Seeing the king to be well pleased, I thought it a good time to move him again about our debts; and having my petition ready, I opened it and held it up, as offering it to the king.  He happened not to notice this, and it being discovered by some others what was its contents, who knew the king would be enraged that his order was neglected, one of them stept up to me, and gently drew down my hand, requesting me not to present that petition.  I answered, that Arad Khan had absolutely refused me justice, and I had no other resource.  Arad heard this, being by, and went in much fear to Asaph Khan, desiring him to hinder me from making my complaint.  I answered, that our ships were arrived, and we could neither brook nor endure such delays and loss of time.  Thereupon they consulted together, and calling the cutwall, gave directions for him to put the king’s orders, into execution.  The cutwall, accordingly, beset the tents of our debtors that very night, and catched some of them; so that we shall now have justice.  I had many thanks from all the omrahs for the protection given to the queen’s ship, and the civility shown by our people to the passengers.  This they said they had properly represented to the king, who took it kindly, and they all declared they were obliged in honour to love our nation, and would do us every service in their power; yet they all wondered we could not govern our own people, and that any should presume to take ships out of the kingdom, and to rob upon the seas without leave of our king.

When the king arose, Asaph Khan carried me with hint to his retiring-place, where we first translated the inventory of our goods into Persian, to shew the king an hour after.  In this inventory I inserted the money with some addition, that the king might see we brought profit into his dominions by our trade.  I next inserted the cloths of different kinds, with the fine wares; and, lastly, the gross commodities, concluding by praying his majesty to give orders for what he wished to purchase, and then to give us liberty of selling the rest.  When this was finished, Asaph Khan asked why I wished to speak with him in private, desiring me to speak my mind with freedom, bowing, and protesting such friendship as I never could have expected.  I told him, that my reason for asking this private conference was to have his advice.  It was certainly true that I had some things which were not enumerated, but had been so badly used last year that I durst not trust any one; but, to shew my confidence in him, I was willing to open myself to him, on his oath of secrecy, which he readily gave.  I then told him that I had a rich pearl, and some other strings of fair pearls, and knew not whether it were fit to tell the king, lest the prince might be displeased.  I informed him likewise, how I had gone in the morning to visit the prince, and of his discourtesy, and my consequent determination; yet I knew his favour was necessary for us, and I had hopes to recover it by means of this pearl, which I had purposely concealed for him.  This was my purpose, and the reason of my concealment; and as he was father-in-law to the prince, and the king’s favourite, I was desirous to please both, and therefore begged his advice.