Storia do Mogor 14: IX. SUMMARY OF PLAN AND CONTENTS OF THE 'STORIA.'

14

Manucci started his work on a fixed plan, to which he adhered tolerably closely in the first three parts, though already in the second half of Part III. he becomes discursive. But in Parts IV. and V. it is hardly possible to discover any plan, their contents being so exceedingly heterogeneous — current historical events alternating with personal adventures, stories of long-past years, or even mere fables. In Parts IV. and V. the ecclesiastical element also bulks very largely, the author taking a strongly adverse position to the Jesuits and their missionary methods.
Part I. consists of two sections — first, a personal narrative of the author's journey from Venice to Dihli, divided into twenty chapters (pp. 1-55) ; secondly, a short chronicle of the Mogul kings, beginning with Taimur-i-lang, and ending with Aurangzeb's succession and the death of his three brothers: Taimur-i-lang, pp. 57-61 ; Miran Shah, pp. 61-63 ; Abu Sa'id, pp. 63, 64 ; 'Umar Shekh, p. 64; Sultan Mahmud, pp. 64-66; Babar, pp. 66-69 (list of thirty-one previous kings of Dihli); Humayun, pp. 69-75; Akbar, pp. 75-98; Excursus on the Chinese in India, pp. 98-100, and on the Baniyas, pp. 100-103 ; Jahangir, pp. 103-120 ; Shahjahan, pp. 120-280. Under Shahjahan are set forth the author's personal adventures up to and including the War of Succession (1658-1659).
In Part II., pp. 1-255, is given the reign of Aurangzeb, 1658-1700, interspersed with the author's personal history, his journeys and adventures, during the same period.
Part III. is principally a treatise on the Mogul court, with its system of government and statistics of its revenues. Some of the subjects treated are : The royal household, p. 2 ; names of queens, p. 3 ; of concubines, p. 4 ; of harem matrons, p. 4 ; of chief dancers, p. 5 ; of women slaves, p. 5 ; habits of the harem, p. 6; mode of addressing the emperor, p. 11; names of eunuchs, p. 13 ; of physicians, p. 16 ; of slaves, p. 17 ; of swords, p. 17 ; of shields, p. 18 ; of horses, p. 18 ; of elephants, p. 18 ; of cannon, p. 21 ; of the nobles, p. 22. Then follows the system of pay and rank, the mode of government and its abuses, p. 29, with a digression on Sir William Norris's (1700) and the Dutch (1688) embassies ; the author's work as physician, p. 43 ; a list of provinces and their revenues, p. 49 ; descriptions of the provinces, p. 53 ; the Hindu states, p. 59 ; routes and distances, p. 67 ; Mahomedans, p. 72 ; treatise on the Hindu religion and ceremonial, p. 90 ; on elephants and other animals, p. 144 ; Governor Gyfford and the Mogul court, p. 154 ; origin of Madras, p. 155 ; empire of Nar Singh, p. 166 ; the Jesuit Roberto de' Nobili, p. 171 ; the pearl fishery, p. 171 ; various stories of Goa, Pondicherry, and San Thome, p. 175 ; stories of witchcraft and magic, p. 247 to end.
Part IV. begins by continuing the account of current events in the Mogul camp (1701), with earlier reminiscences introduced here and there, pp. 1-33 ; Sir William Norris's embassy, p. 34 ; Jesuit missions, pp. 36-49 ; Tanjor persecutions, pp. 49-60, 62-76 ; quarrels of Capuchins and Jesuits, pp. 60-62 ; more about the Tanjor persecutions, pp. 76-80 ; Mogul attacks on Tranquebar, Cuddalur, and Pondicherry, pp. 80-86 ; Da,ud Khan and Madras, pp. 87-105; Aurangzeb's doings, pp. 105-120 ; Father Ephraim and the Goa Inquisition in 1649, pp. 124-146; a visit to Da,ud Khan at Kadapah, pp. 147-151 ; events of 1702-1704, pp. 152-162 ; Cardinal de Tournon and the Jesuits, pp. 164-197; various events, pp. 197-218; Christian quarrels, pp. 225-230; other events (ends on p. 244).
In Part V. the relation of events is carried on into 1705 and 1706, pp. 1-237 ; two Manifestoes by the Capuchins against the Bishop of San Thome and the Jesuits occupy pp. 238-417; then we return to events from 1707 to February, 1709, p. 418 (ending on p. 459). Stories about various earlier years are interspersed — viz. of 1659, 1665, 1690, 1699, and so forth.