"Then,"
Said The King, "You Confess He Is A Good Workman, Send For Him To Your
House, And Shew Him
Such rarities as you have, and let him choose one,
in return for which you shall have any one of
These pictures you please,
that you may shew in England we are not so unskilful as you supposed."
He then pressed me to make a choice, which I did, and which the king
wrapped in paper, and placed in a little book of mine, expressing much
exultation at the supposed victory of his painter. I then shewed him a
picture I had of his majesty, far inferior to the work I now saw, saying
I had judged from it, supposing it among the best. When told where I got
it, he asked why I bought any such thing? "Have not I the best, and have
not I told you that I would give you any thing you desired?" I thanked
his majesty, but said I held it impertinent for me to trouble him in
trifles, especially as a beggar. To this he replied, that it was no
shame to ask from him, and desired me to speak freely at all times, and
pressed me to ask for something. To this I answered, that I would not
make choice of any gift, as whatever he was pleased to give, I would
joyfully accept as a mark of honour. He then said, if you desire my
picture, I will either give you one for yourself or for your king. To
this I answered, that if his majesty thought proper to send one to my
king, I would gladly carry it, and knew that my sovereign would esteem
it much, and take it as a mark of friendship; but, as his majesty had
emboldened me by his gracious condescension, I would humbly ask one for
myself, which I would keep and leave to my posterity, as a memorial of
his majesty's favour. He answered, as my king did not desire one, but I
did, I should have one, and so gave immediate order for its making. He
then turned himself to sleep, and we had to go out as before, in the
dark.
The 9th of August a band of an hundred robbers were brought in chains
before the Great Mogul, together with their accusation. Without any
ceremony of trial, he ordered them to be carried away for execution,
their chief being ordered to be torn in pieces by dogs, and all the rest
to be put to death in the ordinary manner. The prisoners were divided
into portions, sent for execution to several quarters of the city, and
executed in the streets. Close by my house, the chief was torn in pieces
by twelve dogs, and thirteen of his fellows, having their hands and
feet tied together, had their necks cut by a sword, yet not quite
through, and their naked and bloody bodies were left to corrupt in the
street, to the annoyance of the whole neighbourhood.
On the 10th, 11th, and 12th, I was occupied at court in giving notice to
the king and prince that a Dutch ship lay before Surat, and refused to
give notice of its object till the arrival of a fleet to which it
belonged, which was expected with the first fair wind. I took advantage
of this circumstance to make them apprehensive of the designs of the
Hollanders, and the dangers that might arise from them, all of which was
well taken. And, being consulted on the subject, I advised not to come
to a rupture with them, and yet to exclude them from trade.
The last of these days I went to visit Gemaldin Ussen,[202] the
viceroy of Patan,[203] and lord of four cities in Bengal, a man of
seventy years of age, who had often been employed as an ambassador by
the Mogul, had more understanding and courtesy than all his countrymen,
was universally esteemed for his hospitality and regard to strangers,
and was considered as entirely free from secret ambition. He had often
invited me to his house, to which I went this day, and was received with
extraordinary kindness and friendship. He even offered me a lack of
rupees, and such other demonstrations of courtesy, as bespoke their own
refusal. He offered me likewise his credit and favour with the king, and
his best advice in every emergence; indeed, omitting nothing that could
evince his desire to serve me. All this seemed cordially to proceed from
the heart, especially from a person of his years and experience; and, in
the course of our conversation, he spoke so plainly of many of the chief
men about the court, which, from my own experience, I knew for truth,
that I was satisfied he was a true-hearted and well-disposed old man. He
gave me much information respecting the customs of this empire, their
want of laws, their servitude, the increase of the empire, and many
other things, having served in grace and favour under three successive
kings. He shewed me a book containing the annals of all memorable
actions in his time, which he daily committed to record, and offered me
a copy if I would procure it to be translated. This also treated
concerning the king's revenue, and the manner in which it was raised,
besides confiscations, gifts, and deductions upon the great men. He
shewed me that the government of every province paid yearly a certain
rent to the king. Thus, for his government of Patna, he gave yearly to
the king eleven lacks of rupees;[204] all other profits of the
government being his own, he having entire power and authority to take
what he thought fit. His government was estimated at 5000 horse, the pay
of each being 200 rupees yearly, of which he only kept 1500 on foot,
being allowed the surplus as dead pay. Besides which, he had a daily
pension of 1000 rupees, and enjoyed some smaller governments.
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