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 S^-^ JIISTOKY OK INDIA. (Book JI.

A.D. iGi)8. maintained, another important consideration remaias behind Tiie crowii only renounced the right of granting a license " without the coasent " of the Com- pany; and before it can be said, witii Bruce, that "this license was a direct violation of tlie exclusive privileges granted by Queen Elizabeth to the London East India Company," it must be shown not only that the licease was given, but that the Company refused to consent. The probaVjility is that they were not considted on the subject ; but, knowing that they had the power of object- ing, if, from prudential considerations, they refrained from exercising it, they foreclosed themselves, and were not afterwards entitled to complain. Tiie cliarter might be withdrawn at any time after two years' notice ; and it is not to be presumed that the Company would have ventured, by withholding their consent, to oppose any of the wishes or even whims of the crown, and thereby imperilled their very existence. However, the Company may have felt they acted wi-sely in refraining from remonstrance, and allowing Sir Edward Michelbome to make the most of his license. Though he covered his design with the name of trade, his whole conduct showed that his only object was to enrich himself by priva- teering. In this he so signally failed as to give the Company the best security that no such licenses would again be gTanted. '^'^^^^ The third voyage — undertaken on a subscription of £53,500, of which

voyage. •' o

£28,560 was expended in equipping three ships, the Dragon, the Hector, and the Consent; £7280 on goods, and £17,600 in bullion — sailed in 1607, imder the command of Captain Keeling. The Consent, a sliip of 115 tons burden, commanded by Captain David Middleton, was first despatched, and made the voyage by herself without afterwards joining her companions. Weighing anchor from Tilbury Hope on the 12th of March, she made a prosperous voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, which was doubled on the 30th of July, and reached Bantam Road on the 14th of November. Having here landed the iron and lead which formed the cargo, refitted the ship, and taken in some goods for barter. Captain Middleton sailed for the Moluccas, which he reached in the begimiing of January, 1608. After experiencing considerable obstruction from the Portuguese, who, as a condition of trading, insisted that he should join them in their hostilities against the Dutch, he set sail %vithout having obtained a cargo, but had the good fortune, while off the island of Purchase of Boutoug, near the south-east extremity of the Celebes, to fall in with a Java

cloves. _

junk laden with cloves from Amboyna. The master of the junk ofiered his whole cargo for sale, and Middleton pm'chased for £2948, 15s., a quantity which was afterwards sold in England for £36,287. The object of his voyage having been thus accomplished, he hastened back to the factory at Bantam, landed the supercargoes who had accompanied liim to the Moluccas, and then set sail for England, which he reached in December.

The Dragon and Hector, the one commanded by Captain Keeling as admiral, and the other by Captain Hawkins, quitted the Do^VTls on the 1st of April,