Page 355
An. 1686
Two English Letters found at Mindanao.
his coming. The Present that Mr. More brought was laid down before them, and was very kindly accepted by the Sultan, who caused Mr. More to sit down by them, and asked a great many questions of him. The discourse was in Spanish by an In- terpreter. This conference lasted about an hour, and then he was dismissed, and returned again to Raja Laut's House. There was a supper provided for him, and the Boats crew; after which he returned aboard.
The next day the Sultan sent for Capt. Swan: He immediately went ashore with a Flag flying in the Boats head, and two Trumpets sounding all the way. When he came ashore, he was met at his Landing by two principal Officers, guarded along with Soldiers, and abundance of people gazing to see him. The Sultan waited for him in his Char- ber of Audience, where Captain Swan was treated with Tobacco and Betel, which was all his enter- tainment.
The Sultan sent for two English Letters for Cap- tain Swan to read, purposely to let him know, that our East India Merchants did design to settle here, and that they had already sent a Ship hi- ther. One of these Letters was sent to the Sultan from England, by the East India Merchants. The chiefest things contained in it, as I remember, for I saw it afterwards in the Secretaries hand, who was very proud to shew it us, was to desire some privileges, in order to the building of a Fort there. This Letter was written in a very fair hand, and between each line, there was a Gold line drawn. The other Letter was left by Captain Goodlud, directed to any English men who should happen to come thither. This related wholly to Trade, giving an account; at what rate he had agreed with them for Goods of the Island, and how European Goods should be sold to them; with