cension was coming to Surat, which was learnt from the men belonging
to her pinnaces, which were cast away near that place. I then went to
the king, and told him of this circumstance, craving his leave to repair
to Surat, with his commission for settling trade at that port, which he
was very willing to allow, limiting me to a certain time of absence,
when I was to return again to Agra. When the king's chief vizir, Abdal
Hassan, heard this, who was an enemy of all Christians, he told the king
that my going would be the occasion of war, and might occasion the ruin
of one of his great men, who had been sent to Goa to purchase toys for
the king. Upon this, the king signified his pleasure that I was to
remain; but gave immediate orders to have the commission effectually
written and sent off to the chief factor at Surat. In fine, the
commission was written out in golden letters under his great seal, as
fully, freely, and firmly, for our benefit as we could possibly desire.
This I presently obtained, and sent it off to William Finch at Surat.

Before its arrival, news came that the Ascension was cast away, and her
men saved, but were not allowed to come to Surat. I immediately
communicated this intelligence to the king, who was much dissatisfied
with the conduct of Mucrob Khan, my great enemy, and gave me another
order for their good usage, and that every means should be used to save
the goods if possible. These two royal orders came almost at the same
time to Surat, to the great joy of William Finch and the rest, who much
admired how I had been able to procure them. Thus continuing in great
favour with the king, being almost continually in his sight, and serving
him for half the twenty-four hours, I failed not to have most of his
nobles for my enemies, who were chiefly Mahometans; for it went against
their hearts to see a Christian in so great favour and familiarity with
the king, and more especially because he had promised to make his
brother's children Christians, which he actually caused to be done about
two years after my coming to Agra.

Some time after, some of the people belonging to the Ascension came to
me, whom I could have wished to have behaved themselves better, as their
conduct was much pried into by the king.[192] In all this time I had
been unable to recover the debt due me by Mucrob Khan. At length he was
sent for by the king, to answer for many faults laid to his charge, and
much injustice and tyranny he had