Sʳ Richᵈ Haddock.
My ever honᵈ Brother,
My last, of the 7ᵗʰ Augᵗ from Visagapatam, gave yoʳ Honʳ accᵗ of our arrivall Madras and of our affaires to that tyme. The 10ᵗʰ Augᵗ we saild thence for Balasore, wher we arriv’d the 15ᵗʰ; in wᶜʰ bay we have contᵈ and rid out the monsoone, wᶜʰ has prov’d favourabler then expected (beinge leape yeare).
The 15ᵗʰ 7ber Capᵗ Heath arriv’d this place, who, by virtue of the President and Counsell of Madras order requir’d my goeinge up wᵗʰ hime to Chuttynutte[a] in the river of Hugly (the place where our Agent and factorie resided), myselfe wᵗʰ the rest of the comandʳˢ of the Europe Shipps then in the river to assist hime in the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ affairs.[] In fews days after our getting up to Chuttynutte, a letter was writ to the Nabob of Dacca (the cheife govenʳ of that citty), who had formerly requested our Agent that if we would assist hime wᵗʰ ships to transport soulders and horss from Chottagam to Arraccan (they beinge in warrs wᵗʰ that Kinge), he would give us his Pharwanna[c] of a settlemᵗ of trade, wᵗʰ prevaledges as formerly accordinge to the 12 articles formerly sent hime from our agent &c. Capt. Heath, in the letter sent, condesended to the Nabob’s request, in suplyinge hime wᵗʰ 10 ships and vessells for the Mogull’s occations, to transport ther soulders and horss, provided they would allow of the buildinge of a fortyfiction wᵗʰin the river of Hugly, for the better security of the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ estate and serᵗˢ; wᵗʰout wᶜʰ grant of a fortyfied place the Compˢ ordʳˢ possitive are, to wᵗʰdraw off all our factory from this place.
We continued heere 5 weeks for the Nabob’s answer to the proposall: but not comeing, we, haveinge taken off all the Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ concernes from the shoare, saild from Chuttynᵗʸ the 8ᵗʰ 9ber, and passed by ther fortts peaceably. At our arrival Balasore found that the govenʳ of the towne had (some tyme before our comeinge) detaind the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ goods, beinge this yeares investmᵗˢ, alsoe partic. mens goods; and would not permit none of the factors, nor our people that were ashoure buying provit[ions], to come off. Capᵗ Heath sent 2 of our factors wᵗʰ a letter to the govenʳ (who was come downe to the bancksall, or point of sand goeinge into the river, wher he was makeinge a fortyfication), to demand the Rᵗ Honbᵉ Compˢ goods wᵗʰ all our men. His answer was, what he did was by order from the Nabob; and, if he did dilliver our goods and men, should loose his head. 3 days after, 2 of the factors were againe sent to aquaint the govenʳ that our intention was to depart out these parts peaceable, we haveinge come away out Hugly river wᵗʰout doeinge any act of hostillity to any of the Mogull’s subjects; therfore requird hime to send off our goods and people by faire meanes; if not, we would have them by force of armes. Wᶜʰ hee not permitting them too goe off, the next day all our soulders, about 320, and upwards 240 seamen were put into the small vessels and all our boates; and early next morninge they landed a mile to the W.ward of the fort (wᶜʰ the govnʳ had rais’d); against wᶜʰ landinge place they had planted 5 small guns on a sandhill, wᶜʰ they discharg’d at our men, and killd 2 and wounded 2 more; soe fled from the guns. And soone after, the cheife capᵗ of our soulders had drawne all the soulders and seamen in order of battalia, marcht up to the fort, wᶜʰ, at ther aproach, fired all ther guns they had planted to the land; but, soone after, the govenʳ and all his men fleed out the fort wᵗʰout doeing much harme to our men; the wᶜʰ we possest wᵗʰout any farther opposition. In and about this fort they had upwards 40 guns mounted and a good wall made wᵗʰ timber and clay; might have bine sufficient (if manag’d by Europeans) to [have] wᵗʰstood a great armie of men, or at least done much more mischief then they did.
The govenʳ, after deserted his fort, made all hast possable up to Balasore towne, and orderd the factory house (in wᶜʰ were confind all our people, thirteene in number) to be sett on fire. Our people in the house defended themselves bravely, killinge sevˡ of the Moors; but by the firsness of the fire were forct to surrender themselves on tearmes to have ther lives and good useage. The next day Capt. Heath (who went ashoare wᵗʰ the soulders—Capᵗ Sharpe comanded the small vessells and boates that were to goe over the barr, leaveinge mee in comand of the ships in the roade) went up with all the soulders and seamen to Balasore towne by watter and landed short of old Balasore fort, the wᶜʰ they soone tooke; soe marcht into the towne, few or noe people beinge left to oppose them; the govenʳ disertinge it at ther comeinge, caryinge wᵗʰ hime all our English, amongst wᶜʰ are 3 of our ships compᵃ, vizᵗ. Mr. Davenant (beinge ashoare buyinge provit[ions]), Charles Scarlet, midshipman, and Sam Harbin, gunʳ, serᵗ of Capⁿ Heath’s, his pursur, and 3 more, Mr. Stanly, cheife of the factory, the rest free men that trades in the country. As yet we cannot gett the govenʳ to give ther releasemᵗ. We have sent sevˡ messingers to hime, that we have not burnt ther towne nor ships, expectinge he would dilliver up our men; but, if not, we will returne and doe both. Our soulders (but seamen more espetially) have comitted many inhuemane actions in the towne, plundringe not only Moors but sevˡ Portugeese houses, and killed sevˡ innocent people. We have had the greatest loss in this axtion, vizᵗ. 4 men killd and 3 wounded. Ther names are: Mr. Starland, 3d mate, Henry Grove, cheife trumpetter, Christopher Hogg, and Jnᵒ Hinton, who very indiscreetly went out wᵗʰ sevˡ more seamen to a garden house, expectinge great plunder, were cut off, sevˡ of them, by a party of horss. The 3 wounded are Henʳʸ Roxby, Franˢ Johnson, and Jnᵒ Smart.
I have, by the Williamson (by whom this is alsoe intended you), sent Sʳ Henʳʸ Johnson and Sʳ Tho. Rawlinson, and alsoe to my wife, a list of our dead &cᵃ men, in all 44. Our supernumery men wᶜʰ I brought out of England, beinge 27, at my arivall Madras, I aquaintd the President therwᵗʰ, who offred them to Cap. Bromwell, the Rotchester haveinge lost most of ther men. But he refuseinge to pay the charge the Honᵇˡᵉ Compᵃ were at sendinge them out, they were not taken out ther; and what of them that are alive doe still remaine in our ship, not beinge demanded here by the agent. I supose our owners will be alowed for them at 50ˢ per mᵒ, noe longer then our departure Madras, to wᶜʰ tyme we had lost 30 men. I doe not repent ther continueinge abord, haveinge had soe great mortolaty and most of them the best of our seamen.
I supose our next enterprize will be towards Chottagam, a place neere the coast of Arraccan. The Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compᵃ possative orders are for endeavouringe the takinge it; but I feare we shall not have strength sufficient to effect it, the Nabob haveinge sent many thousand of [men] this yeare ther to over run and take the kingdome of Arracan. The king of that country beinge some tyme since dead, part of the people are in rebelion against the present govermᵗ; by whᶜʰ its supos’d the Mogullers will goe farr in takeing that country this yeare, and we frustrated of our designe.
Honᵇˡᵉ Sir, I have not writt to any of owners (except the 2 in charty party), beleivinge we shall returne to Madras before the Williamson sailes for England. Our ship is in a very good condition and very thite. I beleive our stay in India will be the extreme of our tyme, for at present noe prospect of a freight for Europe; and I feare the brave trade of Bengall will be lost, at whᶜʰ the Dutch and French rejoyce, that this trade may wholy fall to them.
I have not elce to add; only please to present my duty, respects, and love to all our deere relations and freinds. Thus, wᵗʰ my due respects to yoʳ selfe and my good lady sister, doe remaine,