he had done no wrong, and said that if he had acted unlawfully he had sinned in ignorance.
In the end the storm, which at one time threatened to have really serious consequences for Roe, blew over, and he was able to give his thoughts to arrangements for his departure from India. The directors had written out asking him to extend his service by another year, but Roe was altogether disinclined to prolong an exile which had already become almost unbearable. His thoughts of home were given a sharper turn as the year 1618 wore on by a terrible outbreak of plague at Ahmedabad, which affected everybody in the English factory but Roe, and which carried off the greater part of the staff.
In resolute fashion the ambassador approached once more the question of permanent facilities for trade, and by a persistent course of advocacy, with the exercise of strict moderation in his demands, he at length in September, 1618, obtained a satisfactory arrangement. The chief points in the agreement were: (1) that the English should be well treated; (2) that they should have free trade on payment of Customs dues; (3) that their presents to the Emperor should not be subject to search at Surat; (4) that the effects of any Englishman who died should be handed over to Englishmen. A supplementary agreement made with Prince Khurrum stipulated (1) that the governor of Surat should lend ships to the English in the event of an attack by the Portuguese; (2) that resident English merchants might wear arms; (3) that the English might be allowed to build a house in Surat; (4) that they should have free exercise of their religion; (5) that they should be allowed to settle disputes amongst themselves.
Such, in brief, were the terms of this concordat, which
