asked the News and Contents thereof.  Which Mr. Vassal informed him at large of.  It was concerning the Victory we had gained over the Dutch when Obdam Admiral of Holland was slain, and concerning the number of our Ships in that Fight, being there specified to be an Hundred and Fifty Sail.  The King inquired much after the number of Guns and Men they carried.  The number of Men he computed to be one Ship with another about Three Hundred per Ship.  At that rate, the King demanded of him how many that was in all.  Which Mr. Vassal went about to cast up in the Sand with his finger.  But before he had made his Figure the King had done it by Head, and bid him desist, saying it was 45000.

[The King pleased to hear of England Victory over Holland.] This News of the Hollanders overthrow, and the English Victory much delighted the King:  and he inquired into it very particularly.  Then the King pretended he would send a Letter to the English Nation, and bad Mr. Vassal inform him of a Trusty Bearer.  Which he was very forward to do, and named one of the best which he had made trial of.  One of the Great men there present, objected against him, saying, he was insufficient, and asked him, if he knew no other.  At which Vassal suspected their Design, which was to learn who had brought those Letters to him; and so framed his answer accordingly, which was that he knew no other.

[Private discourse between the King and Vassal.] There was much other discourse passed between the King and him at this time in the Portugueze Tongue.  Which what it was I could never get out of him, the King having commanded him to keep it secret.  And he saith, he hath sworn to himself not to divulge it, till he is out of the Kings hands.  At parting, the King told him, for Secrecy he would send him home privatly, or otherwise he would have dismist him with Drums and Honour.  But after this the King never sent for him again.  And the man, that he named as fit and able to carry the Kings Letter, was sent away Prisoner to be kept in Chains in the Countrey.  It is supposed, that they concluded him to have been the man that brought Vassal his Letters.  And thus much of the Captivity and Condition of the Persia-Merchant men.

CHAP.  V.

Concerning the means that were used for our Deliverance.  And what happened to us in the Rebellion.  And how we were setled afterwards.

[Means made to the King for our Liberty.] All of us in this manner remained until the year MDCLXIV.  At which time arrived a Letter on our behalf to the King from the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Winter, Governour of Fort St. George, and Agent there.  The Dutch Embassadour also at that time by a Commission from the Governour of Columba treated with the King for us.  With Sir Edward’s Message the King was much pleased, and with the Dutch’s mediation so prevailed with, that he promised he would send us away.

[Upon which they all met at the City.] Upon this, he commanded us all to be brought to the City.  Whither when we came, we were very joyful not only upon the hopes of our Liberty, but also upon the sight of one another.  For several of us had not seen the others since we were first parted.  Here also we met with the Persia Merchant men, whom until this time we had not seen.  So that we were nine and twenty English in all.