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proach we hope in a little time to wipe off, having already gotten confiderable large contributions from the neighbouring factories, as well as this place, in order to rebuild it; which good defign I hope your Lordfhip will not think it amifs to approve of and encourage. Another favour I have to beg, to know what name your Lordship will please to give it when finished; and whether my reading Prayers in it will fuffice, for want of a regular Confecration.

I am fenfible of the many inconveniences I fustain in not being fo happy as to live under your Lordship's more immediate inspection and guidance; and could wish that all the Canons and Rubrics of our Church (which I fhall always endeavour to keep up and maintain as the fureft guide and fafeguard of our Church, especially here in those remote parts) were as ftrictly obferved by the inhabitants of this place, as of any other part of your Lordship's diocefe; but I hope, my Lord, you will pardon the many imperfections of this kind, which, by reafon of the narrow limits of our private Chapel we are at prefent confined to, cannot well be avoided; affuring your Lordship a more exact conformity to, and I hope uniformity of, the Rites and Ceremonies of our Church, when we shall have opened a greater door and more effectual, towards propagating as well as preferving the established doctrine of our faith; which, with your LordThip's bleffing on my endeavours, fhall be the constant study of,

My Lord, your Lordship's

moft obedient humble fervant, Richard Cobbe.

P. S. This comes to your Lordship's hands by

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the

the return of our worthy General the Honourable William Aiflabie, Efq; and Captain James Hanmer, he one having lived here twenty-eight years, he other twenty-two; but fuch inftances are not Common. I am now, I thank God, pretty well inured to this fultry climate, having weathered it round through every season, which my prede ceffor, Mr George Watfon, poor Gentleman, was not able to attain, dying before his year was compleat, anno Domini, 1710.

We have Prayers every morning in our little Chapel at half an hour after fix, when the Guards are relieved, and twice on Sunday, according to the ufe of the Church of England; the Sacrament adminiftred four times in the year; and a Sermon every Sunday, Christmas-day and Good Friday.

Salt is made and Money coined here.

To the Honourable Court of Directors for affairs the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies.

May it please your Honours,

Bombay Castle, Oct. 8, 1715.

I Cannot but with gratitude acknowledge the many and fingular favours I have already received at your Honours hands, that especially in prefering me, how unworthy foever, to be your Honours Chaplain on this pleasant island; in allowing me honourably for fresh provifions, and my paffage gratis; befides the advantage of thirty pounds advanced me in England, which I hope to return when my year is compleat, with my hearty thanks to your Honours for the fame.

I have fent your Honours the firft fruits of my labours, a lift of all the chriftenings, weddings and burials that have happened here fince my arrival, and a catalogue of the books contained in

the

the honourable Company's library, with an account of fuch as were by the Governor and Council thought wanting, humbly requesting the fame may be fent over, or any other books your Honours shall think more useful and neceffary.

We have by GoD's affiftance and your Honours leave undertaken the rebuilding of our ruinous Church here, and in order thereunto have gotten feveral large and confiderable contributions from Surat and this place, befides the fubfcriptions we may expect from Perfia and down the coaft; but above all the example of your Honours first and generous benefaction, which we shall always thankfully acknowledge and commemorate, hath already encouraged others to give freely; and the hopes we have of your Honours further affiftance will enliven our hearty and unanimous endeavours to apply ourselves with vigour towards the accomplishment of this good work. We hope likewife your Honours will be pleased to fend us fuch ufeful and neceffary ornaments for our Church as cannot easily be procured in these parts; fuch as a good ring of bells, one large marble font, two branches of brass candlesticks,` and two tables in brass with the Creed, Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments engraved thereon, with two other tables in brafs whereon to infcribe the names of our honourable and worthy benefactors.

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In acknowledgment of which favours, as I cannot cease to pray for your profperity, fo fhall I always endeavour to difcharge the rest of my duty conscientiously and faithfully to the utmost of my power, and to your Honours fatisfaction; who am, May it please your Honours,

Your Honours moft obliged, humble

Servant and Chaplain,
Richard Cobbe.

To Mr Henry Newman, Secretary to the bonourable Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge. Bombay, Oct. 11, 1715.

SIR,

YOURS I received with a very worthy and

acceptable prefent of books from the honourable Society, which I have difpofed of accordingly to the Gentlemen of the factory at Bombay, who return them abundance of thanks for the fame; and would have made them a more fubftantial and fuitable return, had not their good intentions been diverted by an object more immediately before them, the erecting and rebuilding our ruinous Church at Bombay, to which they have fubfcribed unanimoufly and freely to the utmost, and some even beyond their prefent abilities. I likewife return my particular thanks to the honourable Society for doing me the honour of electing me one of their Correfponding Members; whofe good and charitable designs I shall upon all occafions freely concur with and pro

mote,

The Portuguese were highly offended at the pamphlets as they call them, the Short Inftructions; and the New Teftaments I brought with me they will not allow to be a true verfion. However they dare not speak fo freely here as at Goa, and other places of their own fettlements, where they fwarm with Padres and Clericos, to above the third part of the inhabitants they amufe the people here with their pageantry and fine fhews, keeping them in ignorance and poverty together,

I defire you would intercede for us to the honourable Court of Directors, &c. to fend us a Schoolmaster or two, fuch as are brought up in

your

your Charity-schools, well verfed in the ways and methods of teaching for here is a large field and encouragement fufficient. Here is variety of worship and different forts of religion tolerated; fo that you may fee idolatry and fuperftition abound almoft in every quarter.

Mr Stevenfon and Mr Long are both well at Madras, though I have not yet heard from them. I am pretty well inured to this country climate, though it is comfortably warm before the monfoons, which are continual rains falling conftantly in the heat of fummer, and lafting generally from the beginning of June till the latter end of September, and not a drop of rain to fpeak of all the year after. The island is much healthier now than heretofore, or than is commonly reported; which may be owing to the late order of prohibiting the inhabitants dunging their ground and trees with fifh, and to the ftopping up feveral breaches of the fea, which formerly overflowed a third part of the island; fo that with a little care and caution one may live here as comfortably as in any part of England.

I am, with due refpects to your honourable
Society, Sir,

Your obliged friend and very humble servant,
Richard Cobbe.

To the Gentlemen of Perfia employed in affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies, greeting.

Gentlemen,

Bombay Castle, Nov. 9, 1715. OUT of a deep sense of your faith and inte

grity, and a zeal to promote the public good, we, in the behalf of the reft of the inhabitants of this place, have prefumed to beg your

charitable

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