treaty, embodying articles resembling the capitulations granted in Turkey. Experience taught him that the time was not ripe for any such concession, and the Moghul emperor was too ignorant of foreign kingdoms to measure India with them. "Neyther will this overgrowne Eliphant," said Roe, "descend to Article or bynde himselfe reciprocally to any Prince upon terms of Equality, but only by way of favour admitt our stay." "You can never expect to trade here upon Capitulations that shall be permanent. Wee must serve the tyme." All he could obtain were firmans, or orders to the local authorities, sanctioning the English trade at Surat upon reasonably satisfactory terms. "You shall be sure of as much priviledge as any stranger," Jahangir promised, and he kept his word. The English factory at Surat was set on a sufficiently stable basis, and officially recognized by emperor and prince-governor.
Indeed, Roe was disposed to judge favourably of the Moghul authorities, considering their ignorance and the uncertainty of their official position. "All the Government dependes upon the present will," he wrote in 1618, "whose appetite only governs the lordes of the kingdome; but their Justice is generallie good to strangers; they are not rigorous, except in searching for thinges to please [i.e. presents and luxuries], and what trouble we have is for hope of them, and by our owne disorders." He noted the turbulence of the English crews and even of some of the factors, and warned the Company against a policy of aggression: "A war
