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 bragged that he was governor by land as Middleton was by sea, his government had been such as to discredit him and before long his crimes would cost him his head. "If," proceeded the infuriated commander, "I shoot at the town he saith he will requite me with the like, which he cannot do as you well know, because his ordnance is far inferior to mine. Whereas he saith for any harm I do amends must be made, amends is already made for any harm I do them. Though I should fire the town and beat it smooth about their ears, whether it be pleasing or displeasing to the Grand Seignor, I care not. I am out of reach of his long Bword, and for the treasonable wrongs that Rejib Aga and the Basha have done me he doeth well to bring the Grand Seignor as a party therein: let the Basha and Rejib Aga likewise consider that the King of England will not take well the betraying, robbing and murdering of his subjects to the great dishonour of the Grand Seignor and their nation."

This spirited letter was promptly followed up by the seizure of one of the largest of the Indian ships in port. Rejib Aga now began to "sing a new song," as one of the English factors tersely put it in a letter. He sent on board some personal belongings of the captives, together with a present of oxen and other fresh supplies. At the same time he wrote suggesting that the questions at issue should be submitted to the Grand Seignor at Constantinople and that they should part friends. Apparently the bearer of the missive was also entrusted with some Arabic charm which was intended to be a symbol of the era of amity that it was hoped would now open. Bliddleton had been fooled too often to be influenced by these belated manifestations of friendship. In reply he wrote—