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100
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1914.
is of late so fallen is for that Muckrob Con [Makarrab Khân] hathe delivered out 3 lackes of rups. to bee repaid him in Agra. Now beinge both in Cash and Credditt, I promise farther not to trouble you untill your answare hereunto, feringe lest I mought bee more bould then Convenient. Yet if your suplyes from Surratt have encouraged you, you shall doe well to strengthen us with 5 or 6000 runs. more out of hand, for which wee shall have speedye Imployment ... '
The Parda Lparda, tapestry curtain], Looking glasse, 2 pces. moheres (mohair] and 280 pices weight amber beades I delivered into Muckrob Cons Circare and am promised [payment]Hee departes hence (by reporte) within theise eight dayes, and already Perveze his servants have umull ['amal, authority). Seaventeene pces. of the bone lace I have sould Shekassame [Shekh Hasan] for 216 rups., which is received. The rest of the lace remaynes. Most of theire papers were lost before come to my hands, so that I was fayne to guse (guess) at theire partikuler prizes. · .45
XV.
To the Agra Factory, Patna, 31 March 1621. Lovinge Frends: My last unto you was answare to youres of the 15th February... since which have I received the second bills (of exchange] by Guarshaw (Gauher Shah] your expresse, whome I retorned with pertickujer answare the 13th presant... And now let mee intreate you take notice of what bath passed with us since
I have at sundrey tymes Caried and sent to Mr. Parker at Lackhoure 4000 rupes which is almost all invested in the browne Ambertyes of those partes. which (as bought) are put out to whittinge, and now havinge more meanes will suplye that place with what parte therof maye bee spared. I have bought about 30 mds. serbandye silke [at betwene 70 and 80 rups. per md.] 46 and have workemen in paye to winde it of, and as you strengthene us with meanes, shall accordinglye persist in that investment, for in aught elce of this place wee medell not, untill receave order from Surratt, save in sahannes and hamommes. Of the latter I have bought about 6 corge, and as such sortes come to hand shall ingrose them.
In my last I advized you howe I had cleared with Muckrob Con for those thinges delivered into his circare, to seye, for the parda or peece of tapestrye,17 300 rupes; as much for the greate looking glasse; 50 rupes for 2 pieces moheres ; and 280 rupes for 280 pices weight amber beades. Hee is at present removed from hence and gon for Helabaze [Allahâbâd], and doubtles will for Agra ; whoe if come to you, I praye demaund of his sonne, Shek Alaboxe [Shekh Allah Bakhsh], 18 rupes for two Bulgare hydes delivered him. And thus have you breflye th'efecte of what hath passed with us in our afayeres since my last. And now I entreate you take notice what likwise hathe hapned by disaster. The 24th presant, keinge Saterdaye, about noune, at the west parte of the subarbes belonginge to this citye, at least a course without the walles, in th' Allum gange, [Alamganj], a tirable fier kindled, which havinge consumed al those partes, by the fource of a stronge andye [andhi, a dust-storm], brake into the citte and within the space of two greese's came into the verye harte therof, where our aboade is; whoe beinge enviorned
45 Fuctory Records, Patn, I., 23, 24.
46 Added from the letter to Surat which follows. 47 Parda means a heavy curtain; the "peece of tapestry" must have been for use as a curtain and not as a wall hangir g.
1 Chari, a native bour, about half an English hour, so two groene" would mean one hour.