Page 86 - Gulf Precis (I-A)_Neat

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delayo they hesitated not to make more daroing approaches about o.L ahipps,
then became either their safety or discretions to adventure, for by that meanes
wee shattered one of their ffrigatts in poooes tvlL our great ordnance, and a
smaller vessel weo likewise surprized with our Barges, whereby havoing
examined the Portuigalls ot™ that were in her, woo boocamo privyo to their
mischcivous designes against us, aymeing oheifely by the fireing of cortayne
ffriggats filled up w* combustablo stuffe, and chainod together for the purposo,
to attempt the ruine of O-LAdmyrall and Vice Adrairall, or one Of them if it
were possible, wee oonceave to bo now deferred for execution untill oJL
entering into that narrow poolo of Swallv, albeit that boefore wee had taken
that vessell it seemes they had Otherwise resolved.
Whilst weo were thus in expectation of this their stratagem, our ffroinds
MiL Skibbow and the rest wore gotten aboard, who participating unto us the
extraordinary importunitye and (as wee may say) petitions of the Governo *-
and Merohnnts of this towne, that weo would now take their cause into our
p.tection, by sending out oJ. shipps againe to attend the waseting (?) of their
expected " Shawheo” most richly fraught from Mocha, MJL Rastell (yo f. newe
President) with the rest now como, convayed themselves on shoare, and after
great hono-L done him by these oheifes at his first reception condescended to
their request (though first concluded on by a generall Consulation heldo aboard
before his thence dep'ture) and instantly sent off the whole ffleet together in
quest of their jouncke to the great contentment of this people.
Since w2|: by letters from Damon is advised that seaven of their ffriggatts,
following the ffleote and taking advantage of the separation of one single
shipp from the rest, very boldly attempted her wB. fireworkes eti?., but shee
(prepared wl^ the like) both acquitted herselfe of danger, and even by their
owne ellement of fire direoted by the just hand of God consumed 5 of the 7 ;
the rest of the {fleet haveing also by this tyme incompassed them round, and
as is guest, might with their ordnance (and nott solely by fire as aforesaid),
helpe to make up the full period of that destruction, many dead bodyes (some
saye two boats lading) being brought on shoare, and interred, at Damon, but
the body of the Vice Kings sonne who. it seemes perrished also in the action
not found to accompanye the rest of his ffellowes.
By’these disturbances, the interohangable vissits of the Moores to us, and
wee to them, together the necessitye of offering our generall directions,
and advices for Bantam and the coast of Coromondell (where our letters will
finde the " Starr ” for conveyance to the southwards), our settling of the
ffactoryes to their severall imploym-L and inordering of supplyes to all, and
every of the ffaotories, for the more expodit p.formance of the many businesses
that are now commended to our cares and direction, yoJi Pattamar * hath
been a few dayes longer deteyned then had been otherwise fitting or desired.
By the inclosed copie of the Compel this yeares letter unto you, whose
origins 11 wee intend to send you by the shipp, you may peroeave how they
have disposed of their affaires both heere, there and the other p*. of India, and
as they have .given you to taste of their next yeares intention touching the
manner and order of their designed supplies for those p4r of Persia, soe may
you now assuredly depend on their certaine p.formance therein; in much as
the very day before my dep.turo out of London, the booke of subscription for
• •• The Indians in tending their letter* abroad have not learnt the convenience of the quick despatches of
our posts: A Pattamar or a foot messenger is generally employed to carry thorn to tbo remotest hounds of the
Impure."—A Voyage to 8urat in the year 1689, by J. Ovington, p. 261.