The Moghul

by Thomas Hoover

  My duty premised, etc. and expecting your Worship's favorable perusingof this letter. May it please God, the _Discovery_ will be fully ladedwithin the month and ready to sail. In the meanwhile I forward thisletter by Capt. Otterinck of the Spiegel, bound this day for Amsterdam,to advise you of certain New Conditions affecting the Company's trade.I have inform'd you by earlier letter of our Entertainment provided thePortugals in the Surat Bay, with the two of their vessels set to fire,by which they were all consumed and between four and five hundred menslain, burnt, and drowned, and of ours (God be praised) only two andsome few hurt, with all Commodity safe. I have reported also the lossof the _Resolve_ at Surat by lamentable Circumstance. Yet I maintaingreat Hope that we are like to discover profitable Trade with theCountry of India.

  I write now to advise you the Hollanders have late brought News of anew King of that Country. Reports have reached the Moluccas that theMoghul Arangbar died suddenly some two months past, to be succeeded byone of his Sons, whose Pleasure toward England is uncertain. The fullEvents are not clearly known here, but this will doubtless require ournew Petition for license to trade.