tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">[39] He had a taste for planting and gardening; he grew the first potatoes in Japan; “forget not my pigeons and fishes” is an injunction in one of his letters, when away from home; his gold fish, presents from China, were dearly prized and not willingly given away to the great men in Firando who coveted them—all these are pleasant traits. Nor was he, though “unlettered” and a little unsteady when he quoted Latin, without some taste for books. He had a Turkish History[40] and a St. Augustyn Citty of God[41] to lend a friend (i. 118); and he received a present of an English book of Essaies (i. 230). But we need not assume that he had read Chaucer because he calls a long rambling statement a Canterbury Tale (i. 282).

His property was only worth 1,500 reals, about £300; but, in accordance with the advice of the Council of Defence quoted above, it was seized on the arrival of the Ann Royal in England. We learn from the minutes of the East India Company that a petition was afterwards presented respecting Cocks’s small estate:—

“24th Nov. 1626.—Mr. Cox, brother unto Capt. Cox that dyed homewarde bound in the Anne, presented himselfe in Court, and desired by peticion the favor of the Comp. concerning his brother’s estate, to whom the Court related the debaust carriage of his brother and the evill service performed by him at Japan, where he had lived long contrarie to the Companies mind and had expended 40,000 pounds, never returning anything to the Comp. but consuming whatsoever came to his hands in wastfull unnecessarie expences; nay, for 3 yeares togeather refused to come away when by expresse order from the Comp. he was called thence; insoemuch that at last the President and Councell [of Batavia] were inforced to send for him with a ship sent purposelie. And for his estate he had at the time of his death, the Court told him, it was very little or none at all, and, if any, yett not sufficient to answer the Comp. what he ought them, haveing confessed upon foote of his accompt at Jaccatra that he was indebted to the Companie £900.

“Mr. Cox was sorry to heare this report of his brother and desired the Court to deale favorably with him. In the end the Court wished him to informe himself concerning the truth of these things from those that are come home; and, because the Comp. at presente have no leisure to examine his proceedings, they therefore willed Mr. Cox to returne home and leave the buisnes to Mr. Woodward to effect yt one his behalfe.”[42]