East Indies: May 1605 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1864.

Citation:

'East Indies: May 1605', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616, ed. W Noel Sainsbury( London, 1864), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/p143 [accessed 29 November 2024].

May 1605



May 22. Tauris.	344. Robert Sherley to his dear brother Sir Anthony Sherley, Commissioned from the King of Persia to all the Christian Potentates. Has little hope of his return, and is “almost distracted from the thought of any help for my delivery out of this country.” Knows his brother has likewise suffered discommodity, but it cannot be compared to his own, amongst Turks, infidels, and enemies to the Christian name. The King of [Persia] has entrapped them with deceit and flattery, and publishes to the world the hatred he bears to the name of Christians, making slaves of the poor Armenians, and burning and pulling down all churches, yet tolerating the Turk. Complains of the scurvy fashion in which he is treated; neither time nor patience can mend his fortune. Would long since have solicited his own friends in England for his own delivery, but knows his brother has extolled the King [of Persia’s] name and his usage, and he would rather die “couped up in my miseries” than make a contrary report. Knows his father’s trouble, and that he would be moved with compassion towards himself. Is resolved next year to seek his passage from hence to avoid an evident danger. The King wintered at Tauris; great preparations of both parties, on this side there will be certainly 100,000 men, and if victorious they will approach near to Aleppo. None of greater name than Amanguin Chan, “the first friend we had in Persia,” who has played his part gallantly with 2,000 horse. News of ten Flemish ships before Goa; the Portugals in a mighty fear, inasmuch as the Archbishop has pawned all he had to make an armatto against them. [One page and a half. East Indies, Vol. I., No. 24. Printed in “The Sherley Brothers,” for the Roxburghe Club, pp. 56–58.]