The Fortune Of Nicote In Pegu Now Declined As Swiftly As It Had Risen.
In 1513, The King Of Ova, Being Provoked At The Violence Which Nicote
Had Been Guilty Of Against The King Of Tangu, Who Was Under His
Protection, Made A Vow That He Would Revenge His Injuries.
Having
assembled an army of 120,000 men, and 400 vessels of considerable
strength, in which were above 6000 of those Moors so noted for valour,
called Caperuzas from their wearing caps, he marched against Siriam,
where he burnt every thing beyond the walls of the fort.
Nicote made a
brave resistance though taken unawares, as he had suffered most of his
men to go to India, and was very scarce of powder. In this distress, he
sent a soldier to purchase powder at Bengal, who ran away with the
money; and sent likewise to San Thoma for the same commodity, but was
refused any supply. For want of powder he was unable to fire his cannon
against the enemy, and was reduced to the expedient of pouring boiling
pitch and oil on their heads. At length, Nicote was taken and carried to
the king of Ova, who ordered him to be impaled on an eminence in view of
the fort, where he lived two days in torment. His wife, Donna Luisa de
Saldanna, was kept three days in the river to be purified, as the king
designed her for himself; but when brought before him, she upbraided him
for his cruelty, and he ordered her leg to be bored, and that she
should be sent to Ova along with the other slaves.
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