A. D. 1620. 0(^.0 



King James borrowed 200,000 imperial dollars of his broii>er-in-kw 

 King Chriftian IV of Denmark, for the fuccour of the palatinate, &ci 

 for which he was to pay the ufual and legal intereft of 6 per cent, be- 

 ing 12,000 dollars yearly. [Fcedcra, V. xvii, p. 255.] 



It is here to be noted, that the rate o£ interefl by law in England 

 was. at this time 10 per cent, an.dj_was.ni)t reduced to 8 per cent till the 

 year 1624. 



King James, in his qommiflion to Sir John Merrick, to be his ambaf- 

 fador to the great duke of Ruflia, obferves, ' that whereas our fubjefts 

 trading to Ruflia,, by virtue of treaties, have long enjoyed fundry pri- 

 vileges and immunities there, which now, by occalion of the late 

 troubles happening in thac ftate, have received fome interruption ; 

 and the faid great duke and lord of Ruflia having, by an honourable 

 embaflage to us, mov-ed to us a continuance of amity, and fome other 

 things concern,ing our welfire : For renewing the league and amity be- 

 tween him and us, and~ the privileges of our fubjecls in his dominions, 

 and likewife for. the re-demanding of a great fum of money, which at 

 his requefl we were pleafed to furnifli him withal, we have conftituted- 

 Sir John INlerrick,' &c. Aaid in the fame year he gave the like com- 

 miflion and powers to Sir Dudley Diggs, for the fame errand to Ruflia, _ 

 [Foederd, V. xvii, pp. 256, 25'7.] 



About this time the Englifli company trading to the Eafl-Indies ob- 

 tained leave of the king of Golconda. lo fettle at Madras-patan, on the 

 coafl: of Coromandel, where they were permitted to build the fort call- 

 ed St. George ; which has ever flnce been the company's general fa(fto- 

 ry for their trade to all parts eaft of Cape Comorin. The principal 

 fiaple wares there, are calicoes of various kinds, and muflins ; although 

 they likewife trade in all other Indian merchandize, and to all parts. 

 At Madras (as they commonly call that place) and the adjacent villages, 

 the company has been faid to have 1 00,000 perfons fubject to them, 

 from whom they receive confiderable funis in dtitie^> and cufl:oms. Fort St. 

 George, however, is far from being a happy fltuation, being fituated on 

 a barren foil, and a tempefluous fliore, having no kind of harbour, nor 

 even a convenient landing-place for boats : it, has no freih water nearer . 

 than a mile diftant ; yet the company find their conveniency in it in 

 other refpecls, efpecially as to their. trade in diamonds, muflins, chintz, 

 &c. and in putting off their European wares moft in requefl; there, viz. 

 fl;ockings, haberdafliery, gold and lilver-lace, looking-glalfes, and drink-^ - 

 ing-glafles, lead, wines, cyder, cheefe, hats, fluffs, ribands, &c. 



The Danes having reibrted to Eafl-India ever fince the year 1612, 

 and having erefted a company for that commerce, now formed a 

 fcheme for pofTefling themfelves of the cinnamon trade at Ceylon, and 

 for that end fent out five fhips, efcorted by two men of war; but thr._ 

 Portuguefe there obliged them to return home uniucceisfuL 



