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DECEMBER, 1921)
SIVAJI'S RAID UPON SURAT IN 1664.
317
of [8] pagod or Banian idol temple, which was just under our house (wich haveing taken, wee were much more secured on that quarter), on the other a Moorish Meseete [i.e., mosque), where severall people were harboured and had windowes into our outward yard, was thought good to bee cleared and shutt up; wich was accordingly done by a party, [and] all the people sent to seeke some other place to harbour in.
Things being thuss rearonably well prepared, newes is brought us that Mr. Anthony Smith, & servant of the Companyes, one whoe hath beene Cheife in severall factoryes, was taken prisoner by Sevagee[s] soulderiers as he came ashore neere the Duch house and was comeing to the English ; an unfortunate accedent wich made us all much concerned, knowing Sevagee[8] cruelty, and indeed gave him over as quite lost. Hee obtianes leave some few houers after to send a note to the President, wherin hee aquants him with his condittion, that hee being brought before Sevagee hee was asked what hee vas and such like questions, and att last by Seyagee told that hee was not come to doe any personall hurte to the English or other marchants, but only to revenge himselfe of Orom Zeb (the Great Mogol) because hee had invaded his counttry [and] had killd some of his relations, and that he would only have the English and Duch give him some treasure and hee would not medle with there houses, ells hee would doe them all mischeefe possible.
Mr. Smith disired him to sent a guard with him to the English house, least hee should finde any mollestation from his men, but hee answers as yet hee must not goe away, but comands him to bee carried to the rest of the marchants, where when hee came hee found the embassadour 5 from the great King of Ethiopia unto Orum Zeb prisoner and pinioned, with a great number of Banians and others in the same condition. Haveing set there some tyme, about halfe an hower, hee is seised upon by a cupple of black rogues and pinioned, in that extremety that hee hath brought away thee marks in his armes with him. This [is] what hee writt and part of what hee related when wee gott him aga ne
The President by the messenger (one of Sevagee[6] men, as wee imagined) returned answer that hee wounderd at him that, professing peace, hee should detaine an English man prisoner, and that if hee would send him home, and not to suffer his people to come soe neere his house as to give cause of suspition, hee would hurt none of his men ; otherwayes hee was upon his owne defence.
Upon these tearmes wee were all Wedensday and untill Thursday about 2 at afternoon, when perceiveing tops of lances on the other side of a neighbour house and haveing called to the men to depart and not come soe neere us, but they not stirring and intending (as wee concluded) to sett fier to the house on the quarter, whereby our house would have been in most emenient danger of being fiered alsoe, the President commanded 20 men, under the command of Mr. Gerrurd Aungier, brother to my Lord Aungier, to sally forth upon them, and another party of about soe many more to make good their retreate. They did soe, and when thay facd them judgd them to bee about 25 horsmen
6 For this embassy, see Sarkar's History of Aurangzib (vol. III, p. 137), Manucci ( vol. II, p. 109). Bernier (p. 134 ), and Valentyn ( book IV, part II, p. 268 ).
