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312 ROE'S AUDIENCE WITH THE GREAT MOGUL


should offer; professing to be ignorant of anything past, but what hee had receiued by Asaph Chan deliu- ered by mee; especially of any Command to dismisse us, which the Gouernor had falsly Coyned and for which he should dearly answer. Soe he dismissed mee full of hope to rectifye the decayed estate of our repu- tation, with promise of a firmaen for Suratt effectually. January 24. I went to the Durbar to visitt the King, who, seeing mee afarr off, beckned with his hand, giuing signe I should not staye the Cerimony of Ask- ing leaue but Come vp to him; where hee appoynted me a place aboue all other men, which I after thought fitt to mayntayne. I gaue him a small present, it beeing the Custome when any body hath business to giue some- what, and those that cannot come neare to speake send in or hould up their guift, which hee eccepts, bee it but a rupie, and demands their bussines. The same course hee held with mee. Having looked Curiously and asked many questions of my present, he demanded what I required of him. I answered: Justice: That, on the assurance of his Majesties Firmaen sent into Eng- land, the king my Master had not only giuen leaue to many of his subjects to come a dangerous voyadge with their goodes, but had sent mee to Congratulate the amytye so happely begunne betweene two soe mighty Nations, and to Confirme the same: But that I found the English seated at Amadauas * enjured by the Gouer- nor in their Persons and goodes, fined, exacted upon, and kept as prisoners: That at euerie Towne new Cus- 1 Ahraadabad.