'Precis Containing Information in regard to the First Connection of the Hon'ble East India Company with Turkish Arabia, as far as the Same Can Be Traced from the Records of the Bombay Government, together with the Names of the Several British Residents and Political Agents Who Have Been Stationed at Bagdad [Baghdad] and Bussorah [Basra] between A.D. 1646 and 1846, accompanied by Other Information' [‎89r] (181/226)

[ ix ]
that never hereafter the French Ambassador or Consul shall insinuate
or intermeddle therein, and accordingly it was commanded that, for the
time to come, it should be ruled and observed according to this present
capitulation.
After which there being arrived another Ambassador at this High
port, sent from the King of England with letters and presents, which
were most acceptable, the said Ambassador did make request that certain
other necessary Articles should be added and written in the Imperial
capitulations, of which the first was, as in times past, in the days of one
of our forefathers of famous memory. Sultan Suliman Khan, there was
granted a certain capitulation and privilege that the merchants of the
Spanish nation. Portugal, Ancona, Sevilla, Florence, Catalonia and all
sorts of Dutchmen and other merchant strangers might safely and
securely go and come through all the places of our dominions and
trade and traffic, granting unto them, moreover, that in any part of our
empire they might establish their Consuls, but it being that every
nation apart was not able to defray the charge and maintenance of a
Consul, it was then left to their will and choice to come under the
banner of such Ambassador or Consul as should bes^ like them,
provided that it were an Ambassador or Consul of a King in peace and
amity with our high port, upon which grant and other privileges given
them, there were often granted divers Imperial commands and constitu
tions,' being so desired by merchant strangers, who of their own will
plected to trade under the banner and protection of the Ambassador and
Consul of the King of England, and whilst in all scales and poits in
these parts they had refuge to the banner and protection of the English
Consuls, it seemeth that the French Ambassador by some means having
a new gotten into their capitulations, that the said merchant strangers
should come under their banner, did endeavor to force them in all scales to
their protection, for which cause the controversy was again renewed and
referred to our Diwan or great Council, which after a due examination
and a new election permitted to the will and choice of the said merchants,
they again did desire to be under the protection of the Ambassador of
the King of England, notwithstanding it being made known to the
Imperial port that as yet the French Ambassador did not desire to molest
the said merchants nor to force them under his protection. The liist
Article written in the French capitulations that the merchant strangers
should come under their protection was, by the Imperial command, made
void and annulled, and to the end that, according to the ancient custom
of the said merchant strangers, they should always come under the
banner and protection of the Ambassador or Consuls of England, and
that never hereafter they should be vexed or troubled by the French
All strangers to come under the Eng- Ambassador ; in this point the said
lish protection. Ambassadors of His Alajcsty or Xing 1 -
land having desired that this particular should be written and enrolled
in this new Imperial capitulation, this present Article was according y
inserted, and by the Imperial authority it is commanded, that for ever
in time to come merchants of the said Princes in the mentioned foim
and according to this Imperial command in their hand shall always be
under the banner and protection of the Ambassador and Consuls ot
England.