Page 244 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

244 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS TN THE EAST

Persia, but on presenting himself at the Shah’s Court ho
was told that the Shah had no further use for his services. i_
Intensely mortified at his unfavourable reception, Shirley
sickened and died. His remains were in the first instance
buried under the doorstep of his house at Teheran, but at
a subsequent period the body was exhumed and taken by
his wife to Rome, where it was buried in the Church of
Santa Maria della Scala, the convent attached to which
she had entered on quitting the East.
In his picturesque way, Sir Robert Shirley was a verit­
able citizen of the world, but he always had a warm corner !
in his heart for his native land, and as often as opportunity
offered without detriment to his own position pushed her
interests. When Richard Steele, with a companion, John
Crowther, was on his way through Persia to Europe from
India in 1615, he procured for him a cordial reception from
Shah Abbas, who readily granted a firman for trading pur­
poses. It was not, however, until 1617, when the East
India Company sent out Edward Connock as factor to
develop the Persian trade, that any practical steps were
taken to turn to account the favourable prepossessions
which the Shah, through the influence of Shirley, had
formed of the English.
Connock was well received by the Shah, who appears to
have regarded him in the light of an ambassador from
James I, an illusion which the enterprising merchant did
nothing to dispel. At the interview at the palace after the
inevitable letter from the monarch and the equally inevit­
able presents had been presented, Shah Abbas called for
wine, and taking a deep draught from the large bowl which
had been handed him, drank his Majesty’s health, dropping
upon his knee to emphasize the compliment. He after-