Comoree_. It would certainly
sell well in England for sheeting." Here we see the genesis of the
calico trade.

The company is informed that "if Moorish girdles, Turks, and cloaks will
yield any profit, I pray give advice. They are here in abundance and the
great chief merchandise. There is also a market for cloth of all kinds
of light and pleasing colors, pleasing to the eye, as Venice reds,
stamels, some few scarlets for presents, and also to sell to great men,
popinjay greens of the brightest dye, cinnamon colors, light dove
colors, peach colors, silver colors, light yellows with others like, but
no dark or sad colors, for here they are not vendible. Those of the last
voyage are yet upon our hands and will not be sold for the monies that
they cost in England." Thenceforward, it is to be supposed, the company
bought no more of the "suitings of the Puritans," then growing to be the
vogue at home.

"Of new drinking-glasses, trenchers for sweetmeats, but especially
looking-glasses of all sorts and different prices--but not small
baubles--some reasonable quantity would be sold to good profit, and I
verily suppose that some fair large looking-glass would be highly
accepted of this King, for he affects not the value in anything, but
rarity in everything, insomuch that some pretty new-fangled toys would
give him high content, though their value were small, for he wants no
worldly wealth or riches, possessing an inestimable treasury, and is, it
is thought, herein far exceeding the Great Turk."

Throughout all their reports and epistles the captains and factors
appear above all anxious to establish themselves on the mainland, and
express much indignation at the conduct of Macarab Khan, the Mogul's
vizier, at his juggling with their hopes.

"If it please God we attain Surat," sighs one of the factors, "how
comfortable it will be to those there, beneficial to the trade, and
commodious to your worship." Jostled aside, tormented by the Dutch in
the eastern archipelago and by the Turks in the Red Sea, what wonder
that the company and its servants now longed to displace the Portuguese
in India itself?

At home the company had despatched, in 1612, as its tenth expedition,
three vessels. They comprised the stout old Dragon, commanded by Captain
Thomas Best; the Solomon, alias the James, and the Hoseander. Was the
new effort of Best and Kerridge, one of his supercargoes, to establish a
factory at Surat to be more successful than t