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290
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1908.
house Servants know of your want of Peter, for they will lett the Peter men know it, which will cause them to advance the price as they please themselves and the Peter Braminy is much behinde hand by renting of tenn townes, that hee's not to be trusted. Your desire is to receive the Peter free from debts and Charges and to bee at a certainty in the price, which indeed is the onely way for the CotoPanys advantage. The Companys price was
old for the Sort double refined besides the debts and the Dutch now give 61 and 7 pagos. new for the Peter they receive at Ramapatam [Rāmapatnam) and they are at all C[harges] upon it, as Baggs, Cooly and Boates &ca. which leare to your Consid[eration) and desire you to advise the price you will give for the double and the [price] for the treble refined to bee delivered in the type you name, four or five months, OR board Shipp in Metchlepatam or this Roade, and if your price encourage, I will assure you 50 Tonns, or if your occasions require, 190, but you must bee very Speedy, the quantity requireing time, [and] the more now in the raines. If you please to send 1000 pa. you shall not faile of Packing trade to its full amount, with the Ballance of the Allom account in good time, I remaine, Your assured friend, AMBROBE SALUSBURY.57
Petlepolee, the 27th June, 1672."
In the correspondence following Salisbury's re-appointinent as "Cheife" at Peddapalle, the Council at Masulipatam adopted a different tone. Since Salisbury was no longer an independent person doing their business voluntarily, they affected to be filled with wonder that he should expect a commission on the saltpetre he was to procure, said they would "consider of his demand for "diett money," utterly refused to take any extra "packing trade" off his hands, and, in their letter of the 19th Oct. 1672, reproved him for complaining of their tardy replies to his letters. Unfor. tunately, there is no letter of Salisbury's extant between the 27th June and the 11th December 1672, so that we only have the one point of view during those months.
At the end of October, Salisbury proposed to provide the bags for saltpetre of a different size than formerly and was very aggrieved that his suggestion was not immediately complied with. Ou the 4th November be received & sharp rebuke for his unreasonableness. But, in spite of their lordly attitude towards the "Cheife" at Peddapalle, the Masąlipatam Council were only too ready to thrust the whole of the "peter business" on his shoulders, as appears by their letters of the 4th and 20th and 30th November 1672. The following correspondence from Masulipatam continues the story up to that date. Salisbury's replies during this period do not exist.
"M, Ambrose Salusbury, Wee have received yours of the 15th Currant To which as soone as receive advises from the Fort ( which we expect within a day or two ) shall perticularly Reply and advise you the need full, till which time you must endeavour to perswade the Peeter men to stay with you. The remainder of the packing trade pray hasten, being our Masters occasions (required it, which is all at present from, Sir, Your Loveing Friends, RICHARD Monun &ca. 68
Metohlepatam, July the 18th, 1672."
"Mr Ambrose Salusbury, Sir , We hnve received yours of the 20th Currant and now, baveing received answere from the Fort, shall advise you the needfull. For Petre twice boyled delivered at the Fort Cleare of all hazard and Charges except bagge, they pay 7 Pagos. per Candy, but not questioning but that you can procure that sort much cheaper, we have sent you by the bearers hereof 500 new pagos. with which wee desire yon to begin that investment, as also to procure for packing 10000 p8. Gunny, whereof 2000 must be thick and Substantiall, 30 Candy ropes and 6 Candy twine both some what finer then the last, and of Petre the quantity desired is 100 ('andywhich must be ready against the retorne of the Europe shipps from the Bay. In the provision of both and especially the latter, we must entreat your more then ordinary Care to prevent badd debts and that in all Charges you use all frugallitie which wilbe much for your Credit, not elce but that We are, Your Reall friends, RICHARD MOHUN &ca.
Metchlepatam, July the 26th, 1672." 57 Factory Records, Masulipatam, Vol. 9.
* Factory Records, Masulipatam, Vol. 5. " Factory Records, Vaulipatan, Vol. 5.
