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82
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MAY, 1914.
The Caymoconyes [káim-khâni] of Beyhare [Bihår] I with you acord to bee a commoditye fitter for Persia then England, yet as fit for Barbary or Turkey as anye other place.
Of Sutgonge quilts wee sent you this yeare a pack ... and all of them bought at such reasonable rates that we expecte good muzera 37 for them from the Companye. Theye are not made here, but brought from the bottom of Bengala ... Other sortes of quiltes are not here to bee gotten of any kinde....
The transporte of our goods from hence to Agra at 1} rups. per maund is no dearer then usialye all men paye for theire goods which goeth in Carravan and are 40 dayes on the waye....
In our last wee advized you of the saile of some goods into the Nabobs Circare and to what vallue theye amounted. Since which wee have received parte of the monyes and hope within 2 or 3 dayes to cleare that busines. The poore rest of our Cash hath since bine invested at Lackhowre in the broadest sorts of raw Ambertyes; and they all delivered out to whittinge. Wee have bought about half a score maunde serbandy silke and are agayne 'setinge a foote its wyndinge of, and want but means to goe throughe for some good quantitye of that Commoditye and our country provisiones of browne Ambertyes, both which is now to bee efected to good advantage. And therefore if suplye in som good some arive not from Agra the sooner, wee shall endevor wbat possible on Credditt, beinge sorye for [? to lose] the least opertunitye which promiseth advantage.
If your encouragement from Persia shall induce you to enorder provisiones of Banarse mandiles [mandil] it is from hence but a step tuether, where doubtles wee may furnishe you with more varietye and at farr better rattes then Agra can aforde. And so intreatinge your speedye order for what quantitye goods you shall requier from hence and meanes for their accomplishinge &c.98
IX.
Robert Hughes and John Parker to the Honnorable Company. Patna, 30th November 1620. Right Honnorable : Our humble dewtyes promised etts. Your Worships in your last yeares letters dated the 15th February and 6th March, 2018 [1619], sent by the Charles, Ruby and Dyamond, earnestly requiringe quantity of commodityes fittinge England, and theire provisiones to bee made in such places as give best hopes, as well for attayninge quantitye as also for theire procuringe to best advantage for price, condition ettc., amongst sondrye other newe, imployments thought on by the President and Councell in Surratt, after dispeede of the Lyon the last yeare for England, theye enoidered some experience to bee made in the partes of Bengalla, for that by reporte it promised good store of callico clothinge, rawe silke, ettc., the commodities by your Worships most desiered; for which cause theye appoynted Robert Hughes to bee sent from the Agra factory to Puttanna, the chefest marte towne of all Bengala, apoynting him likewise an assistant then in Suratt, but afterwards sent up for Agra in companye of Robert Younge; whoe beinge longe detayned in Ahmadavad, for want of company wherwith to proceed for Agra, spent a greate parte of the yeare there ; wherof wee havinge notice in
37 The word is apparently P.. mazra,' lit. a place of sced produce : hence used mistakenly by this Writer in the sense of produce, profit.
38 Factory Records, Patna, I., 13-16.