as the native authorities were concerned, Best found the way smooth for his plans. Middleton's strong yet considerate policy in handling the Indian trading ships had, as we have stated, produced a distinctly favourable impression. A further advantage was that Makarrab Khan had fallen from power and that the new governor was disposed to be friendly to the English on his own account, apart from the influence of the local traders. No difficulty, therefore, was encountered at the outset in carrying on trade ashore. But the Englishmen had not been long established in Surat before rumours reached them of the big preparations that were being made at Goa to drive them away from the coast.
When the floating gossip crystalhzed into definite information that a fleet of four large galleons was being equipped for his undoing, Best took measures to meet the danger. His two ships were carefully overhauled in order to ensure the utmost effectiveness of their powers of offence and defence. Having assured himself by personal inspection that his orders had been carried out in every particular, Best caused the crews to be mustered and addressed them.
In his speech to the men of the Osiander, which the purser of the ship reported for the information of posterity, he told them that though the Portuguese were far superior to them in strength, they need not fear, as their opponents were "base and cowardly," and that it was a common saying: "Who so cowardly as a Portugall?" From his own experiences in the past he knew that after the first bravado was over they were "very cowards." He appealed to them as "Englishmen famous over the world for trew valour "to acquit themselves like men, "to put their trust in God and not fear death." He reminded thorn that death was the inevitable lot of man, and said that they
