Storia do Mogor 265.11
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.11
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- English
265.11.1
I concealed my feelings, though disappointed in him, and lost no time in placing myself [in sanctuary] within the church of the Theatines. Thence I sent information to Dom Rodrigo da Costa, who at the time was in command of the fleet, and on hearing from me he went to see the viceroy, Count Francisco de Tavora. The latter was annoyed with the chief physician [196] for wishing, in that dangerous time, to interfere with me. The physician was sent for, and also the chief surgeon, Francisco da Silva, and they were told by the viceroy in an angry voice that if they touched me, he would have satisfaction from them. I was let alone and in freedom.
265.11.2
[194, an interpolated leaf.] A propos of what I have said, I will relate two cases which happened in my presence in connection with this chief physician. There was an Augustinian friar who fell ill of pains in the testicles combined with swelling. The pain he suffered was insupportable, and he had arrived almost at the point of death. The chief physician and the other proficients were unable to cure him. There was an old woman who lived close to the convent, who, hearing of the illness, came and offered to cure it. She applied some stewed leaves to the painful place, and took away the pain together with the swelling, and the good friar was completely restored to health. When the chief physician was told of this, he sent orders to imprison the charitable old woman, and to obtain her release she was forced to sell everything she had in her house, and thus buy off the chief physician's demands. From that time the poor old woman wandered through the streets in search of alms. There was a Hindu practitioner who knew a perfect cure for scrofula. The chief physician wanted to learn his secret, and sent the poor fellow to prison. He was informed that he would not recover his liberty until he had taught his secret to the physician. The timid Hindu resolved rather to die in prison than to divulge his secret. Such-like effects spring from the grant of power to ungrateful villains. [Page 195 is blank.]
265.11.3
[196, resumed.] I believe the reader will not be astonished at my writing with so much liberty, for I profess to declare the truth, which, as it seems to me, is the only thing likely to be of use as a warning to any curious person undertaking any long voyage, or in especial one coming to these parts of India. Many is the time I have wished to do good to and help necessitous persons ; but afterwards, instead of being thanked, I issued from the matter under sentence of crime as a misdoer and a rogue. Thus was it with what happened to me in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-two (1682). Taking with me the ambassador from Goa, Joao Antunio Portugal, I set out for the army of Shah 'Alam, then lying near Goa territory. In our company were twenty men of rank, one Jesuit called Antonio de Barro, a Theatine called Dom Joseph Tedesqui, and a priest known by the name of Gonsallo Lopes. The whole party was put up by me in a large tent which the prince had assigned as my quarters, and there I entertained them as befitted them.
265.11.4
The next day I brought them to the court of Shah 'Alam, and there with the greatest difficulty I obtained leave for the entry of three persons only ; but out of respect for me they were relieved of the heavy expenditure which has to be incurred by custom at all such courts. The prince Shah 'Alam desired me to remain with him, and in order to compel or induce me sent his confidant, Mirza Muhammad Riza, officer of his table and a great friend of mine, to make over to me two thousand rupees, which I was to accept, giving as a reason that I had spent considerable sums on His Highness's service. He had express orders that he must make me accept the money. I brought forward some objections to receiving it, but he embraced me, and, encouraging me, earnestly besought me to accept. The supplicant, finding I did not want to accept, left the money, beat a hasty retreat, and I gave orders to lock up the cash. The ambassador and some others were present. They began to talk softly to each other, and then angrily asked me in a loud tone who the rupees were meant for. I replied that the prince had sent them to me for my expenses. In their anger they answered me with misplaced words and such-like talk, so that I held it better not to answer ignorant men who did not speak to me in a proper manner. It was reported among them that the prince had sent the two thousand rupees to the ambassador, and that I had usurped them [197].
265.11.5
This matter was not such a secret that it did not come to the prince's ears, and he was annoyed, saying he could not have supposed that such people could be so ignorant, and the higher he had thought of them the more aggrieved he felt. To restore my honour, he ordered one of the principal officials of his court, Mir Muhammad Sadiq, to send for the ambassador to his tent with all his retinue, and apply a remedy for the above false statement. With me standing near him and the others round him, he asked me if I had received the above-mentioned money. I replied in the affirmative. Then in a loud voice, with his hand raised, he said it had been heard that there was someone rash enough to assert that Manuchy had stolen the said money. If he could only find out who were these slanderers, he would unfailingly cram their mouths full (be it said with all respect) ... of dirt. Most of them hung their heads, and said not a word ; they had imagined they were sent for to receive some present.
265.11.6
When I had finished the negotiations in favour of the viceroy, Shah 'Alam ordered that in his presence the three persons should receive each a sarapd (set of robes). At that moment appeared two men with two thousand rupees in two bags, and from behind the ambassadors shouted in loud voices these words: 'Here are the two thousand rupees that Your Majesty confers on the Portuguese ambassadors.' They recited these words three times. Joao Antunes Portugal was alarmed at such shouting, as he did not know the language, and asked me the reason. I told him it was about the two thousand rupees that the prince had ordered to be given, and that it was in this manner the gift was made, instead of sending the money to his tent. He cast down his eyes, recognising the reason why the prince acted thus. It was solely that no doubt might be thrown on my good faith. Joao Antunes Portugal was incensed at this affair, and in place of being sorry sought means to take my life. If he did not succeed, it was because I did not remain in Goa, but returned to the Mogul prince's service.
265.11.7
I will insert a small affair that happened to me on the same occasion. In Goa there was a well-born man called Lourenco da Cunha, who pretended to be my friend. On my taking leave of the viceroy, at the time when I was about to start for the Mogul army to undertake negotiations for the State, this man carried me to his house, where I stopped all night. He asked me to convey in my boat a box containing various Chinese curiosities, which might be worth fifty rupees, hoping to sell them in the army. I excused myself for two reasons. The first was that the goods were not suitable for Mahomedans, being images of tigers, cats, cocks, et cetera. The second was because the things could not be carried safely, owing to the difficult marches we were to make. On hearing these objections he said nothing, but at midnight while I was asleep he made over the said box to the boatman with an order to inform me after I had reached the army. When I arrived at the army the boatman told me about this box, but at the time I passed the matter over in silence. The next day my friend Lourenco da Cunha turned up and demanded from me four hundred and fifty rupees for the goods he had put into my boat. My arguments were of no avail, he talking preposterously.
265.11.8
Finding all this trouble, and being careless about money, I ordered the payment of the amount he claimed, and before his face caused all the contents of the box to be distributed to common people. He declared he was doing me a favour in letting me have the things so cheap. These fellows glory in cheating foreigners without scruple.