overpowr'd by their Enemies so as to be constrain'd to yield the City to them they could overwhelm both it and them in a whole Deluge of Water by breaking down that Bank From this City passing down that Branch of the River Orietan which runs towards the North you come to Orietan the whole Course of the River being extreamly delightful the Banks being cover'd with tall Trees always green and shady which bending their Head towards the Water make one continued Arbour and defend the Travellers from the scortching Sun And the variety of Apes or Peacocks flying or skipping from branch to branch adds very much to the pleasure of the Passage Orietan is a City of great Concourse of Merchants from most Countries of the East Pegu China Japan Malacca and from Malabar Westward and other parts of India 'T is govern'd by a Deputy appointed by the King at his Coronation receiving a Crown from his Hand and always enjoying the Title of King himself this City being one of those Twelve the Capitals of Twelve Provinces subject to the Kingdom of Arracan which are always govern'd by Crown'd Heads Not far from this City arises the Mount of Maum which imparts its Name to a Lake washing the Foot thereof thither are sent all those that are Exil'd by the King who causes strict Guards to be kept in all the Passes and further to prevent the flight of the Criminals cuts off their Heels The Mountain is hardly passable for Travellers being not only craggy and impervious but so infested with wild Beasts that it is a difficult thing to escape them From the Mountain of Maum Peroem crossing the Gulph you come to another City Peroem which being situate near the Sea and having a good capacious Harbour is a Town of great Traffick 'T is likewise the Residence of a Governour who exercises absolute Authority within his Precincts and keeps a Court answerable to the Majesty of a King Ramu is another City of equal Condition with Peroem Ramu from which it is not many Days Journey distant but he Way betwixt them very dangerous whether by Land or by Water The Sea being subject to sudden tempestuous Storms and that by Land lying cross the Mountains of Pre which separate Arracan from Pegu as dangerous by reason of the Wild Beasts as the former What is further taken notice of in there parts is a Mountain called Pora which in the Language of the Country signifies God or an Idol which Name it borrows from an Idol plac'd upon the very top thereof sitting cross-legg'd upon a Pedestal to which those Heathens resort with great Devotion By this place runs a large River from which some Engineers would have perswaded the King to have cut a Channel as far as Arracan but he absolutely refus'd to hearken to the Proposal because he thought he should thereby expose the place of his Residence to the Incursions of the Great Mogul who might with Ease convey his Forces down such a Channel Dianga The next Town of Note along a tempestuous Coast is the City of Dianga or Diango which seems to belong to the Kingdom of Bengala but made by Father Tosi a principal City of this Indeed this City as well as Chatigam which was undoubtedly once a City of this Kingdom and the Government thereof commonly allotted to the King 's second Son has run the risque of Frontier Towns frequently to change its Master and to be sometimes in the Hands of one of the Neighbouring Princes and sometimes in those of the other The greatest part of its Inhabitants are Portuguese Fugitives who live here and injoy great Priviledges and Immunities granted by the King The Fathers of St. Augustine have here likewise a firm Residence with a good House and very decent Church Many of them likewise make their abode in two neighbouring Villages Arracale and Angarracale Other places along this Coast subjected to this King are Coromoria Sedoa Sundiva Zara and Port Magaeni To which let me add the Island of Sundiva which is an Island in the Gulph of Bengala scarce twenty Miles remov'd from the Continent of that Kingdom 'T is about an Hundred Miles in Compass and affords such vast quantities of Salt that it needs no other Commodities to give in Exchange for any of those of the Neighbouring Countries being able with it alone to lade two Hundred Vessels every Year 'T is so well fortifi'd by nature alone without the Assistance of Art that 't is almost impossible to seize it without the consent of the Inhabitants which made the Portugueses cast an Eye upon it with intent to make it a Retreat for themselves Accordingly in the Year 1602 they took it from the Moguls who some time before had depriv'd its lawful Prince thereof who after they had 〈◊〉 it confirm'd their Title to it by a free Grant of all his Right and Claim thereto But they never quietly enjoy'd it first the Inhabitants molesting them and when they were Defeated the King of Arracan fearing the growth of their strength in those parts endeavour'd to dislodge them and tho' at first he was constrain'd to raise the Siege and to make an Agreement with them yet in the Year 1603 they were compell'd to yield it to him and retire into Bacala and other parts of the Kingdom of Bengala Assaram Tipora Chacomas Upon the Northern parts of this Kingdom lie the Cities of Assaram Tipora and Chacomas all said to be the Capital Cities of so many Kingdoms but all subject to this of Arracan Indeed I take their Kings to be no more than Deputies or Vice-Roys and Governours of these Cities plac'd there with the great vaunting Title of Kings by the King of Arracan as we are assur'd of those Governours afore mention'd and that there are no less than Twelve of the same Dignity in his whole Dominions Nor do I meet with any thing remark'd of any of them but that being places upon the Frontiers they are constantly provided of good Garrisons Unless I may have leave to add what Mr. Tavernier has Recorded of three of the Subjects of Tipora which he calls Tipra that he found them such notable Topers that they never gave out 'till they had drunk him dry and at last when all his Wine was spent seem'd to express a great deal of concern that they could have no more He tells 't is true further that there is a Gold Mine in the Dominions of this Prince but so very course that it is not fit to be exported that the King exacts no Subsidies of his Subjects but obliges the prime of his Nobility to work six Days in the Year in his Mines in lieu of them There are besides some Silk-works here of which they make good Advantage Taking the Southern Stream from Arracan it conducts you to the City Dobazi Dobazi which is a place of very great Traffick being a Port much frequented by Strangers Thence continuing your Voyage along the Coast
you arrive at Chudabe Chuda which being situate near the Sea and having a commodious Port is also a place much frequented by Strangers Not far from hence lies Cape Nigraes and by it the Island Munay famous for the Religion of the place Cape Nigraes being filled with Pagods and Temples one whereof is called Quiay Figrau or the The Temple of the God of the Atoms of the Sun and another Quiay Doceo the Temple of the God of the afflicted of the Earth and especially for being the place of Residence for the chief of the Raulini whom they sometimes call Xoxom Pungri This Xoxom Pungri is the chief of all the Ecclesiasticks in the Kingdom this Title importing as much among them as Pope at Rome on him depend all Spiritual Causes and he is had in so great veneration not only by the People but even by the King himself that he always places him at his Right Hand and never speaks to him without a profound Reverence This Island is likewise spoke of by Ferd. Mendez Pinto but as in the Dominions of the Emperour of Pegu. He tells us too that he happen'd to be in those parts at the Death of one of those great Men whom he calls only the Roolim of Munay and sets down at length he Ceremonies of his Interment with those of the Election and Inauguration of his Successor which would be too tedious here to recite Let it suffice that the King and all the Grandees of the Court together with all the Ecclesiasticks according to the Antient Custom of Pegu were oblig'd to attend the Funeral the Expences of which which were defraid by the King amounted to an Hundred Thousand Ducats besides the Garments which the King and Nobility gave to Thirty Thousand Priests See Ferd. Mendez Pinto ch 60 61 62. Leaving Munay and doubling the Cape Nigraes you come to Siriam which Tosi makes the last City of Arracan Siriam tho' others account it a City of Pegu. However they differ not in the Situation thereof all placing it upon the Borders of the two Empires But Father Tosi adds that it was thither the Emperour of Mogo retir'd with his Victorious Army laden with the Spoils of the City of Tangu Subject to the King of Brama where he found not only a vast Treasure but the white Elephant and the two Caneques before mention'd The City of Siriam is not at present in that Splendour and flourishing Condition it has formerly been having once been the Metropolis of a Kingdom and the place of Residence for the King and Court and encompass'd with very strong Walls the Foot steps whereof remain to this Day But the last King thereof being in the Year 1567 besieg'd therein by the King of Pegu with an Army of Fifteen Hundred Thousand Men and having sustain'd a tedious Siege to the Destruction of no less than the third part of the Enemies Army when he could no longer hold out rather than fall into their Hands destroy'd himself by Poison leaving the City with all its Nobles and Treasury a Prey to the Conquerour who Transported them to Pegu. From this place to Arracan you may pass by Barges along a small River that runs between them In short this Kingdom of Arracan or Empire of Mogo is said to comprehend twelve lesser Kingdoms and twenty four Provinces of which besides those already mention'd my Authors have not given me so much as their Names Inhabitants OF ARRACAN THE Inhabitants of Arracan Tosi vol. 2. pag. 46. Features and Diet. for their Shapes and Features seem most to affect those which are most contemned by those of other Nations they prize a broad and flat Forehead to effect which they bind a Plate of Lead hard upon the Fore-heads of their Children as soon as they are born which they do not remove 'till it has had its effect Their Nostrils are large and open their Eyes small but Quick their Ears reach down to their Shoulders like the Malabars and no Colour is so pleasing to them as a dark Purple In their Feasts they have always plenty of Provisions but such as are neither pleasing to the Eye nor grateful to the Palate They mix with their choicest Dishes Rats and Mice and Serpents c. which to those that are not accustom'd to see such things upon their Tables are very offensive Fish they never eat but when putrid and Corrupted affirming them then to have the sweetest Relish Of these also they make a kind of Mustard which they call Sidol taking out the back-bone and beating their Putrid Flesh into a Consistency after it has been dried in the Sun and with this they sprinkle all their Victuals The poorer sort especially make use for this purpose of a Fish so rotten and of so ill a savour that no man can pass by the places where 't is prepar'd without stopping his Nose The Richer use Crab-fish less Corrupted with some other Ingredients mixt therewith which makes it less unsavoury Their manner is to set upon the Table a Hundred or two Hundred small Dishes at once that every one may taste what he likes best but Bread they have none instead of that serving themselves of Rice either parch'd or bruis'd or otherwise order'd by them in the Flower Customs about the Sick When they are sick they make use of the Physician but send for the Raulini who are their Priests who coming to them blow upon them with their Mouths and repeat some certain Prayers over them which if it immediately effects not the Cure as you may believe it seldom does then they make use of the opportunity of making their Advantage of the Patient They tell him he must offer a Sacrifice to Chaor-Baos i. e. the God of the four Winds who they perswade them is the Author of all Distempers This Sacrifice they call Calouco consisting of fat Capons and Hens Hoggs and other Creatures according to the Abilities of the Sick Person and must be repeated four times to every Wind distinctly if he does not recover before upon all which the Raulini's feast themselves with a great deal of Jollity But if all this does not avail to the driving away the Distemper then must the Wife or nearest Relation of the infirm Person make a solemn Vow to perform if he recovers another Ceremony which they call a Talagno The performance whereof is thus the Person that makes the Vow having provided a Convenient Chamber and hanged it with the richest Tapestry and erected an Idol upon an Altar at the end thereof with other necessary Preparations upon the Day appointed the Priests and Relations of the Sick repair to the place and are entertain'd with most sumptuous Feasts for Eight Days together all sorts of Musick attending all the time But what is the most absurd part thereof the Person that makes the Vow is oblig'd to dance as long as he is able to stand and when his Legs will support him no longer he must take hold of
Head and fell upon his Knees and rising up a little after clapt his Hands together four or five times the Mafouko then clapt his Hands together likewise four or five times upon this the Black addressed nearer him so that they mutually joined their Palms together first and then joined their own Hands four or five times this ended the particular Ceremony with the Mafouko which was repeated by the Negro to every principal Man on board and then in conclusion as a token of publick Mirth and universal Joy for the happy meeting they loudly clapt all of them their Hands together and the Salutation ended Their Civility and Condescention The inequality of their Condition made them not forget the Complement of a condescending carriage to this Inferiour Slave who were no way Barbarous in their Behaviour whatever they were in their Opinions but as the access to their Persons was very easie so was their Humour smoothed with a complaisance void of all supercilious stiffness and Morosity Not only the Prince The Respect given to great men but all others of the highest Figure and Quality are served upon the Knee by the Attendants that Minister to them This is the usual manner too of suplicating an Alms or asking any considerable Favour and in this posture one of those on board requested a Bottle of Brandy a Liquor highly esteem'd by the Noblest among them The more Eminent and Noted wore a sort of Nightrale of Net-work about their Shoulders Aparrel or Garb. very close wrought either White or Black made of one entire piece with a Hole in the middle of that convenient size that they thrust their Heads thro' it when they put it on but some of them delight themselves with an English Dress if they can purchase it from any of our Nation but then 't is never wore but at great Solemnities and on stated Days I wish they had used our Language as innocently as they did our Garments and that they had been less accustomed to the execrable sin of Swearing by the Name of God Swearing used among them and the habitual venting of horrid Oaths This custom they impiously Imbibed by their Conversation with our Sailors whose frequent Oaths made them believe them an Elegance of our Speech and the most laudable Expressions they could use and this deadly sin they now digest with as much ease as the young Maid whom Albertus reports brought her Stomach to live upon Spiders Their Faces painted The second Person of Eminence who came to visit us had all his Face besmear'd with Red Paint a thing customary among the Nobler Rank as in India this Colour is put upon their Cattle especially their Horses and is the usual Paint of their Fruit Trees This Epiphanius reports of the Egyptians that tho' they had forgotten the History of the Work of God yet they rubbed over their Cattle with a Red sort of Keil to save them that no Evil should befall them that Year ignorantly Counterfeiting that Blood Sprinkled upon the Lintels of their Doors which saved the Israelites once in Aegypt But how this Custom should be derived to these Nations from the Israelites and Aegyptians or whether they practise it upon that Superstitious account which the Egiptians did to secure them from Misfortune I could not learn I rather believe that they use it as an Ornament because it looks lively and Gay The Diet of the common People is very ordinary The ordinary Food of the Poor People and seldom reacheth the Flesh of any Animal which is not prohibited them by any Law but their Inability to purchase it Corn and Herbs and Spring Water are their common Food Sometimes they Feast with a little Fish and that with a few Pindars is esteemed a splendid Banquet These Pindars are sown under ground and grow there without sprouting above the surface the Cod in which they are Inclosed is an Inch long like that of our Pease and Beans and they are eat with Beef or Pork instead of our Beans or Pease Some of these I brought for England which were sown in the Bishop of London's Garden but whether they will thrive in this Climate is yet uncertain The Flesh which they eat they never account Palatable till it grows unsavory they expose it upon the Roofs of their Houses till the moisture is exhausted and it looks like dryed Fish and sometimes bury it under ground till it proves tender by being tainted Their Temperance They Indulge not their Appetites with Excesses nor force upon themselves Diseases by over-loading of their Stomachs but Eat according to the Rules of Nature for Health and not for Luxury and live according to Nature's Periods to Seventy or Eighty Years of Age Healthful and Sound They are wiser than to cut short the thread of Life by that Meat which should prolong it The extent of Dominions and Love of Wealth are as prevalent with those that are placed in the highest Orbs of Fortune here as they are with other Monarchs of the Earth A Native Ambition renders those that are Powerful as well as men of lower Stations restless and troublesome The occasion of a War and sets them upon soaring higher and higher insomuch that a hot War is now on foot between the two Kings of Malemba and Cabinde commenced upon the departure of a Beautiful Woman from the Country of Malemba to the King of Cabinde But the truer Original of this War is the desire of Conquest for the sake of Subjects who as soon as they are Captives are made Slaves and in the multitude of them the Strength and Wealth of their Kingdoms consist Arms and Ammunition are the undeniable Commodities Their Arms for which they exchange their Slaves and in the use of which they grow expert but Bows and Arrows are their own proper Instruments of War and the Weapons commonly and very dexterously used Their Bow-strings are made of the Rhine or outside of a Cane To preserve the Line of their Kings untainted The Succession of the Crown they make choice of the King's Sister's Son to be always Hereditary in the Soveraignty imagining that the Female Off-spring secures the Succession more than the Male and in this she is under no Confinement to any single Person The liberty given the Queen but is allowed her Choice out of the whole Kingdom to satisfie her Desires and gratifie her Fancy with whom she thinks fit and thus without any Censure or Blemish to her Character she takes her liberty with Subject or Foreigner African or European at her will imitating in this the Lacedemonians a Wise and Grave People who permitted their Wives for the Procreation of a generous Progeny to be familiar with any Stranger whose company they hop'd might Improve the Off-spring And thus likewise upon the Malabar Coast the first Nights lodging is allowed the Bramin when the King Marries any person and therefore the Sister's Sons as in Africa and not the
was Just and Temperate and Religious Observers of their Laws their Empire was establisht in its Glory and Success attended their Arms and Designs And concerning the Chinese History 't is affirm'd to us that Virtue alone formed that great Empire and that nothing concurr'd to its Confirmation more than the Virtuous Lives of their Emperours in so much that Forty four Kings enamour'd with the Virtue of Venvam submitted to his Laws But few of the Eastern Kingdoms besides are qualified for such a boast as this The Cruelty of the Eastern Emperors Their Emperors generally sheath their Swords in the Blood of all that stand Competitors for the Soveraignty tho' they be the Sons of the same Parent and obliged by a natural Tenderness and Compassion to the mutual Offices of Humanity and Love For divesting themselves of these Principles and being whetted with an innate Ambition for Empire and Command and led by the in-bred Laws of Self-preservation they persue their Claims to the Royal Dignity either by open Violence or secret Machinations by private Treachery or publick Hostility not sparing the slaughter of their Brethren or whomever else they find Candidates or Pretenders to the Crown This is the Inhumane method pursu'd not only by the Ottaman but Indian Kings from which Aureng-Zebe did not decline in his Cruel and Treacherous Ascent to the Throne For his Father Cha-Jehan he Imprison'd till he died The Head of his Eldest Brother Dara-cha he commanded to be cut off his second Brother Sultan Sujah he put to Flight who was slain in his Retirement and his youngest Brother Morad-Bache had the same ill Fate with the Eldest was Beheaded too Nor was this enough to satiate his Cruelty or stop his Revenge but tho' he saved Rauehenara-Begum his Favourite Sister for assisting his Designs yet the other Begum-saheb fell a Victim to his Fury and was presum'd to be taken off by Poison A Father and four Brethren destroy'd by Aureng-Zebe for her Fidelity to her Father in his Distress Thus a Father and four Children were sacrificed to the Jealousie and Malice of a Victorious Brother who by Policy and profound Dissimulation gain'd the Crown and pursuing his good Fortune with Success was seated and Established in the Throne of his Fathers and notwithstanding all those execrable Villanies he liv'd a long time full of Years a standing Monument of the Divine Infinite Clemency and Forbearance The Succession of the Crown The Crown of India is not Intail'd by Primogeniture on the Sons but is ravisht by Force or carried by Craft of such as do stand in competition for it who to facilitate the access to it ingratiate with the Omrahs and Grandees at Court with the Governours of Provinces and Principal Ministers of State to fortify their Pretensions and secure Parties to themselves both in the Cities and the Camp against the time they begin to skirmish for the Royal Inheritance and try their Wit and Valour for the Indian Diadem in the Field And as the Japanners in laying the Foundation of a Palace rip up their Bowels with a Cric or Dagger and so sacrifice themselves imagining that such voluntary Victims are necessary to render both the Owners of the Building and the Habitation Fortunate so is it the Misfortune of the Eastern Courts that they think not the Throne to which they are advanc'd secure or settled without laying the Foundation of their Reign in the Destruction of all Rivals to the Crown and in the Blood of their nearest Relatives that can pretend to the Imperial Dignity and make such barbarous Sacrifices necessary for repairing and securing their own undisturb'd Tranquility and Ease 'Till he was possess'd of the Arms and Treasure of his Brother Morad-Bacche Aureng-Zebe's Subtilty whom he betray'd by fair Pretences of Friendship the kindest Caresses and Expressions of Endearment Aureng-Zebe pretended himself devoted to Austerity and that he would rank himself among the Religious Faquires or Derviches of the Kingdom to spend his days in Poverty and Abstinence and a private retir'd Life by which new strain of Policy and the Mask of extraordinary sanctity he gain'd upon the Credulity of the People as an holy undesigning Prince 'till by this pious Design he craftily undermined the Opposers of his Honour and Empire and making use of Religious Intrigues and the help of the Planet Mercury he soon became Victorious and got Mars the Ascendant of his better Fortunes And by these pretensions to uncommon Holiness he made way for the perpetration of such execrable Crimes as are not very commonly heard of But if we may measure our Opinions by his His state-Maxim and the Maxims he has laid down for Empire his proceedings will not appear so very black and criminal since he has perswaded himself that Princes are exempt from several of those Laws which bind their Subjects and that Soveraign Heads are not so severely Accountable for the Justice of their Actions as the inferiour rank of Men. As if the despotick Soveraignty he exercis'd on Earth gave him a Priviledge and Charter for the same Arbitrary Proceedings with Heaven and that he might in some measure act as absolutely with the Supreme Lord of the Creation as he does incontroulably with his own Subjects The unnatural methods he pursued in wresting the Crown from the Head of his Father cautions him from giving the least opportunity for such Rebellious practices in his Sons and to prevent all occasions for such bold and bloody Enterprizes The Rebellion of Cha-Egber against his Father Only Cha-Egber his fourth Son who was born of a Resbout whose Sect among all the rest of the Indian Inhabitants are justly reputed the most valiant was encouraged by them to attempt the Crown and depose his Father from the Soveraignty These Resbouts were engaged in an universal Revolt formed a formidable Army and placed Cha-Egber who was descended from them by his Mother at the head of it that they might raise him betimes to the Monarchy of India lest his eldest Brother should get the start of him and succeed in the Government of that vast Empire after his Father's Death Aureng-Zebe not dreaming of such an Attempt lay very open to surprisal by this Barbarous Design for want of Forces at that time to guard and secure him And therefore upon his Son's advancement to the Capital City Aureng-Zebe's contrivance to defeat his Son betook himself to Stratagem instead of Arms and penn'd a Letter in his Son's Name directed to himself to this effect That he was too sensible of his Duty to dare to proceed in that disturbance which the Resbouts had raised against his Person and his Kingdom and therefore he led the Ring-leaders and the rest of the Offenders towards the Capital City to be seized on by the Guards within that they might be deliver'd up to Justice and condign Punishment according to their demerits which would prove an unquestionable Argument to satisfie his Father of his Fidelity
King of the World and the Name of Aureng-Zebe imports the Ornament of the Throne are no less Extravagant than the rest they are these The Titles of the K. of Bisnagar The Husband of good Fortune the God of great Provinces King of the greatest Kings the Lord of Horsemen the Master of them which cannot speak Emperour of three Emperours Conqueror of all he sees and Keeper of all he Conquers Dreadful to the Eight Coasts of the World Vanquisher of the Mahumetans and Lord of the East West North South and of the Sea which now Ruleth and Governeth this World Thus they exalt their Pomp and Vanity by these proud and Swelling Titles and expect there an Obeysance little less than of Adoration from their Subjects and Adressors The Tailim The Indian Salutations or deep Salem which is the usual Salutation to the Mogul is First to kiss the Ground with the Hand then to touch the Breast with it and afterwards raise it to the Head and all this thrice repeated when any person approaches his Imperial Presence The ordinary Indian Salute is only the lifting up of the Hand to the Fore-Head and if it be to a Person of Eminence or Superiority to bend the Head too when 't is touched The Salem of the Religious Bramins is to join their Hands together and spreading them first make a motion towards their Head and then stretch them out and the Salem of greatest Respect is to take hold of the Feet and touch them with their Head and if this is occasion'd by the committing of some Offence laying the Hands upon the Supplicant's Back is a sign of Pardon and the Offender generally holds fast the Feet till he feels it upon his Back The Chineses give their Prince nine Prostrations accounting that Number sacred and lucky And the King of Sciam requires not only a flection of the Body but a profound Prostration before him The surliness of an English Sailer This Respect a surly English Sailer being unacquainted with neglected to give him when he came before him and when he was threatned by the Attendants for not yielding to this submissive Obeysance he boldly replyed That he esteem'd his own Prince as Great and Powerful as any and to him he never gave more observance than bowing his Body and uncovering his Head and he was resolv'd never to shew a greater Civility to any Prince in the World than to his own Divers Opinions of the number of Kingdoms in India There are different Opinions concerning the number of Kingdoms which are reduc'd to the Indian Scepter some reckon Thirty Nine or Forty Boterus affirms there are Forty Seven a later Author affirms the number of Provinces in Indoston to be only Twenty who tells us likewise that the Annual Revenues amount to above three hundred and thirty French Millions which does more than double the Incomes of any the most Potent Monarchs on Earth The vast Tract of Land to which this large Empire is extended The extent of India reaches near 2000 Miles in length some say more which makes it necessary for the Mogul whose Territories are so large to employ a numerous Army to awe his Infinite multitude of People and keep them in an absolute Subjection Several hundred thousand Soldiers are the least that are maintain'd in Pay some affirm he allows Pay for one Million of Horses See the Embassy of Sir Tho. Roe and for every Horse and Man about eighteen pounds whose Wages seldom run on beyond a Month or two because by them they have their only Subsistence And did he not constantly clear their Arrears and keep on foot continually such a Potent Army he could never be able to command the turbulent Rajahs nor prevent their Plotts and Insurrections who notwithstanding frequently molest his Government pretend a right to their Conquer'd Dominions and raise Armies against him with that Tribute which they refuse to pay But sure it were better instead of all those needless repeated Conquests he could assure himself of fixing an Empire in the Hearts of Loyal tho' less numerous Subjects The frequent Revolts in India render those parts very miserable Frequent Revolts in India and reduce the Inhabitants to a very distressed State For hoping to retrieve their Liberty and regain the Kingdoms they have lost they often declare for a Rajah which is a Native Indian Prince and stand by him till the Mogul over-powers their Forces defeats their Rebellion stints their Progress and reduces them to a tame Obedience again So that one while the Mogul comes upon a City The miserable lives of the Indians in some parts and demands the Contribution of so many Thousand Gold Moors or else he threatens the Raseing its Foundations Pillaging the Houses and converting them into Smoak and Flames When he is retreated the Rajah's Army flies upon them with Fury and Hunger and storms their Towns and threatens them with Fire and Sword as their inevitable Fate if they offer to delay the payment of so many thousand Gold Roupies more Or if these formidable Threats are not listned to they take that by Rapine which was civilly demanded ravage the Country and load themselves with Plunder and Spoil Which makes Fear and Distress Poverty and Famine the universal Air and Genius of those unquiet Abodes This was the unhappy condition of Suratt An. 1664. when Rajah Sivagy plundred it for Forty Days together carried off in Gold Silver and Jewels an Infinite Sum without sparing any part of it but the Habitations of the English and French and the Castle who defended themselves with their Canon Sometimes the Conquest of one part of the Kingdom is the loss of another for that Rajah who without reluctancy submitted to the Mogul's Power while his Camp was near immediately disclaims it when he knows it at a distance which Commotions bring on the Mogul endless Troubles and Expence A mighty Rajah is now abroad in his Expedition to the Coast of Choromandel A particular Rajah's Revolt where he expects Recruits of Men and Money he has secur'd a strong Party upon the Coast of Malabar The great length of a Rajah's Arms. and it 's believ'd will in a short time appear in the Field with very Potent Forces If his Martial Arms be proportionably as extensive as his Natural they will certainly reach very far and stretch his Authority farther than any Potentates in the East for they are so long that as he stands his Hands reach down below his Knees And may be the Indians who upon this account are apt to harbour Superstitious Thoughts concerning him may be the easier won to his Alliance and Designs if this be not a feign'd Report The Mogul's Army are pursuing their Conquests with all vigour towards Cape Comeron The Mogul's Ambition the Southermost Promontory of India where are several Inferiour Princes not yet attempted upon the Conquering of whom take up the thoughts and is the main Object of
People unwilling to give they audaciously demand and that not in the humble strain for a Pice or two but sawcily beg a Roupie One of these Mendicants in a petulant Humour A Story of a sawcy Faquir impudently requested from an English President whom he met abroad twenty Roupies The President to humour his Forwardness and Impudence offer'd him Nineteen which he magnanimously refused because he thought it unbecoming his Greatness to sink a Farthing below his first demands Of these Imperious Godly Beggars I have seen an hundred at least of them in a Company seated under a shady Grove of Trees rejoycing at a publick Entertainment which was prepar'd by a leading Man of their Company I observ'd that they drunk very freely of Bang steep'd in Water while I stood among them whose Intoxicating quality is very apt to disturb the Brain The Faquirs very orderly at their Feasts Which made me enquire whether such Jovial Meetings were not apt to end in Madness and Quarrels and the Excess of that Liquor by kindling an unruly Heat disturb their Spirits and convert their friendly Meetings into feuds and discords and mischievous Debates To which they answer'd That they took care of preserving Peace and Amity and as much decency and order at these times of Mirth as at their ordinary Meetings for which end they chose a number from among themselves who were totally debarr'd from Drinking and were Censors upon others to inspect their Carriage and interpose in their Disputes to restrain them from all exorbitant Mirth and excessive Drinking The Persies Besides the Moors and the Bannians and these Faquirs which belong to both Professions the Persies are a Sect very considerable in India of whom the Tradition is that coming from Persia in a Tempest at the time that Mahomet and his Followers gave Laws to the Persians which they were unwilling to submit to they were driven to that distress that they almost despair'd of Life 'till hearing a Cock Crow and espying Fire at Land they recover'd their hopes of safety and gain'd a speedy Arrival The Cock therefore is as much esteem'd by them Their Respect to a Cock and to Fire as the Cow is by the Bannians of the lives of both which they are the zealous Patrons and Protectors For the Worshipping of Fire seems to be the Ancientest instance of Idolatry in the World inasmuch as some think that Cain after he was banished from the Presence of the Lord turned a downright Idolater and then introduced the Worship of the Sun as the best resemblance he could find of the Glory of the Lord which was wont to appear in a flaming Light And in after-times they Worshipped Fire in the Eastern Countries as the best Emblem of the Sun when it was absent Nor was the Vestal Fire ever more Sacred than all other Fires are with the Persies the extinction of which if it is voluntary is a Crime as hainous as if the vital Heat of the Cock or some other beloved Animal were destroy'd so that if their Houses were on Fire they would sooner be persuaded to pour on Oyl to increase than Water to asswage the Flame If a Candle is once lighted they would judge the Breath of him more than Pestilential that durst attempt to blow it out And a Persy Servant who is commanded to bring a hot Steel and warm with it a Bowl of Punch will plead his Excuse and that he dare not hasten the coolness of the Steel by a violent abatement of the Heat The active Flame must be allow'd to live whilst there 's any Fuel for it to feed on if the Fire is once kindled all care is taken that it comes to a natural Expiration and no violence allow'd to bring it to a period sooner Another account we have for their respect for Fire is that their great Law-giver Zertoost was taken into Heaven and brought from thence Fire with him Prometheus like which he commanded his Followers afterwards to Worship They have other Fables concerning Abraham that he was once in the Devil's Power who expos'd him to the Flames but the kind Fire would not fasten on him from which they infer the great unreasonableness of destroying that Element which was so averse notwithstanding all its Fury from hurting Abraham their Friend Their days of Devotion the Reason of this may be because that Abraham came from the Land of Vz which signifies Fire which might give the occasion for the Fable of his Escaping the Fire They own and Adore one Supreme Being to whom as he is the Original of all things they dedicate the first Day of every Month in a solemn observance of his Worship And enjoin besides these some others for the Celebration of Publick Prayers At their solemn Festivals whither an hundred or two sometimes resort Eating in common in the Suburbs of the City each Man according to his Fancy and Ability brings with him his Victuals which is equally distributed and eat in common by all that are present For they shew a firm Affection to all of their own Sentiments in Religion assist the Poor and are very ready to provide for the Sustenance and Comfort of such as want it Their universal Kindness either in imploying such as are Needy and able to work The Persies kind to their own Cast or bestowing a seasonable bounteous Charity to such as are Infirm and Miserable leave no Man destitute of Relief nor suffer a Beggar in all their Tribe and herein so far comply with that excellent Rule of Pythagoras to enjoy a kind of Community among Friends Their Transportation to India These Persies are by another Name term'd Gaures or Worshippers of Fire because of their Veneration for that Element and were Transported into India when Calyf Omar reduc'd the Kingdom of Persia under the Power of the Mahometans and they profess the Ancient Religion of the Persians But their Religion spread it self more Westerly it seems than Persia for the Babylonians who by their Religious Discipline were engag'd to the Worshipping the Sun did likewise under the Names of Nego and Shaca Adore the Fire and the Earth And the Parents of Gregory Nazianzene who was born in the Fourth Century at Arianzum an obscure Village belonging to Nazianzum a Town of the second Cappadocia were of a mixt Religion made up of Judaism and Paganism or rather some select Rites of both for with the Gentiles they did honour to Fire and burning Lights but rejected Idols and Sacrifices and with the Jews they observ'd the Sabbath But I believe what remains of this Cast are most of them in the Kingdom of the Great Mogul But we read of some in Persia of great Antiquity For near Yesd in the Province of Ayrack or Hierack Agemi which yields the richest and Fairest Tapestries of all Persia and of the World and on the Mountain Albors there are yet some Worshipers of Fire who are said to have used it above 3000
sometimes with the residence of the King when his Revenues come from Socatra For as his Royalties are very small and his Income inconsiderable because his Subjects are both Poor and Slavish so is he hereby debar'd from maintaining a Princely Pomp or making a show in any Magnificent Appearance and therefore very often turns Merchant himself for hopes of Advantage and for supporting his Royal State and Grandeur Several Gelva's come hither freighted with Rice Its Commodities Dates Camlees which are a sort of Hair Coats made in Persia and Red and White Callicoes which are barter'd for Olibanum Aloes and Butter For the Necessities of the Natives incline them rather to an Exchange of Commodities than a Traffick for Silver which loses its Esteem here as much as it is Idoliz'd in other parts Some Coins however are current among them viz. Dollars Abassees and Mamoodees Seed used here instead of Coin That which is here esteem'd instead of Money is a sort of Seed which passes in the room of small Coins and is distributed commonly by handfuls Here the Natives are mainly addicted to those mean Vices of Cozenage and stealth and think they make a good purchase of any thing which they can compass by Fraud and Cheating Another sin to which they are often given is so vile that the foulness of it I cannot without Immodesty mention The proper Season of the Year for Trade is May June and July Seer A place next to this much more noted both for the Civil Deportment of the Natives and for the Convenience of a Port for a greater concourse of People and for Traffick is Seer which is much frequented by Ships from several Ports viz. Muscatt Gombroon Suratt and Gella and some other places on the Abasseen Shore from whence they bring Butter Myrrh and Slaves and those from Muscatt and Suratt transport with them Olibanum Aloes and what the Port affords Aden Aden which is situated in 12 deg 20 m. No. is one of the Ancientest Fairest and most Pleasant Cities of all Arabia surrounded with Walls on one side and Mountains on the other It was formerly in the Possession of the Portuguese when they were renown'd for their Conquests in the East but by Treachery the Turks made themselves the Masters of it after some time 'till the puissant King of Hyaman became Victorious over the Turks and seiz'd it for his own Inheritance This Prince is here Invested with the Title of the King of Hyaman or Yeoman as the Natives seem to pronounce it which signifies Arabia Felix not that his Dominions stretch so far but because the extent of his Territories and vast Treasures do much exceed all the rest of the Kings that inhabit Arabia For his Kingdom reaches near 400 Miles on the Red Sea from Aden as far as Geron. Aden formerly surpass'd all the rest of the Neighbouring Ports upon this Shore Formerly Noted for Traffick was a famous Magazine for the various Commodities of India Persia Arabia and what was brought hither by the Abasseens and was Inhabited by a Miscellany of People Turks and Arabians Persians Indians and Ethiopians who resided here for the Advantages of that mighty Trade The Houses were built both neat and strong and the Castles from the top of the Mountains afforded a curious divertive Prospect Nature gave it such a fortified Situation that it was a Garrison without Art and was able to defend it self with a small Force from a potent Enemy that might Invade it either by Sea or Land 'Till the Eastern Luxury which is more intent upon Indulgence and Ease than building Forts and raising Sieges made them neglect their Fortifications and leave it open and defenceless for the first bold Assailant The proper Months for Trade here are April May June July Months proper to Trade in and some part of August at which time all the Ships in the Sea take their Departure because of the Change of the Mussouns which always happen towards the end of that Month. They carry nothing from hence but Coffee Aloes Olibanum and Myrrh the three last of which are not the product of the Country I should now take leave of this place and proceed to give some account of Mocha were it not convenient before my departure to insist a little upon the Discovery of some Ports and Passages hereabouts to instruct such as design to Travel into these Seas The Land of Aden because it makes like an Island was formerly reputed to have been one from whence steering W. and W. by N. you will come to the Babbs which in the Arabian Language signifies Gate or Door The Babbs is a small Island opening to the Red Sea The Babbs and makes in form very like a Garr-Fish being low and flat Between this and the Main Land is a safe Passage if you keep the Mid-Channel where is 10 11 and 12 fathom Water But the great Ships for better Security chuse rather to go on the outside where is seldom less than Forty Fathom 'till they hale in for Shore which is commonly done as soon as they are past the Streights Here are seven Islands but none of them so remarkable as the Babbs The Streights here are commonly called those of Babel Mandel Babell-Mandell which are about 7 Leagues over from main Land to main Land about 20 Leagues from Aden and 12 or 13 from Mocha The Course from the Babbs is about N. by West and N. North West Before you come to these Streights you will make a very high Table Land and an opening to the Southward of it which appears very like the passage into the Red Sea but then you will discover the said Babbs Island to rectifie you thro' which steering North or N. by W. as you see occasion there is opening to the Southward of the said high Land a great River that leads to Gella which is the greatest Port on the Abasseen side without the said Babbs Steering up the Arabian Coast before the Arrival at Mocha is a seeming Wood which is several Date-Trees and Gardens to the Northward of which is Mocha which yields a more beautiful prospect at Sea than on Shore Here you must not come into less than 7 Fathom nearer are so many dangerous Over-falls that they will be apt to scare a young unexpert Pilot. When the Southermost Mosque is once brought to bear E. by S. the Ships may luff up or bear into the Road and Anchor in 4 5 6 or 7 Fathom Before this Road lies a long Ridge of Sands which has seldom above two Fathom Water which renders it dangerous for those that enter to go in 'till they have the Bearings abovesaid Near the Southern Fort is a Channel for the Grabbs that use these parts that gives them a passage in or out but is dangerous for Europeans without the assistance of Pilots Mocha its great Trade Mocha lies in 13 Deg. 30 M. North and has been of late the principal Port
has not alter'd these hundred Years as is evident from Journals of that date On May the 16th about ten at Night we came to an Anchor at the Cape Our Arrival at the Cape but the Commander being a Stranger in the Bay fir'd two Guns to signifie we were in Distress which presently brought two Dutch Masters on board us who told us that we Anchor'd in bad ground whereupon we weighed and stood near the Shoar and there dropt our Anchor in better We found in the Road ten Dutch-East India Ships most of them of good Burthen richly laden bound for Europe these staid expecting two or three more from the Indies and six had sail'd a little before from thence to Holland And every Year the Dutch Trade to the Indies employs near 20 Ships and as many return home The prodigious advantage of the Dutch E. I. Company which with the Trade that they drive there where they Traffick with at least an Hundred Sail advances their Profits to some hundred Thousands I had almost said some Millions every Year For by their very Commerce at Suratt which is inconsiderable in respect of the Advantage which they reap from several other Factories in India that not exceeding the twentieth part they reckon an Annual Gain after the deduction of all Expences of their Factory of fifteen hundred thousand Gildars which in English Money rises almost to an hundred and fifty thousand Pounds This Account I had from one intimately acquainted with those Concerns The Harbour of the Cape The Harbour here is very safe and commodious for Ships free from all inconvenience and Danger except it be towards mid Winter which is there in June at the Suns approaching the Tropick of Cancer then the North-West Winds blow sometimes so very fierce that the Ships are unable to ride against them For by a violent Gust from that Quarter in A. 1692 about the latter end of May two Dutch and one English Ship not able to bear up against the fury of the Weather were driven upon the Shoar and Foundred The Convenience of the Cape to the Dutch All the Holland East India Ships both those outward and homeward bound touch in here for fresh Provisions and furnish the place with plenty of all Commodities both from India and Europe By which means there is scarce one part of all the Tripartite Continent that is furnisht with that abundance of Conveniences which the Cape can boast of And that I may present the Reader with a more regular Account of this famous Promontory and give him a more methodical Idea of the place The method of this Discourse I shall insist upon the following Description of it in this manner First in observing its situation its pleasant Air and fertile Soil Secondly in considering the Nature and Customs of its Original Inhabitants And thirdly in shewing the Profit and Convenience which this Plantation affords the Dutch First therefore the Cape of Good Hope is situated between thirty four and thirty five Degrees of South Latitude The Situation of this Cape and is the furthermost Tract of our Continent towards the most Southern part of Africa and esteem'd by all the most Renown'd Promontory in the World The Greeks and Latins as far as we can see have had no certain knowledge of it much less those before them yet from some Ancient Authors it is evident that the Barbarians that is the strange Nations have made or caused to be made the Circum-navigation of Africa which could not be done without knowing of this Cape It s Discovery Bartholomew Diaz was the Portuguese who first discover'd it in A. 1487 which occasion'd Emanuel King of Portugal to give it the name of Cape Bone Esperanse because he hoped a Passage would be open'd to the E. Indies by the doubling of it which accordingly happen'd to the mighty inriching of his Kingdom and of his Subjects who settled there It was the second time discover'd by Vasco da Gama in A. 1497 at the command of Don Emanuel King of Portugal And was at those times esteem'd so dangerous a Promontory that the Navigators were wont to call it the Lyon of the Ocean or the Tempestuous Cape because of the ruffling Weather and boisterous Winds which used to discourage their touching upon it The storms at the Cape unless they were constrain'd by some Necessity The Thunder and Lightning and Impetuous Storms which have been observ'd upon the Cape Sierra Leona have made some conjecture that this place was called by Ptolomy and Hanno of Carthage the Chariot of the Gods And to this day if the Ships from India are retain'd beyond their proper Season of returning they sometimes beat the Ocean at the Cape for a Week or a Fortnights space and after all that Toil and Danger are forc'd upon retiring to the Island Mauritius 'till the Winter is past The inaccessible Heights and craggy Clifts of some of the Mountains towards the South have made the Portuguese give them the name of Os Picos Fragosos i. e. sharp-pointed because they rear their lofty forlorn Heads so high in the Clouds The Neighbourhood of Cape Bone Esperanse The Reason of the coolness of the Air at the Cape to that vast Ocean towards the South cools the Air to some Degrees beyond what the proportion of that Latitude might otherwise seem to give For in the same Degree North as Mariners observe particularly where there is not the Extent of so wide an Ocean the coolness of the Air is not so perceptible The reason of it may be the spacious spreading Tract of Sea which gives the Air once agitated more liberty to continue its motion and constantly to increase its Coldness which on the contrary is straitn'd and repress'd on Land by the meeting of Mountains Trees Houses and other Obstacles and therefore not so impetuous neither so Cold because the Sulphureous Vapours which arise from the Earth and make fiery Exhalations often intermixing with the Nitrous which make Wind qualify them in some measure As at Suratt the Winds are by much Hotter which fly over the Land to us than those that come from the Sea The South Winds here therefore are observ'd to be the coolest because they blow from the great Sea The Air however is not scorching here for this Reason nor very Cold because of its nearness to the Fountain of Heat The moderation of the Climate It has no excesses but what are tolerable to Children nor any thing offensive to Old Age. 'T is temperate and sweet healthful and pleasant and is very agreeable to the Constitution of the Dutch as well as the Natives to whom it gives Activity and Vigour It quarrels with no kind of natural Temper and cherishes all sorts of Animals as well as Plants Nor did I ever know any that had been in this Paradise of the World who denied it the Character of one of the loveliest Regions they had ever seen
I am under to a very worthy Gentleman Mr. Daniel Sheldon in the free and kind Communication of these Memoirs I shall not therefore detain the Reader with any further account of this matter but pass on to what I am satisfied will be very agreeable to him viz. The History of this Revolution in Golconda The present King of Golconda was Son to an Arabian of good Family and Esteem but low in Estate and Fortune to raise which resolving to Travel and seek Employment from some Foreign Prince he came to Golconda and by the Favour of some persons of Quality had the opportunity of presenting himself and his Service to King Cotub sha who being pleased with his Person and manner of Address gave him a small Government wherein he behav'd himself so well that he was advanc'd to one of the most considerable Commands in the Kingdom in which and his Prince's favour he continued 'till his Death After which his Estate being very great was seiz'd on by the King who is the general Heir of all his Nobles and Persons employ'd by him none of those Countreys having any Hereditary Estates so that his Son was reduc'd to a very poor Condition but having that left which could not be taken from him viz. his Father's Wit and Courage he resolv'd to follow his Example hoping to find his Fortune Full of which hopes he enters himself into Munsub that is the Kings Pay and had allow'd him twelve or fifteen new Pagotha's which is about four Pounds sixteen Shillings or six Pounds Sterling per Month with which and the hopes of better Preferment he made a shift to maintain himself The King Cotub-sha had at this time no Son but three Daughters the Eldest of which was Married to Sultan Mamood Eldest Son to the Great Mogul Aureng-Zebe The second to an Arabian of great Quality Meera Mamood and the third was unmarried To this unmarried Daughter an Arabian of high Birth and Quality called Siud Sultan was an importunate Suitor and the King grown Old and oppress'd with the Factions of those to whom he had left the management of Affairs having all his time wholly minded Pleasures and left Business and the Concerns of the Kingdom to the Cares of others and mortally hating Sultan Mamood who by a cruel War almost to the utter Ruine of him and his Kingdom had forc'd his Consent to the Marryage of his Eldest Daughter hoping thereby after Cotub-sha's Death to add the Kingdom of Golconda to the Empire of the Great Mogul and having no Kindness for his second Daughter or her Husband but being extreamly fond of his Youngest he design'd to Marry her to one whose Quality Parts and Courage might make him able either to break or manage the Factions of his Court withstand Sultan Mamood who he resolv'd should not succeed him and one who being rais'd by his Favour he thought would wholly depend upon it and thereby only expect the Succession And this Young Servant to his Daughter being an Arabian who in these Countreys are thought the Wisest and fittest for Government and of the Cast of the Siuds that is of the Family or Kindred of Mahumet and therefore much reverenc'd by all likewise of a brisk and lively Wit and Spirit He thought him a fit Person by whom to manage his Designs and consequently to Marry his Daughter therefore countenanc'd his Adresses to her but the young Man was so dazled with the prospect of so glorious a Fortune that he could not see his right way to it for presuming too soon upon the King and Princesses Favour instead of contriving how to increase and strengthen his Interest by gaining the Consent and Support of the great Ministers of State he carried himself so insolently towards them that he utterly disoblig'd and made himself hateful to them and they fearing the Tyranny of one who when their Equal began to exercise it over them resolv'd to disgrace and ruin him by hindring the Match The chiefest Persons about the King were Moso Cawne Siud Meer Zapher and Musshuke these three managed the King and his great Affairs for Meera Mamood the King's Son in Law being not in Favour was not in Business yet not so quite laid aside but that he had free Access to the Court and Presence and was by all respected as one that having Married the King's Second Daughter Circumstances consider'd was likely enough to succeed him Therefore having great hopes and not enduring the Insolent Carriage of this new Favourite nor to think of his Marrying the King's beloved Daughter put himself in the Head of the Faction against him And the Old Courtiers perfectly knowing the King and the usual and surest ways of working him to their Designs soon unsetled the unwary young Man in his Affections and then threw him from the height of his Prince's Favour to the contempt and scorn of the meanest Subject For they possessed his Majesty with an Opinion that he was an high Spirited Ambitious Man and aim'd at great things that he was at the Head of a great Party and Faction at Court that if he were once strengthen'd with so near an Alliance to the King he might do whatsoever he design'd what he design'd they knew not but he gave them great Reason to fear it was not his Majesty's safety nor the Kingdom 's Peace and Affairs being wholy manag'd by their Directions and all Officers at Court about the King being their Creatures they made their Information seem more than probable The King being naturally jealous and frighted with the Shadow of any thing that he thought might disturb his Pleasures was quickly perswaded not to marry the Princess to so dangerous a Person and immediately upon the breaking off the Match one of the three Persons before mention'd 't is not certainly known which of them but thought Musshuke advis'd his Majesty to find out some one for the Princess of small Fortune but noble Birth and Courage a comly Person and of a generous and chearful Disposition and inclin'd rather to Pleasures than Business for if he was qualified with high Birth and the Endowments of Nature it lay in the King's Power to supply the Defects of Honour Riches c. and Men of such Dispositions being given to Pleasure were seldom ambitious or designing therefore such a one being Created meerly by his Favour would wholly submit by it and enjoying what he most desir'd his Pleasures would not disturb himself or them with the thoughts of Business or Cares of Government but be Obedient and perfectly contented with the Condition he was in without aspiring to untimely Greatness The Advice was liked and communicated to the two other Counselors who considering it was a way for continuing them in their Governments and all Affairs and Business in their management confirmed the King by approving of the Counsel given him and having his Order to find out such a Person the Young Arabian Souldier whose Father 's Estate had been seiz'd on by the
the Vest for to put it on he desir'd the Secretary to present his humble Duty to the King and tell him he very much fear'd he would have more reason to Cherish and Preserve such Subjects as he was than to delight and sport himself in the Contrivance of their Deaths The Secretary was by Order strictly to observe both what he said and how he behav'd himself and therefore did not interrupt him but permitted none but himself and Jabber Beague to help him on with his Vest after which with a low Salam or Reverence he told him they were not sent by the King to Execute any Sentence of his Displeasure but to conduct him to his Favour and the greatest Honour he could bestow upon him therefore desir'd him to go along with them chearfully and immediately So with them he goes not very well assur'd of his Safety 'till they brought him a goodly Horse with rich Furniture and desir'd him to mount which he did and betwixt the Secretary and Jabber Beague rode to Court where he was the same Night Married to the Princess And the whole business was managed with so much privacy that Meera Mamood who had Married the King's second Daughter had not the least knowledge of it 'till it was publickly declared to whom the King had Married the Young Princess Which made Meera Mamood almost mad with Rage railing at the King and his Nobility but perceiving no body took notice of it but those that laugh'd at and despis'd him he left the Court and Kingdom and went to Delly where making his Addresses to Aureng-Zebe the Great Mogul he was kindly entertain'd and allow'd a Royal Pension The King is every Day more and more satisfied with his Son in Law yet being resolv'd not to trust him with any Command or Business nor to give him any opportunity of inriching himself or getting more Money than he spent gives him no Munsub that is no Command of Souldiers nor Government of any place or Province and orders one of his Eunuchs constantly to pay his Expences be they never so great but not to furnish him with any Money thereby to give him opportunity of laying up any The Young Sultan having an Excellent Understanding quickly perceiv'd the Design and wisely resolv'd to comply with it and be wholly govern'd and manag'd by the King's pleasure without taking any notice of his Jealousie So he seems not to care for nor so much as to think of any Command Business or getting of more Money than would pay for his Pleasures which did not only fix the Omrahs or Nobles and Governours to him they verily believing that if he were once King they should be all such in their general Governments but made the King himself even dote on him as a Man sent from Heaven to Marry his Daughter being just such a Person as in his thoughts he had wish'd for He therefore contrives by all the ways he could desire to secure the Succession to him for being sick and worn with Age and Pleasures to which he had been all his time wholly addicted and thinking he should die he summons all his Omrahs before him and publickly declares for his Successor Sultan Abdulla Hoosan his Son in Law conjuring them by the last Request of their Dying King to settle him after his Death in the Throne and to submit to his Government making them one by one not only promise but swear upon their Alcharon to perform what he had commanded after which he immediately dyed having liv'd above Eleven Years since the Marriage of his beloved Daughter who in that space of time had comforted him with a Son and two Daughters The King was no sooner dead but his second Daughter Wife to Meera Mamood having made a small Party seizes upon and secures the Palace on the behalf of a Son her Husband had by a former Wife for by her he had none whom she endeavour'd to make King but Moso Cawne Siud Meer Zapher and Musshuke quickly suppressed the Tumult she had made and immediatel proclaim'd Sultan Abdulla Hoosan Potshaw or Prince Abdulla Hoosan Emperour After all the Ceremonies both of a Funeral and Coronation were perform'd the King begins to think of gratifying those that had made him so for tho' he had long observ'd Moso Cawne and Siud Meer Zapher to be corrupt and ill Governours yet they had done him good Service and he could not without lessening his Name in the World but continue and something increase their Honour and Commands nor perchance was it in his power to lessen them in either since those that had made him King might still be made able to make another so yet it very much troubled him to think he should add to the too great Power they already had therefore taking some little time to consider what was fit for him to do at last he concludes that the way to lessen these two powerful Noble-men was to make them both too great for very well knowing they mortally hated one another and would never endure each others greatness but be always striving which should throw the other out of his Prince's Favour he therefore resolv'd so to divide the Administration of Affairs between them that they should be sure to check one the other and to carry himself so equally that it should not be discern'd which he most favour'd by which he both answer'd the Opinion the World had of his Bounty a thing much regarded in rewarding them with Honour and great Imployments and yet secur'd himself from the danger of two such powerful Subjects by making them too great ever to agree in an Attempt against him and setting them both up at so equal and spreading a height that they must of necessity justle one another down concluding they could not be dangerous to him while they were so to one another and sought only by the advantage of his Favour to ruine each other To Moso Cowne he therefore gives the Title of Cawne Cawna and being a Man of Courage makes him General of his Army To Siud Meer Zapher he gives the Title of Emir Zemla and being a Man of Business makes him Duan in which Office is comprehended both that of a Chancellour and Treasurer so that the General being to receive the Army's Pay of the Duan was sure to find delays and affronts and the Duan being by his Place to inspect into the Disposal of the King's Money and Payment of the After the King had honoured and Rewarded others likewise that deserved well of him he seems wholly to retire from Business to his Pleasures but posted himself at so convenient a Distance that he had perfect Knowledge of every thing that pass'd In this time of leasure he would often sequester himself from all kind of Company to meditate and write and it s since certainly known that when he was thus retir'd he took particular notice of all the Abuses in the State and the best ways of redressing them likewise set down in Writing
several Rules and Maxims for his future Government In the mean time the two great men or rather Kings strove who should procure the finest Women best Minstrels and Dancers to divert the King thinking by such Charms to continue him in the Lethargy they thought he was in But what the Wise Prince foresaw soon came to pass for they not enduring each others Greatness and inrag'd at the equal Favour of the King endeavour'd by finding out matter of Accusation aginst to ruin each other and the Duan being by his place to inspect into the Payment of the Army receiv'd many Complaints against the General whose wretched love of Money made him defraud the King and his Souldiers of great Sums Of this the Duan complains to the King who seems not to believe and takes little notice of it The Duan therefore resolving to bring such Evidence as should convince the King of the Truth of his Complaint seizes the General 's Braman or Accountant who kept all the Accounts of the Army at which the General is so inrag'd that taking some Souldiers with him he is resolv'd to go and cut the Duan in pieces but the Duan being a notorious Coward is the more careful to have Valiant Men about him and always paying them well they now serve him faithfully stoutly defending him against the General 'till the King sent and Commanded him to retire At first he was so out of his Wits that he would not but being perswaded by better temper'd Men and his Friends at last he return'd to his own House leaving the Duan half dead with Fear who coming to himself goes immediately to the King and desires him to consider with what safety he could be in his Palace if such Outrages were committed in the Garrison The King calmly tells him he will take care both for his own and his future safety by preventing such Violences for the time to come and by perfectly reconciling the General to him and tho' the Duan knew that to be impossible yet seems to go away contented The King sends to the General to let him know that he had undertaken a Reconciliation and therefore would have him frame himself to it but he storms and calls the Duan a thousand Names at last better remembring calms himself returns the King Thanks and a submission to what he shall Command Some few days after the King sends for him as accustomary and he having by that time considered the rashness of what he had done is unwilling to go but being perswaded by some he thought Friends there was no danger and that the King had inwardly more kindness for him than for the Duan to Court he goes and was no sooner entred the Palace Yard but is seiz'd on and clapt into Irons and Prison The Charge against him was for slighting the King's Commands daring to assault one of his Counsellours within his Garrison purloyning the King's Treasure and converting it to his own Use and for refusing to pay several Sums of Money to the Embassadours of the Great Mogul very much to the Dishonour of the King he having pass'd his word for the punctual Payment of them for which and some other things he was Imprison'd and had all his Estate seiz'd on in his House being found in ready Money Five Hundred Thousand new Pagotha's which is about Two Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling besides Jewels wherein he was very Rich having for many Years been Governour of the Diamond Mine of Coulour Immediately after he was seiz'd on the King muster'd the Army pays them their Arrears gives the Command to Musshuke but to their great satisfaction inrolls them in his own Rolls and promiseth to take care of them himself for the Future The Duan is infinitely pleas'd at the fall of the General and thinking he had no Equal in the King's Favour takes upon him to meddle in every Man's matter depriving several of the Benefit of their Places by taking their Business out of their Hands and the King lets him go on without taking notice of small Presumptions so that by degrees he grows so confident of his own Authority and the King's neglect that he begins to do things of the greatest Consequence without acquainting his Majesty and at last having made himself hateful by doing and undoing every Man's Business according to his own Interest and Designs his Ruin was so generally wish'd that there was a necessity of removing so great a grievance which gave the King a fit opportunity of doing what he had so long design'd Notice is therefore given that such a Morning the King intends to appear at the Durbar that is at the place where he usually shows himself to his Nobles so that the Duan and all the rest of his Omrahs or Nobles were to come according to Custom to make their Salam When the King was sat and had a little look'd about him he commands the Duan to stand before him and began to speak to him in so obliging a manner that every one at first verily thought he design'd him some fresh Honour and not Disgrace telling him how particular a kindness he always had for his Person how great a Confidence in his Fidelities and Abilities insomuch that he had left almost the whole Affairs of his Kingdom to his management making him as it were King in Power and contenting himself only with the Name But that to his extreme Discontent he found himself quite deceived in him for he had made use of the good Opinion he had of him and his own great Abilities only to Affront his King and oppress and wrong his fellow Subjects Then in the sharpest Language he could speak tells him of all his Insolencies and Affronts by presuming to do things of the greatest consequence without acquainting him likewise reckons up all the Miscarriages of his Administration then telling him that he preferring his own Honour and the good of the Publick even before his own Life he could not expect he should spare his but Sacrifice it to his own Vindication and publick Justice on the behalf of his oppress'd and injur'd Subjects However as a Reward of some former good Services he had done he gave him his Life and the Government of such a Province commanding him immediately upon the forfeiture of both to retire to his Government and for the future not to meddle with any Business but what concern'd it And so without further Disgrace dismiss'd him not permitting any to affront him but commanding all to respect him as the Governour of a Province The King with Reputation and the infinite satisfaction of his People having thus lad aside his two Partners in the Government as if he thought himself then and not before a King leaves his Retirement dismisses the lew'd Women and Dancers and breaks the Charms of his former Pleasures with the Thoughts of Business which he wholly minds and delights in appears frequently at the Durbar inspects into the whole Affairs of his Kingdom calls for all the
Accounts of his Revenues the auditing of which he leaves to Musshuke who is now the Favourite rewards bountifully punishes not with Death but other ways very severely giving his People great assurance of being happily Govern'd for the future by a Wise and most excellent King THE KINGDOM OF ARRACAN CRossing the Gulph of Bengala and the Out-lets of Ganges Name and Bounds from the Kingdom of Golconda towards the East you arrive in the Kingdom of Arracan by some called Orracan and by Father Tosi sometimes the Empire of Mogo which is a Title lately assum'd by the King Vol. 2. p. 29. probably upon his late Conquests over the Emperour of Pegu to whom he was formerly Tributary and Dependent It is bounded on the North-West by the Kingdom of Bengala some Authors making Chatigam to be its first Frontier City but Texeira and generally the Portuguese Writers reckon that as a City of Bengala and not only so but place the City of Bengala it self upon the same Coast Baudrand more South than Chatigam Tho' I confess a late French Geographer has put Bengala into his Catalogue of imaginary Cities and such as have no real Existence in the World but I wish he had given us a more particular account of his Reasons Along the Coast which is wash'd by the foremention'd Golph it is extended as far as the Cape called by the Portuguese Nigraes where it touches upon Pegu and is inclos'd by it on the South and East Towards the North it borders upon Ava But to fix all these limits to a determinated Point is altogether impossible by reason of those frequent Alterations and new Conquests that are made on the one side or the other daily Arracan The Metropolis Arracan from whence the Kingdom it self takes its Denomination is situate in the middle of a Valley containing no less than fifteen Miles in compass and being inviron'd on all sides with a continued Ridge of steep and craggy Mountains which serve it instead of Walls and appear on the inside as such being artificially cut to resemble the Fortifications of a strong City The Outlets which serve for Gates are hewn out of the Rocks by main force and being defended by Bulwarks make the City impregnable Besides these outward Fortifications it is defended by a Castle of that incredible strength that the King of Brama coming against it with Three Hundred Thousand Men and Forty Thousand Elephants was forc'd to raise the Siege with Disgrace Thro' the Valley runs a large River which Maginus calls Chaberis which dividing it self into several little Rivolets and Streams passes thro' all the streets affording thereby a wonderful Advantage to the City by the ready Conveyance of all sorts of Merchandises and Provisions unto every part thereof At its parting from the City which is said to be about Forty Five or Fifty Miles from the Sea all these little Rivolets are Collected again into two Channels which opening towards the North and South at length fall Westward into the Gulph of Bengala that towards the North at Orietan and the other at Dobazi or Duabacam both which places are much frequented by Merchants but the alternate Ebbings and Flowings of the Sea are so violent especially about the time of the Full Moon that the Ships can hardly ride safely in the Ports But before we leave Arracan to speak of these places it will be convenient to say something of its Buildings which are indeed ordinarily mean tho' there are several spacious Piazza's or Bazars which afford both Conveniences for Markets and tolerable Prospects to the Spectators For Timber they make use of Bambou Cane and instead of Nails tie the pieces together with the smaller sort of the same Cane which when slender and Green is so pliable that it may be wreathed and twisted as you please The Princes and Nobiliry make use of a different sort of Wood and are very profuse in adorning the Insides of their Houses with exquisite Carvings and Guildings Nor are their common sort destitute of Ornaments to set off and Beautifie them The Palace Royal is vastly large but not so beautiful for its structure It is supported with large and tall Pillars made of whole Trees and cover'd over with Gold with Chambers above built with the most precious and odoriferous Wood the East will afford as Red and White Sandal and a sort of Bois de Aquila In the Middle and as it were Center of the Palace stands a great Hall which they call the Golden House because the Inside is wholly over-laid with Gold from the Bottom to the Top and over a rais'd place hangs a Canopy of Massy Gold round which hang above an Hundred Combalenghe as they call them which are large Wedges of the same Mettal made in the Fashion of Sugar-Loaves each of above Forty Pound weigbt Here also are to be seen seven Idols of massie Gold likewise of the heighth of an ordinary Man and about two Fingers in thickness but within hollow which are also adorn'd with precious Stones Rubies Emeralds Saphirs and Diamonds of an exiraordinary Bigness upon their Foreheads Breasts and Arms and about their Middles In the midst of this Hall stands a square Stool of three Hands breadth all of pure Gold which supports a Cabinet of pure Gold also and overlaid with precious Stones containing the two Caneques i. e. two famous Pendants made in the Form of two Pyramids of two Rubies of the length of a Man's little Finger and the Circumference at the base as wide as that of an ordinary Pullets Egg. The Quarrel about these Jewels is said to have caused as much Bloodshed among the Neighbouring Kings hereabouts as might have been sufficient for the obtaining an entire Empire the Contest being not so much for the value of the Jewels as that they are suppos'd to bring along with them a right or at least a claim of Dominion over the Neighbouring Princes And now they are in the Hands of this King but never worn by him except upon the Day of his Coronation In another Apartment stands the Statue of the King of Brama treacherously Murther'd by his Subjects so natural and to the Life that it causes Admiration in all the Spectators which are very Numerous he having obtain'd the Reputation of a great Saint and being fam'd for Curing the Diseases of those that resort to him especially the Bloody Flux In the whole City are numbred no less than six Hundred Pagods or Idol Temples the Inhabitants amounting to an Hundred and Sixty Thousand besides Merchants and Strangers the City as indeed the whole Kingdom being said to be very Populous Not far from this Palace there is a great Lake with many small Islands therein which are Inhabited by their Priests which they call Raulini There are also constantly a great number of Boats running up and down in it but hinder'd from all Communication with the City by a Bank so contriv'd that should they be Besieg'd and
Precincts who are brought up at the King's Charge 'till they are twelve Years old at which age being brought to his Court he chuses by the smell of their Garments in which they have been made to sweat those whose Scent pleases him disposing of the rest to the Gentlemen of his Court. He assumes to himself as great Titles as any of his Neighbours The King's Titles stiling himself Padxa or Emperour of Arracan Possessor of the White Elephant with the two Caneques and by vertue of them rightful Heir of Pegu and Brama Lord of the Twelve Boioni of Bengala and the Twelve Kings who lay the highest Hair of their Heads under the Soles of his Feet with others of the like importance His ordinary residence is at Arracan but in the Summer time 't is usual with him to spend two Months in a kind of Progress by Water from thence to Orietan in which he is attended by all the Nobility in Boats so artificially contriv'd with distinct Apartments and Conveniences for the Court that they appear rather a floating Palace or City than a Fleet of Boats Nor does he at this time omit the Administration of Justice but hears Causes and attends publick Business as much as in his Palace One Pretence for his Marine Progress is to visit the Pagod of their Supream Deity whom they call Quiay Poragray and to whom the King daily sends a sumptuous Dinner By this and several other Instances they shew themselves very Superstitious and this Superstition frequently leads them into Acts of the most inhumane Cruelty Tosi vol. 2. pag. 45. 'T is related of one of them that being told he could not long survive his Coronation which is usually perform'd with the greatest Ceremony and Pomp imaginable the Twelve Royolets attending and the Xoxam Pungri setting the Crown upon his Head he deferr'd that Ceremony Twelve Years after he came to the Crown But being press'd to it by his Lords and not able handsomly to put it off any longer he consulted a Mahumetan whether there was any way to avert the Omen who with a barbarous intent to destroy those whom he counted Enemies of his false Prophet advis'd him to make a Composition of six Thousand of the Hearts of his Subjects four thousand of those of White Cows and two thousand of those of White Doves which being used as an Electuary would protect him from that Presage This the King believing built a House the Foundations whereof to make it still more auspicious were laid upon Women great with Child and in that butcher'd no less than Eighteen Thousand innocent Persons to preserve his own hateful Life Race Of the Descent of these Kings we have no account in any Author I have seen nor whence they derive that Appellation of Moghi Only we are told by Tosi they are very careful to preserve the Blood unmixt upon which account the King is oblig'd to Marry his Eldest Sister THE KINGDOM OF PEGU THE Kingdom of Pegu is bounded on the North with the Countries of Brama Bounds and Extent Siammon and the Calaminham towards the West it is partly separated from Arracan by the Mountains of Pre and partly wash'd by the Gulph of Bengala extending it slf along the Coast from Cape Nigraes being about 16 Deg. of Northerly Latitude as far as the City of Tavay whose Elevation is said to be 13 Deg. On the East it joins with Lao on the South it touches upon the Territories of Siam But these Bounds are by no means fixt and determin'd being subject to many Alterations as it has prevail'd over its Neighbours or they on the contrary over it In the Year 1690 one Brama King hereof by his Victorious Arms extended its limits beyond those known to his Predecessors subduing the King of Siam and reducing him to be Tributary to the Crown of Pegu. But this continued no longer than to the time of his immediate Successour The Soil being water'd with several Rivers one whereof arising from the Lake Chiamay takes a Course of between four and five hundred Miles before it falls into the Sea is very rich and fertile abounding especially with Rice and good Pasturage for their Cattle The River is known by the Name of Pegu after that of the Country and City which is washt by it but for the Advantages it brings and its constant Annual Inundations 't is not unfitly stiled by Maffeius the Indian Nile Mafeius lib. 16. Its Overflowings are indeed almost incredible reaching Thirty Leagues beyond its usual Course and by leaving behind it a kind of Slime or Mud upon the Ground so Enriches their Soil and increases their Crops of Rice that a hundred Ship Loads thereof have been Exported in a Year without so much as being miss'd But a great augmentation of the wealth of the Country which before a late Desolation in its Wars against Arracan and Siam was esteem'd as great as of any Kingdom in the East are the Precious Stones such as Rubies Topazes Precious Stones Saphirs Amethists c. all which the Inhabitants comprehend under one common Name of Rubies and distinguish them only by their Colour calling the Saphir the Blew the Amethist the Violet the Topaz the Yellow Ruby and so of the rest But that which properly obtains that Name is a Jewel transparent sparkling Red and towards the extremities thereof or near the surface something incling to the Violet of the Amethist Some take it to be the same with the Hyacinth of the Ancients Cl. Salm. and a notable Critick would perswade us that Jacut the Name given it by the Arabians and Persians is deriv'd from the word Hyacinthus 'T is found in several places of the Indies as also in Europe but those most valued are the Stones of Ceylon and Pegu the chiefest place for them in this 〈◊〉 being the most barren part thereof viz. a Mountain near Capelan or Cablan between Siriam and Pegu as likewise those Hills which stretch from this Kingdom to that of Cambodia They are distinguish'd into four sorts or species the Ruby the Rubacel the Balace and the Spinel of which the first is much preferr'd before the rest The natural shape is generally Oval or Globular being scarce ever found with Corners Their Value as that of the Diamonds increases proportionably to their Weight being weighed by Ratis whereof one is reckon'd three Grains and a half or seven eighths of a Caratt and a Stone of this Weight has been fold for twenty Pagods one of two Ratis and one of eight for eighty five Pagods one of three Ratis and one fourth for an hundred eighty five one of four Ratis and five eighths for four hundred and fifty one of five Ratis for five hundred twenty five and one of six Ratis and half for nine hundred and twenty Pagods But if the Stone exceed this Weight and be clean and perfect there is no certain value to be set upon it Of the Vertue of this Stone as