[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 265.10 # Storia do Mogor 265.10 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.10 - **Language:** English ### [265.10.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.1) He (Palha) sent first to see if the thief had already gone, and a report was brought that he was now a long way off. On obtaining this report, out Palha came fully armed, shouting along the street for everybody to come and help Father Luis Pereyra. They went to him, and found him tied to a pillar. They undid him, and tried to console him by saying they had made all possible haste to succour him, but to come sooner was impossible, they being at Mass. Next day Martini de Lemos went off to Monte Grande (St. Thomas's Mount) with four Kaffirs at his heels, armed with staves, and interviewed the canon, Custantino Sardinha Rangel, and in a most dictatorial tone said to him : 'Your Honour must absolve me forthwith, for I have business I must attend to.' The canon, in fear of the staves, asked not a single question, and gave absolution. I have seen in India that many vicars pronounce unmerited excommunications; this comes from their being illiterate, ignorant, and without the experience that befits the priestly office. I have no wish to speak of cases which have happened; I simply leave it to their prelates to see to it. ### [265.10.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.2) I will tell of a matter which happened in Gulkandah during the reign of the seventh king, Abdulau (Abu-l-Hasan), when his great minister, Madana, was in power. It chanced in his time that a Persian was washing his face on the banks of the river. While he was there a Hindu came, and close to him began to wash a cloth with such rashness and inattention that the water splashed over the Mahomedan. Anxious to keep himself clean — for the water sent over him by the Hindu was dirtying him — he asked the man civilly to find another place. The rude Hindu, instead of paying heed, replied with abuse, and made as if to strike him. The Persian lost patience and gave him a slap, whereby arose a great tumult. Many Hindus arrived, seized him, gave him many blows, bound him, and carried him to the presence of the minister Madana. ### [265.10.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.3) The minister's sentence was that the hand of the Persian with which the blow had been given should be cut off. The order was forthwith executed. Finding that neither the government nor the courts were in the hands of the Mahomedans, but in those of the Hindus, the Persian said nothing, but, frying the severed hand in oil, he took it, and, quitting the kingdom of Gulkandah, resorted to the court of Aurangzeb. There he showed the hand and the mutilated arm, and in a loud voice ejaculated \[192\] that God had made him (Aurangzeb) king to redress injustice, such as this done to a Sayyid, a descendant of the Prophet. Repeatedly he made the same complaint, and in the end Aurangzeb ordered some money to be disbursed to him for his support. He was told to be patient, and in due time punishment would be inflicted for the little respect paid by the tyrant to the chosen of God. When Aurangzeb tried conclusions with the King of Gulkandah, the crimes he alleged were these : highhandedness, oppression, permitting public drinking-shops, women of evil life, and gambling-houses, choosing Hindu governors, maintaining temples, and not allowing to Mahomedans that free liberty which they are entitled to. Therefore God had made him (Aurangzeb) king for the suppression of all these disorders allowed by Abu-l-Hasan. This king of Gulkandah, Abu-l-Hasan, was descended from, and was of the blood royal of the kings of that line ; ### [265.10.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.4) but he was poor and despised, passing his life in taverns and shops, looking on at dancing and listening to music. At the death of the king Cotobxaa (Qutb Shah) they made him king, seeing that the deceased monarch had no son, and he (Abu-l-Hasan) was of the royal blood. Thus he received the crown, never having imagined that he would come to reign. Finding himself thus elevated, and being devoid of experience of the world, he asked the Dutch factor if there were horses in Europe. The answer was that there were horses and also valiant warriors, who fought without their aid. The king replied that he had always heard that the Europeans fought nowhere but on the sea. ' If it is as you say,' said he, ' show me some picture representing a battle on horseback.' The Dutch factor imparted the king's desire to the governor of Negapatao (Negapatnam). A large painting was sent by him, in which a battle was depicted, fought by the Dutch against the Spaniards. It showed squadrons of cavalry and infantry contending most fiercely one with another; also various bloody and dying figures and objects. The picture referred to was given to the king, and he was much astonished. Next day, sending for the factor, he told him to carry away his painting to his own house; that it was of no use to him (the king); that all night long he had been unable to sleep merely thinking of it. The painting hangs to this very day in the Dutch Factory in the town of Gulkandah, where I have seen it. ### [265.10.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.5) Such fears have those who have never been in a battle and have no experience of the world. It was from this cause that he lost his kingdom in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-six, as I pointed out in the Second Part of my book (II. 242). When Da,ud Khan was in charge of Patnah, as I have already said (II. 61), there was found one morning in the Ganges river, near the English Factory adjoining the city gate, a rock crystal eight palms in length and thirty palms in circumference. As it was a rarity, it was sent to the king in a boat. I saw it myself, and measured it in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty-three (1663). ### [265.10.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.6) From what I have been able to gather about the ancient Portuguese, they were, as shown by their conquests and the strong fortified places they took, religious men, just, disinterested, valorous, void of fear, men of their word, and modest withal. For this reason God was their helper. At the present day, from what I have seen and experienced, I find that, instead of faithful men, they are unbelievers and pretenders. The cause I know not — whether it be because they are a mixture of Jews, Mahomedans, and Hindus, either having an admixture of their blood, or having drunk it in with their nurse's milk — but in place of just, they have become unjust ; \[193\] robbers and oppressors instead of disinterested men. They are avaricious, forgers, envious ; from brave men they have turned into cowards, who by ambushes and treacheries slay simple folk. Instead of men of their word, they are liars and deceivers ; in place of being modest, they are shameless, miserable wretches, filled with a pride which they maintain as if they were upholding the First Commandment. ### [265.10.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.7) For these reasons they are in these days ruined, reduced, and poverty-stricken, despoiled of their famous conquests, their treasures, delights, and pleasures having been appropriated by the Dutch or annexed by the Arabs, and they themselves are oppressed by the Moguls. The few who survive are respected only from the fame of the ancient Portuguese, but such men are not even the shadows of their predecessors. I speak not of the Lusitanians who dwell in Europe. Yet even those Portuguese, on arriving in India, change in character and in name ; each man claims to be of gentle birth, and a man of quality. Arrived in Goa, and on the point of dying of hunger, they retire into a convent, and hardly have two years elapsed before they are sent forth somewhere or other as vicars and become missionaries, and while quite young wield the great powers conferred on them by their prelates, which they make use of to the discredit of Christianity. The reader will have seen in my Second Part (II. 205-224) the efforts I had made and the services I had rendered in Goa when the Portuguese found themselves in such great peril. Thome de Azevedo, the chief physician, a priest of Jewish birth, ordered the bailiffs to seize me and thrust me into prison. The bailiff had compassion on me and sent me secret word of these orders, and advised me to get out of the way. ### [265.10.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10.8) At that moment I was entering the house of the Secretary of State, called Luis Gonsalves Cota, to translate the reply to a letter from Sambhaji, which the viceroy was about to send. After the letter was translated, I mentioned to the Secretary the orders that had been given by the physician. The Secretary answered very frigidly that the physician could act thus, as he had the leave of His Excellency. If he had me arrested he had cause, for I had no permission to treat the poor. He reprehended me, and said I was acting ill; he had also heard it stated that I had some little pills with which I made an easy cure of wounds and buboes. I answered that I treated none but mendicants and the indigent, and that without fee. It was my habit wherever I travelled to help the necessitous, and for such good deeds I was esteemed throughout the Mahomedan country, where I was held in much respect. Thus I would seek some other place so as not to give annoyance, and preserve my liberty. The secretary was very stiff, and gave me not a word of reply, instead of paying some attention to or remedying my grievance. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.10) · Pramāṇa