I
Answered, That I Came To Do The Prince Honour By Visiting Him, And Was
Not To Be Subjected To The Custom Of Slaves.
So I walked on till I came
to a place railed in, just under where he sat, where there
Was an ascent
of three steps; and having there made him a reverence, to which he
answered by bending his body, I went within the rails, where stood all
the great men then in the town, holding their hands before them like
slaves. This place, as mentioned before, was covered over head by a rich
canopy, and all the floor was spread with carpets. It resembled a large
stage, and the prince sat on high, like a mock king in a theatre.
On entering, as I had no place assigned me, I went right forwards, and
stood before him at the bottom of the three steps, on which stood his
secretary, readily to convey to him any thing that is said or given. I
told him that I was ambassador from the king of England to his father;
and, while passing his residence, I could not but in honour visit his
highness. He answered that I was welcome, and asked me many questions
about the king my master, to which I gave fit answers. While standing in
that manner at the foot of the steps, I asked leave to come up and stand
beside him; but he said, even if the king of Persia, or Grand Turk, were
there, such a thing could not be allowed. To this I replied, that I must
be excused for believing he would, in such a case, come down and meet
them at his gate; and that I required no higher privilege than was
allowed to the ambassadors of these sovereigns, with whom I considered
myself entirely equal. He declared I should have that privilege in all
things. I then demanded to have a chair, to which it was answered, that
no person was ever allowed to sit in that place, but I was desired to
lean against a pillar covered over with silver, which supported the
canopy. I then requested his favour for an English factory to be
established at Burhanpoor, which readily granted, and gave immediate
orders to the Buksh to draw up a firmaun, license, for their coming
and residence. I also requested an order for carriages for conveying the
presents for the king his father, which he gave in charge to the cutwall
to see provided. I then made him a present, which he took in good part.
After some other conference, he said, though I might not come up to
where he then sat, he would go to another place, where I might come to
him with less ceremony. But one part of the present I made him happened
to be a case of cordials, of which he tasted so freely by the way, that,
after waiting some time, I heard he had made himself drunk, and one of
his officers came to me with an excuse, desiring me to go home then, and
come some other time to see him. But that very night I was taken ill of
a fever.
The 27th of November, though, still sick, I was carried, from Burhanpoor
three coss to Raypora; the 28th, fifteen c. to Burgome, [Burgaw];
the 30th, seven c. December the 1st, ten c. to Bicangome; the 2d,
seven c. the 3d, five c. the 4th, eleven c. to Ekbarpoor, which stands
on a good river, [the Nerbudda] which runs into the sea near Buroach.
The 5th, I passed the river Nerbuddah. The 6th, I travelled eight c.
and lay in a wood, not far from the king's famous castle of Mandoa,
[Mundu] which stands on a steep hill, of great extent, the walls being
fourteen c. in circuit, this castle being of wonderous extent and great
beauty. The 7th, I proceeded ten c. the 8th, eight c. the 9th, ten c.
the 10th, twelve c. the 11th, sixteen c. the 12th, fourteen c. the 13th,
six c. the 14th we halted to take rest. The 15th, six c. the 16th, six
c. the 17th, twelve c. the 18th, five c. when we arrived at Cytor,
where I was met by Mr Edwards accompanied by Thomas Coryat, who had
travelled to India on foot.
Cytor, [Chitore] is an ancient town in ruins, situated on a hill, but
shews the remains of wonderful magnificence. There are still standing
above an hundred temples, all of carved stone, with many fair towers and
domes, supported by many enriched pillars, and innumerable houses, but
not a single inhabitant. The hill, or rock rather, is precipitous on all
sides, having but one ascent cut out of the rock in a regular slope; in
which ascent there are four several gates before reaching the gate of
the city, which last is extremely magnificent. The top of the hill,
about eight coss in circuit, is inclosed all round with walls, and at
the S.W. end, is a goodly old castle. I lodged close by a poor village
at the foot of the hill.
This city stands in the country of the Rama,[192] a prince newly
subdued by the Mogul, or rather brought to submit to pay tribute and
acknowledge subjection; and Cytor was reduced by Akbar Shah, the
father of Shah Jehan-Guire, the present king of the Moguls. This
Hindoo raja is lineally descended from Porus, the valiant Indian
sovereign who was conquered by Alexander the Great; so that I suppose
this city to have been one of the ancient seats of Porus, though Delly,
much farther north, is reported to have been the chiefest, a famous
place, though now only in ruins. Near that stands a pillar erected by
Alexander the Conqueror, with a Greek inscription. The present Mogul and
his ancestors, descendants of Tamerlane, have reduced all the ancient
cities to ruin, dispeopling them and forbidding their restoration; I
know not wherefore, unless that they would have no monuments of
greatness remain, beyond their own commencement, as if they and the
world were co-equals in antiquity.
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