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SEPTEMBER, 1911.) G. BOUGHTON AND TRADING PRIVILEGES
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Emperour, to get his phirmaund; who after some time had admittanoo to present his petition, which concerned principally those two things : first, that the English paying custome 2 per cent., and jeidge (dizya, poll-tax) 14 per cent. at Surrat, they should be free of custom in all other places of his Empire ; secondly, that there should be no rewannas (rawánah] or writing demanded of what goods or merchandize for quantity or quality the English ship of. The petition was received and accordingly there was drawn up & phirmaund and presented to the Emperour. The Emperour read it and, it being incerted according to the petition that, there being paid 2 per cent, custom and 1per cent, jeidga at Sarrat, the English should be free of custome, etc., in all other places, and that no writing [be ?] demanded of the English in any other place then Saratt, the former (viz., should be free of custome in all other places ') the King struck ont with his own hand, and added 'let not one hinder or molest them.' The latter (vis., that no writing should be demanded of the English in any other place") the Emperonr struck that quit out and added nothing. This I find the Vuckell adviseth Mr. Vincent, who returns an answer to this effect : 'if he could not gett it as he would, should gett it as he could.' The Vuckeel procures the phirmaund at great expence and sends [it P] , which arrivd here in anno 1680; which phirmaund was
thought by many not of much value. A translate of said phirmaund follows: In the name of God, amen. To all present and future ralers in Surrat that remain in
the hopes of the Emperours favour. Be it known that at this happy birth of time it is agreed of the English Nation, besides their usuall custom of 2 per cent, for their goods, more 11 joid ge or polemony shall be taken. Wherefore it is commanded that in the said place, from the 1st day of Sbavaal in the 28d year of our reign, of the said people there [should be three and a half rupees per cent of all their goods on account of castome and polomony be taken for the future; and [at?] all other places upon this account let no one hinder or molest them for custom, rawdarree, peashoum, phirmaish, and other matters by the Emperours court forbidden; not (nor ?] to make any demands in these
particulars ; observe. Written the 23d day of the month Suffer in the year twenty three.. When the phirmaund came, though there was a dispute upon it, yet, Hodges Suffy Chaun
being our friend, * perwanna was obtained of the Nabob and said Duan Hodgee Suffy Chaun for free passing our goodes upon the phirmaunde, interpreting the said phirmaund in our fayour; and accordingly for the following yeare the Honble Companies affairs were not molested. But the next year Boolchund, having a coppy of the said phirmand, puts & stop upon all affaires and gives great trouble, saying the phirmaund doth not at all concerne this place, it being directly to the Governours of Surrat, and the meaning was that those that paid custome at Surrat should not be molested in any other place, and if we would bave a rewanna that we had paid custom at Surrat, he would not require it for what goods we imported : and thereapon sends a copy of the said phirmaund to the Nabob with his interpretation of it, and withall informs the Nabob the English, under a pretence that they were freed of castome by the Kings phirmaunde, give their dusticks [dastak, a pass] to the natives of the Kings subjects and vassalls, by which means the King was defrauded of his revenue. At which the Dutch set in and excite the Governour, alleadging they have paid four per cent. custome over since they have been in the country, which amount to a very great sum; which was hard measure on them when the English go free. The Nabob writes all to the Emperour, and the effect was a husball hookum (or an order) from the
• Rahdart, transit dues; peshkash, presenta ; farmdish, commission.
