Page 10 - Anglo Portuguese Rivalry in The Gulf_Neat
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the Moghul authorities. Ruy Freyre’s fame had in the Tagus, the English were having things their own
preceeded. him, but the local Nabob had a still higher way in the Persian Gulf. The first venture in the
opinion of him, when he found that he refused to James in 1616, had been followed up by the despatch
receive the customary bribes and gifts which all of the Bee from Surat in the following year, though
previous Portuguese officers had accepted without .she arrived practically empty. Amongst the factors
shame. Ruy Freyre was indeed eventually persuaded on board her was Edward Monnox, who may be
to accept a Kashmir shawl, but he then told his regarded as the real founder of the English position in
assembled captains that he was determined to present m the Gulf, and to whose entertaining pen we owe the
it to the one whose mistress was by common consent • best account of events in Persia during the next five
V agreed to be the most beautiful—a certain Kippolyto years. Even before the agreement made by the first
Furtado being judged the lucky man after a deal of factor, Edward Connock, with Shah Abbas in August,
friendly rivalry.1 On his return voyage to Goa with 1617, had been signed, the English had not omitted to
i the same convoy in January, 1616, his flotilla was stir up the “ Sophy ” against the Portuguese. Fearful
scattered by a storm, and two of the merchant vessels lest the Lusitanians might spoil the Company’s
were captured by pirate craft who were lying in wait promised monopoly of the Persian silk export trade,
on the outskirts of the fleet. So indignant was Ruy “ the only richest yet known in the world,” Connock
i Freyre ,that the vessels had not followed his poop- had tried “ with reasons unanswerable to persuade this
lantern, which he had kept burning all night despite Prince what society, honour, benefit he may attain in
the fury of the storm, that he shaved the beards of all freeing his gulfs of their present slavery, by taking
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the soldiers in their six consorts as a punishment. In Ormuz into his possession, an act worthy himself,
■ ■ view of these and many other similar exploits of his, easily performed, and whereby he may be Lord of his
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it is not surprising that he was famed far and wide own.” The ease with which Ormuz might have been
throughout the seaboard of Western India ; and when taken at this time, is likewise emphasized by Don
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peace had been concluded in 1615, hundreds of Garcia de Silva in his Commentaries. This worthy,
Mahratta warriors flocked to Chaul to see him. who had been delayed in Goa for nearly two years,
Incidentally, Bocarro informs us that he was singularly owing to the procrastination of the jealous Portuguese
successful as a trainer of native troops, and could authorities, had at length reached Ormuz in April
organise the most unpromising material into well- 1617, only to find the place in a lamentable condition.
I trained and hard-fighting soldiers. So struck was he with the apparent defencelessness of
Whilst Ruy Freyre’s expedition was being fitted out the town, that he renounced his former decision of not
proceeding on his embassy until the Shah had restored
xBocarro, Decada 13, pp. 164-165, • Danvers in his Portuguese in India,
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makci a muddle of thu anecdote which is typical of his slipshod and super Bahrein,- Gombrun and Kishm to the titular King of
ficial work. He states that the shawl was awarded bv the verdict of the
■ Ormuz, and resolved to continue his mission forthwith,
Captains to Hippolyto Furtado, who was mistress of Ruy Freyre. This
. error is all the more ludicrous, as we learn from Faria y Sousa, whence Danvers if only to spin out the negotiations in order to gain
mistranslated his version, that Ruy Freyre was unusually chaste for a man time to put the place into a state of defence. He
of his a^e and race—never having had a consort of any kind. And yet people
persist in quoting Danveri as a reliable authority. crossed over to the mainland in October, but despite
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