their duty.—­14.  The Mogul shall cause any governor or officer to be punished for the breach of any of these articles.—­15.  The English ships shall permit all others to pass and repass freely, to and from the ports in the dominions of the Mogul, except those of their enemies with whom they are at war:  And the English, while ashore, shall conduct themselves quietly and peaceably, as merchants.—­16.  The English shall yearly furnish the Mogul with all such European rarities, and other things, as he may desire, and at reasonable rates.—­17.  The English shall pay duty on their commodities, reasonably rated, at three and a half per cent. and two per cent. on rials of eight or money, and shall not be liable to any other duty or exaction whatsoever.—­18.  The English shall be ready to assist the Great Mogul against all his enemies.  And, lastly, The Portuguese shall be admitted to come into this peace within six months; or, if they refuse, the English shall be at liberty to exercise all hostilities against them.

On the 31st of March, the Great Mogul dined at the house of Asaph Khan, all the way from the palace, which was an English mile, being laid under foot with silks and velvet sewed together, but rolled up as the king passed.  It was reported that this feast, and the present made on the occasion, cost six lacks of rupees, which amount to L60,000 sterling.[199]

[Footnote 199:  According to Thevenot, a lack contains 100,000 rupees, and a rupee is a French crown and five sols.  At which rate, the six lacks must amount at least to L150,000 sterling.—­Churchill.

The editor of Churchill’s Collection must here have been mistaken the French crowns alluded to by Thevenot.  The rupees in India are various, and consequently differ in their value; but two shillings may be assumed as a fair average, in which case the computation in the text is quite correct.—­E.]

I received intelligence on the 26th April, that the prince had made one of his servants ask the king at the durbar wherefore he gave so great countenance to the English as to banish the Portuguese from Surat, who brought much more profit to the king in rubies, pearls, and other jewels, while the English came there only in search of profit, by the sale of cloths, swords, knives, and other articles of small value?  The king acknowledged that this was true, yet could not be mended.  By this the affections of the prince were made sufficiently manifest, and I had fair warning to be on my guard, that I might study to preserve ourselves in the good graces of the king, in which only we could be safe.  I resolved, however, to take no notice of this, except by endeavouring to give the prince a better opinion of our nation.