e an answer to the letter I had brought him
from my sovereign; but after consulting some time with his viziers, this
was refused.
I now took my leave, and departed from Agra the 2d of November, 1611,
being in a thousand difficulties what course I had best take. I was in
fear lest the Portuguese might poison me for the sake of my goods; it
was dangerous to travel through the Deccan to Masulipatam on account of
the wars; I could not go by land to Europe by reason of the Turks; and I
was resolved not to remain among these faithless infidels. I arrived at
Cambaya the 31st December, 1611, where I had certain news of our ships
being at Surat, to which place I sent a foot-messenger with a letter,
saying that the friars at Cambaya asserted that four large ships, with
certain gallies and frigates, wore preparing at Goa to attack our ships,
and that the Portuguese were contriving treachery against Sir Henry
Middleton; all of which the fathers wished me to apprize him of, which I
afterwards found was a political contrivance to put Sir Henry in fear,
that he might depart.
As for me, my ostensible object was to go home by means of the
Portuguese, as I had promised my wife and her brother, who was now with
us, and to delude him and the friars till I could get away on board our
ships, which I was sure to know by the return of my messenger. In the
mean time I used every endeavour to get away my wife's brother, who
departed two days afterwards for Agra, without once suspecting that I
meant to go in the English ships. Nicholas Ufflet now went from Cambaya
to examine the road; and when two days journey from Cambaya, he met
Captain William Sharpey, Mr Fraine, and Mr Hugh Greete, who were sent to
me at Cambaya by Sir Henry to my no small joy. Wherefore, making all the
haste I could to prepare for my departure, I left Cambaya on the 18th
January, 1612, and got to our ships on the 26th of the same month, when
I was most kindly received and welcomed by Sir Henry Middleton.
We departed from Surat on the 11th February, and arrived at Dabul on the
16th, where we took a Portuguese ship and frigate, out of which we took
some quantity of goods. Leaving Dabul on the 5th March for the Red Sea,
with intention to revenge our wrongs both on the Turks and Moguls, we
arrived there on the 3d April, where we found three English ships, whose
general was Captain John Saris. Having dispatched our business in the
Red Sea, we sailed from thence the 16th Augu
|