They Were All Grievously Wounded, And Three Of Them Lost Their
Lives.
The king continued three months in this cruel humour; in which
time, merely for his pleasure, many men lost their lives, and many were
grievously wounded.
Afterwards, and till I came away, twelve or fifteen
young lions were made tame, and used to play with each other in the
king's presence, frisking about among people's legs, yet doing no harm
in a long time.
His custom is every year to be two months out hunting; and when he means
to begin his journey, if he comes from his palace on horseback, it is a
sign he goes to war; but if on an elephant or in a palanquin, his
expedition will only be for hunting.
He cannot abide that any one should have precious stones of value
without offering them to him for sale, and it is death for any one to
possess such without immediately giving him the refusal. A Banyan, named
Herranand, who was his jeweller, had bought a diamond of three
meticals weight, for which he paid 100,000 rupees, yet had not done it
so covertly but news of it was brought to the king; and some friend of
Herrenand presently acquainted him that it had come to the king's
knowledge. Upon this the jeweller waited on the king, saying that his
majesty had often promised to come to his house, and that now was the
proper time, as he had a fine present to make him, having bought a
diamond of great weight.
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