Storia do Mogor 190: My Arrival in Madras and Marriage.
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 190
- Language
- English
My Arrival in Madras and Marriage.
190.1
On my arrival in Madras the Portuguese gentlemen, who knew the zeal with which I had worked for their nation at Goa, came to see me. They congratulated me on my arrival, and offered their services in whatever way would be of use to me. Such help they would give most willingly. But I was all anxiety to see Senhor Francisco Martim (Francois Martin), Director-General of the Royal Company of France, who had come back to Pudichery (Pondicherry) from Surat. I got into a palanquin and went off to visit him, where I was well received and well entertained for several days. He gave me the advice not to return to Europe, but to marry in India. He informed me of a lady born in India, but of good English Catholic parents. She lived in Madrastapatao (Madras), and her name was Senhora Ilizabet Ihardili (? Elizabeth Hartley), legitimate daughter of Mestre (Mr.) Christovao Ihardili (? Christopher Hartley), president of Machhllpatanam, and of Donna Aguida Pereyra, a Portuguese lady. At that time the lady Ilizabet Ihardili was the widow of Mr. Thomas Klark (Clarke), an English Catholic; he was a judge, and second at the station of Madras.
190.2
This is what I was told by Monsieur the General, confirmed by some Capuchin friars, and thus I began to relinquish the idea of going back to Europe. For, as they told me, having become accustomed to the climate and the food of India, and being already advanced in age, I should not last very long in Europe. Thus I quitted Pondicherry and returned to Madras, meaning to find out the intentions of the said lady. There I arrived at the end of June in one thousand six hundred and eighty-six; and I talked with the well-known fathers Zenao (Zenon) and Ephrem Ephraim), Capuchins, and apostolic missionaries in Madras, otherwise Fort St. George. They were aware of the virtues and sound doctrine of the said lady, and they gave me such a good report of her qualities and virtues that I decided to marry. By the favour of God I was married on St. Simon's and St. Jude's Day of that same year (1686). I had a son, but God chose rather to make him an angel in Paradise than leave him to suffer in this world. In this way I was fixed to a residence in the said Fort St. George, where came many that knew me, or heard speak of me, in order to be treated. Among those who came was Rajah Champat, son of Champat, Bundelah, who, as stated [236] in the First Part of my History (I. 186), was sacrificed by Aurangzeb as a foundation for his victories, in reward for having found him a route in his combat with Dara.
190.3
Nor did Shah 'Alam fail to send in search of me in several directions, while the princess sent one who had formerly been my servant to seek me in Madras. She gave him as a present a dagger, which he sold to one of my friends for eight hundred patacas (Rs. 1,600). This she did only through her desire to know where I was, so that she might send to fetch me. All my acquaintances know that very few months passed without gifts coming from the Mogul grandees, who gave me many presents, and sent to me patients of title and many others. Experience was my great teacher, whereby I had acquired several secrets, in which, it may be, I shall allow the world to participate, for I have no heir to whom to bequeath these treasures that preserve our bodily health. But among the others I may as well mention that I manufactured certain cordials regardless of expense, the same being wonderful in certain complaints, as many can testify. Yet it is only a short time ago that I began to distribute these cordials, for I have no wish to imitate those who, keener for others' gold than the health of their fellow-men, make up mixtures of various things and sell them as cordials. I did not begin to sell mine until experience had taught me that the purchasers would not be cheated. My residence in Madras will offer no prejudice to the continuation of my History, for, besides the spies I employed, the nobles were pleased to forward me news of what took place in the camp.