The
Eldest-Born Son Of One Of His Legitimate Wives Has Right To Inherit The
Throne, And Has A Title Signifying The Great Brother.
Although the
others are not put to death as with the Turks, yet it is observed that
they seldom long survive their fathers, being commonly employed on some
dangerous expedition.
[Footnote 243: These names seem to have been written by Terry from the
ear. By others, they are respectively named Cusero, Parvis, Churrum,
Shahar, and Taucht. - E.]
Akbar Shah, the father of the reigning Mogul, had threatened to
disinherit him, for some abuse to Anar-Kalee, his most beloved wife,
whose name signifies pomegranate kernel; but on his death-bed he
restored him to the succession. Akbar was wont, upon taking any
displeasure at one of his grandees, to give them pills to purge their
souls from their bodies, and is said to have come by his death in the
following manner. Intending to give one of these pills to a nobleman who
had incurred his displeasure, and meaning to take at the same time a
cordial pill himself, while he was cajoling the destined victim with
flattering speeches, he, by mistake, took the poisoned pill himself, and
gave the cordial to the nobleman. This carried him off in a few days, by
a mortal flux of blood.[244]
[Footnote 244: Neque enim lex justior ulla est, quam necis artifices
arte perire sua. - Purch.]
The character of Jehanguire, the reigning Mogul, seems strangely
compounded of opposite extremes. He is at times excessively cruel, and
at other times extremely mild. He is himself much given to excess in
wine, yet severely punishes that fault in others. His subjects know not
what it is to disobey his commands, forgetting the natural bonds of
private life, even those between father and son, in the fulfilment of
their public duty. He daily relieves numbers of the poor; and often, as
a mark of his filial piety, is in use to carry the palanquin of his
mother on his own shoulders. He speaks with much reverence of our
Saviour, but is offended by his cross and poverty, deeming them
incompatible with his divine Majesty, though told that his humility was
on purpose to subdue the pride of the world.
All religions are tolerated, and even their priests are held in good
esteem. I used often to receive from the Mogul the appellation of
Father, with many other gracious words, and had a place assigned me
among his nobles. The jesuits are not only admitted into his presence,
but encouraged by many gifts, and are permitted to convert the subjects,
who do not on that event lose their favour at court. On one occasion,
the Mogul put the sincerity of a convert to a severe trial. Having used
many threatenings to induce him to abandon his new faith, and finding
him undaunted, he tried by flatteries and high promises to draw him
back; but these also being unavailing, he bade him continue a Christian,
and dismissed him with a reward; saying, if he had been able to terrify
or cajole him from his religion, he would have made him a terrible
example for all waverers.
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