Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/381

 Chap. VII.]

DISAPPOINTMENTS.

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involved them, were so delighted at the prospect of a treaty with the Mogul, a.d. imo. that they voted the president a present of 1000 guineas, as a mark of approba- tion for the wisdom of his pi'oceedings dm'ing the war, and for his general ser- vices. The vote was afterwards discovered to have been premature. The governor of Simit had merely begim to play his part in the game of deceit, and in order to gain time had professed a willingness to accept of terms which he was determined to repudiate. No sooner, therefore, was his object secured, tlian he threw off the ma.sk of friendship, again imprisoned the members of the factory, confiscated all the Company's property, and offered a large reward for the person of Sir John Child, alive or dead. The president, thus completely outwitted, returned to Bombay, and found no other means of avenging himself than by capturing forty vessels of a large fleet of Mogul merchantmen.

Though the prospect of an amicable termination had now become hopeless, Di^vpoint- one effort more was made by sending a deputation to Aurungzebe himself, who was then encamped with his army at Bejapoor. Mean- while, Sir John Child found himself so completely power- less, that he was unable to prevent the Siddee from inakinof several descents upon the island, and even threatening an attack upon the castle of Bombay. He had no spirit to face the gathering storm, and died on the •ith of Februar}-,

1 690. Had he lived a few weeks longer, he would have seen the Company in a more humiliating position than he had ever contemplated as possible; for I shortly after, Aurungzebe's answer to the deputation which had been sent to him arrived in the form of a firman, couched in the following terms: —

" All the English havino- made a most humble, submissive petition, that the ignominious crime they have done may be pardoned, and re(iuested another phirmaund, to make their being forgiven manifest, and sent their hakkeels to the heavenly palace, the most illustrious in the world, to get the royal favour ; and Ettimaund Caun, the governor of Sm-att's petition to the famous court, equal to the skie, being arrived, that they would present the great king with a fine of 150,000 rupees, to his most noble treasury, representing the sun, and would restore the merchants' goods they had taken away to the owners of them, and would walk by the ancient customs of the port, and behave themselves for the future no

Lmore in such a shameful manner; therefore his majestv, according to his duty 7"~^"" "■ '■

r -V .^'v*.-'*. '

Street of the Fountains, Bi;jAroun — Kroin drawing in Esist India House.

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