The Voyage of Nicholas Downton to the East Indies,1614-15

As Recorded in Contemporary Narratives and Letters

Sir William Foster, Sir William Foster

• Publisher: Hakluyt Society
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317012276
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Geschichte
• Subtopic: Frühneuzeitliche Geschichte

This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1939.

The Journal of Captain Nicholas Downton

EXTRACTS of the JOURNALL of CAPTAINE NICHOLAS DOWNTON, who was employed, chiefe commander in the Second Voyage set forth for the Joyned Stockes in the East-Indies, by the Governour, Deputie, and Committees of that Societie. Wherein is related their happie successe against the Vice-Roy and all the Indian sea forces of the Portugalls, by force and cunning attempting their destruction¹.

THE SHIPPES employed were the New Yeeres Gift, admirall, of burthen sixe hundred and fiftie tunnes: the Hector, vice-admirall, of five hundred tunnes; the Merchants Hope, of three hundred tunnes: and the Salomon, of two hundred tunnes. Master William Edwards was lieutenant and cape merchant, and commander of the Hector; Master Nicholas Ensworth, cape merchant and commander of the Merchants Hope; Master Thomas Elkington, cape merchant and commander of the Salomon; Master Peter Rogers, minister; Martin Pring, Arthur Spaight, Matthew Molineux and Hugh Bennet, masters of the foure shippes, assisted with divers mates.

The first of March 1613 [i.e. 1614] we set saile. On Wednesday, the fifteenth of June 1614, we anchored in the road of Saldania² and were welcommed with a great storm. John Barter, by a long fever bereaved of his understanding, was suddenly missing, and by former speeches of his it seemed that he made himselfe away whiles every one was busie in mooring the ship and none looking after him.

The sixteenth, wee got all in readinesse for erecting our tents, which was that day effected and a guard placed for their reliefe.

On the seventeenth, we landed halfe our caske[s] to be trimmed and seasoned. Choree the Saldanian¹ presented me with a young steere.

The eighteenth, we landed more of our beere caske[s] to be washed, trimmed and seasoned, and supplyed the wants of our men labouring about our boates. Also this day (Choree) the Saldanian departed from us, carrying with him his copper armour and javelin, with all things belonging to him, promising to come againe to us the third day after; but he never came againe.

The nine and twentieth, I sent George Downeton² on land to observe both the latitude and variation of this place, in regard of the great difference in our variations wee had found betweene my former voyage in the Peppercorne and this present voyage. The latitude he found was thirtie foure degrees and no odde minutes³, and the variation one degree and fortie five minutes by an azimuth, being westerly variation, whereas for the most part all formerly have made easterly variation. This night wee dissolved our tents and brought all our things aboord, and made readie our ship against the next day to depart, which we did accordingly.

The sixt of August we came to an anchor in the Bay of Saint Augustine¹, in Saint Laurence Iland. But on sight of our comming the inhabitants abandoned the place, that wee could have no speech with them. We cut straight timber for divers uses, and afterwards wee got some refreshing of them. On the twelfth we set saile.

The ninth of September wee anchored in the Bay of Delisa in Socotora². The next day wee went on shore to salute the King, who was readie with his troupe to give me entertainment, and told me of the warres at present in India, the Mogoll and Kings of Decanie joyning to roote the Portugals out of the countrey. The reason whereof was their taking of a shippe³ which came from Jedda in the Red Sea, wherein was three millions of treasure⁴. Hee also informed mee of Captaine Bests two great fights with the Portugals, with other newes of those parts. Heere I procured what refreshing wee could get, and bought of the King alloes two thousand seven hundred twentie two pounds; and on the fourteenth departed⁵.

The second of October we had sight of land, being on the coast of Decany neere Dabul. Wee found great hinderance, till by observation we were taught to stay the ebbes and ply the flouds¹.

The twelfth we againe weighed, and plyed the flouds and anchored the ebbes till the fourteenth day in the evening, and then anchored two miles and an halfe short of the Barre, where presently came a fleet of frigats, being fourteen saile, and anchored neere us, discovering themselves by their lights, being darke; but seeing our readinesse by the lights out of our ports durst come no neere unto us, so we rid quietly all night.

WESTERN INDIA

The fifteenth, early in the morning, we weighed with the land-turne¹, and approching somewhat neere them they also weighed and stood to the southwards, and wee held on our course by the Barre towards South Swally, where soone after we arrived, after much striving against contrary winds. As soone as I anchored, I sent Master Molineux in his pinnasse, and Master Spooner and Samuell Squire² in my gellywatte³ to sound the depths within the sands. Master Molineux tooke a channel in which in our former voyage we had but five foot at low water, but now found three fathomes water; and Master Spooner found that, where our boats could not passe formerly by reason of shoalds, he had now seven and eight foot water. In the afternoone I, seeing people ashoare, sent my pinnasse to them, supposing some of our merchants had beene come from Surat, but found otherwise to be some people of Cogenozan⁴ sent downe to discover what nation we were, two of which came aboord to me, by whom I understood further of their warres with the Portugals; they besieged Damon and Diu, and that Mocrib Can was Generall of the Mogols forces against Damon, and also, to my griefe, I understood that he was Governour, and as Vice-roy not onely over Surat but also over all the countrey neere about it; I esteeming him to bee the greatest adversary to our nation, and one that most favoured the Portugals. This was my setled conceit by former experience. I understood of the health of Master Aldworth and the rest, to whom I writ to hasten his presence, and sent it away by Baly Ball⁵, together with the other servants of Cogenozan.

The sixteenth, in the morning early I sent my purser and pinnasse on land to buy such commodities as I supposed might be brought; who about ten a clocke, without buying any thing for our turne, returned with Master Aldworth, our chiefe merchant at Surat, and in his company one Richard Steele, who came by land from Aleppo to Surat. Master Aldworth strived to perswade me that Mocrib Can the Nabob was our friend, and that now was the best time, by reason of their warres (with the Portugals), for us to obtaine good trade and all priviledges that in reason wee could demand; and for that both he and all the countrey people did so much rejoyce at our comming, therefore of necessitie could not but give us royall entertainment. I liking all their hopefull words, yet ever wishing some other in his place, and that Mocrib Can had beene further away, of whom I rested still in doubt that we should have no free trade but according to his accustomed manner, and to see and to be privie to all that ever past, and restraine all others, which then I tooke to bee an injurie forced by him to crosse us, and not by the direction of the King; which in time, though too late, we were better advised. And notwithstanding the remembrance of his name given him by the King, Mocrib, which is as much as his owne bowels¹, and Chan, which is as much as great lord, yet I was too much deluded, by being perswaded that his state in favor of the King stood tottering, and might easily be made subject to any disgrace by any complaint of things done contrary to the will or humour of the King; which made us somewhat too bold, and thereby prejudice to our businesse, when we found him opposite to our wils and, as wee thought, contrary to reason. I inquiring of the state of our businesse and the health of our people, Master Aldworth informed that Paul Canning and divers others were long since dead, and that Thomas Kerridge had long since resided at court in his roome, and that there was no more factors but onely himselfe and William Bedulph at Surat².

The seventeenth, in the morning, I called a councell to advise of all things heere to bee effected, and who fittest to send to Agra to remayne as liedger³ there; and then entring into the sixe interrogatory articles included in the second article of our commission, requiring Master Aldworths direct answere to every question should be demanded¹.

The first, in what favour Paul Canning was with the Emperour and his Councell, and how he carried himselfe in the businesse at court that was committed unto him. Hee answered that at his first comming to court hee was well respected by the Emperour, untill such time as the Jesuites made knowne he was a merchant and not sent immediately from the King; but afterwards he was neglected, as himself complained. And for his carriage there, Master Aldworth saith that, for any thing he knoweth, it was sufficient and well.

The third then demanding whether needfull to maintaine one as liedger at court, his answere was, not onely necessarie, but also by the King required, that one of our nation doe reside there, and therefore fitting to be a man of good respect for preventing and righting any wrongs that may be offered by the Jesuites our adversaries, as also by his direction may stand in great stead for the buying or selling of commodities.

The sixth, concerning the charge of him that should reside at court, hee saith to bee about three hundred pounds per annum, by Paul Cannings estimate; but some-while after, when his writings came to be searched, his estimate is found to be five, sixe or seven hundred pounds per annum.

Question being made² whether it were fit Master Edwards should proceed under the title of a merchant, according to the strictnesse of the Companies commission, his opinion was, by Master Cannings experience, that then he would not be respected by the King.

The foure and twentieth, in the morning, Cogenozan came downe to the water-side with a great traine,³ as their manner is, resting himselfe in my tent till my landing; unto whom I repaired ashoare, accompanyed with all the merchants and a good guard of halberts, shot and pike, I having a coach to carrie me up from the boat to a place neere the tent. And at the instant when I alighted from the coach he came forth of the tent, addressing himselfe to meete mee, and after salutations returned into the tent and sate downe. And before any other conference began, he was let to know that there was a present to be delivered him for the Nabob, which was presently brought in, viz. one case with sixe knives, two paire of knives, sixe sword blades, sixe Spanish pikes, one combe-case, one looking glasse, one picture of Mars and Venus, one picture of Paris in judgement, two Muscovie hides, and one great gilded case of bottles full of rich and strong waters. Then for himselfe I caused a present to bee delivered him, which was six knives in single sheathes, foure sword blades, two pikes, one combe-case, one looking-glasse, one picture of Moses, one case of bottles. In regard of the promise of the Nabob to our people that, what Cogenozan should do, he would performe, I therefore moved for the inlarging of our priviledges, for the lessening of our custom, especially at Baroch [Broach]; to have a bazar or market by the waterside; that we might buy beef for the peoples eating (in regard that other flesh was not good for them) according to the King's firma [farmān] given. His answere was that, if I would assist them against the Portugals, the Nabob would do us all the favour that in his power lyeth; but for the custome of Baroch it was out of his power, for the King had let it to another by rent, and could not be holpen, A bazar we should have; but for bullocks and kine, the King had granted his firma to the Banians [Hindus] for a mightie summe yeerely to save their lives. In summe, wee found nothing that he had power to grant us; yet willing to leave mee in content, wishing that I would send some of my merchants along with him to the Nabob, that our businesse on both sides might bee considered on, and receive answeres accordingly from each other. I sent along with him Master Aldworth, Master Ensworth (who desired to goe up because he was not well), Master Dodsworth, Master Mitford¹ and others; which when they had accesse to the Nabob two or three dayes after, he would know againe their demand, which was as aforesaid. Then he desired to know if we would goe with our ships to fight against Damon for him, and then he would doe us any favour; but that was answered that we could in no wise avouch the doing thereof, for that there was peace betweene our King and the King of Spaine. Then he demanded if we would goe to the Barre and ride there, and fight with them that should come to prejudice them. That we could neither covenant to doe, for it was a breach of the peace betweene our two Kings, as aforesaid. Then he answered that, i...