a Letter of Consequence in his owne affaires as occasions there were betweene him and some others of principall note without my advice and allowance for a passe wherein I thanke God I never fayl'd but pleasured him by his owne often ingenious acknowledgements with good reasons for his satisfaction But yet all this while I am still in Brodera in the house of a rich Banian well lodged and entertayned for three dayes till he had procured me from the Gouernour Mosaph Chaâ—… or Lord Mosaph a Guard of Souldiers vnder a Captaine of tenne both horse and foote with shot and lance for my safe Convoy to Baroch our English Friends being all gone forward and my selfe alone with a kinsman of his owne for my linguist and Coachmate and not without cause for my Coach on the way was sodenly stayed by a Company of slâ—…ues that thwarted vs but speedily rescued by my guard with knockes on both sides yet no hurt on ours and all with such celerity that I had scarce time to draw my sword and shew my selfe a party before they were quite vanisht then on againe we went merrily my Banian especially laughing and talking giving and eating of our Iunkets till we came neare to the Citie there I dismist my valliant Soldiers gratified their desert with a small reward yet to their rich content and at parting had a generall Salam of them or Congee to the ground with a short Vollie and adieu And now being come to Baroch to the English house my friend bids me lovingly welcome to whom I gave my Letters from our Cape Marchants and after colation shewed him my generall commission who presently declared himselfe that seeing the matter must be so he was right glad of my company as of one whom of all others he would have made choyce of for his friend and associate and thus well possest of each other on we went together in our Masters businesse buying Callicoes as fast as we could procure our Brokers to bring vs in good Bargaines or direct us to them spending our interims of Vacation for about two Moneths space as best liked vs sometimes in visites to the Governour sometimes taking our Coach to breath the Country ayrâ—… sometimes walking vpon the Citie walles which from that stately scituation gave us a goodly prospect pregnant for delight and Meditation and lastly our owne House having high and pleasant Tarasses or Walkes on the Roofe for domesticke Recreation that in this pleasant place in number foure English we lived like Lords to the honour and profit of our Honourable Masters and to our owne hearts content save a little Iarre that fell out at last about a parcell of Calicoes but lovingly and honestly reconciled againe By this time our generall investments drawing to a period and most of our goods from all parts sent aboord Marchantlike made up and marked as in the Margent and understanding our dispersed Companies and friends to be againe vnited and on the way towards us save such as were appointed for the great Mogores Court namely Master Edwards our Preacher and some others we could no lesse having now leysure enough but set forth to meet them it beeing a pleasant observation at a distance to note the order of their Coaches and Carriages drawne by two faire fat Oxen a peece with Bells about theyr neckes Iinge Iinge and softly iogging on extending all in length like a Teeme for the way admits no familiarity inveloped with a Cloud of dust for a Quita Sol to shield them from the Sunne and guarded on eyther side with swords halfe Pikes and Targets