om the
Portuguese, who tried every expedient to engross the Persian trade to
themselves, and to exclude the English from any participation. In this
opposition Sir Robert Shirley had been implicated, who had gone to
Europe in 1615, on a mission from the king of Persia, to form a contract
with the king of Spain, then sovereign of Portugal, not only to sell to
his subjects the whole of the Persian silk, but to grant them licence to
fortify the sea-ports of Persia for the protection of their shipping and
factories. Mr Connock, the English agent in Persia, under these
circumstances, recommended the necessity of applying to king James, and
submitting to his consideration the danger of allowing the Portuguese to
enjoy the exclusive possession of that trade, which would render them
the most powerful European nation in the East Indies. In the mean time,
he represented to the king of Persia the necessity of seizing the island
of Ormus from the Portuguese, under the protection of which the Persian
dominions could be supplied by the English with all kinds of Indian
commodities.

"In this critical situation of the company's agents at Ispahan, an
ambassador arrived from the king of Spain, in June 1617, authorised to
adjust and settle the contract which Sir Robert Shirley had projected.
The English agent, in consequence, urged the factory at Surat to
dispatch the whole of the company's ships to Jasques for the defence of
that port, as the Portuguese fleet had rendezvoused at Muscat, and had
determined to blockade the passage into the Persian gulf against the
English trade. These events induced Sir Thomas Roe to grant a
commission, and to give instructions to the company's agent at Ispahan,
authorising him to treat with the king of Persia, in the name of the
king of England.

"In 1618, Captain Shillings, of the company's ship Ann, went to Mokha,
and obtained a phirmaund from the governor, by which the English were
allowed free trade, and protection to their persons and property, on
condition of paying three per cent. on merchandize, and three per cent.
on the prices of all goods exported by them from Mokha. On receiving
information of this event, Sir Thomas Roe addressed a letter to the
governor of Mokha, requesting that these privileges might be confirmed
by the Grand Signior, and promising, on the part of the English, that
all kinds of European goods should be regularly brought to Mokha, and
that the English should defend that port