(9i6) 
endeavours to engrofs all the profit to hitnfelf by tyrannical 
Tqueezing both Merchants & Miners, who ai he not only taxes ve- 
ry high, but maintaining Spies among them of their own peopl e, 
ontheleaft inkling thac they have been any ways fortunate tie 
immediately makes a demand on them, and raifes their Taxj elfe, 
on a falfe pretence they have found a great Stone, drubs them till 
they furrender what they have, to redeem their bodies from tor- 
ment. Befides, the-Excife isfohighoQ all forts of Provifions, 
Beetle^md tobacco^ which to them is as abfolutely necefTary as 
Meat, or at leaft in their efteem, that it is thereby raifed to dou- 
ble that price they bear without the Government ; and it is fur- 
niflic only by fome Licens'd perfons ; if any other ftould en- 
deavour to bring in the jeaft quantity by ftealth',he is fined (even 
for one kdif of Tobacco)\f itbea perfonof any repute or worth 
anything, elfe fevcrely drub'dfor itj by which courfe there 
is hardly a man worth 500 /. to be found amongft them, moft of 
them dealing by Moneys taken upac latereft of Ufurers, who 
refide there purpofely to furnifli them, who, with the Gover- 
nour eat up their gains: fo that one would wonder any of them 
fhouldftay, and not betake themfelves to places where they 
might have better ufage; as there are feveral in other Govern- 
ments, and fome few that have the fenfe to remove; birt 
jnany their Debts,others hopes of a great hit detains. Both Mer- 
chant and Miner go generally naked , only a poor Clout about 
their middle, and a Shaft on their heads ; they dare not wear a 
Coat , left the Governour (hould fay they have thriven much, 
are rich, and fo inlarge his Demands on them. The wifeft ,when 
they find a great Scone,conceal it till they have an opportunity, 
and then wi|h Wife and Children run all away into the Vifiapore 
Country, where they are fecure. 
The Government in the Country is better, their A- 
greementobferv'd, Taxes eafier, and dofuch Impofitionson pro* 
vifions; theMerchants go handfbmly clad, amongft whom are 
feveral perfonsof confiderable Eftates, which they are permit- 
ted to enjoy pcaceably,by reafon whereof their Mines are much 
more populous and better employ ed than thofe of Golconda. 
It is obfervablejthat notwithftanding the Agreement with the 
Adventurers of the Mines, that all Stones above a certain'^w^eigbc 
lhall be for the Kings ufe ; yet in the Metropolis of either King- 
dom> as the Cities of Colconda and VifiAfore are 5 there is no fei- 
zu^-e. 
