Page 122 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

122 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST

finding that they could make no impression upon their
stubborn enemy, finally abandoned the enterprise, leaving
Best to return unmolested to Surat.
The advantage was markedly on the side of the English.
At the expenditure of only a few lives they had successfully
resisted an attack by a powerful fleet of the enemy. Apart
from the losses inflicted upon the Portuguese, which were
heavy, the English had damaged them severely in reputa­
tion and had correspondingly exalted their own prestige.
By their spirited action they had confirmed the impression
already made by Middleton that the English were a nation
to be reckoned with on the sea where hitherto the Portu­
guese had been unchallenged masters.
Almost at once the English reaped the advantage of
their victory in a marked strengthening of their position
on land. A firman, or charter, permitting them to trade
at Surat, which had previously been under discussion, was
now ratified. It came down from Agra in the form of a
private letter. In other circumstances Best might have
been glad to receive it in this form, but his victory had
given him confidence, and with a shrewd conception of
native character he demanded that the document should
be submitted in proper form. Assenting to this, the local
officials, with the shahbunder at their head, went in state
on January 11, 1613, to hand over the firman. The date
is important as the first substantial landmark in the
history of the British in India. As far as the concession
itself was concerned it was found afterwards not to amount
H to much. The Mogul Government gave the very least
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they could, and in a form in which subsequent repudiation
would be easy. Best, however, did not at the time realize
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this. With the consciousness of good work done he sailed
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