ABSTRACT
"The sixteenth century witnessed the birth of the Mogul Empire; the seventeenth its prime maturity; the eighteenth its wretched and decrepit old age." As a consequence of the outstanding position of that Empire which followed the death of Akbar, the history of seventeenth century India focuses itself upon that romantic personality whom the Western world knew as the "Great Mogul." The first Englishman who is known to have visited the country was Thomas Stephens, who went to Goa in 1579, and became Rector of the Jesuits' College in Salsette. Before leaving England he studied at New College, Oxford. While in India he maintained a correspondence with his father, of which one or two letters are preserved by Purchas. Stephens was not a traveller. The first Englishman entitled to that appellation, as far as India is concerned, was "Master Ralph Fitch, Merchant of London," to use the title which Purchas gives him.
