Page 518
An. 1690
The A. thinks of leaving Bencouli
of the occasion of it, and the manner of my get- ting away.
To say nothing therefore now of that place, and my employment there as Gunner of the Fort, the year 1690 drew towards an end, and not finding the Governour keep to his agreement with me; nor seeing by his carriage towards others any great reason I had to expect he would, I began to wish my self away again. I saw so much igno- rance in him, with respect to his charge, being much fitter to be a Book-keeper than Governour of a Fort; and yet so much insolence and cruelty with respect to those under him, and rashness in his management of the Malayan Neighbourhood, that I soon grew weary of him, not thinking my self very safe, indeed, under a man whose hu- mours were so brutish and barbarous. I forbear to mention his name after such a character; nor do I care to fill these papers with particular stories of him: But I therefore give this intimation, because as it is the interest of the Nation in general, so is it especially of the Honourable East India Compa- ny, to be informed of abuses in their Factories. And I think the Company might receive great ad- vantage by strictly enquiring into the behaviour of those whom they intrust with any command. For beside the odium, which reflects back upon the Superiours from the mis-doings of their Servants, how undeservedly soever; there are great and last- ing mischiefs proceed from the Tyranny or igno- rant rashness of some petty Governours. Those under them are discouraged from their service by it, and often go away to the Dutch, the Mogul, or the Malayan Princes, to the great detriment of our Trade, and even the Trade and the Forts them- selves are many times in danger by indiscreet pro- vocations given to the Neighbouring Nations, who are best managed, as all Mankind are, by ju- stice;