in grand gala, having their horses richly caparisoned. At four
in the afternoon we were sent for, but our linguist had got to a Jew
house and was drunk with arrack, so we sent an apology, under pretence
that Mr Salbank was indisposed, and promised attendance next day. On the
31st, the governor sent for us, and made our welcome known to all the
merchants, causing his scrivano draw up a phirmaun as full as we could
have wished, which he signed with his chop or seal in the afternoon at
the house of the principal scrivano, entirely according to what was
before agreed upon, by which we were to pay three per cent. for all we
landed, excepting money, and the same for all we took on board, except
victuals. We got afterwards a similar phirmaun from Mahomet, the pacha
of Sinan: and Rejib Aga gave us a particular safe conduct for Mr Salbank
and the rest.[291]

[Footnote 291: Copies, or translations rather, from the Arabic, are
given in the Pilgrims of all these three phirmauns, which it was not
thought necessary to insert.--E]

It was now agreed among ourselves that Mr Salbank and I were to remain
ashore to conduct the business of sales and purchases, while Mr Barber
staid on board to prepare and send such goods as we required. The 5th of
May we went to the scrivano to get leave to make arrack for the use of
our sick men; because, since our linguist and several of our people had
got drunk in the house of a Jew, we had complained, and procured an
order prohibiting the Jews from selling them any, and the governor had
even strictly enjoined the Jews and Turks not to sell any more arrack or
wine in the town. At our request through the scrivano, the governor
granted leave for a Jew, nominated for the purpose to brew arrack at our
house, but forbid any to be made elsewhere.

In the afternoon of the 8th, learning that the governor and principal
men were sitting in form at the Alfandica, to receive the Surat captain
who was then coming on shore, we went also to see the ceremonial of his
reception. We found the governor at the upper end of a long room,
sitting on a stone bench spread with carpets, having on the same bench
with him various merchants and Turks of quality, to the number of about
twenty. Opposite to him sat about as many in chairs, forming a lane down
the room to a square platform raised three steps from the floor, railed
in and matted, in which the scrivano and other officers of the customs
sat on carpets. The governor bid