He Is Now
Reduced, Or Rather, As They Say, Peaceably Induced To Acknowledge The
Mogul, And To Pay Tribute.
- Purch.]
[Footnote 207: Probably meaning the Ballogees, a people on the
south-side of the Wulli mountains, bordering to the southward on
Candahar. - E.]
In the morning, at break of day, the king is at his beads, praying, on
his knees, upon a Persian lambskin, having some eight rosaries, or
strings of beads, each containing 400. The beads are of rich pearl,
ballace rubies, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, aloes wood, eshem, and
coral. At the upper end of a large black stone on which he kneels, there
are figures graven in stone of the Virgin and Christ, so, turning his
face to the west, he repeats 3200 words, according to the number of his
beads. After this he shews himself to the people, receiving their salams
or good-morrows; a vast multitude resorting every morning to the palace
for that purpose. After this he takes two hours sleep, then dines, and
passes his time among his women till noon. From that time till three
o'clock he shews himself again to the people, looking at sports and
pastimes made by men, or at fights of various animals. At three o'clock,
all the nobles then in Agra, who are in health, resort to court, when
the king comes forth to open audience, sitting in his royal seat, and
all the nobles standing before him, each according to his degree. The
chiefs of the nobles standing within the red rail, and all the rest
without, all being properly placed by the lieutenant-general. The space
within the red rail is three steps higher than where the rest stand, and
within this red rail I was placed among the chiefest of the land. All
the rest are placed in their order by officers, and they likewise are
placed within another rail in a spacious place; and without the rail
stand all kinds of horsemen and foot-soldiers belonging to his captains,
and all other comers. At these rails there are many doors kept by a
great number of porters, who have white rods to keep every one in order.
In the middle of the place, right before the king, stands one of the
king's sheriffs or judges, together with the chief executioner, who is
attended by forty executioners, distinguished from all others by a
peculiar kind of quilted caps on their heads, some with hatchets on
their shoulders, and others with all sorts of whips, ready to execute
the king's commands. The king hears all manner of causes in this place,
staying about two hours every day for that purpose; for the kings in
India sit in judgment every day, and their sentences are put in
execution every Tuesday.
After this he retires to his private chamber for prayer, when four or
five kinds of finely-dressed roast meats are set before him, of which
he eats till his stomach is satisfied, drinking after this meal one cup
of strong drink. He then goes into a private room, into which no one
enters but such as are named by himself, where for two years I was one
of his attendants; and here he drinks other five cups of strong liquor,
being the quantity allowed by his physicians. This done, he chews opium,
and being intoxicated, he goes to sleep, and every one departs to his
home. He is awakened after two hours to get his supper, at which time he
is unable to feed himself, but has it thrust into his mouth by others,
which is about one o'clock in the morning; after which he sleeps the
rest of the night.
During the time that he drinks his six cups of strong liquor, he says
and does many idle things; yet whatsoever he does or says, whether drunk
or sober, there are writers who attend him in rotation, who set every
thing down in writing; so that not a single incident of his life but is
recorded, even his going to the necessary, and when he lies with his
wives. The purpose of all this is, that when he dies all his actions and
speeches that are worthy of being recorded may be inserted in the
chronicle of his reign. One of the king's sons, Sultan Shariar, a boy of
seven years old, was called by him one day when I was there, and asked
if he chose to accompany him to some place where he was going for
amusement. The boy answered he would either go or stay, as it pleased
his majesty to command. Because he had not said, that he would go with
all his heart along with his majesty, he was sore beaten by the king,
yet did not cry. The king therefore asked him, why he cried not?
Because, he said, his nurse had told him that it was the greatest
possible shame for a prince to cry when beaten; and that ever since he
had never cried, and would not though beaten to death. On this his
father struck him again, and taking a bodkin, thrust it through his
cheek; yet would he not cry, though he bled much. It was much wondered
at by all that the king should so treat his own child, and that the boy
was so stout-hearted as not to cry. There is great hopes that this child
will exceed all the rest.
SECTION VI.
Observations of William Finch, Merchant, who accompanied Captain
Hawkins to Surat, and returned overland to Europe.[208]
INTRODUCTION.
This article is said by Purchas to have been abbreviated out of the
larger journal kept by Finch during his voyage to India and residence
there, and seems a most useful supplement to the preceding section,
being in many circumstances more full and satisfactory than the relation
of Hawkins. In the Pilgrims of Purchas it does not follow the former
relation, but that was owing to its not reaching him in time, as is
stated in the following note, which is both characteristic of that early
collector of voyages and travels, and of the observations of William
Finch.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 109 of 218
Words from 110227 to 111253
of 221842
