________________
JUNE, 1914)
FIRST COMMERCIAL MISSION TO PATNA
103
and meanes will permitt, as also for silke in the Condition theye ayme at, thoughe Cloubte wee shall come much shorte in the quantity, the yeare beinge already so farr spent, and but barre [barely) 3 months lefte us for th'efectinge this yere provisiones to bee dispeeded hence with the first opertunitye after the raynes, which wilbe about the seazone our last yeres goods went hence; and therfore to avoyde farther trouble then, what goods wee have readye wee have despeeded towards you, and are as you nay porceave by a briefe invoyce therof here inclosed. They were this morninge laden on two Carts and have made theire first Manzull [manzil, stagel, Wee have paide in parte of theire freught 74rups, and have given the Carters a bill on you to receave 8 rups, more in full therof (if) theye deliver them you in safe and good condition, and are in all 17 balles gt. [containing) 52 mds. net, hired at 14 rups. I tuke [laka]53 per md, net, the Currant price of the Carravan theye goe in Companye with, and maye bee about a hundred Cartes more. Notwithstandinge, for their better safgard, wee have sent you Dyalla our servant and 6 Tierandazes tirandaz, archer, guard) more, have paid them in full of theire Journye, and have delivered Dyalla 10 rups. to defraye theire charges on the waye...
You will perceave that wee have sent you all our coarse silke, havinge not founde here buyers for such a quantitye, which if you put of as you advize them to bee worthe there, theye will not come to a bad market. Howsoever wee thought it more convenyent to send it you now then to detayne it untill after the raynes, in regard there is hopes you maye put it of tymlye enoughe to have it's proceede agayne resent to bee this yeare invested, which after the raynes wilbe to late, and by that tyme wee shall agayne bee furnished with a greate parcell to trouble the market.
It seemes you have received but littell fine goods from Surratt which althoughe not enordered for presantly, yet a trifell would at instant have stoode our busines in some steede if wee mought or maye yet expecte it from you, for from Surrat it will come to late to further our this yeres necessitye, and for the next wee expecte not.04
XVIII.
To the Agra Factory. Patna. 2 June 1621. Good Frends, Mr. Biddulphe etts.... Maye it please you take notice that the prime presant came hether this bearer with yours of the 18th Maye, and therinclosed second bills for the 8000 rups. last sent and eight other bills of Exchange for 8000 rups. more ... with a transcript of our late beloved frende Mr. Fetiplaces Testament, for whose Lose wee are hartilye Contrite. God graunt us all whom hee hathe lefte behinde to bee assiddualye myndfull of the waye he hathe led us, that wee maye with the more Comforte be prepared to followe him when the Lord shall caule us....
Wee apprehend Surrats resolution for the desolvinge this factory (our this yeres provisions beinge accomplished), and wee will as neare as possible endevor to follow direction, as well for efectinge theire disieres in the Commodities of theise partes as for our speedye dispatche therin, for the sendinge hence our Investments with the first and convenient transporte, which will not bee (as often advertized) untill the raynes are spent, to saye about the prime October. And wheras you desier Robert Hughes his presant repaire for Agra,
53 The hiring price was therefore I rupee 12 annas and a taka. The copper takd not the silver, which was a rupee) was 2 or 4 pice (paisa) and the pice was a quarter anna ; Bo one takd would be worth from a half to one anna. The context presumes that it was half an anna, which makes the hiring price to be R. 1 123 As.
54 Factory Records, Patna, I., 28.
