Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. III. The Trauailes of IOHN MILDENHALL into the Indies, and in the Countryes of Persia, and of the Great Mogor or Mogull (where he is reported after∣wards to haue died of * 1.1 Poyson) written by himselfe in two Letters following.

THe twelfth of February, in the yeere of our Lord God 1599. I, Iohn Mildenhall of Lon∣don, Merchant, tooke vpon me a Voyage from London towards the East-Indies, in the [ 10] good Ship called the Hector of London, Richard Parsons being Master, which carried a Present to the Grand Seigneur in the same Voyage.* 1.2 The seuen and twentieth of April, 1599. we arriued at Zante, where I frighted a Satea, and went into the Island of Cio, from thence to Smyrna, and from thence to Constantinople, where I arriued the nine and twentieth of October, 1599. and there I staied about my Merchandize till the first of May, 1600. Sir Henry Lillo beeing then Embassador:* 1.3 vpon which day I passed from Constantinople to Scanderone in Asia, where in company of a Chaus, and some sixe other Turkes, I tooke my Voyage for Aleppo ouer land,* 1.4 and arriued in Aleppo the foure and twentieth day of the said May in safetie, without any trouble or molestation by the way, and there abode two and fortie dayes, finding there Master Richard Coulthrust for Consull.* 1.5 And the seuenth of Iuly, 1600. I departed from Aleppo, in companie with many other Nations, as Armenians, Persians, Turkes, and diuers others, to the [ 20] number of sixe hundred people in our Carrauan, and onely of English M. Iohn Cartwright, Prea∣cher: from whence we went to Bir, which is within three dayes iourney, and stands vpon the edge of the riuer Euphrates.* 1.6 From thence we went to Vrfa, which is fiue dayes iourney, which we found very hot.* 1.7 From thence we went to Caracmit, which is foure dayes iourney. From thence to Bitelis, a City vnder the gouernment of a Nation called the Courdes, yet vnder the subiection of Constantinople, which is seuen dayes iourny: and from thence to Van, which is three dayes iourny from Bitelis,* 1.8 a City of great strength, and by the side of the Castle is a great Lake of salt water, nauigable, and is in compasse nine dayes iourney about, which I my selfe haue rowed round about. And once a yeere, at the comming down of the snow waters from the Mountaines, there is abundance of Fish, which come of themselues to one end of the Lake, which I may com∣pare [ 30] to our Herring-time at Yermouth, where the Countrey-people doe resort from diuers pla∣ces, and catch the said Fish in great abundance, which they salt, and dry, and keepe them all the yeare for their food: the Fish are as big as Pilcherds. From thence we went to Nacshian, which is sixe dayes iourney:* 1.9 and from Nacshian to Chiulfal, which is halfe a dayes iourney, and there we stayed eighteene dayes. From thence we went to Sultania, and from thence to Casbin in Persia, which is fifteene dayes iourney, and there we abode thirty dayes. From thence to Com, which is three dayes iourney: from thence we went to Cashan, which was seuen dayes iourney. From thence M. Cartwright departed from vs, and went to Spauhoan, the chiefe Citie in Persia: from Cashan to Yesd, which is tenne dayes iourney. From thence I went to Curman, which is tenne dayes iourney;* 1.10 and from thence to Sigistam, which is foureteene daies iourney: and from [ 40] thence to Candabar,* 1.11 which is also foureteene dayes iourney.

The second Letter of IOHN MILDENHALL to M. RICHARD STAPER, written from Casbin in Persia, the third day of October, 1606.

WOrshipfull Sir, my duty remembred: Not hauing any other of more auncient loue then [ 50] your selfe, I haue thought good to remember the manifold curtesies receiued, and partly to requite them with the first newes of the successe of this my Voyage, vnto the Court of the Great King of Mogor and Cambaia.* 1.12 At my arriuall in Lahora the of 1603. I dispatched a Poste for the Kings Court with my Letters to his Maiestie, that I might haue his free leaue to come vnto him, and treat of such businesse as I had to doe with him from my Prince. Who foorthwith answered my Letters, and wrote to the Gouernour of Lahora, to vse mee with all honour and curtesie, and to send a guarde of horse and foote with me to accompanie me to A∣gra,* 1.13 where his Court was, beeing one and twentie dayes iourney from Lahora; and beeing neere arriued, I was very well met; and an house with all things necessarie was appointed for mee by the King: where reposing my selfe two dayes, the third day I had audience, and presented his [ 60] Maiestie with nine and twentie great Horses, very faire and good, such as were hardly found better in those parts: some of them cost me fiftie or threescore pounds an horse, with diuerse Iewels, Rings, and Earerings, to his great liking. And so I was dismissed with his great fauour and content.

The third day after, hauing made before a great man my friend, he called me into his Councell: and comming into his presence, He demanded of me, what I would haue, and what my businesse was. I made him answere, That his greatnesse and renowmed kindnesse vnto Christians was so much blased through the World, that it was come into the furthermost parts of the Westerne Ocean, and arriued in the Court of our Queene of Englands most excellent Maiestie;* 1.14 who desi∣red to haue friendship with him, and as the Portugals and other Christians had trade with his Maiestie, so her Subiects also might haue the same, with the like fauours; and farther, because there haue beene long Warres betweene her Maiestie and the King of Portugall, that if any of their ships or Portes were taken by our Nation, that he would not take it in euill part, but suffer [ 10] vs to enioy them to the vse of our Queenes Maiestie. All this the King commanded to be writ∣ten downe by his Secretarie; and said, that in short space he would giue me answere. With that I withdrew my selfe with leaue and went to my house. Within eight or ten dayes after hee sent me home in money to the value of fiue hundred pound sterling, the first time with very comfor∣table speeches. Shortly after, as I was informed, hee sent to certaine Iesuites, which liued there in great honour and credit, two in Agra, and two others in Lahora, and shewed them my de∣mands: whereat the Iesuites were in an exceeding great rage. And whereas before wee were friends, now we grew to be exceeding great Enemies.* 1.15 And the King asking their opinion in this matter, They flatly answered him, That our Nation were all Theeues, and that I was a Spye sent thither for no other purpose to haue friendship with his Maiestie, but that afterward our [ 20] men might come thither, and get some of his Ports, and so put his Maiestie to much trouble: saying withall, that they had eleuen yeares serued his Maiestie, and were bound by their Bread and Salt that they had eaten to speake the truth, although it were against Christians. With these and many more such speeches, The King and his Councell were all flat against mee, and my de∣mands; but made no shew thereof to me in any respect: but I knew it by friends, which I had in his Court. Afterward they caused fiue Commandements to bee drawne and sent them mee, withall things that I had written: sauing, they had left out the taking of the ships, and the Ports of the Portugals. Which when I had read, I presently went to the Court, and made de∣mand of the other Articles. The King answered, that hee would againe speake with his Coun∣cell, and make answere. In this manner rested my businesse, and euery day I went to the Court, [ 30] and in euery eighteene or twentie dayes I put vp Ars or Petitions: and still he put mee off with good words, and promised that this day and tomorrow I should haue them. In this manner, see∣ing my selfe delayed, and being at exceeding great expenses of eighteene or twentie Seruants, Horsemen and Foot, I withdrew my selfe from going to the Court, in so much that in thirtie dayes I went not. At length the King remembring me, sent to call for me: At my comming he asked the cause why I came not, as I was wont? I answered, that I had come into his Coun∣trey only vpon the great renowme of his Excellencie, and had wasted fiue yeares in trauaile,* 1.16 and could not obtaine so much as a Commandement at his hands, which was wholly for his pro∣fit, and nothing for his losse: adding, that if I had asked some greater reward of him, hee would much more haue denyed me.* 1.17 With that he presently called for Garments for me of the Christi∣an [ 40] fashion very rich and good, and willed me not to be sad, because euery thing that I would haue should be accomplished to mine owne content. So with these sweet words I passed sixe monethes more: and then seeing nothing accomplished I was exceeding wearie of my lingring, and could do nothing; and the rather for that I was out of money.

I should haue declared before how the Iesuites day and night sought how to work my displea∣sure. First, they had giuen to the two chiefest Counsellors that the King had,* 1.18 at the least fiue hundred pounds sterling a piece, that they should not in any wise consent to these demands of mine: so that, when I came to present them, they would not accept of any thing at my hands, [ 1] although I offered them very largely: and where I had any friendship, they would by all meanes seeke to disgrace me. But God euer kept me in good reputation with all men.

[ 50] Moreouer, whereas I had hired in Aleppo an Armenian named Seffur, to whom I gaue twentie [ 2] Duckets the moneth, which serued me very well for mine Interpreter foure yeares; now com∣ming neere to the point of my speciall businesse,* 1.19 the Iesuites had soone wrought with him also in such sort, that he quarrelled with me and went his way: whereby I was destitute of a Drug∣man, and my selfe could speake little or nothing. Now in what case I was in these remote Coun∣tries without Friends, Money, and an Interpeter, wisemen may iudge. Yet afterward I got a Schoolemaster, and in my house day and night I so studied the Persian Tongue,* 1.20 that in sixe monethes space I could speake it something reasonably. Then I went in great discontentment to the King, and gaue him to vnderstand how the Iesuites had dealt with me in all points, and de∣sired his Maiesties Licence to depart for mine owne Countrey, where I might haue redresse for [ 60] mine iniuries receiued; and withall told him, how small it would stand with so great a Princes honour, as his Maiestie had report to be,* 1.21 to delay me so many yeares only vpon the reports of two Iesuites, who, I would proue were not his friends, nor cared not for his profit, nor honour; and desired a day of hearing, that now I my selfe might make plaine vnto his Maiestie (which for want of a Drugman before I could not doe,) the great abuses of these Iesuites in this his

Court: beseeching you againe to grant mee licence to depart, and that I might not bee kept any longer with delayes. At these words, the King was mooued against the Iesuites; and promised that vpon the Sunday following, I should bee heard, and that the Iesuites should be present. This speech I had with the King vpon the Wednesday. Comming before the place of Councell the Sunday following, there were met all the great States of the Court to heare the controuersie be∣tweene vs.

At the first the King called me, and demanded what iniuries I had receiued of the Iesuites? I answered, That they had abused my Prince and Countrey, most falsly, calling vs all Theeues; and if they had beene of another sort and calling, I would haue made them eate their words, or I would haue lost my life in the quarrell. Secondly in saying, That vnder colour of marchan∣dise [ 10] wee would inuade your Countrey, and take some of your Forts, and put your Maiestie to great trouble. Now that your Maiestie may vnderstand, the vntruth of these mens false sugge∣stions;* 1.22 know you all, that her Maiestie hath her Ambassadour Leiger in Constantinople, and eue∣rie three yeeres most commonly doth send a new, and call home the old, and at the first com∣ming of euery Ambassadoor shee Tendeth not them emptie, but with a great and princely pre∣sent: according whereunto her Highnesse intent is to deale with your Maiestie. This profit of rich presents and honour, like to redound to your Maiestie by hauing league of amitie, and enter∣course with Christian Princes, and to haue their Ambassadours Leigers in your Court, these men by their craftie practices would depriue you of. And our Ambassadours being resident, as pledges in your Court, what dare any of our Nation doe against your Highnesse, or any of your [ 20] subiects. Vpon these and other such like speeches of mine. The King turned to his Nobles and said, That all that I said was reason; and so they all answered. After this I demanded of the Iesuites before the King; In these twelue yeeres space that you haue serued the King, how many Ambassadours, and how many presents haue you procured to the benefit of his Maiestie? With that the Kings eldest sonne stood out, and said vnto them, naming them, That it was most true, that in a eleuen or twelue yeares, not one came either vpon Ambassage, or vpon any other pro∣fit vnto his Maiestie. Hereupon the King was very merrie, and laughed at the Iesuites, not ha∣uing one word to answer. Then I said, If it please your Maiestie, I will not onely procure an Ambassadour, but also a present at my safe returne againe into your Countrie. Diuers other de∣mands and questions were at that time propounded by the King and his Nobles vnto me: and [ 30] I answered them all in such sort, as the King called his Vice-Roy, (which before was by the Ie∣suites bribes made my great enemy) and commanding him,* 1.23 that whatsoeuer priuiledges or com∣mandements I would haue, hee should presently write them, seale them, and giue them me with∣out any more delay or question. And so within thirtie dayes after I had them signed to my owne contentment, and, as I hope, to the profit of my Nation. Afterwards I went and presented them vnto the Prince his eldest sonne, and demanded of him the like commandements: which he most willingly granted, and shortly after were deliuered vnto me. And so departing from the Court, I brought them with me into Persia: which are here in Casbin with my selfe, readie to doe you any seruice: and I would haue come my selfe when I wrote this Letter, saue that there were two Italian Marchants in Agra, that knew of all my proceedings: whom I doubted, as I had good [ 40] cause, least they would doe mee some harme in Bagdet, or some other places; they alwayes be∣ing enemies to our Nation, that they should find any new trade this way, as to you it is well knowne: And within foure moneths I meane to depart by the way of Moscouia; where arri∣uing I will not faile but satisfie you at large of all matters.

Your Worships to command, IOHN MILDENHALL.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See my Pil∣grimage. lib. 5. cap. 7. §. 4.
• * 1.2

  Aprill 27. 1599.
• * 1.3

  May. 1600.
• * 1.4

  Aleppo.
• * 1.5

  Iuly 7. 1600.
• * 1.6

  Bir.
• * 1.7

  Vrfa. Caracmit. Bitelis.
• * 1.8

  Van. A great Lake of salt water.
• * 1.9

  Nacshian. Chiulfal. Sultania. Casbin. Com. Cashan.
• * 1.10

  Yesd. Sigistam.
• * 1.11

  Candabar.
• * 1.12

  Lahora.
• * 1.13

  He arriueth at Agra, 21 dayes iourney from Lahora.

  His present to the King of Mogor.
• * 1.14

  This Voyage was made in Q Elizabeths Reigne.
• * 1.15

  The Iesuites calumniation of our Nation.
• * 1.16

  Fiue yeares spent in trauel.
• * 1.17

  Rich garments bestowed by the grand Mo∣gor vpon Ma∣ster Iohn Mil∣denhal.
• * 1.18

  The sundry practices of the Iesuites.
• * 1.19

  An Armenian serued him foure yeares for Interpreter.
• * 1.20

  He studied sixe monethes the Persian tongue in Agra.
• * 1.21

  Many yeares delay.
• * 1.22

  The Queenes Ambassadour Leiger at Con∣stantinople.
• * 1.23

  The great Mogor gran∣ted large pri∣uiledges to Master Iohn Mildenhall. He departeth from Agra▪ Iohn Milden∣hall returned home ward by Casbin.

  The Italians are our ene∣mies for see∣king trade in those parts.