It Could Not Well Be
Less In Circuit Than Twenty English Miles, The Extent In Some Directions
Being Three Cosses, Including The Out-Skirts.
In the middle, where the
streets are orderly and the tents joined, there are all sorts of shops,
so regularly disposed, that all persons know where to go for any thing
they want.
Every man of quality, and every trade, is regularly appointed
how far they are to be from the king's tents, in what direction, and
what ground they shall occupy, which continues ever the same without
alteration. All this may equal almost any town in Europe for size. But
no person must approach on any side within a musket shot of the
atoskanha, or royal quarter, which is so strictly observed that no one
is ever admitted but by name. The evening durbar is omitted, the time
being spent by the king in hunting or hawking rather, on tanks, by means
of boats, in which he takes great delight, his barges being moved along
with the leskar on carts. On these occasions he sits by the sides of the
tanks, to view the sport, these tanks being often a mile or two over.
The king is seen every morning at the Jaruco, formerly mentioned; but
business or speaking to him at this time is prohibited; all business
being conducted at night in the guzalcan, and there the opportunity is
often missed, his majesty being so frequently overcome by drowsiness,
proceeding from drunkenness.
There was now a whisper about the court of a new affinity between Sultan
Cuserou and Asaph Khan, and great hope was entertained of the prince
recovering his liberty. I will find an opportunity to discourse of this
hereafter, because the particulars are worthy of being preserved, as the
wisdom and goodness of the king were manifest above the malice of
others: And, in this affair, Noormahal made good the observation, that
women have always great influence in court factions, and she shewed that
they are not incapable of managing business. This history will discover
a noble prince, an excellent wife, a faithful counsellor, a crafty
step-mother, an ambitious son, a cunning favourite; all reconciled by a
patient king, whose heart was not understood by any of them all. But
this will require a separate place,[209] as not fit to be mingled with
matters of ordinary business. At this time the English complained of
being ill used at Surat; but their drunkenness, and riotous behaviour
proceeding from that cause, were so notorious, that it was rather
wonderful they were not all put to death.
[Footnote 209: This story does not however appear, the journal of Sir
Thomas Roe being left imperfect, both in the Pilgrims and in the
Collection of Churchill. - E.]
The 16th of December I visited the king, who was just returned from his
sports, having all his game laid out before him, both fish and fowl. He
desired me to take my choice, and then distributed all the rest among
his nobles. I found him sitting on his throne, having a beggar at his
feet, a poor silly old man, all in rags and ashes, attended on by a
young one. The country abounds in these professed poor and holy men, who
are held in great reverence, and who, in voluntary sufferings and
mortified chastisements of their bodies, exceed all the boasted
performances of heretics and idolaters in all ages and countries. With
this miserable wretch, who was cloathed in rags, crowned with feathers,
and covered, with filth, his majesty conversed for about an hour, with
such kindness, as shewed a humility not common among kings. All this
time the beggar sat before the king, which is not even permitted to his
son. The beggar gave the king as a present, a cake made by himself of
coarse grain, burnt on the coals, and all foul with ashes; which yet the
king accepted, broke off a piece and eat it, which a dainty person would
hardly have done. He then wrapt up the rest in a clout, and put it into
the poor man's bosom, and sending for 100 rupees, he poured them into
the beggar's lap, gathering up with his own hands any that fell past,
and giving them to him. When his collation or banquet was brought in,
whatsoever he took to eat, he gave half of to the beggar. Rising, after
many humiliations and charities, and the old wretch not being nimble, he
took him up in his arms, though a dainty person would have scrupled to
touch him, and embraced him three times, laying his hand on his heart
and calling him father, and so left him, all of us greatly admiring such
virtue in a heathen prince. This I mention with emulation and sorrow;
wishing, as we have the true vine, that we should not produce bastard
grapes, or that this zeal in an unbeliever were guided by the true light
of the gospel.
The 23d, being about three cosses short of a city called Rantepoor,
[Rantampoor,] where it was supposed the king would rest, and consult
what way to take in his farther progress, he suddenly turned off towards
Mundu, but without declaring his purpose. I am of opinion, he took
this way for fear of the plague at Agra, rather than from any purpose of
being near the army; for we only marched every other day no more than
four cosses, and with such a train of baggage as was almost impossible
to be kept in any degree of order.
The 26th we passed through woods and over mountains, torn with bushes
and tired by the incommodiousness of an almost impassable way, in which
many camels perished, and many persons, wearied of these difficulties,
went away to Agra, and all complained. In this laborious day's march, I
lost my tents and carts, but by midnight I again fell in with them. The
king now rested two days, as the leskar could not again recover its
order in less time; many of the king's women, and thousands of camels,
carts, and coaches, being left in the woody mountains, where they could
neither procure food nor water.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 140 of 243
Words from 141997 to 143031
of 247546
