England, and sailed
homewards bound on the 30th December. Before setting sail, news was
brought of sinking three Portuguese carracks off the port of
Masulipatam, by the English and Dutch in conjunction.

[Footnote 313: This must be a gross error, as by the value of the toman
formerly given, the sum in the text very little exceeds L400. Purchas
mentions, in a side-note, that he had heard the English received L20,000
for this service from the Persians.--E.]

* * * * *

In the Annals of the East India Company,[314] the English are said on
this occasion to have received a proportion of the plunder acquired at
Ormus, and a grant of the moiety of the customs at Gambroon, which
place, in the sequel, became the principal station of their trade with
Persia and other places in the Persian gulf. The treaty made in 1615 by
Mr Connock was also renewed, and an additional phirmaund granted by the
Sophi, allowing them to purchase whatever quantity of Persian silks they
might think proper, in any part of his dominions, with the privilege of
bringing their goods from Gambroon to Ispahan free of duties.

[Footnote 314: Vol. I. p. 236. The historiographer makes, however, a
small mistake, naming Ruy Frere de Andrada as chief commander of the
Portuguese at Ormus, who only commanded in a subordinate fortress at
Kismis.--E.]

In consequence of the war of Ormus, a claim was set up in 1624 by the
crown and the Duke of Buckingham, as lord high admiral of England, by
which the Company was demanded to pay a proportion of the prize-money,
which their ships were supposed to have obtained in the seas bordering
on the countries within the limits of their exclusive charter. In order
to substantiate these claims, Captains Weddell, Blithe, Clevenger,
Beversham, and other officers of the Company's ships were examined, and
particularly those who had been employed against Ormus. According to
their statements, it appeared that the amount of this prize-money was
calculated at L100,000 and 240,000 rials of eight, but without taking
into view the charges and losses incurred by the Company on this
occasion, and by their ships being called off from commercial
engagements, to act as ships of war for the protection of their trade
against the Portuguese, and in the assistance of the government of
Persia, by which they had been compelled, either to engage in this war,
or to relinquish a trade in which they had expended large sums,