156 Chronological Table. 



sunk one, and seized the others. Firmauns were obtained from the Court of Persia, 

 for facilities to trade in Persia. — Bruce. Mill. 



1620.— English Agents deputed from Surat to Agra, two also sent to purchase 

 cloths at Patna. — Sketches of Bengal. 



1621. — James I. wrote to Shah Abbas, king of Persia, dated 19th March, thank- 

 ing hiin for favor shown to English merchants, and requesting a continuance of 

 such protection. — Bruce. 



1622. — The English joining the Persians, attacked and made themselves masters 

 of the island of Ormuz, resigning the same to their allies for part of the booty, and 

 a grant of a moiety of the customs of the port of Gombron. — Gleig. Bruce. Mill. 



1623. — In February, Captain Towerson, with nine Englishmen, nine Japanese, and 

 one Portuguese, were seized by the Dutch, at Amboyna, and accused of conspiracy 

 to attack the garrison : they were tried, put to the torture, and executed. — Bruce. 



This cruel transaction caused much sensation, receiving the name of the Massa- 

 cre of Amboyna ever after, but the particulars of the case may have been exagge- 

 rated. The king issued a commission for inquiry, yet the Dutch obstinately main- 

 tained their ground as the exclusive and rightful possessors of the Moluccas, Banda, 

 and Amboyna; and strange though it may appear, the English government, in spite 

 of the popular indignation, seem quietly to have acquiesced until a partial compensa- 

 tion, after a delay of 20 years, was enforced by Cromwell. — Mill. Hume. 



1624. — The English factories and agencies, unable to cope with the Dutch, nearly 

 all withdrawn from stations in the Archipelago. The Company obtained, this year, for 

 the first time, permission to punish their servants abroadby martial as well as munici- 

 pal law. The factories at Siam, Portania, and Japan withdrawn at the time. — Bruce. 



1625. — The English, alarmed at the late massacre at Amboyna, had retired, the 

 preceding year, from Batavia to the Island of Lagundy, in the Straits of Sunda ; 

 after much mortality, were forced to abandon it, from its unhealthiness. — Bruce. 



1626. — In 1621 , the factory at Bantam sent to the Coromandel coast, to open a 

 trade at Pullicat ; but the Dutch effectually opposed the attempt. In the following 

 year, they seem to have succeeded in establishing a trade house at Masulipatam, 

 and secured a considerable quantity of coast goods. In February, 1826, the English 

 erected a small factory at Armagon, under Mr. Johnston, a Factor, which they 

 slightly fortified, as a subordinate station to Masulipatam, and as a retreat, in case 

 of need. Thus originated our transactions on the coast of Coromandel. The English 

 wished to seize the Island of Bombay, and fortify it as a retreat from the native 

 powers ; the plan was not carried into effect, but now also was attention first di- 

 rected to Bombay. — Bruce. 



1627. — Jehanguire died. — Orme. 



1628. — In consequence of the oppression of the native Governor of Masulipatam, 

 it was abandoned for a time by the factory for Armagon, which now mounted 12 

 pieces of cannon, and had 23 factors and soldiers. — Bruce. 



1629. — Bantam reduced to an agency, dependant on Surat ; this proving inconve- 

 nient in its relations to the Dutch, it was again, in five years, restored to a presidency. 

 — Bruce. Hamilton. 



1630. — Armagon reinforced by 20 soldiers, and placed under the controul of Surat. 

 Off Surat, the Portuguese, with a large fleet, and 200 soldiers, made several fruitless 

 attempts against the English shipping. They also made violent efforts without 

 success, to regain their power in the Gulf. — Bruce. 



1631. — A proclamation* by Charles I. enumerates, this year, the exports and im- 

 ports of the Company, viz. exports, " perpetuanoes and drapery, (broad cloths, 

 &c.) pewter, saffron, woollen stockings, silk stockings and gaiters, ribbands, roses 

 edged with gold lace, beaver hats with gold and silver bands, felt hats, strong 

 waters, knives, Spanish leather shoes, iron and looking glass ;" the imports were 

 "long pepper, white pepper, white powdered sugar, preserved nutmegs and ginger 

 preserved, myrabolums, bezoar stones, drugs of all sorts, agate beads, blood stones, 

 musk, aloes Socatrina, ambergris, rich carpets of Persia and of Cambaya, quilts of 

 sattin, taffety, printed calicoes, benjamin, damasks, sattins and taffaties of China, 

 quilts of China embroidered with gold, quilts of Potania embroider-ed with silk, 

 galls, worm seeds, sugar-candy, China dishes, and porcelain of all sorts." — Bruce. 



1632. — A Firmaun obtained from the king of Golconda, for the re-establishment 

 of the factory at Masulipatam. — Bruce, 



1633. — The Emperor of Delhi ordered the Soubadar of Bengal, Kassim Khan, to 

 " expel the (Portuguese) idolators from his dominions." In consequence, the fort 

 at Hooghly, under Michael Rodrigues, was seized after a brave defence. The Por- 



* The proclamation does not mention Indigo ; but about this period there was a large contract 

 for its supply to the English, at Agra, and much loss was sustained, as it found, at that juncture, 

 no ready sale either in Persia or England. 



