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822
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1908.
Sallam pores st 5 pa. and 12} p. per Corge, I will engage they shall bee so well booght that they sball equall your Merchants cloth of 18 and 20 pa, per Corge, if not exceed it, which I hope will be approved by you. Had you given mee any thing to subsist upon when with you, I should beve advised you thus much before, But to send for mee and pat mee to expence and retorne mee in dishonor hath very much troubled mee since. Desireing your speedy answer, I rest, Your assured reall freind, AMBROBE SALUSBURY.18
Petepole, September 14th, 1675."
Ill and disappointed, it is no wonder that Salisbury keenly felt his position. He had been in India for seventeen years and had spent nearly the whole of his time at a little insignificant factory. Now, after this long period of service, he found himself in a far inferior position to those who had come out from England many years later. Matthew Mainwaring, who had succeeded Mohun as Chief at Masu lipatam evidently bore no love to Salisbury and bis influence most probably had weight with Major Packle, the Company's Supervisor, who thus alluded to the unhappy factor :-"Here is also a letter from Mr Salusbury, a most pitifull Impertinent peace of morrallitie that doth dayly follow us with letters that we understand not, and therefore lesse concerned to answer them.
Metchlepatam, 20 September, 1675."
For the next three months there is no allasion to Salisbury. The cold that detained him at Peddapalle in September was the beginning of the end. He seems to have repaired to Madapollam the usual health resort, and to bave been received by Richard Mobun, the disgraced Chief of Masulipatam. After an illness of twelve days, Salisbury ended his unsatisfactory career on the 21st January, 1676. His death was noted in Major Puckle's Diary.
"Mr Ambrose Sallusbury dyed Intestate, baving laid sick at Mr Mohun's house about 12 days. Bent Peons to Petypolee to secure his Estate there and Mr Heathfeild and Mr Crawley appointed to go and Inventory and bring away what he bath left to Metchlepatam. Metchlepatam, January 30, 1675-6."
For a person who died intestato and with very little property, the amount of correspondence that ensued about Ambrose Salisbury's affairs seems ridiculous and disproportionate. As late as 1682 his accounts remained unsettled.
"Mr John Heathfield and Mr Robert Crawley, Wee enorder you both to go immediately to Pettipolee and there to secure what goods &ca. of the Honble. Company's or Mr. Salsbury's you shall find in the Honblo. Company's factory or elsewhere, and to take a perticuler account of his papers, money and all other things of value, bringing with you ) what else conveniently you can to Meteblopatam, the remainder to seale up and leave peous to gaard it.... M. MAINWABING &ca.61
Metchlepatam, 3 January, 1676."
On the 28th February, 1676, Richard Mohun, who was then at Fort St. George, wrote to the Council as follows: "The death of Mr Ambrose Salisbury I suppose you have been long since acquainted with all, that he dyed in my house intestate and left his Books with me, which I rendred to the Commissioners in Metchlepatam, provided they would give me theit Joint receipt for my discharge which was denied by some of them. I now do the like to your Worship and Councell upon the same termes, that they may no longer lye in my custodie, but that you for the satisfaction of his freinds, may be acquainted with what he has left of an estate and accordingly take it into your Possession."
Factory Recorda, Manilipatam, Vol. 10. * Factory Recondo, Manilipatam, Vol. 18. 13 Factory Records, Port St. George, Vol. 28.
* Factory Rocords, Magulipatam, Vol. 12. 61 Factory Records, Marulipatam, Vol. 6.
