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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JUNE, 1914.
truely knowne without sight of the sortes, which occasioned but a spareinge advice thereof, yett incerted it in my list of the valew of sondry other Commodities then sent Mr. Kerridge and Company. Yett for your better sattisfaction I have intreated John Parker to make further inquyery thereof, from whome you may be pleased to expect inlargement in this point. ...
Haveinge advized you of the scope and effect of my present aboad here, have nott whereof to enlarge.... 58
XXI.
John Parker's “ Postecriptum." Patna, 7 August 1621. ... Of the price and esteeme of currall in these parts. . I have enquyred of the merchants which deales most in that commodity, who, as they say, never saw unpollished currall brought into these parts, which if I mistake nott, is the sort you seeke vent for. In other places it is much spent to burne with the dead; which here they use nott. And for pollishinge or cuttinge it into beads, heer are nott workmen that hath skill therein ; and therefore noe commodity for this place. Pollished curr all will sell here, but in small quantity; and at what pryce I cannot informe you, the quallity thereof beeing soe different. Currall beads is very well requested for transporte into Bengala, and great quantityes thereof will yearly vend, to say for 50 or 60,000 rup., at or about the pryzes followinge, viz., those of 12 beads to a tanke (tanka-4 masha] at 6 tanks for a rup., of 6t a tanke at 2 tanks for a rup., of 4 to a tanke at 14 tanks per rup., of 3 to a tanke at 14 per rup., and soe accordinge to theire bignes. 69 For the sale of our remaynder of amber beads, we must nou governe our selves by those sould Mockrobchan, those beeinge all choice beads which you cannot but judge will somewhat disadvantadge the sale of the rest. Besides, those sent hither were for the most parte of the 2 worst sorts, which, as wee were informed in Agra, were the sorts most vendable here, and questionlesse are, accordinge to their valew, butt the best sort will sell for more mony though nott for more proffitt; therefore it is nott much [wonder] that those sould in Agra were sould at for good rates, they beeinge one with another as received from Suratt, besydes was helped with the best sort which was chosen out of the parcell sent hither. I have shewed them to dyvers merchants since Mr. Hughes his beeing at Lackhoare, butt cannott attayne to above 9 rup. the sere, at which rate rather then retourne them for Agra would putt them off, butt it is nott a commodity which yeilds ready mony, and by reason of our sudden departure I dare nott trust them out, though should be promysed payment within ten daies. For the future sendinge of which commodity I cannott anymate you, it beeing a commodity that will nott sell in any great quantity, but in small paroells, as for 100 and 150 rup., which will nott goe far therein ; soe a small anantity will furnish a great many of these merchants.
I have not yett provyded the gum-lacke, nor elce for musters, the merchants, brokers, shopkeepers etto, of the citty beeinge all in trouble for mony which the Prinoe requyers them to furnish him with ; Sos that none dares be seene to sell a pyce worth of goods. But
* Factory Records, Patna, I., 31-32.
59 Taking the Jeweller's mdaha at 15 grs. Troy, then the meaning of this statement is that small beads of 5 grs. sold at 72 for the rupee; beads of 10 grs. at 12 to the rupes; beads of 15 grs. at 7 to the rupee; beads of 20 grs, at 4) to the rupee, and so on. This statsmat shows that the small 5 gr. beads were much commoner than any other sort.
