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252
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
SEPTEMBER, 1911.
Emperour to Hodgee Suffy. Chaun, his Daan, to take of us per cent. custome; which came down the begining of anno 1682, a little before Agent Hedges etc. arrivall, who found a stop upon all the Honourable Companies affairs. And that which confirmed the stop' was Mr. Vincents complying with the orders, prying 5 per cent. custome, which was exacted from them. A little before agent Hedges etc. arrival Mr. Vincent had dispatcht & Vukeel to court, who was proceeded as far as Pattana when Mr. Pitt in the Crown arriv'd, upon whose arrivall Mr. Vincent orders the Vukell to stay there till farther order. When it was made known to the said Agent Hedges that there was a Vukeel going to court, be, having a design to go to Dacca, pleads the great expence, bath it collected; and calls a Consultation and there aggravates the expence and lenght of time etc., as may be seen in a Consultation September 25, 1682. And having framed his designs to serve himself, as well in that particular as many others, he dissembled matters so artificially that an honest mind could not entertain any thought of his hypocrisy ; but it appeard by the event that to serve himself was his design, and therefore the Vuckeel was remanded back. And to Dacca the said Ageut goes and spends near 50,000 rs. and only obtains 7 months time (we giving in bills of entry at Hagly of all goods shipt off) to try what could be done in the procuring a .phirmaunde (but did no more towards it then to trust the Nabobs promise to write on our behalf); and if a phirmaund cold not be procur'd in said 7 months then he yeilded to pay custome etc.; and give [gave?] the security of a merchant at Dacca (which trap it was thought was laid for him), into whose hands was deposited 20,000 rs. for counter security. After the 7 months was some time expired and no phirmaund came, the said merchant into whose hands was deposited the 20,000 rs.) paies the custome upon the tallicnes (talika] (or bills of entry), wbich were giveing [sic] during the said 7 months, which was for the goods that went home per Defence and Society etc.: the depositing the 20,000 rs, being a contrivance to draw into the fact, that they might have it entered into the Kings books that we had yeilded to pay custome and so be a president for the future, presidents in all cases being what these people build greatly upon, which they always plead as we do prescriptions in England. This paying of custome, although it was endeavoured to be bid by the A gent, yet it was rumored, and I told the Agent I heard that custom was paid ; which as appeared afterwards was a real truth, yet be the said Agent denyed it with the greatest aservation. Before the next shipping I told him again I heard that the merchant had paid the custome; the Agent still denyed it. After the Prulent Mary and the Herbert was gone, I told him I heard custome was paid for what we had given var tallicas for in 1683. He still denyed, and the said Agent in the first generall by the Golden Fleece, at a Consultation, by reading the letters being put hard to it, with great asservation affirme [s] that custome was not paid, when 2 yeares successively be knew it was paid, the 20,000 rs. being a cover to the design; bat before the Gollen Fleece went away, in a second generall he acknowledges custom was paid for the 2 years past, and writes 80.to the Honourable Company. So that now 3 years successively custom hath been paid for what goods hath been entered ; and that which is of vast prejudice to the Honourable Company, in that as well as in other respects, is Mr. Davis his offering to pay custom, as a motive to the procuring the Nabobs perwanna and his protection; who hath procured & perwanna upon those tearms, to build factories in, any place in Bengalla ; and these Governours will not understand any difference of parties of the English, pretending more right one then the other.
